This past weekend, 24 ninth grade confirmation students and 7 adults went to Urban Immersions in Minneapolis to experience the many issues contributing to poverty through partnering with organizations that serve those affected. As these students are preparing to affirm their baptism in May, we pose to them the question, “what does it mean to lead a Christian life for the rest of your life?” Serving and caring for your neighbor is a significant piece of this, and our students were challenged to take what they learned over the weekend to address the issues in their own communities. 

While often the service sites we go to on Saturday are the highlight of the weekend for students, what they learned on Friday night had a much bigger impact. What began as a conversation about what poverty and privilege looks like quickly turned into an in-depth conversation about assumptions. We assume why people are in poverty (laziness, poor money management skills, excessive spending, etc.) and therefore we assume we know what they need instead of asking what they need. But in not asking or seeking to understand why, we treat others the way we think we would want to be treated in that situation, which can do more harm than good. Instead, our students were encouraged to discover the why behind someone’s situation and how they would want to be helped.

This taught students and leaders alike the importance of asking questions instead of making assumptions. We cannot truly understand someone’s story until we take the time to listen, to hear from them, and to learn how we can come alongside and support them.