Getting to know you

They arrived pretty well on time today. A different crew this time, with one or two exceptions. Every time we meet, there's a new adventure, for them and for us.

Today's adventure began when they walked in and found out the menu that we were preparing. For three of them, it was their very first experience at the BSCK. Perhaps they had heard about this exciting new project and wanted to learn more. Perhaps they really wanted to learn a thing or two, or perhaps they just thought it would be an interesting way to spend the afternoon.

It wasn't long before the tasks at hand were divided: one would help to prepare the sausage penne dish, another would get busy peeling apples for the crumble, a third was given salad prep duty a fourth got to experiment with the adventure of bread making, and a fifth found herself responsible for preparing pumpkin muffins (in tribute to the approaching Thanksgiving weekend). Before long, it was evident that some of them had never seen the inside of a kitchen, but they soldiered on, patiently (or impatiently) performing one task after another.

Participants in today's gathering are all part of the programming offered by the Sudbury Action Centre for Youth. These are the young adults who have not had too much given to them in life. For many of them, life is a struggle, even today, and this is a unique opportunity for them to learn a new skill, to interact with one another and to show their peers that they can take pride in the fact that they're preparing the meal for all their friends to enjoy.

This is a huge step for these teenagers to take. Some of them see an opportunity here to truly make a difference, to come clean and to do something with their lives. Others aren't there yet, but as long as they're willing to try, we're willing to help in any way we can.

The idea for the BSCK was born two years ago, and ever since then, this outreach program has taken off in directions we never would have dreamed about at the beginning. It's truly turned out to be a blessing for the parish, for those who participate and most of all for those who volunteer their time and talents.

No sooner does one group encounter come to an end, we're already planning for and looking forward to the next. Who will come through the door next time? What adventure will unfold?