Do trips like this really change people?

I set out on this trip to take a break from my everyday life. I was hopeful that I’d be able to help someone along the way and probably more hopeful that a large group of middle school students wouldn’t make me sorry for signing up. Along with all of that hope, I brought my own prejudices too.

What kind of person becomes homeless? What kind of food is good enough for a homeless person? Why would someone choose to live like that? I had answers before I ever experienced the situation first hand.

My first assignment was at a soup kitchen on the edge of downtown Kansas City. Within one day, all of my prejudices were challenged. The staff did not cook meals for the homeless. They cooked meals for their guests. The quality of the meals reflected that attitude. Every meal was homemade, fresh, and well-balanced even though they had to creatively create menus from whatever food donations they received.

Part of the assignment was to eat lunch with the guests. There I met Daryl, a former mortgage banker from Minneapolis. His brother had been killed in the 9/11 attacks and he never recovered from the loss. He moved to Kansas City for an undisclosed reason and when the economy fell apart, so did he. He told me about living on the street and the dangers that go along with it. He hoped he could return to working someday but didn’t know how to make that happen. His life was not absent of hope even though it seemed to be absent of a plan to move forward.

I heard other stories too. No story was the same as the next and none of the people chose to be in this situation. I learned that homelessness did not discriminate based on age, color, or gender and that I should be thankful for all of the things I take for granted every day.

In the end, I returned with a new perspective on the homeless and some new ideas on how I might make a difference for other people. I left many of my prejudices behind and returned with a new kind of hope for all people instead of hope for just myself. -- Alison C.

Logistics, logistics, logistics

There's something about a big group that makes everything ... bigger. Our kids got lots of experience with 'bulk' this week -- be it cooking dinner for our group of 76, or making lunch for 400 at the soup kitchen, or sorting thousands of loaves of bread (and 3000 bottles of pop) at the food shelf, or eating our way through 32 boxes of pizza after visiting the Negro League and American Jazz Museums.

Anna S. fills lots and lots of water jugs for our work crews.

Alison C. scrambles up eggs for a crowd.

The pizza line wrapped around the Jazz Museum pavilion.

Even our line of vans took up the whole block!

What a Difference a Week Makes

Walking into this experience I had NO idea what to expect. All I knew was that I was going to be serving people. Well turns out that all the “people” that I've been serving aren’t just people, they are way more then that. One of the places we went was Upper Room, where we helped kids learn to read. I’m pretty sure that I’ie learned more from those kids then I have from any adult. Next site was Clara Manor, a care facility like a nursing home, but for younger people. There was this man named Mikey. He had a mental disability, but never did he once complain. He was always happy and smiling at the fact that he’s alive and breathing. After visiting these sites I realized that I’m going home tomorrow to a nice warm bed and my own shower when half the world doesn’t have any of that. This has inspired me to get out there and help. I may be one little drop in a bucket but that one drop sure can go a far way. – Myesha C.

The last day of my 2011 YouthWorks experience was the perfect way to end the week of service. Along with my crew, I went to three places. One of them including a work site that was called Upper Room. Upper Room was a great organization that helped kids with their reading skills. I went to a site called Operation Breakthrough on Monday and Tuesday. Some of the activities that we did there included shelving library books, and folding flyers for potential volunteers. And finally on Wednesday and Thursday in the afternoon I went to a nursing home that had a variety of people. One of the best moments overall was when I was at Upper Room, reading with a kid named Joshua. Before I got there he had already started reading a book; he took the quiz on the book and didn’t do so well. Once I started reading with him his scores continued to improve and you could see how much a little one-on-one time can do, and how much of a difference it can make. Overall this week has been a great experience, and I enjoyed getting to know the people from the other church and the people from our church better. – Katy L.

Scenes from our Ministry Sites

One of our crews has been creating a community garden this week. Lots of weeding, raking, composting and (most of all) sweating:

Andrew C. and Mitchell M.

Marissa B., Raelynn O., and Julia Y.

Another crew helped stock an emergency needs pantry ... specifically, the diaper section. Lots and lots and lots of diapers ...

Myesha C. and Abby S.

A few groups have been working at tutoring sites helping kids with their reading skills and assisting on a field trip to the nature center.

Meredith G.

Steph R. and Katelin S.

Different

This year's YouthWorks! theme is be different. It's based on Luke 6:27-28: "but to those who are listening, I say: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you and pray for those who hurt you." Today in devotions, we spent time reflecting on how we would react differently -- with more patience, compassion, boldness or love -- when put in difficult situations at our ministry sites. There is a significant homeless population in Kansas City. At some of the intersections near our church it's not uncommon to see someone begging at every corner. But instead of looking (or driving) the other way, this morning one of our crews decided to react differently by bringing along the leftover packages of muffins and bottles of juice from our Sunday morning breakfast so we could hand them out on the way to the worksite. It took us several trips (and a few u-turns) around the boulevard to reach everyone. The kids felt great about giving a (reasonably) healthy meal out to someone in need ... and then were sobered by the thought that it might be that person's only meal of the day or the rest of the week. Being different isn't easy ... but it is being faithful.

When we say it's hot out ...

...we mean it. This was taken this afternoon on the way home from the pool (and yes, we are making sure everyone is drinking plenty of water!)

Notes for our moms

Hey Mom! I’m having a great time down in Kansas City! For the past two days my group has gone to a place called Niles’ Home for Children and worked out in the huge garden in like 100+ degree weather. I’ve been mixing compost, which consists of coffee grounds and dead leaves. We finally finished today. In the afternoon we went to Clara Manor, which is a place for older people and refugees. We met this older couple, Nova and Grover. They taught us how to play Farkle! It is so much fun! Tomorrow and Thursday we’re going to a place called Operation Breakthough. I wonder what it’s going to be like. I can’t wait to get home! -- Raelynn O.

Kansas City has been a blast! Although it has been very hot and today was 108. At Clara Manor, which is a facility for elders and refugees I met Nova and Grover. They are an old couple and they are adorable! Grover and Nova taught us to play Farkle and whenever it was Nova’s turn Grover would always be like “Your turn old lady” and it was so funny. I also met Mikey, a disabled man who was so sweet. Tomorrow we’re going back to Niles like we have the past few days to work in the heat in the garden then we go to Operation Breakthrough and we’ll see how that goes! -- Marissa B.

It has been a really fun…. Just very tired from sleeping right by the exit sign that lights up … VERY BRIGHT! Other wise we worked in the garden and met the sweetest couple at a nursing home. Their names were Nova and Grover; they were like grandparents to me and were so sweet and nice, and they taught us how to play Farkle! I am very glad to be here, but I am ready to come home. Love you Mom <3 -- Julia Y.