A Heart for the Poor

We have been learning so much about God's love for the poor and how we are called to be involved. We've been learning that it takes humility to serve and to preserve dignity of those we serve. This Wooddale Sr High team has been doing an amazing job. We talked about how important flexibility is and that has come into play this week. We have been on service projects everyday and not teaching VBS as we had expected due to plans and camp dates changing for Sunshine. But this team has accepted their assignments and I think learned so much more. We've been given a chance to practice what we have been taught.

The team has also practiced what we talked about as being patient and kind. In the 90+ degree heat and humidity, there has not been a single complaint. They are demonstrating how to live in close community.

We are doing fine in spite of the heat and just keep recalling what mid January could look like! I have not gotten the phone hotline updated as it won't let me in to change from my cell phone. so hopefully everyone is getting the info they need from the blog. Thank you so much for all your prayers for us and your comments.
Sharon


Hello everyone, this is Preston writing our our blog, but he is in Chicago!
Yesterday we did something called "the L experience." This was very interesting because it gave all of the people in our group the opportunity to talk to people from all parts of Chicago. We began by getting on the green line at its last stop, and took that green line train all the way to its end, which is on the west side of the city. In my experiance, one lady that I talked to was actually from New York. In our conversation, I learned that she was not too happy because in Chicago, nobody talks. She told me that people in New York are quite frequently talking, if they are in line or on the subway. Whereas, people in Chicago don't talk, they sit to themselves looking out the window. She says that is because so many people from Chicago aren't actually origionally from Chicago, you could say that many of the Chicago people are transplants. So, the people have their friend bases, but they are from their home town, not Chicago. And since these people have such great friends back where they are from, they don't want to meet more people.

Love you Mom and Dad, miss you, and I can't wait to see you when we get home!
-Preston Howell





Hey!
The trip has been going really well so far. We have gotten to to know each other much better and have all really enjoyed the projects we have worked on. I also really enjoyed our "L" experience and i also got to some cleaning at Joel's house (head of Sunshine). Today we will probably do some more work projects and then later tonight we will pack two bag lunches and give one to someone who is homeless. This week has been fun and we are looking forward to what the rest of the week will hold.

~Anna

good day to you all!!
my L experience was i sat next to a grandma named Gramma Dirt and her grandaughter as they came home from the american girl store. they had TONS of stuff and we spent most of the ride dressing and undressing her new doll that she got because of her birthday. this little girl let me have some of her candy yogo's and its now the joke that "ashley eats candy from strangers". false. she was 5.haha so....most of what i was going to say has already been said. i'm developing a new addiction to fruit snacks and i sneak then whenever sharon isn't looking. it is very hot here. indeed.
have a fantabulous day!
missing home and all,
ashley

Hey!
My L experience was very interesting. I meet this girl that had just graduated from high school and she was very open and willing to talk to me. She was the one that was asking me the questions and she was telling me all of this stuff that I should do while in Chicago. I also talked to a man and he was also very nice. I am pretty sure that he enjoyed talking to me because he asked for my phone number but I did't give him it so don't worry. There was a little girl that was sitting behind me and she was about 2 years old and she keep playing with my hair. It was really funny. It's very hot here and please keep praying for us.
Paige

Hi, it's Mary again. Yesterday after lunch it rained for about a half hour. For a while the temperature and humidity dropped a little bit, but in a few hours they were right back up again! In the afternoon, I helped clean Joel's house and then in the evening we had our El experience. On the first leg, I met a woman who worked for the Red Cross. She wasn't exactly hostile, she just wasn't very open and friendly, so that didn't really go anywhere. On the return trip, I met this really nice Christian woman who lived in Chicago but was born in Savannah, Georgia (if it hasn't been mentioned before, the other church group working with us is from Georgia.) We ended up talking the rest of the way. She got off in the same area as us, which surprised me a lot because she got on in the downtown business area and seemed like a professional, middle class woman. However, she did mention 4 kids but no husband, so maybe that's why. We're still continuing to deal with the heat, so keep praying for cooler weather! Sending lots of love to you all!

Hey its whitney!! so ive been riding in the Georgia kids van just brecause i like making new friends and all have all the time in the world to talk with the rest of our group.. since ive been doing that i have noticed that i am catching onto their southern accents. Its extremly hot and humid here and honestly its quiet irritating and hard to keep up a positive attitude when you are hot and sticky. I got sick yesterday from all the heat and i still feel sick. I miss everyone at home.... Pepper, Raja, tigger, blu, mama, papa, Jake and patrick (only a little). Its been quiet the experiance here. The poverty is so high its unexplainable. o yes...and i really miss the lake! I am so grateful for what i have at home and i realized that i take a lot for granted. I am extremly homesick and although its only thurday i am excited to come home... but i still am excited to see the rest of chicago and experiance the cultures and diversity here. We do a lot of waiting around here, which im not quiet used to but its getting better. We rode on the "L" yesterday and it was quiet the adventure. We were supposed to start a conversation with a person. I tried to several time but people just dont want to talk. The people seem in a hurry and or too good for you to take some time and talk. Its nothing like Waconia where everyone talks up a storm with everyone. The friendliness just isnt here and its rather sad. We are each sharing a lunch with a homeless person today and im excited for it. I Love you all!! Bye bye :)