I only actually got to spend two days serving with them, but I feel like I learned a lot from watching them.
The first day I was with them went smoothly and we volunteered at a soup kitchen preparing (a.k.a making a large amount of meatloaf, which the group enjoyed mixing with their hands) and serving lunch. Then that afternoon we were at an afterschool program hanging out with some elementary school kids. The group didn't have too much of a problem jumping in and doing what they were asked at the soup kitchen or helping with homework and giving undivided attention to kids at the afterschool program. So I was happy to see they were willing to step up.
It was then a couple days before I was with them again and it was at our second ministry site that I saw God work and my group really be open to letting His love be demonstrated through them. We spent the morning and early afternoon at a ministry site called the NYC Relief Bus, which serves soup and bread out of the side of a bus to pretty much anyone who wants it. That day we were in the Bronx in a little bit of a rougher neighborhood. That didn't deter the group, though. Right away a few jumped in to start serving food and the rest spread out to begin talking to people coming by. And the whole time they invested themselves in these people who often are overlooked and ignored, but here was a group of high schoolers excited to listen to their stories.
One particular man named Angel spent the entire time at the bus and I was just so impressed as
the students asked him questions and genuinely cared about him. Then a while later I look over to see one of our students kneeling in front of a chair in which Angel was sitting, clipping his fingernails for him. Apparently Angel has OCD and there was no way he would be able to easily do the task himself, and so one of the high school kids volunteered to clip them for him if he would like. It honestly was one of the most beautiful and precious things I have ever seen. When we discussed it later we talked about how it is almost like the washing of someone's feet. I was just so amazed at these students and in awe of what God was doing here in this little corner of the Bronx.As I thought about it I realized that it is so important that I continually ask for God to show me what this city and the people I come in contact with look like through His eyes. I can't just go thought the motions of volunteering or I will miss out on something beautiful and wonderful and the chance for God to use me and mold me...
