Day 4 and 5

Hello All!
So it is Day 5 ALREADY!!! It is so amazing to see how time is flying by. The heat is taking its toll on us today but we are remembering to hydrate HYDRATE HYDRATE!

Yesterday we were able to finish painting the Food Pantry. As we were leaving I was in a place of seeing all the paint marks and touch ups I knew we wouldn't be able to fix. Then a couple that volunteered there came up to us and told us how amazing everything looked. It was amazing to hear directly from them how they saw God in what we had done. God is good! That evening the AIM staff took us down to The Strip to see the Bellagio Hotel's Water Show... two words.... very cool!

This morning we all were split into gender groups: boys painted the 1st Presbyterian Church of Las Vegas and the girls got to do something called "Meet Felt Needs." Meet Felt Needs is when we take some time to ask God what and how to serve. After praying for a moment the girls heard from God. They heard 3 different things. One group went to the McDonald's, bought a bunch of hamburgers, went to the local Tent City and handed the food out to those who would take them. The Tent City is a homeless community where people literally set up tents and live out their lives. Students were able to connect with people and supply them with a direct need.



The next group went to meet up with a couple we had met throughout the week. After hearing the couple's story the students found out that they had lost their home in January and were now homeless. Yet in the midst of being homeless they decided to take care of the other homeless they would come across. Any food they received they shared, any supplies they received they would give out to anyone who needed something. After hearing their story the man said to the students, "It is great that people keep sending all this canned food. The only problem is no one is donating any can openers." The ladies were on the case. They went to Walmart and bought a bunch of can openers and gave them to the couple. Now not only did the couple have to food to dispense they could actually eat it!




The last group wanted to help a women's shelter. There is a local shelter in the area and after calling them we found out there were a few supplies that the women and children of the shelter needed. The list was long but super important. We girls grabbed the list and went straight to Target. We were able to buy clothes, diapers, shampoo and other daily needs that we normally take for granted. After arriving at the shelter's offices the director was able to explain what services they provide and what it means to be in an abusive relationship. It was powerful to watch these girls hear how abuse is a real issue and that they had done something directly to help.

At lunch we gathered back together, all 56 of us. Then we drove to the Las Vegas Rescue Mission. There students heard about how the mission was started and what services they provide. Then students were able help prepare and serve over 200 homeless people dinner. If a student wasn't serving dinner or helping with taking plates or getting salt they were outside praying with people as they left.

It was so powerful to see students jumping at the chance to pray for whoever would let them and sit and listen to the life stories people would share.

This morning we are all pretty sleepy, but the one thing I keep hearing from students is, "When can we go talk and pray with some more people?" There is a culture of prayer that is starting to be developed within our community. My prayer is that it starts to run deep within these students. That this ability to pray for strangers this week would spark something inside them to pray for each other more and more.

Other things to pray for:

The heat is really taking a toll on all of us.

That the culture of prayer would carry over when we come home.
Continued safety in ministry.

That our community would continue to grow closer and respect each other more.



Cassie