Area Teens Plunge In to the World of Those Suffering from Poverty

Six area teenagers did indeed Plunge Inn to the program of that name. On April 4-7, students from Spokane, Ritzville and Walla Walla got a glimpse into the lives of people in need. Under adult supervision, the teenagers stayed at the adult education building of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes, venturing out each day to serve lunch at the House of Charity, do housecleaning for people in low-income apartments, or help get a roof on Habitat for Humanity?s current house. Catholic Charities Parish Social Ministry Director Scott Cooper remembers one girl saying, "I never realized the level of poverty. I've been shocked by it." The teens were also moved by the stories of homeless people at the House of Charity. Cooper says a gift of the program is that it moves people out of their comfort zones in a big leap. "The challenge is to see Christ in this person, who may be mentally ill or living in a way that you'd never imagined someone could live," Cooper explains. Taking a brief swim in the sea of poverty and homelessness has left these teenagers with a strengthened and more informed desire to do what they can to uplift others.