Many people see U of D as a place where boys become men through service and education. The Labre Ministry is one of the biggest and most thriving service opportunities yet at the school. But what is the Labre Ministry? Labre Ministry is a compassionate outreach initiative inspired by the principles of Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, dedicated to serving the homeless and underserved populations. People that are less fortunate than us at U of D are not able to afford things such as food. Water, or even things like basic hygiene kits. At Labre we help provide these things and try and show people how simple gestures can change a person’s life.
The Labre process begins with the making and preparing food such as hotdogs, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and more for consumption. Then prepare drinks like water, coffee, or a seasonal beverage that people might like. We then grab packets of hygiene kits filled with things such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, and more hygienic products. Lastly, we fill a bag with clothes and shoes in which we grab all different sizes and colors of things to fit the peoples taste. Once all the bags are packed it’s time to hit the road and begin walking around Detroit speaking to people and serving them for the community.
When it’s time to enter the city of Detroit it feels like a whole new world. One that the simple life a suburban child in a gated community like me would never understand. Homelessness and poverty are a very common sight to see in such a large and vast city as Detroit. So, something as little as Labre has a larger impact on people and the city itself than we think. Max Diaz even claims that “after Labre I feel like a changed person every time I go, I feel very good about myself more than I would normally”. Max is absolutely right. These little gestures like Labre change the outcome of these people’s lives sometimes. We approach any citizen that seems like they could use something as simple as a hot dog or a cup of water. We talk with this person and engage in a conversation and some words of wisdom. Things that they can give us insight into that others at school could not.
The point of Labre is not only to serve the community. But also, to realize how much there is for us to be grateful for. That we get to go to an amazing school, have amazing friends, have a roof over our head and things to eat and be nourished off of every day. We should not take these things for granted and that is exactly eh message that Labre has been spreading for all the time that it has been created. So especially on this Thanksgiving season coming upon us make sure to really realize how much there really is to be thankful for and how fortunate most of us are.
