Friday Recap (Just a Little Late)

Traditionally, the last day is spent completing projects we start at the beginning of the week.  While this did happen, we were also given some additional assignments because of our exceptional work ethic.  A crew worked diligently on an apartment in need of a fresh coat of paint.  Another group built little libraries for the neighborhood to have access to books.  This build happened in conjunction with the children in the day care so they were thrilled to be a part of this special project. The preschool has new lighting thanks to our engineer crew.  The parsonage continues to be renovated and the farmland is ready to harvest.  After quick showers and pizza, a closing celebration ensued.  Graduates shared their top ten mission moments, seniors honored the counselors with paper plate awards, video highlights were presented and "think different" tee shirts were a hit and clean clothes for some!  We packed the vans and began our trek to G-town.  Special thanks to Rawlings, Wayne, Tim and Cheryl our relief drivers!

A Message from Pastor Susan

Greetings,

We were so delighted to have you stay with us.  People are still talking this week of how courteous and engaging all of the young people were this past week.  We are grateful, beyond words, for your help and work at the parsonage.

Thank you for your time and witness among us.

Blessings,
Pastor Susan 

A Thank You from UMCS

Dear Becky and your dynamic work crew,

There is still buzz all around United Methodist Children's Services about the quality and quantity of work you accomplished here in four days. We have had two good rains, which have helped keep the garden you established growing. The teachers are thrilled with the improved lighting in their classrooms. The townhome porches are always a popular gathering spot for neighbors during the summer, and now they look fresh from all of your hard work staining. The kids love their new kitchen and are excited to start painting their community libraries. Even the hidden work in the basement has not gone unnoticed. Thanks for giving us a week of your summer. Your impact on our lives will linger long!

Blessings,

Cindy Thompson

Hunger Task Force Stockboxes Says Thanks!

Dear Becky,

Thank you for your group’s volunteer efforts to help build 480 Stockboxes on July 24, 2014. Hunger Task Force is grateful for your partnership in this special work to feed seniors facing hunger.

Building Stockboxes is the important first step in making sure that low-income seniors have monthly access to healthy and nutritious foods. Last year, groups like yours helped Hunger Task Force build over 100,000 boxes. We simply could not carry out this work without your enthusiastic support!

Thank you again for your support!

Sincerely,

Marie

Bread & Jam - Thanks

Good Morning Becky,

I hope you had a good trip with your youth.
Thank you to all of your volunteers who helped with our meal program.
If you have any feed back you would like to share it would be great.
Don, our cook, was very impressed with your group.
 
Blessings,
Jan

A Thank You from White Fish Bay United Methodist

Welcome home! Thank you to the adults and youth who helped to redo my porch and for all of your work in the Milwaukee area. All of the youth/adults were very gracious and well mannered a trait that is not always found in young people or adults for that matter. You are welcome here anytime! Thank you for being an answer to prayer and for being the very hands, feet, and love of Christ!

Love and Deep Peace,

Pastor Justin+

Hunger Task Force's Farm - THANK YOU

Dear First United Methodist Church,

Thank you for volunteering with us at Hunger Task Force’s Farm and Fish Hatchery last week! Our fields are in tip top shape after all your hard work! It was great to have your presence here all week long! I hope you had a safe trip back to NC.

The Farm and Fish Hatchery builds our organization’s capacity to fight hunger today by producing fresh fruits and vegetables that are distributed free of charge all across Southeastern Wisconsin. With over ninety acres in vegetables and three fruit orchards to maintain, we couldn’t do what we do as a small farm staff without the help of dedicated volunteers like you. It is through your support and generosity that our farm can continue to operate as a unique source of fresh fruits and vegetables for Milwaukee’s hungry.

With an abundance of volunteer opportunities to choose from in the Milwaukee area, we appreciate your choice to share your time with the Farm and Fish Hatchery. We’re proud to have you as a partner! The Farm is wholly donor-driven, which means that we rely upon donations for everything from purchasing seeds to fueling tractors. You can help ensure that fresh produce is on the plates of families in need by ‘adopting a crop’ and making a donation to the Farm. To make a donation, click here and select ‘The Farm’: http://www.hungertaskforce.org/donate/donate-money/

Please stay in touch with the Farm! We frequently update our Facebook page with photos and farm news. We invite you to ‘friend’ us so you can share your special work at the Farm with family and friends. Look for updates at this address:

http://www.facebook.com/hungertaskforce.mke

Thank you again for your outstanding volunteer efforts at the Farm and Fish Hatchery! I’ve attached some photos for you to enjoy. Please extend my thanks and appreciation to the rest of your group.

Sincerely,

Amy Wallner

More Mission Trip Fun

Below is a video from one of our night activities.  As an ice breaker, we always play a fun game before recap of work day and devotions.  This one was called "Hug it Out"!  Enjoy!

