Saint Francis Halfway Home

My first visit to the Saint Francis Halfway home was beyond anything I could have ever imagined. On the drive over to the house I was a bit nervous because I knew how important it was for us as a group to establish a rapport. As we walked in and were introduced to a few of the men I noticed they had the Laker game on and were eager to get back to the game. It was at that moment that I realized that relating to someone who had spent twenty years in prison could start off as easy as talking about Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. After my initial set of nerves wore off we had the opportunity to meet more of the men as they slowly streamed in from each of the other halfway houses. That night they were gathering for a talking circle in which they woulc share one blessing of the day. As they went around and shared their one blessing, I couldn't help but think how nice all these men were. Though I knew these men obviously weren't perfect, they still took the time to make us feel comfortable and encourage use to partake in the talking circle. After the meeting I had the chance to talk to two of the men one on one, and Tiffany and I ended up giving them a ride back to to the other halfway house. I definitely left feeling inspired and eager to continue growing in these new relationships.