Today we worked at the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is a drop in center for homeless and drug addicted people to come and have a meal. There is also a bakery called the Lighthouse Bakery and Café which facilitates an program for drug addicted folks to get them cleaned up and
trained for a profession. The trainees spend 18 months training in the bakery. They are provided a place to stay and a small wage, and are expected to stay off drugs. If they can save a little bit of their pay during the program, a partner bank will match their savings. They can also get assistance in getting a job or starting a small business upon completion of the program. The trainees acted as our gurus (or teachers) today in the bakery. I made little pizzas with veggies and sausage and helped package the baked goods once they were finished. We 
had so much fun talking broken English with the trainees and singing songs on the radio.
had so much fun talking broken English with the trainees and singing songs on the radio.
After the bakery, we went next door to the Lighthouse drop in center, where dinner had been prepared for the group of drop ins tonight. There was a special birthday cake for Stella whose family sponsored the meal this night in honor of her 30th birthday. She had a birthday cake and we all sang to her. Stella chose to celebrate at this place and passed out pieces of her cake to the needy strangers in the room. As someone who is always wanting to celebrate myself with all my favorite things on my birthday (especially the milestones!) I was so impressed with this girl and her choice to give to others for her birthday. What a great day.
