{"id":1460,"date":"2012-10-28T19:05:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-28T19:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/a-weekend-in-the-life-helps-youth-empathize-with-homeless\/"},"modified":"2012-10-28T19:05:00","modified_gmt":"2012-10-28T19:05:00","slug":"a-weekend-in-the-life-helps-youth-empathize-with-homeless","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/10\/a-weekend-in-the-life-helps-youth-empathize-with-homeless\/","title":{"rendered":"A weekend in the life helps youth empathize with homeless"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Simpsonville, S.C., Oct 28, 2012 \/ 01:05 pm (CNA<\/a>).- Youth at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Simpson, S.C. recently received a crash course in what it\u2019s like to be homeless.<\/p>\n

\tTwenty-eight middle and high school students and parents from the church spent a weekend outside Sept. 21-23, sleeping in cardboard boxes on the ground and relying only on donated supplies for food and hygiene.<\/p>\n

\tParticipants arrived on Friday afternoon to begin the event with only the clothes on their backs. They weren\u2019t allowed to bring sleeping bags, personal hygiene items or anything else. Parents could join the activity or visit with their children, but weren\u2019t allowed to bring them supplies.<\/p>\n

\tThe parish youth already participate in an annual 30-hour fast to empathize with the hungry, and this project was meant to give them an idea of what it\u2019s like to be homeless and fending for themselves on the streets, said youth leader Joe Maggio.<\/p>\n

\tThey also collected blankets, clothing, shoes, bottled water, non-perishable food and hygiene items for homeless programs, including United Ministries, Safe Harbor and God\u2019s Pantry.<\/p>\n

\tBasic physical needs weren\u2019t the only concern. The youth also had to come up with ways to entertain themselves, a skill that\u2019s not often required in a busy, technology-driven world.<\/p>\n

\tThere were a few guest speakers during the weekend, but the rest of the time, they sang, talked with each other, or played games.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cIt was a great bonding time, to be quite honest, because one of the things they found out is being homeless can be very boring,\u201d Maggio said. \u201cThere was no technology, no diversions. It was a real chance to hang out together and really talk to people and get to know them, because there was none of the rush-rush of normal daily life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe daytime hours were sunny and comfortable, but at night temperatures dropped into the 50s. They learned just how cold that can feel without the protection of four walls and a roof.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cAt night I felt like I almost froze,\u201d said Abby Frazier, 17. \u201cI had two blankets and a yoga mat to sleep on, and I was freezing. I didn\u2019t think it would get that cold at night. I totally sympathize now with what it must be like for people who have to sleep outside. It really opened my eyes to how they have to live to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tAngel Vigil joined her two sons Isaac, 10, and Weston, 13, for some eye-opening lessons.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cGoing without was an interesting experience,\u201d she said. \u201cWe only ate if people brought food, drank if they brought water. You didn\u2019t know where you were going to get things or if anyone was going to take care of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tHer kids learned what it was like to not brush their teeth or take a shower.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cHomelessness is out there and people don\u2019t really talk about this, and events like this can help start the conversation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\tPosted with permission from The Catholic Miscellany<\/a>, official newspaper for the Diocese of Charleston, S.C.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Simpsonville, S.C., Oct 28, 2012 \/ 01:05 pm (CNA).- Youth at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Simpson, S.C. recently received a crash course in what it’s like to be homeless.<\/p>\n

\tTwenty-eight middle and high school students and parents from the church …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-us"],"yoast_head":"\nA weekend in the life helps youth empathize with homeless<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Simpsonville, S.C., Oct 28, 2012 \/ 01:05 pm (CNA).- Youth at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Simpson, S.C. recently received a crash course in what it’s like to be homeless. 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