Today was possibly the best day yet as God blessed us with great weather and great opportunities to serve Him through serving others.
Serving Group 1 -
Serving Group 1 spent their morning at a ministry called Sunday Breakfast, an organization that serves and houses homeless men in the city. The group spent their time cleaning the entire second floor of the facility by sweeping, mopping, dusting, and disinfecting the floors, tables, chairs, and anything else they could get their hands on. The staff there said that, not only did the facility desperately need to be cleaned, but that their efforts help give the men a sense of pride in their home and contribute to their sense of self-worth. After cleaning, the group served lunch to about 150 people, making it a really full morning of loving in tangible ways.
In the afternoon, the group returned to the Neighborhood Center Summer Camp, where they got the opportunity to leave one final impression on the staff and kids there. Their first task was to clean several areas of the building and reorganize the gym. After some manual labor, the kids arrived and the team jumped right into playing and continuing to build relationships with them. When it was finally time to say goodbye to their new friends, the team left with promises to pray for the kids and a true desire to do so.
For dinner, Serving Group 1 joined with Serving Group 4 to enjoy some delicious Philly cheesesteaks in a local park.
Serving Group 2 -
Serving Group 2 got to start the day with a tour of China Town. The group was very grateful that the rain had stopped so that they could fully experience all the sites, sounds, and smells of this unique part of the city. After their walking tour, the team headed to St. John's Hospice, a ministry site that Group 1 had visited the day before. The team got to meet Jerry, the Community Outreach Coordinator, who gave the group a picture of St. John's mission for the community. St. John's houses over 50 men to help them as they attempt to transition back into the workforce. It also serves as a soup kitchen and a counseling center. The team appreciated the organization's holistic approach to helping these men. The mission statement for St. John's is that it "seeks to be a community grounded in faith and service where homeless persons find dignity, respect, nourishment, and opportunities for new beginning." After being encouraged by Jerry to see Christ inside each of the men they serve, the group got to work serving a hot lunch to over 100 individuals who were all extremely appreciative.
In the afternoon, Serving Group 2 went back to the Honickman Learning Center Summer Camp to play with the kids one final time. Ms. Chris, the class's teacher, had bought pizza for the entire group to show her appreciation for all their efforts during the week. Your children then helped the kids complete a worksheet about summertime activities, where all the kids wrote down things that they heard, saw, smelled, tasted, and felt during the summer. After completing their worksheets, each kid presented their responses to the class with the help of the "mentors." After the kids presented, they wanted each member of the team to share, too, demonstrating how much the kids really value what their "mentors" have had to say all week. After completing their work, everyone went outside to finish their time together by playing games and taking pictures. The group has really been impacted by their relationships with the children at the Learning Center, realizing just how quickly bonds can form when we get out of our own way and let Christ work in us and through us.
After leaving the Learning Center, Serving Group 2 got to enjoy some Jamaican cuisine near the heart of the city for dinner.
Serving Group 3 -
In keeping with tradition, Serving Group 3 began their day at the Honickman Learning Center, helping the kids write paragraphs about what they wanted to do over the summer. The team assisted the kids in their spelling by teaching them how to "sound out" different words, as well as taught them some helpful tips on grammar. After completing their paragraphs, the team helped the children write their paragraphs on cards and hang them on the wall for display. After working on english skills, it was time to practice their math skills. The group guided the children as they played educational math games on the computers. It's been so cool to see the benefits these children are receiving through the Honickman Learning Center and to envision the bright futures these kids can have if they just take advantage of the incredible resources God has blessed them with through the Learning Center.
In the afternoon, Serving Group 3 went over to Camden, NJ to serve at the Fellowship House, one of only two soup kitchens in that area left to serve the community. Their first task was to weed and mulch the garden and surrounding grounds of the facility. The team was really excited to see the big transformation, and enjoyed looking at the "before" and "after" pictures that told the true story of all that had been accomplished. The staff was also so proud to see the condition of the place after the amazing transformation. The group worked so quickly that they were able to complete a second task and got to help the staff pack grocery care packages for people in need in their community. Knowing that all their hard work would have a true impact on the Camden area gave the team a sense of real joy and accomplishment.
For dinner, Group 3 enjoyed some yummy food at a local Thai restaurant.
Serving Group 4 -
On their last day with the kids from the Harold Davis Summer Camp, Serving Group 4 got the privilege of taking the children to the pool for the morning. The team got to swim with the children and enjoyed some awesome bonding time out in the sun. Although it was tough to say goodbye at the end of the morning, the team was heartened by the fact that these kids not only experienced fun activities with the group, but that they also got a glimpse of Jesus through the loving words and deeds of our team. One snapshot of the impact the group has had on the kids would be the picture of how, after one team member carried two little girls across the freshly cut grass so that they wouldn't mess up their shoes, the girls had tears of gratitude and admiration in their eyes. Not only do we get the sense that the kids have seen Jesus in us and through us this week, but we know that we have most definitely seen the face of Christ clearly through the children and staff workers we've interacted with.
In the afternoon, Serving Group 4 visited Inglis House, the home for wheelchair bound individuals that Serving Group 1 got to visit on Monday. The team spent some quality time with the residents, playing games and hearing about their lives. The group's visit to Inglis House helped them break down some of the preconceived notions some people held about individuals with physical handicaps. Everyone was totally blown away by how much joy these individuals had even in the midst of their obvious challenges.
For dinner, Group 4 joined with Group 1 and loved every minute of their cheesesteak feast!
On top of all the incredible serving opportunities, each group got to enjoy a little fun on the side by stopping at local 7/11 stores for some free slurpees (7/11 gives away free surpees between 11am and 7pm on July 11th every year)!
Tonight's Porch Time was very meaningful as we finished the story we studied in our pre-trip training meetings. Hawley spoke from the book of Acts and reminded us of Peter's encounter with God and the amazing effect it had on his life and on the lives of those around him. He challenged everyone to "get out of the way" and to allow God to change them as a result of their encounter with Him in Philadelphia. After Hawley's talk, the team broke up into small groups for some great discussion of what it looks like to apply the truths we've learned on this trip when we get back home to Williamsburg.
It is so hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day of the trip! We are excited to have one more opportunity to serve the people of Philly before returning to serve and love our "neighbors" back home. The kids and leaders are also looking forward to our annual tradition of going to a baseball game at night. Please pray that we would "leave it all on the field," to use a sports analogy, as we serve Jesus this Friday!
