During our time in Chicago, we had the chance to visit a couple different senior centers. Some of the students have never been to one before, so it was cool to see them experience a new way to love on people.
The group brought a guitar with them to play some worship songs for the residents. At this particular senior center though, most of the residents only spoke Spanish. At first, it was a little frustrating because we knew that they did not know the songs. It was kind of like we were just awkwardly singing to ourselves.
The group sat down, and we decided that it would be best to eat our lunch to overcome the mild embarrassment we felt. At my table, I met a man who has played guitar for a large portion of his life. I asked if he wanted to play, but he declined. After much convincing, he finally agreed. I ran over and grabbed the guitar for him. He began to strum and in no time he was belting out some of his favorite Spanish songs. The other residents seemed to perk up from his performance. We took note and decided to start a dance party. We moved some tables and grabbed some of the residents. We did the Salsa and other Latin dances with the residents. They loved it! We had broken through the language barrier with our dance moves.
I looked around the room and saw the pure joy that was on all the residents' faces. That wasn't a normal day for them. A large group of students don't regularly come to visit them and start a dance party. The spontaneity of the day and the fact that the students were so willing to participate made God's joy real and present that day. As we were leaving, one of the ladies pulled me aside and said, "Thank you." She told me how much the group being there meant to her. She said they often feel forgotten, but it's times like this that she feels remembered and loved.
*Photos provided by Kristy Levine
