Georgetown Ministry Center

I loved volunteering for the Georgetown Ministry Center. It is very much a club for homeless people. The homeless people are members of the club or visitors to the club. They have community meetings. They take care of the center in many ways. Members, homeless individuals, put out the trash, clean the center, help serve food, and more. The members also participate in how the center is governed. There are regular meetings. We are all equal human beings in that community. It is a place that respects the wisdom of every person. I felt like one of the family when I was volunteering. In Buddhist philosophy, I have been taught to love everyone equally and in the same way, unconditionally---as a mother loves a child. This is my goal each day. GMC has given me a place to be loving. Love is a simple thing. It is wanting others to be happy, and it is giving. GMC gave my life great purpose and meaning when I volunteered there. I urge anyone who is seeking a life of joy to volunteer with GMC. I have done volunteer work all of my life. GMC is one of the most special communities I have been a part of. I volunteered for about 7 months. The director, staff, and other volunteers are my teachers. I view each of them as humble heroines/heroes. The clients/members are also very loving. I have received so many smiles. Those smiles are very connecting. I certainly do not expect smiles from everyone. People who live on the street often live extremely stressful lives. They are frequently outsiders. Low self-esteem is common. Many have serious mental illness. Many sleep outside and expose themselves to dangers. Many are lonely and have been mistreated by others. The suffering that some of our clients have experienced is so horrible. Many have mental scars that are not always shared. Every person has their own story. I always try to encourage clients and to be a light. Where there is despair, I try always to give hope. Sometimes where there is great sadness, joy can also find a place. It is truly in giving that we all receive. GMC is a place of incredible joy. I have heard that word, joy, from the mouths of many staff members and volunteers. A favorite quotation that sums up GMC for me is this: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” -Rabindranath Tagore- If you are looking for a magnificent organization to volunteer with or to donate to, please contact Georgetown Ministry Center, Washington, DC. It is near Wisconsin Ave. and M St. With loving kindness, Bruce Johnston