If there is one sentence that sums up our last two days, it is "Where's Norm?" Norm Maish, one of our excellent chaperones has been having fun with the group when he "disappears". He never actually goes anywhere but whenever someone sees him we go, "Where's Norm!?" and he appears!
Today's blogpost comes from Serena (wearing the tie dyed shirt), one of our seniors on the trip.
"Today we had our service day! We'd breakfast at 7:30 and headed to Cobo to meet with our service groups at 8:15. Our service was supposed to start at 8:45 and end at 4:00 by there was a very bad accident on the freeway and someone ended up passing away. So, we got to hang around 5,000 other kids and make friends for two and a half hours while we waited to leave. Our service project was to clean up a block; some houses were vacant and some were occupied, but we cleaned up all the yards and spent most of our time removing bricks from the front of the house. The atmosphere was amazing. We made so many friends and impacted so many people. All of us expected that the neighborhood would be annoyed by us, but they were SO appreciative. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel and showered, had delicious pizza, and headed to Ford Field for an amazing service. I think I speak for all of us when I say that Blanca, a Christian pop singer, was our favorite part of the show. We are now enjoying our free time and tomorrow get to sleep in."
Well said, Serena! Our service project got off to a rocky start with the long delay, but what we were able to experience and accomplish was extremely formative for our faith.
One of the most moving experiences of the day was when a group of students and chaperones spent time getting to know a family who loved on the block. It was a couple watching their 21 month old granddaughter.
"Today we had our service day! We'd breakfast at 7:30 and headed to Cobo to meet with our service groups at 8:15. Our service was supposed to start at 8:45 and end at 4:00 by there was a very bad accident on the freeway and someone ended up passing away. So, we got to hang around 5,000 other kids and make friends for two and a half hours while we waited to leave. Our service project was to clean up a block; some houses were vacant and some were occupied, but we cleaned up all the yards and spent most of our time removing bricks from the front of the house. The atmosphere was amazing. We made so many friends and impacted so many people. All of us expected that the neighborhood would be annoyed by us, but they were SO appreciative. Afterwards, we went back to the hotel and showered, had delicious pizza, and headed to Ford Field for an amazing service. I think I speak for all of us when I say that Blanca, a Christian pop singer, was our favorite part of the show. We are now enjoying our free time and tomorrow get to sleep in."
Well said, Serena! Our service project got off to a rocky start with the long delay, but what we were able to experience and accomplish was extremely formative for our faith.
One of the most moving experiences of the day was when a group of students and chaperones spent time getting to know a family who loved on the block. It was a couple watching their 21 month old granddaughter.
The family was extremely grateful and welcoming. They gave us a little history of some of the houses and the neighborhood. There are no streetlights on the block, which makes for dark and dangerous nights. Some nights, people would drive into the neighborhood, with their license plates covered, to dump garbage.
Despite the hopelessness of the situation, many hopeful people remained. These are the people of faith, the people who know what Detroit has been and what it can become.
We heard a Detroit native at the dome recite a moving poem about how Detroit is home, there will be no "new Detroit", but the same Detroit. The Detroit that is home to many. The Detroit were hope and faith fill the hearts of so many. The Detroit that will rise up.
We also heard from Pastor Alexia (aka Pastor Dee's pastor-twin) about when a part of the body hearts, the whole body feels the pain.
The people of Detroit are a part of the body of Christ, and the rest of the Christ's body is here, to heal and support.
Despite the hopelessness of the situation, many hopeful people remained. These are the people of faith, the people who know what Detroit has been and what it can become.
We heard a Detroit native at the dome recite a moving poem about how Detroit is home, there will be no "new Detroit", but the same Detroit. The Detroit that is home to many. The Detroit were hope and faith fill the hearts of so many. The Detroit that will rise up.
We also heard from Pastor Alexia (aka Pastor Dee's pastor-twin) about when a part of the body hearts, the whole body feels the pain.
The people of Detroit are a part of the body of Christ, and the rest of the Christ's body is here, to heal and support.
Tomorrow we will have some time to sleep in, explore the city some more, and worship and learn with all the youth from our synod.
We ask that you pray for the Detroit citizen who passed away in the crash this morning. Pray for Christ's presence the family of the deceased. We all have seen Christ at work in this city.
We will be back with another update tomorrow.
Until then, no mountain too tall, and good luck to all.
Anders
We ask that you pray for the Detroit citizen who passed away in the crash this morning. Pray for Christ's presence the family of the deceased. We all have seen Christ at work in this city.
We will be back with another update tomorrow.
Until then, no mountain too tall, and good luck to all.
Anders