Students learn lesson on poverty

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
December 2, 2004

EMMETSBURG - Students in grades seven through 12 at Holy Family Church in Emmetsburg found themselves experiencing something new when they were handed cardboard boxes and trash bags on Nov. 17.

The week prior to this, the students talked about homeless people and how they are feeling right now, with the weather changes. Karen Wuebker, youth minister and DRE at Holy Family, thought a hands-on experience would be a good way for the students to understand what homeless people go through during the colder months.

"We came up with the idea that we would have a homeless village so the kids could experience how the homeless people were feeling," said Wuebker. "We went out to our recycling place and got a bunch of big boxes, and we had one of our teachers bring a fire pit."

The night that Wuebker created the homeless village was rainy, but not too cold. As the students walked in to the meeting, she handed them a trash bag and said, "Here is your rain coat." The students proceeded to punch holes in the trash bags for their head and arms. As the students walked outside, they saw the boxes and each tried to get one, said Wuebker.

Wuebker had gotten information about how homeless people live, how they view religion, their living conditions, how their families are and different things, so for the first 45 minutes outside, she shared these things with the students.

"The kids were really great about responding," said Wuebker.

One of the students, who was drenched from the rain, commented that it wasn't very much fun to be out in the rain. She responded with "this is the way homeless people live."

"We are glad that we can go home and take showers and get warm," said Wuebker. "We had a really good discussion with the kids. I think it was a good experience."

For the last 15 minutes of their class, they had marshmallows, hotdogs and bottled water. The students asked where the hotdog buns and ketchup and mustard were. Wuebker reminded them that they were homeless at that time.

"I hope they got an appreciation for what they have and that they are blessed by their families and the friendships and community that they have here," said Wuebker. "I think that way they can see that they don't have to go from box to box or alley to alley or overpass to overpass to stay warm or live in a car. I think they really appreciate what they have right now."

There were about 17 or 18 students that participated and four adults.

"I think if they have more hands-on activities where they can experience the point you are trying to get across, they understand it better. That helps them maybe become a better Christian or person to the next person that isn't as fortunate," said Wuebker.

At the meeting on Dec. 1, Wuebker planned to talk to the students about how they felt and the different things that they could maybe do as a group to help people that are not as fortunate.