Our day - at least Team 5's day - started a little earlier than usual. Yesterday we somehow got to talking about food and places to eat in Nashville and an establishment known as the Pancake Pantry became the focus of conversation. We decided that we needed to pay a visit there for our morning devotion. Just to say we had been there.
Being a lover and devotee of all types of breakfast food, I didn't believe that just saying that we had been there provided an adequate experience. To truly appreciate this Nashville icon, we needed to eat there. So, in order to make sure we were not late to the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls Club, we left at 6:45am for our breakfast and morning devo at the Pancake Pantry.
We had a great time of "breaking bread and fellowshipping together." (Acts 2 - even eating pancakes can be a spiritual experience). In our devotion time we continued to discuss what it means to be truly devoted to God. We talked about the importance of spending time alone with God through prayer and the reading of His Word.
Our time at AJBGC was a little different than normal. Today was a field trip to the movie theater. We joined them and watched "Dispicable Me." Great movie. Great kids, too. The entire group was very well-behaved and a breeze to help chaperone. We are LOVING our time with them each day.
So, in summary, we have eaten a larger a substantially bigger and more filling breakfast than normal AND spent the remainder of the morning watching a movie in an air conditioned cinema.
Timing is everything.
Our afternoon activity was completely different. It is called Urban Exposure and the purpose of the activity is to stretch us personally and to educate us on the plight of the poor and homeless. Here's how it works:
Our group of twelve was split into two groups of six. We were given water bottles to distribute to whomever we wished and $1 per person to eat lunch with. Did you know that most homeless survive on less than $1 per day? We were also given a list of tasks to perform and conversations that we were to initiate with total strangers.
Given the fact that today was Nashville's hottest day of the year so far, this is where the persiration comes in.
But what an awesome group of students we have. The students gave away the water and initiated several conversations with the homeless, street musicians, and people we met riding on the bus. One of the girls in our group did the entire event on crutches. What a trooper!
By the way, we ended up pooling our money and splitting a $5 Footlong from Subway among the six of us. Two inches of a cold cut combo never tasted so good.
In our debrief time afterwards, we discussed what we saw, felt and learned.
We saw that there is poverty everywhere. Financial, physical and spiritual. We saw joy in the faces of those who accepted our free gift of water, but we also saw loneliness and dispair in many of those same eyes.
We felt fear as we approached people - people we didn't know - to have conversation. We felt compassion and sympathy for those who are hurting. We felt helpless because the magnitude of the need is so great. Be we also felt joy from those times when we were able to befriend, help and encourage people. We also felt hunger.
We learned - again - that people are homeless for a lot of different reasons. Sure, there are those with addiction problems but there are also those who are doing everything to change their situation and cannot seem to stem the tide of their poverty. We learned that first impressions can be deceiving. There are committed Christians among the homeless. There are street musicians who love blues and country music who are retired US Postal Letter carriers. (No, I didn't see that one coming either).
To conclude our day, our entire group had a corporate night of praise. Every now and then we need to pause, process and respond to what God is saying to us. Our time of worship was led by Leo Flores, Jason White and Donnie Peslis (who was rockin' the djimbe). God used their gifts to create an atmosphere that allowed the Holy Spirit to really begin working on some students. What a treat to hear these teens lift their hearts and voices in worship to the Savior.
God is doing some amazing things in the lives of everyone...and He's just getting started.
Soli Deo gloria.
Michael
Sent from my iPhone
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