In Matthew, Jesus says, whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers, you do for me.
Today, we worked for "one of the least of these" in an area that is not the most desirable of places. We got hot, sweaty, and itchy, but we made a big difference in just a couple of hours. Describe what the experience was like for you.
Today, we volunteered with Chris Robinson from Project 52 and did some yard work for a man named Sam who has suffered through many health problems. Sam may be considered "one of the least of these" because one of the sicknesses he has been infected with is AIDS, which triggers negative thoughts in other people, and because he lives in the more run-down part of town. Although we got hot and uncomfortable while we were working, I was very pleased to have the opportunity to make a difference in Sam's life. For us, it was just a long morning of hard work and sweat, but it will really have a large impact Sam. Instead of looking out the window and seeing trash, overgrown bushes, and weeds, he will see a much cleaner and well-groomed yard. The result of our few hours of work will last for weeks and hopefully brighten Sam's day.
ReplyDeleteToday was such a wonderful day to get to experience. First meeting Mr. Robinson he told us all about what SMPC means which is youth ministry. He told us he does a project called Project 52. The point of this project is to help out people who are less fortunate, have a sickness, are a widow, or for tornado relief. Project 52 try’s to accomplish 52 projects a year and sometimes even more. Today we worked for this project and we were the 31 project of the year. Today we helped out in the channels of love section. This is a non-profit organization that helps patients with aids or HIV, and today we helped a patient with aids named Sam. First getting to this mans house I had no idea what kind of house this would be or the condition of the house. Getting there it was pretty bad; there were shrubs and trash all over the ground. I loved getting to help pick up, and trim the shrubs for this sick man. Even though he did not know my name or where I came from, I know he was thankful. Sometimes in life you need to do things just for others, and accept you don’t always get something in reward. But today I feel I did get something out of this experience, it made me feel like I am a better person, and it just made me feel good in my heart. This experience was all I needed to make my day an amazing day and hopefully this brighten Sam’s day as well.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the experience with working with Project 52 and Mr. Robinson was really heartwarming. Project 52 is Mr. Robinson with help from other friends to help clean up other people’s yard who cannot do it themselves because of mental/physical conditions. This experience was better than I expected. Before we got there, I thought it would not be too much fun because we would just be trimming bushes and other things around the outside of the house and be happy it is done, but yes, we did do that, but I felt happy after because I knew I was helping a man who could not come out of his house on his own to do it for himself. While we were working, I started out on trimming bushes, but since that got a bit crowded, I moved to raking up cut/trimmed branches into piles. While I was raking, my theme of service, served and being served, kept going in and out through my head. I feel like my theme fit very well with this project. After we finished, looking back at our hard work, it looked much nice because you could actually look out over the bushes as of before you could not. I am happy we got a chance to help a man with his yard to make it look better and I am sure he is happy that we could help him. This project is a perfect example of serving others and being served yourself.
ReplyDeleteI loved working with Mr. Robinson during Project 52. In the past I have been on many mission trips with Mr. Robinson and those experiences were thrilling as well. Doing service for others is a passion of mine. The harder the work or the conditions, the more I feel accomplished at the end of the day. I really hope that the man we helped today likes his yard. To me it makes my day to hear that the service I have done has really benefited the receiver. Jesus taught us by his actions that unconditional love is full of service. For example, he washed the disciples' feet. However, in addition, he also taught us that the service should be done for the good of others, not ourselves. The impact of our service is where I saw my theme of believing verses knowing today. We know we are doing service for people, but we believe that our service is beneficial. I hope that in our lives we can show more service. Overall, I loved what we did today.
ReplyDeleteToday was a great day. I loved that we got to actively follow God's word and serve the less fortunate. We worked with Chris Robinson who works with Project 52. Chris Robinson used to be a youth minister at SMPC but he felt called to do mission work. He especially felt called to focus on the mission work that needs to be done in Chattanooga. Because he wanted to do this he started an organization called Project 52. Project 52 is a non profit organization whose goal is to accomplish 52 projects a year. They model their mission after Isiah 52. Today we called helped serve a man named Sam who has aids. It was not easy work but it was very rewarding. Today was another example of how people feel called to do differnt things.
ReplyDeleteIn working with Mr. Chris Robinson today to clean up a total stranger's yard, every one of us, I am sure, benefitted emotionally and spiritually from a day of community service. We helped a man named Sam, an AIDS patient who is physically unable to tend to his yard on his own. As a former Youth & Family pastor at SMPC, Mr. Robinson found his calling through mission work, and, once he noticed how much work our own community needs, began something called Project 52. The name of this foundation came to him through a bible verse, Isaiah 52:7, and it is the organization's goal to complete at least 52 service projects in a year. When asked our two essential questions, his answers were much less formal, and more down to Earth, than others we have visited. His reply to "Who is Jesus Christ?" was that he is the "Savior of the world". His reply to "What does it mean to be a Christian/follower of Jesus?" was simply to "spread love from the goodness of your heart." In today's service, we helped a handicapped man named Sam do what he otherwise could not. Did we have to? No. Did we truly want to? Yes.
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