The last week of break, which would have been the first week
of January, I lead the Grow trip to Kansas City, MO. I started planning this
trip back before school started last August. I didn’t think I would have to
plan too much since I had found a place where we could stay and they would be
finding the places we would be serving at around the city. I still remember the
day I got the email we could not stay with them because it would be winter and
they would need the space in their facility to house people who were living on
the streets and didn’t have a warm place to stay.
I had to put this trip in God’s hands. I asked Him to make
it possible for us to go to the places He wanted us at. Several times I got so frustrated
planning this trip I wanted to cancel it. But God is good and He made this trip
possible.
First a rundown of all the places we went:
Harvesters- A clearinghouse
for the collection and distribution of food. We packaged cans of sauces, beans,
soups, meats, tuna, and peanut butter. It was a great place to start. The team
worked well together and got to know each other.
Youthfront’s
Something to Eat- One of our alumni works here and lead us through the
process of packaging meals made up of soy, vitamin powder, dried vegetables,
and rice to be sent to the horn of Africa.
Holy Family House-
A Catholic worker movement house serving evening meals. We ate, talked, and
built relationships with the men and women who were there for a warm meal.
Operation
International Children- We packaged bags of school supplies for kids in Afghanistan.
Mother’s Refuge- A
safe place for pregnant teens to come and live and learn how to be a good
mother. We helped move all the donations they received for Christmas into the
shed and had a chance to talk with a few of the teen mothers who live there.
Cherith Brook- Another
Catholic worker house serving meals and providing morning showers four days a
week. Half of our team went Thursday night to have family dinner with the
community. The other half went Friday morning to have breakfast and help facilitate
shower rotations and pass out clothes in the clothes closet.
Hillcrest
Transitional Housing Thrift Store- This
organization provides housing for low-income families as well as a high-quality
place to shop. We sorted a room full of trash bags of clothes that were donated.
I posted more pictures on Facebook.
One thing I was worried about as being the leader of this
trip was that everyone who went would “get something out if it.” That really
wasn’t my responsibility though. That was up to God to work on their hearts and
open up their eyes. And he did just that. There were a total of eight of us
that went on this trip. It was so exciting to see that moment when it clicked
in someone’s mind when they realized what they could do to make a difference in
the world. Since all of these places are only about an hour away everyone
seemed to be excited about being able to come back and keep building
relationships with the people they met.
I was so worried about making sure that everyone else had a
good experience I almost forgot about God showing up in my life. Holy Family House
and Cherith Brook are both apart of the Catholic Worker movement. This movement
was started by Dorothy Day during the Great Depression. She proposed the idea
that every Perish should have a hospitality house. If there were people in the
neighborhood that needed a meal or a place to stay the hospitability house
would provide for their needs. Now there are over 200 houses in the US and more
several in other countries as well. In Missouri there are two in Kansas City
and one in St. Louis.
Three people live at the Holy Family house and nine live at
Cherith Brook. They live in community together which means they share everything.
It is a simple was to live. At Cherith Brook they are also becoming
self-sustaining. They have a garden, chickens and bees. The three main
values of the Catholic Worker movement are Community, Mercy, and Peacemaking. I
left this trip with the conviction that there needs to be one in Warrensburg. I
don’t know what that will look like but God knows so that’s enough.
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