Serving Group 1:
Serving group one left the church at 9:45 and headed over to Loaves and Fishes, a feeding center that serves the homeless community here in Nashville. The group cleaned the facility, served food and got to interact with the homeless people they were serving. Coming from Williamsburg, we often don't understand homelessness or haven't been exposed to it, but it was cool to the students jump in and get to know the people they were serving as if they were talking to a friend. Havey, a freshman boy in group one, was able to make a strong connection with a man named Kenny over their country lifestyle. They talked about fishing, hunting and eating deer, gator, frog legs and any type of fish you can think of. They then went on the prayer tour and finished their night eating dinner at a Turkish Restaurant.
Serving Group 2:
Serving group two joined serving group one at Loaves and Fishes, helping prepare and serve breakfast in the morning. They met, sat, and talked with the individuals and families that gathered for the meal. The group was challenged by the realities of homelessness, especially when a dad walked in with three daughters under the age of six. They're looking forward to continuing those relationships when they return later in the week. The group ate lunch in a local park, and then went on their prayer tour before eating dinner at a Turkish restaurant.
Serving Group 3:
Serving group three headed out today at 8:30 for our "anchor site," (the site we will be going to every morning) Magness Potter Boys and Girls Club. There, 100 children between the ages of 6 and 14 come each day for a day camp. They have 50 minute rotations of computer skills, gym, music, game room and arts and crafts. Upon arrival, the group got to know the children they would be spending their days with before getting split up into different rotations. The students were able to help the full time staff there keep the kids engaged and involved in the activities the group was doing. They then went on a prayer tour and finished their night eating at a Thai restaurant.
Serving Group 4:
Serving group four started out their morning on the prayer tour. What a great way to start your day off! After their prayer tour, the group ate lunch and headed out to Room at the Inn, a day shelter that provides a place to rest and teaches people life skills that they can use as they look to enter the work place. The group sorted through donations and met a man there who played them a song on the spoons. It was definitely the highlight of their time there. They ended their night going to a park before eating dinner at a Thai restaurant.
Serving Group 5:
Serving group five headed out bright and early and headed out to their anchor site, the YMCA, where they were able to play with 50-60 middle school kids that go there each day. Today they helped coordinate a big kickball tournament! They also played a lot of basketball and other games to keep the kids engaged. They went to a park for lunch and ran through a nearby fountain, and they also celebrated their CSM leader's birthday! Her name is Bethany, and they took her to get ice cream. After that they piled back into the van for their prayer tour, and finished their evening eating Thai.
After dinner, all groups returned to the church housing site for Porch Time. We reflected on moments throughout the day, with our "Remember That Time" segment. We shared moments throughout the day where we saw Jesus in our team, CSM staff, and Nashville citizens. We sang songs to God reminding us of God's peace, everlasting love, fulfillment, and holiness. And Luke Kincaid shared a passage from Luke 10, where Jesus sends out people on a trip of their own, and how Jesus instructed them to leave everything behind when they left. The consistency, and sometimes the monotony of our lives can dull us to what's happening. Luke talked about distractions, things that are difficult to let go of when we leave home, but how ultimately we get to experience a deeper joy when our identity and lives are lived obediently in serving Jesus and those around us. Small groups discuss obstacles in leaving things behind, surprises in what we've experienced so far, and what joy we've already experienced. We're excited for some time together tonight before we get some rest to split up again tomorrow and go to our various sites!
