The way I see it there are two things that remain constant in life: God's love for me & Change!
The last six months have been a wild and enriching time for Tim and I. We had seen the numbers of neighbors grow steadily to over 120 people each week, but then a shift occurred...the hotel one block away closed down and the last couple times out we haven't seen our neighbors around who lived there. We wondered if they would head to the woods, move in with friends, or just get rehoused; to-date we aren't sure!
However, the lighter crowd brought an unexpected pleasure : it has allowed me to focus on getting quality time with each volunteer and neighbor - and to be honest it's actually refreshing. I had a great conversation with a regular neighbor named Christine that really reminded me of what was important. Christine was asking me if I had either tape or a marker to give her and when I asked why she needed these items she said it was to preserve the sign she so proudly created (see picture above). I commented on how the sign does not play on the pity, compassion, urgency of others to give, but that it has a much happier note. She told me that her goal with the sign was twofold: 1) bring some sunshine to others 2) get her message across. It struck me how this was exactly what Jesus did. Thanks Christine for the reminder to always be willing to give of myself even when times are difficult. If you're wondering the "ARK" is short for "Acts of Random Kindness."
I was also able to meet new volunteers who found the event through the Hope Vibes Tik Tok account - their hearts to give up not just their day, but to also bring their kids along is heart-warming. I had a couple new bathroom volunteers who dedicated themselves to the cleanliness our neighbors deserve- thank you!
The cornhole tournament I mentioned last blog was a great success and raised enough to cover a SCM weekend and one of the donors even showed up to help out!
We also had a new friend join us, Olaniyi, who offered services from the Herbert J Hoelter Vocational Training Center. This org provides job training and other services to those in need and it was a pleasure to meet her. She's said she will be coming back with others from that org who can talk to our neighbors and we're looking forward to having them.
The last bit of news is how God held off the rain until we were just about done packing up! However, as you can tell from the picture above, a few of us took shelter in the laundry section of the truck while the monsoon came down! Fun times!
The SCM doesn't happen without your support - if your group would like to host a weekend, contact us and we'll get back with you ASAP.
Feeling left out? Don't! Meet us at the Street Corner on August 20th. See you there!
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