Reclaiming Shalom: A Transformative Poverty Simulation Experience

Every Tuesday during Service Learning Week, typically Day 2, participants step into a unique and eye-opening journey through the heart of the Woodlawn neighborhood. This experience begins with a guided tour that offers more than just a look at the physical landscape. It uncovers the deeper stories and systemic realities that shape the lives of residents. These stories help illustrate how ministry has often drifted from the true meaning of Shalom...the biblical vision of holistic peace, justice, and restoration...especially in financially underserved communities.

Following the tour, participants engage in a powerful Poverty Simulation. This interactive experience condenses 28 days of living at or below the poverty line into a one to one-and-a-half-hour session. Each participant receives a character card representing an individual, couple, or family facing real-life challenges with limited resources and specific circumstances.

Throughout the simulation, participants must navigate a network of community resources. These include a currency exchange, social services, a grocery store, the court system, and even the alderman's office. The goal is not to win or solve poverty, but to encounter its complexity in a way that fosters empathy, understanding, and a renewed commitment to justice.

Many begin the simulation thinking it is just a game to beat. Most end it with a profound sense of awareness, often moved by how difficult it is to maintain stability when every system feels stacked against you.

As one Bridge Builder participant shared at the end of their experience,

It is in these moments, when assumptions are broken and humility sets in that transformation begins. The Poverty Simulation is not just an activity. It is an invitation to see the world through a different lens and to step more intentionally into lives marked by compassion, responsibility, and action.

If you would like to bring this transformative simulation to your church or organization, contact us at bb@sunshinegospel.org. Let us journey together toward reclaiming the peace of Shalom in our communities.