Thursday Recap

Just now posting Thursday's events.  It's amazing how time flies on these type of projects.  Maggie and Andrew provided Morning Glow for our group.  We were encouraged to listen to things differently.  

The farm group headed out early and the first task was picking weeds out of a natural habitat of grass.  This in turn would attract bees for pollinating the apple trees.  The science fell on mostly deaf ears but the hands were up to the task.  This is a 200 acre farm with the primary goal of feeding hungry people through their intentional efforts.  After we pulled weeds, we then fed the goats which was a first for our group!  Next it was on to the flatbed for a tractor pull and bumpy ride to the fields to plant broccoli in very dry soil.  It made us appreciate the farms cry for rain to fall soft upon the fields. Farming is very intense, manual labor.  We appreciate the Hunger Task Force's commitment to eliminate famine.

Another group returned to the UM Children's Services where they continued staining, planting in the community garden and installing lights in classrooms.  The lighting project is something they had waited on for 5 years to be funded and volunteer labor to complete.  One of the highlights today at UMCS was Gray reading her book to the children in the daycare.  After reading her story, she gave the children autographed copies of the book for them to keep.  The organic relationships continue to be built among our youth and the Washington Park neighborhood. 

A group went to the Northcott Neighborhood Center for the first time this week.  While located in a very impoverished area, this is a safe haven for the people of the community.  We worked in the clothes closet, packed grocery boxes, and played with children.

Work continued on Pastor Justin's parsonage.  One of the church members said it best "your youth group was an answer to a prayer we didn't even know to pray."

After showers, the youth strolled the streets of Whitefish Bay, a quaint town much different than our work environments.  Thanks to all the parents who sent taco fixings and fillings for our dinner.

A game of "hug it out" started us out with a bang for our evening devotions.  Our work teams debriefed the events of the day paying particular attention to things they heard throughout the day - sounds of joy, cries for help and God speaking to us in each of our ministries.

The evening concluded with journaling and worship led by Maggie and Jake. They affirmed each person in the group through their words and communion.

Friday pics

Thursday pics

Wednesday pics

Wednesday - Fun Day in Chicago

We had a wonderful day of respite in Chicago yesterday!  We were able to get a taste of many local favors during our fun day!  Some toured Wrigley Field while others visited the Cloud Gate in Millennium Park!  We then all had some free time to stroll down the Magnificent Mile.  Following lunch our entire group headed to Shedd Aquarium and enjoyed viewing beautiful fish and hanging out on the patio by the Lakefront!  Our final stop of the day was at Navy Pier.  We took a tour of the Lakefront by Seadog Speedboat and then had dinner at the iconic Harry Carry Tavern!  It was a wonderful day of fellowship and rest but we are excited to continue of week of service today in Milwaukee!

Tuesday pics

Tuesday Recap

During morning glow, Sam and Gray challenged us to be difference makers.  We went to two new work sites today, the Hunger Task Force Stockboxes and Grow MKE.  The Stockboxes provide food for senior citizens and Grow Milwaukee is a vision to fill a vacant lot, in the Washington Park neighborhood, with a sustainable community garden. Our work today was challenging but also fulfilling.

In addition to these new sites, the raised beds were finished at the UM Children's Services, as well as staining porches and weeding.

The Stockbox group continued on to the HTF Farm this afternoon for planting and riding on a tractor! A novel experience for most of us, minus Ginger.

Of course we are in Milwaukee on the hottest day of the year so far!  Man, did those showers get a work out this afternoon.

After dining at Kopp's, a local favorite, we were off to the Major League Baseball game.  The highlight was back-to-back homers by the Brewers which meant their mascot slid down the slide out in left field.  And Luuuuuuu went yard in the 6th.  To capture the game, the Brewers hit a walk-off home run! Our group is convinced they are the good luck charms. 

We completed our day with devotions.  It was a late night out on the town, but we know it's still important to reflect on the day and dig deeper in our faith.  We began by debriefing with our work teams as Luke asked us a series of questions about our day.  Becky then shared an "AHA!" moment she experienced as she watched Stuart Scott's acceptance speech at the ESPYs last week.  As a group, we watched the powerful and moving speech and then tied his message into our theme this week - Looking at things Different!  We read Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."  As Catherine prompted our journaling, we began listening to the song Learning to be the Light .  We wrote about three things Stuart Scott mentioned he found important as he faced the challenges of cancer.  We were able to reflect on how we live by being the light for others.  We then journaled why we live by discussing what we thought our purpose was in life and then we wrote about the manner in which we live.  It's easier for us to live this way up here because we have less distractions, but this journaling challenged us to find ways we could apply this to our life back home in Gastonia.  The last question we pondered was what does a brighter world, living in His world, look like?  We found that the good news is that this bright world already exists because He is the truth, we just need to follow his light & share it with others so that we may illuminate the world!

It's been a very long day but also extremely rewarding.  We are looking forward to a day of respite tomorrow as we venture into Chicago for our fun day!