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...