Thursday

Our last workday today!

Steven and Beki continued to take computers apart. They estimate that their crews took apart more than 200 computers this week! Steven said there was something therapeutic about taking apart computers. Beki said it was oddly interesting. Allie didn’t have to do landscaping today. Instead her crew worked at a thrift store an sorted clothes. In between times they tried on clothes and put on a fashion show. Ask her about the video she found. Madelyn sorted more things at the food pantry. They also put together personal care packs. Breana didn’t paint today (she says ‘yay!’) Instead she sorted donations and and brought home a little reminder from the thrift shop. You can see it Sunday. Beth almost threw up today! There was a box with spoiled salsa that had gotten all over anything that had been there since Christmas. It smelled really bad (her descriptions were much more vivid…..) Dan had to discard his shoes after dealing with it, it was THAT bad! After cleaning up that disgusting mess, they did get to help people in line who were there to get food. Amanda vacuumed and washed carpets using those fancy carpet machines. At the nursing home she listened to a woman’s sad life story. While watching a video about Scotland , some of the residents quoted the entire Psalm 23. She thought that was pretty cool. Hannah went to a nursing home and rode with them on a bus to Lake Michigan. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t too good and they didn’t spend much time there. She enjoyed interacting with the elderly patients. Marilyn finished up painting at the Rest Haven and then her crew (along with Nancy!) finally got to interact with some of the residents during an ice cream social. We sang a few songs with them and had them singing along to Amazing Grace.

Everyone we’ve encountered or worked with has been so appreciated and said we were blessed to be helping them. We all feel blessed to have been a part of the ministries going on here in Grand Rapids. Tonight at our program, Mary, the program director, shared some numbers with us. In this 4 days youth groups from 6 churches, representing 5 states visited 12 sites with 18 crews who worked together to contribute 2,568 service hours! Yay God indeed!

Everyone says they really enjoyed working with youth from different churches instead of our own youth groups. It was great interacting with other kids from other towns, big and small. Tonight during our devotional time with each other we shared some “Yeah God” moments we had today. Unfortunately we didn’t even get to say all the ones we saw, because it was time for the Thursday Night Variety Show!

During the variety show, Beth read a poem that she wrote; Hannah, Allie, Steven and Beki performed an improvisational skit; and Hannah sang her Wonders of His Love song. It was lots of fun.

We’re all very tired, and we’re looking forward to coming home tomorrow night.

On Sunday we’ll have 8 missionaries sharing about the trip. It should be an amazing celebration of the power of God.

Thanks again for all your support. Have I mentioned that this week was amazing?