Day one retrospective

Hello everyone!

Sorry we weren't able to post an update before now. I've now found my spot for wi-fi and will be updating about this time each morning. This trip has already exceeded my expectations! Let me first give you our daily schedule then some thoughts about the trip thus far.

schedule (all times Central):

-7:30am breakfast

-9am-2pm work projects

Group A - Sunshine VBS/Tutoring:

Laura Kessler

Laura Pilgrim

Nate Hyzdu

Kelsey Payne

Group B - Sports Camp

Brent Veerman

Michael Kytka, Jr.

Group C - Peace Camp (physical improvements and older-child VBS)

Kelly Arehart

Hailey Tiarks

Annie Lane

Group E - New Beginnings (ministry in the projects)

James Kessler

Sam Wyatt

Chris Deakin

Michael Siano

Jake Stankey

Group F - Mural (painting positive art to be displayed throughout the neighborhood)

Sarah Stankey

Alex Thompson

Kara Dorr

2:30 - 5pm Ministry Experience

Yesterday - Pacific Garden Mission tour (largest homeless shelter in the nation)

Tuesday - Meal share (groups of three share a bag lunch with a homeless person downtown)

Wednesday - interview with local ministry leader - then free night out

Thursday - the 'L' experience (riding the Red Line from the southernmost point all the way to the northside to view the segregated nature of the city)

Friday - Historic tour of the southside to understand the long narrative of brokenness and restoration in the Southside.

5pm - Dinner

6:30 - 9 Teaching by ministry director, praise and worship (absolutely transformative, incredible application of God's word.)

9-10 debriefing by ministry staff/reflection

11pm - lights out

Some thoughts:

• We've come to Chicago to learn a paradigm about how to understand our mission in this world from a group that seems to understand it well. Here's how the paradigm was explained to us last night through Psalm 113: God is attentive, God responds, God dignifies. This is our task everywhere, and part of our challenge will be to understand how to be attentive to needs, how to respond and how to dignify those around us in Dublin (where we are better at hiding our needs).
• Seeing the homeless shelter was a great experience, and thinking more about it during the debriefing was enlightening. Students were able to see what works well about this gigantic mission (filling a need where local churches fail) while also seeing where it fails (the lack of real personal attention and intimate care - that is, dignifying the poor).
• my recurring thought during the work project period: these kids are paying to serve. They have very little downtime to listen to iPods and do what they want. Yet they are joyful. God has made us for this kind of work and it is amazing the joy He can bring when we are living like real human beings. This is a good lesson to learn and relearn.
• I can't believe we have four more days of ministry ahead.

More tomorrow. Enjoy the pictures!

NOTE: pictures taken mostly by Sarah, also Kelly. Really thankful to have them along.