Most of us have warm and cozy beds to sleep in each night (even though sometimes we may resist going to them at a decent time and are even more resistant getting out of them in the morning). What about those who don’t have a warm place to rest? How does it feel to be young, alone, and sleeping out in the cold?
On October 27th, 21 youth and four adults from West Des Moines United Methodist Church participated in the 7th annual Reggie’s Sleepout at Drake Stadium to raise funds and awareness for the Iowa Homeless Youth Centers. The event is named in honor of Reggie Kelsey, who aged out of the foster care system in 2001 and then within three and a half months died in the Des Moines River. Reggie’s Place Coffee Shop and Reggie’s Sleepout raise funds to help prevent similar tragedies. The participants of Reggie’s Sleepout are to experience just one night of sleeping out in the cold. They may bring a tent or use cardboard boxes to create their bed for the night. And yes, duct tape was permitted and many rolls were used that evening! Here are what some of the youth shared following their experience:
• Maddie – “It was a good experience for us, but we had the benefit that it was not a super cold night and we could bring just about anything from home to keep warm. It was challenging to think how people and especially kids, have to do this every night. We worry about having the latest iPhone and they don’t even have enough to stay warm. It was also a good bonding time with the Youth Group – we all learned something and could share in the experience together.”
• Jackson – “It was really fun to be at the stadium and to get to know other kids better. It was a chilly night, but I hardly noticed because of the fun and activities. But I realized it is not so fun to sleep in a box, especially if I had to do it every night. I feel very lucky to have the things I have.”
• Emma – “Our group had a lot of fun building our house and playing games, but I missed my bed and warm bedroom at home. I feel so sorry for kids who sleep outside all of the time. I enjoyed the experience and want to do it again next year.”
• Jennie – “I really liked Reggie’s Sleepout because it really makes us think about how fortunate we are. It was just one cold night for us, but others do that every night and in much colder weather. The electricity going out for a while made the experience even more real as we stood in the darkness, feeling helpless. I definitely want to do this again.”
• Joe – “It was a fun and a learning experience. It really put our architectural skills to the test – I think I could have done so much more with more duct tape. But seriously, it helped us feel what homeless people feel like. As I went to bed that night, I thought of those who go without a sleeping bag or coat and just use whatever they can to try to stay warm.”
Everyone developed a deep appreciation for their comforts of home and how meaningless material items are when you do not even have a warm place to rest for the night. We pray for all of those who do not have a warm and safe place to rest each night.
Darin Woodward, WDMUMC member
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