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| Walkway on the North Park University Campus |
The last day of any mission trip is bitter sweet with conflicting feelings, mixed emotions, and a whole lot of tired! It's the day for good-byes, hugs and sometimes tears. At times it is hard to concentrate and be fully present on that last day. You inevitably begin to process in your mind the check list of things that need to be done before you leave, what things you won't get to before you have to head out. The feeling that for all that you have experienced, along with the effort and heart you put into your serving during the week, there is still so much work left to be done, people who need loving on, and connection to be made. The biggest blessing comes when you can truly live into a way of being that reflects your experience into your daily lives and futures as you move forward in your faith journey.
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| Street view of the Jackson Park Center |
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| Yup! It's a bit hot! Lucky we had this awesome fan to walk in front of! |
Just as your group starts to get in their rhythm of getting 15 people showered, breakfasts eaten, lunches made and devotions that are as meaningful as they can be at 7:45 in the morning, and being able to leave on time to get to our serving site on time; it's time to wrap things up and go home.
This morning started bright and early with the third (Yes! Third!) hot shower in a row! That can be a God moment all on it's own! During our last devotions this evening Derek Michel mentioned that in the early part of the week he was feeling a little unsure about our accommodations for the week in our old campus house with the creaky floors, no air conditioning, old carpet, funky bunk beds, and mismatched furniture and the bathrooms with cold water... that is, until his immersion experience made him realize he was so very lucky to have the this amazing house to stay in that had running water, fans to keep cool and beds with mattresses.
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| Front door of our house |
Miss Andria is an amazing and loving woman who has been working at the Jackson Park center for 27 years and just love the kids who come there so much. It is very apparent that their well-being, experiences there and safety are the most important things to her and she is very passionate about being there. They had a track meet and a basketball tournament today. This afternoon, we said our good-byes to all at our day site and headed for our next ministry site.
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| Group shot with Miss Andria (center) |
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| Doug in deep discussion with a new friend he met at the coffee shop |
We then headed to the St. Thomas of Canterbury to help serve in a soup kitchen. We chopped vegetables, set tables and made salad.
The food bank at one time served up to over 40 people every Tuesday and Friday, now since the surrounding neighborhood has gone through a transition those numbers are down to about 150-200 an evening. I don't think in my mind I was prepared for the reality of the process. Chopping vegetables was the easy part. As the patrons began entering the room to sit down we began the process of acknowledging them and serving them soup, drinks, salt and sugar as well as getting refills as they needed. The dinner time is only 5:30 to 6:30 but there was so much interaction, serving of food and other needs that we we non-stop busy until the end of that hour. Some of the patrons were very approachable and others were obviously much less comfortable with our smiling, helpful faces. I don't think even with the soup kitchen experiences our youth have had in the past were even remotely the same as this experience. I have to say, "shout outs" to our students who handled this experience with grace, love, care, and a calm in the storm. They were engaging when it was received and not when others felt uncomfortable with it. That is something truly amazing to witness and I am so proud of our entire group! Qui-Qui, (nickname) the assistant director of the soup kitchen said we are the best group she has had serve there and would love for us to come back and serve again.
I hope some day we can. The experience is also an encouragement to check in to finding soup kitchens in the Denver area to serve in.
Our ethnic food connection this evening was at a Vietnamese restaurant in the UpTown area and was so delicious! It was also a bit sad as we realized it was our last dinner together before heading home tomorrow.
After dinner we went to a lakeside park on the south side of the city for our last evening of debriefing, high's and lows for the day as well as our traditional weekly awards! An all time favorite for the students and adult leaders as well and a chance to highlight those things in each student that stuck out during the week. It is really just silly and funny part of our trip but has become a very meaningful part of our last night activities.
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| Our group with Qui-Qui (nickname) at the soup kitchen |
As the sun set on our lake view spot and we wound down the noise and hectic day, we really reflected what was special for us and what was a struggle for us and what we will take home with us about this experience.
I pray that our students and the adult leaders take with them that when they open themselves and their hearts to the experience of something new, take a step just outside of their comfort zone and when they are aware of their settings and the needs of others; they can and will move mountains, and show God's spirit to another by showing them compassion, dignity and grace. That acknowledging their existence, humanness and beautifully broken hearts it opens a space for creating anything.
Thank you to our amazing, informative and caring city host, Sara - We don't know what we would have done without you! Your presence is truly a gift to all that you touch, all you do and all that you say.
Thank you for all of your support as we have made this journey.
Thank you for taking the time to read the trip blog!
Blessings to you until we meet again.......
CSM Chicago Team from Calvary Baptist Church of Denver - 2015
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