There were two speakers, one on Prison ministry, Peter, and one on mental health, Dale. Both spoke from the heart and moved all of us. This article is about the mental health support they receive at Ten Friends through their cafe and those who just care for them. Dale shared his own journey and how Ten Friends has helped him from past to present! The cafe is funded partly by Mental Health Canada. They have councilors available for their patrons if needed, they build community and relationships with those who patron this establishment. It is wonderful to see a place like this available to those in need of mental health support.


A big "shout out" to Pam and Marianne for organizing our day trip to the Divine Mercy Food Bank, Ten Friends Dinner and Street Help Homeless Centre of Windsor.

What we learned: We learned that it is as essential to discuss suffering ( mental, physical or spiritual), as it is to spend time discussing ways of alleviating it. Dale summed it up nicely when he said, "we care for the suffering, who have a hurt we cannot see". Peter's story was one of suffering and pain. Peter's mentor Neil VanVelzun emphasized that we all have the ability to use ourselves therapeutically, but in order to do this we must have an understanding of the human condition that brought the person to our door in the first place.

All of us at one time or another will suffer, it is possible that suffering is as much a common life experience as comfort. It was clear that "Where friends Gather" was a place where everything that was done with the recipient was designed to help the individual in coping with or bearing the stress of suffering. Peter's story demonstrated that a person can find meaning in suffering, now he is teaching others how he had to face the reality of it, to cope with it, to bear it, and to somehow extract some meaning or good out of his tragic experience. He tells his story with a soft shrug and a warm smile. All three of the sites we visited not only helped with measures to feed, clothe and comfort the individuals they served, but also went one step further to assist the recipient in finding meaning in their suffering. How humbling is it to observe the incredible patience as they wait interminable minutes to receive a service they need and whose entry price is often human dignity. All make the best of it by telling jokes, sharing cigarettes and general cajoling as they share space on a ledge and make room for those who need it most, in inclemate weather.

We sensed at each site that they realized the infinite value of every individual who walked through their doors. Lawanda lights up with joy when she describes her interactions with those that come to visit her Christmas and Easter celebration.


With bodies sprawled across benches and people shouting across tables, just enough chaos to be a real family, we felt totally at home at Street Help! When we asked about rules, one volunteer said, "oh we're not to strict here" and gave a laugh. Poverty , want and homelessness are not abstractions here as Dan himself, lived on the streets for three years.

Direct exposure to suffering and vulnerability is an experience that changes us, it encourages us to get involved, to care for and about our fellow human beings. We all have the need to be appreciated, needed and loved.

It is especially when one is suffering that small acts of kindness and thoughtfulness by others are so appreciated. As a SSVP youth group we must develop an awareness of actions which de-humanize human beings and protest them with a loud voice. We must seek to feel and experience along with the persons we serve. Thank you for the privilege of visiting these wonderful sites that are doing such great work by providing a welcoming and caring environment to those suffering.

"Catholic social teaching believes that human beings, created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), have by their very existence an inherent value, worth, and distinction. This means that God is present in every person, regardless of his or her race, nation, sex, origin, orientation, culture, or economic standing. Catholic Social Teaching asserts that all human beings must see within every person both a reflection of God and a mirror of themselves, and must honor and respect this dignity as a divine gift."