It’s been another incredible day here in the Music City! The
devotional for this morning was from Luke 5:1-11, where the team was encouraged
to continue to “put out into deep waters” as we serve this week. While a few
paragraphs just can’t do the trip justice, below is a recap of each group’s
activities for the day.
Group 1:
After morning devotionals, Group 1 returned to YCAP to
reconnect with the kids they began building relationships with yesterday. It
was fun to see the children light up as the team returned to engage with them
again. The team took the kids from YCAP
to a community garden called Crop City where everyone got to learn about the
importance of healthy eating and the difference between renewable and
non-renewable resources. The staff at Crop City helped get everyone engaged
through their creative use of games and competition. After saying goodbye to
the YCAP kids, Group 1 headed to a local park to eat lunch.
After lunch, Group 1 went to Welcome Home, a halfway house
for men recovering from alcoholism and drug addictions. The team was able to
serve the community at Welcome Home by cleaning out a storage area that was in
desperate need of a refreshing! This organization is truly a light to some of
the “least” and “last” within the community, and it was a privilege to be able
to partner with them to serve in such a tangible way. For dinner, Group 1 met
up with Group 2 and Group 5 at the International Market Thai Restaurant to
enjoy a delicious meal together before heading back to the housing site.
Group 2:
Group 2 had a busy morning, which began at the Salvation
Army’s mobile feeding ministry. The mobile feeding ministry serves hot
breakfasts to homeless people in the area, and is able to impact a large number
of men, women, and children because of its ability to be in so many locations. After
serving breakfast and spending time with some of the guests, the team took a
little time to complete their devotionals before heading to their second site
for the morning, Community Care. Community Care is one of Nashville’s few day
shelters. For homeless men, women, and children. The team made themselves
available to serve in several ways, such as washing windows, organizing storage
areas, sweeping and moping the floors, serving lunch, washing dishes, and
spending time building relationships with the guests. Group 2 really dove into
all the work with great attitudes and servant hearts, no matter what the task.
After breaking for lunch, Group 2 returned to Magnus Potter
Boys & Girls Club to reconnect with the children there. The first activity
was dodgeball, which was a ton of fun for everyone. After the organized game,
there was free time to do several different activities and to continue building
relationships with the kids. Even snack time proved to be an opportunity to get
to know one another and to realize that, while our differences on the surface
may seem significant, there are so many other ways that we are truly connected.
For dinner, Group 2 met up with Group 1 and Group 5 to enjoy some delicious
Thai food at the International Market Thai Restaurant.
Group 3:
To start their morning, Group 3 got up and processed through
today’s devotionals that were in Luke 5:1-11 and worked through the questions
prepared. The group then headed out for
Andrew Jackson Boy and Girls Club to help with the enrichment program
there. Group 3 helped the kids look up important
individuals on the internet, learn a few facts about them, then draw a picture
of them as their morning project. Other
components involved group exercise, team building exercises, and art
projects. Our students impressed the
staff at the Boys and Girls club to the point that they huddled our students
together in order to let them know how our group was so involved and invested,
that they saw a change in the kids behavior and excitement to be there each
day. It was a special moment.
Group 3 ate lunch at the local farmers market and then
walked to Bi-Centennial Park to hang out and catch some rest. They then drove out to a suburb of Nashville
to Cole Elementary School, a low-income school, in order to help them with
summer organization. The team sorted through shelves, reorganized
closets, painted and re-organized classrooms, and worked to re-order storage
spaces. The work was challenging, but
because of the commitment and dedication of the group there was a ton energy, excitement
and fun that went into completing the tasks.
Group 3 closed out the day with dinner at Thai Kitchen. They did an awesome job!
Group 4:
Lexington Gardens was Group 4’s first stop of the day. Lexington Gardens is a low income-housing
complex for people who are at risk of falling into the criminal justice system
but who are trying to build themselves back up before that happens. The goal of
the group’s visit was to weed and clean up a garden on the property. This
community garden is designed to create self-sustaining food for the local
residents. This garden is very important to the community here because much of
this area can be described as a “food desert” due to a lack of affordable fresh
produce and supermarkets in the area.
The team spent most of their time weeding the corn and pepper garden
plot. Everyone felt excited to be able
to contribute in such a practical and much-needed way to a community with so
much need.
After lunch, Group 4 returned to Trinity Community Camp to
reconnect with the kids they had built relationships with yesterday. The team
once again assisted with crafts, played games, helped with reading and
homework, and led a devotional for the children. With such bonds already
starting to form between Group 4 and the kids at the camp, the team can’t wait
to see all that Jesus is going to do through these relationships as the week
progresses!
For dinner, Group 4 got to experience Sitar Indian
restaurant as they continue to expand their horizons in so many ways on this
trip.
Group 5:
Group 5 spent the morning working in a garden with an
organization called the Nashville Food Project. The food from the garden goes
to feed the homeless once a week. Before the team arrived, the garden
supervisor (Christina) did not realize a group was coming today, and she was
slightly overwhelmed by all the work that had to be done. When Group 5 showed
up, they were truly an answer to her prayers! The team worked hard tending the
plants and performing other tasks around the area. Everyone had great attitudes
as they completed their assignments with joy.
In the afternoon, Group 5 partnered with an organization
called N.I.C.E, a community-based organization dedicated to empowering refugees
and immigrants through social services and educational programs. While at
N.I.C.E., the team helped the refugee kids with their English lessons and
played games designed to teach them important skills like vocabulary and
grammar. The kids the group is working with are refugees from Egypt, most of
whom came to the United States due to religious persecution. To be able to not only
teach these kids important skills but to also demonstrate God’s love in a
tangible way was a truly fulfilling and meaningful experience for all. After
the lessons, Group 5 also got to play soccer with the children before it was
time to say goodbye for the day. Group 5 will get to return to N.I.C.E. on
Thursday to once again engage with the kids here.
For dinner, Group 5 joined up with Group 1 and Group 2 at
the International Market Thai Restaurant.
At the end of the day, all the teams reconnected at the
housing site for a little rest/hang out time before Porch Time. At Porch Time
tonight, the good times were rolling, as many funny stories were shared during
Remember That Time. Your children also had incredible perspectives on how Jesus
has made his presence known in tangible ways, and many of those moments were
shared during our “I Saw Jesus” time. After a great worship set, Hawley spoke
to the team about Incarnational Ministry, reminding us that, as we feed, serve,
and love the least of these, we are doing it to and for Jesus. He encouraged
everyone to continue to be conduits of God’s light and love, and to let His
love flow through us and energize us as we serve. We are so excited for another
full serving day tomorrow and to see all that God has in store for us. Please
continue to pray for God to work in us and through us this entire week.
