The PA Group

This week was soooooo much better than the last week! We had Family of Christ Church from Lakeville, MN will us which was so exciting! and we had another group from Florida (seriously, FL is not representing themselves very well because this FL group had kind of an attitude as well - thankfully not as bad as the florida group from last week that busted a hole in our wall). The third group was from Pennsylvania. They were a small group of about 11 people and it was there first mission trip ever. Honestly, I know I'm not supposed to have a favorite group, but this group was my favorite. The adult leaders were hilarious and the youth were really fun and respectful. We played spoons together and I got to ride with them in their vehicle every night to our evening activities. I haven't laughed so much in one week than I did with them this week. The youth pastors wife tried to set me up with one of our service partners at the Emmaus House (because he's 23, plays ultimate frizbe, cares about the environment and is apparently good looking - according to Julie). Needless to say I tried to remain professional, but I couldn't help but laugh. Another one of my highlights with them was when we played spoons during free time. Micah had to leap across the table in order to get a spoon, but Jaimie (one of the youth) had it in his hand. So Jaimie through it up into the air and it landed on Micah's butt - he's still lying face down on the table. Teri (one of the adult leaders) didn't have a spoon yet either so she grabbed it from Micah's butt and then yelled for joy. She then proceeded to tap Micah's butt and say, "I have S-P-O this is no longer a game it is a war!" Seriously THE funniest moment of the week... But it wasn't just their good humor that made me love them so much. On the last night when we do our foot-washing service, I stayed back and watched them for a moment. For those of you who don't know, every week we do a foot-washing service to emulate the way Jesus became a servant to his disciples by washing their feet. So us staff wash the feet of the adult leaders and the adult leader wash the feet of their youth. The Pennsylvania group did something I had never seen before. At one point they saw that their youth pastor was praying over Jaimie and one by one each of them got up and laid hands on Jaimie or the youth pastor or the person in-between them and Jaimie and they all prayed together. It was amazing to witness the faith and companionship that they all possessed. I pray that everyone might find a group that they are comfortable with and feel that type of unity in love and spirit.

First Week of Programming

So I'm pretty sure the only other worse thing that could possibly happen this week is someone dying...
One youth spent all day in an ER because he was sick - so sick that we ended up sending him home. There was a fight between 5 youth that actually turn into a literal fist fight - there is a whole in our youth hang-out room to prove it. And an entire church group wanted to leave early because they weren't feeling welcomed by some staff and other churches. Also, if you didn't know, Atlanta is racially the opposite of any place I know of in the mid-west. Here the majority is African American at roughly 68%. That was more of a stumbling block than I expected for the groups who came here. It saddened me and angered me that youth thought it was ok and funny to make racial slurs about the people around them. I've seen first hand that the white population does have privilege wherever it goes. It is evident in who's working at the counter in Sam's Club verses who's buying. Who is standing on the street corner verses who's got a roof over their head. Through it all however, God's hand was guiding us in His will and glory. I personally have learned a lot and I could see the hearts of some of the youth change as the week went on. I praise Him for having a purpose through it all!

This is us buying all the food that we need to feed everyone! SO MUCH FOOD!

Driving to Atlantic Station (a wealthy shopping area)

Atlantic Station!

We watched a movie (De Javu) in the "park" at Atlantic Station

Atlanta likes statues of Dolphins for some reason... lol

one of our evening activity sites is the MLK National Historic Site.

This is his grave.

The church that MLK preached at

Evening Activity #2: Centennial Olympic Park. 

For those of you who don't know, the Olympics were in Atlanta in 1996!

Dom lovin' on the dolphin!

Destiny wanted to take this one home...

A huge aquarium! I hear you can swim with Beluga's there!!!!

World of Coke museum!

Micah drinking a Coke

All and all I am confident that God has a plan for each week this summer and I am very excited to be apart of that plan!

Prayer Request: 

• That our team would feel well rested regardless of the little sleep we do get.
• That God would be preparing the hearts of the youth that come to serve and witness to Christ's love
• That God would also be preparing the communities that they youth return to so that the message they receive here in Atlanta can be nurtured and that their faith can be built up. 
• Some names to pray for specifically: Zeb, Chayann, Maria, Micah, Joey, Justin, Maraiah, Birdy...