Union Station (prepping the guys for the train ride)
Dinner at Gino's
Getting Instructions for Lunch
Stockroom
Greenhouse
Dining Room
Good morning~
We have just had some team time a few blocks away from the Pacific Garden Mission (PGM). Now they are off to begin another day of ministry. Joel and I are staying here to update you and then we will head over as well. :)
What an amazing day yesterday was! We began with a 1 1/2 hour tour of the mission. God has richly blessed PGM. It was so amazing to see not only the facility that God has given them, but the joy of the believers that work there as they demonstrate the love of Christ. Over and over again during the tour, our guide, Kent, encouraged the students to use the talents and abilities God has given them to show Christ's love. Many businessmen and women from various fields use their abilities to serve -- doctors, beauticians, cooks, mailmen, and the list goes on. These believers come sometimes once a month, others a couple times a week, to love others in this way. How neat for the students to see that God can use them as they yield their lives to Him -- no matter what the profession!
We then ate lunch and were broken up into various groups to serve in different areas. Jason, Justin, Victor, Austin and I worked in the kitchen serving food and setting the tables. Jacquelyn, Suzanna and Jared worked in the Unshackled room putting labels on tracts. Abbi, William and Elli served in the stockroom organizing and sorting through hundreds of pounds of food. What a blessing it was getting together in the afternoon and sharing what happened that day!
After dinner at Gino's East pizza we then went back to PGM for the evening service. About 15 minutes before the service started we found out that the church in charge of the service did not show up so we were going to lead BOTH the services. We were slightly surprised! So half of us went into the main room and did testimonies, music and preaching for about 600 guests, and the other half did the same for about 100 guests in the overflow room. What a tremendous experience.
Needless to say, everyone slept well last night. :) This morning the guys rode the train into the city, since they are about 45-60 minutes out from the city because of traffic in the morning. They did great and enjoyed the experience. They will be doing this each morning and night. Justin and I are still driving the girls. :) Each of their host families has been so kind and gracious, and the students are enjoying them.
Well, that sort of sums up day one at PGM. If I could say what the greatest lesson learned so far is, I would probably say our view of "homeless people" as people for whom Christ died. Before our time yesterday, we kept reminding the students not to refer to these people as homeless, because it is easy to just put everyone in a box that way. Rather, we need to have genuine compassion and realize that their primary need is Christ, just like the clean, well to do neighbor next door. The mission refers to the men and women as "overnight guests." What a joy and rebuke it was to see the way that they esteem and care for their guests -- not as homeless people but as men and women created in the image of God and for whom Christ died. By the end of the day our team never used the term "homeless people," everyone was talking about the "guests of PGM!"
Thank you for praying for us. We genuinely desire to see Christ lifted up and our view of God enlarged as we serve Him here. We are growing in this way already and look forward to the week ahead!
Katelyn, for the Team
