Tuesday noon!

Good afternoon from hot, humid and beautiful Chicago.

First of all - so sorry to the family of Tess! She switched teams at the last minute. She is a painter! She really wanted to paint some walls!

As I type the work crews are finishing their morning work and having lunch. Half of the group is headed downtown to share a lunch with someone from the homeless community while the other half prepares to tour the Pacific Garden Mission homeless shelter.

Our first two days of work have gone well. It is exciting this year as the students are getting to work on many needed projects in and around Sunshine itself. Sunshine hopes to open a coffee shop on the corner across the street from their offices on July 1st. This is one way they hope to create business in the community. Our students get to paint, scrub, build, sand and put their love and sweat into this endeavor side by side with our ministry partners. It is a real blessing and they are embracing the work and the heat like champions!

Yesterday afternoon half of the teams experienced the homeless mealshare and the other half did the shelter tour. Both groups came back with stories of God's faithfulness, his sovereignty and our needed humility. One student shared with me that the entire experience of walking downtown looking for someone to share a meal with helped him to see people through God's eyes in a new way, not just homeless people, but all people. God is moving in their hearts.

Last night Joel taught on the concept of Shalom. We are meant to be at peace in our relationships with God, each other, ourselves and creation. Because the world is broken - we are not. We learned how God gives us glimpses of this shalom - the way things are supposed to be. We get to be a part of bringing more shalom to the world around us.

We also saw God's heart for the city and how many ways God's glory is put on display in the city. We often think of the negative things about a city but there are many beautiful things. Our students came up with a list. Diversity, architecture, close community, sustainability. The city is not better than the country or the suburbs of course but it is wonderful to take time to see past the crowds and the dirt and look at the way God is at work powerfully in the city.

Your students have been doing a great job. Very attentive and engaged in all activities - with each other, with the new people they meet, in learning and in working. Everyone is not always comfortable but everyone is always present and positive. I am proud and thankful!

I asked a few kids something they were surprised about so far. They talked about how friendly the people have been. How different it is to be in the minority. The little children are so open and best friends right away. They also have amazing names that are new to our kids. ;)

Here are the words of some your students:

"I am on the painting team. We are helping paint a new coffee shop, that's going to be a place where people from the community can go and hangout. We started off by peeping the walls for paint. We taped paper to protect the wall from the paint. I am amazed by what we accomplished in just two days. I am seeing how God is using us for his purpose on this trip." Sarah T.

"I am on the painting team and we are helping paint the alls of the new coffee shop called the Green Line Cafe. While we took a break we started collecting trash and some people from the community came outside to pick up trash in their yard too. That is one way we saw God working." Alexis C.

"The homeless mealshare opened my eyes to the way God can work through anyone." Cole

"I am on children's team and I love it! The kids are awesome and I know I'm already going to miss them. God is truly touching these children in Sunshine and I'm thankful to be a part of it." Chris K.

"I am on the children's team and it's awesome. I et to see kids grow in stature with God and each other and I know I'll miss them" Levi

God is beginning to build relationships and stir hearts. All of the kids are doing well and taking care of themselves and each other.

Thank you for your continued prayers. We are praying for fruit in this ministry, in the kids we are working alongside and in the hearts of our kids!

More tomorrow!