Trips then move into interactive learning environments that start on the surface and slowly step further and further into understanding. We introduce participants to our city, allowing them to orient themselves before going a little deeper, past the shallow experience of tourism to embark on experiences that will teach them to see and hear through a new perspective. We lead them toward authentic relationships so they can hear the stories and learn the names of the marginalized in Portland. It’s in these authentic relationships that participants experience the humanity of individuals who life in a vastly different reality than their own.

Participants learn about the reality of houselessness and debunk common myths through very hands-on activities before stepping into Night Strike and serving, by which point they are wide open for growth and discovery. For the remainder of their time, we lean into radical acceptance, raw love, and explore purpose. Our final time is spent together in a call to action. Every city, suburb, and town has a different need or injustice. We found Portland’s need and responded. We challenge our participants to listen to the pulse of their own communities and provide a response that will creatively meet that need.