Omar

Omar is no stranger to serving communities in need. Growing up in Saudi Arabia, he began volunteering in his neighborhood when he was in middle school. In 2011, he and his wife came to Boston on a scholarship and quickly began volunteering at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. Omar served at the Boston Rescue Mission for the first time in 2013. A few years later, when he saw the Mission in the service learning program at Suffolk University, he signed up right away.

“I didn’t feel strange” he says of the first day. “I worked with Carlos in the kitchen and they treated me like I’m one of them.” He feels everyone should try to serve their community, connecting with new people and adapting to unfamiliar situations.

Organizations like the Boston Rescue Mission don’t exist in Saudi Arabia, says Omar. There aren’t many programs to help people become more active in the community through rehabilitation. Because families are much closer and the government provides housing to all citizens, fewer people wind up living on the streets.

Through service learning, Omar gains insights by comparing the Mission’s programs to those in his home country. Mission residents and guests benefit from Omar’s diligent service and a heart for the needy. Thanks Omar for all of your help!