Let's Jam Out and Eat Pickles - Thursday

What another great day in Chicago!  The Windy City definitely lived up to its nickname today.  Cooler temperatures and a steady breeze made it feel more like fall than summer.  Each serving group visited their morning serving site and then headed to the shore of Lake Michigan after a quick bite to eat. 

I knew we were in for an adventure when I saw the lifeguards wearing pants, hoodies and jackets as they watched the water.  A few brave souls ventured into the   water, only to be called back onto the shore by the lifeguards.  The cool temperatures and inability to enjoy the water didn't dampen the spirits of our students, as evidenced by these pictures:

Our evening started off with an authentic Mexican meal, during which we were able to fellowship with the other serving groups in Chicago this week.  After dinner, we entered into a time of worship led by a few of our city hosts.  We also heard a powerful message from a local pastor that incorporated original poetry and spoken word.

During our debriefing session to end the night, we asked each serving group to come up with a couple Bible verses that parallel what they've experienced this week.  Our students blew us away with the messages they gave us about how this week has impacted their lives.

Now, about that blog title...

Today's blog title is a quote from one of our students.  Candace was reflecting on her time at a soup kitchen where she saw a man sitting at a table by himself.  Candace noticed that no one wanted to sit by this man because he was dancing to the music in his head and he had an affinity for pickles.  Candace shared with us that the only thing she could think of to say to him was "Let's jam out and eat pickles".

While is may seem a little humorous on the surface, it illustrates a point that we've been trying to stress all week.  Proverbs 14:31 tells us "He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God".  We are called to love our neighbor, without regard to their socio-economic status.  Some of our students struggle with knowing what to say to start a conversation about their faith.  Candace's story is a great illustration that shows us the point is not how we start the conversation, but that we start the conversation at all.

The thoughts of how we continue our service when we get home are already stirring in our students' minds and we are encouraging them to not lose sight of the experiences they are having during our time in Chicago.

Things to pray for:

- Our continued safety during our time here and as we travel home on Saturday

- That God will continue to move in our hearts

- For the ministry sites we have worked with this week.  They all provide much needed services to the people of Chicago.

- For the city of Chicago itself.  Many of our students have commented about how "wrecked" the city is and how they had no idea of how bad it really is until this week.