Agape 2012 - A summer of blessings

These past eight weeks have too quickly come to an end. God has been working his best to make sure that this was a productive and valuable summer for the Agape Service Project. As a staff we would like to give a huge thanks to all the groups that have come through Agape this summer. Each of you have made such a great impact on the families, children, and the community that we have served. We have so much gratitude for all those who were following the blog throughout the summer and sending your support and prayers. This summer has been so filled with God's blessings. We've seen him working in all the owners of the farms we have been to and the families we have met. It has been an incredible experience for us as well as the participants and we cannot wait until next year.

         - The Agape Staff

            Rachael, Caitlin, Grace, Heidi, JP, and Cristina

Thursday, the day of good byes

Today was a really great way to end a wonderful week of service. To begin, we traveled to the Tri Parish Food Bank in Burlington to deliver our left over food and clothing items from the day before. I enjoyed going to this food bank because I was there for another service project and I shared experienced there that I was able to relive. Later in the day, after mass, we went swimming at the aquatic center. I was able to bond with the people on the service project and enjoy the magnificent luxuries of the awesome aquatic center. Jesus' presence was most defiantly upon us as we sprung from the very far end of the most extravagant diving board because the joy it brought us in those brief mili-seconds brought such joy to the ones diving and watching the spectacularly comical dives and flips. The best part of the day was when we visited the migrant families at there camp and shared dinner with them. We had a lot of fun moments, for example, dodge ball, soccer, and the pinata.The hamburgers were amazingly delicious! How happy those migrant farmers children were even when they have so little brought tears of joy to my eyes. We met the cooooooooolest little boy named AJ he had a swag mo hawk that was spiked with gel and he even knew how to shuffle like really well. It really touched me, just before we left that some of the families were telling us how much they appreciated us coming out there and helping them and they even letting us know they will miss us over the winter. Then we had a very unexxpected amazing surprise of an ice cream bar when we got back to the place we were staying and had a little dance party and were singing along to the music. It was interesting to see that over four days of time that both parishes could become so close. We lost a couple of amazing people today, but over all i am thankful to be here with everyone and help those who need us. PS. Grace was thee coolest counselor ever and she is crazy cool and DA BOMB i loveeeee her :)

Libby (St. Joseph) and Andrew (St. Leo)

(Tuesday) Migrant Immersion Day

Today was a very unique day. One where we got the oportunity to have almost like a simulation of a life of a migrant worker. This morning we awaken at o'dark thirty (or 5:15 am) and got ready to head to farms and start working at 7. My group went to a very sweet amd humbling mans farm, named Sam, and got to weed and take care of the fruits and vegtables. My small group specifically was incharge of clipping off  the "runners" from the strawberries to help them grow. After much tedious work of clipping and pulling some weeds along the way, we finally finished after completing all 13 or so rows. Talk about "Strawberry Fields Forever"! After we were awarded 2 delicious strawberries. It was such a humbling experience because we got to full on experience the physical labor these people endure daily. We were fortunate enough to sleep in some, unlike the migrants who wake up much earlier, and only had to work for 4 hours. After finding out after all that hard work that we had only really earned $4.50, I couldn't help but feel a sudden wave of frustration. How is it possible that after my shoes and socks being soked, my pants getting all dirty, I had to wake up so early, and I had to do the one thing I hate most and with a passion (weeding) I had managed to make only $4.50! For me, the money didn't really matter because that's not why we went to the farm, but the fact that these people have to wake up much earlier and work for much longer and probably make less than $20 a day was unbelievable to me! The only word I could think of was "unfair". I can imagine their frustration. And yet, when you meet them, they are the most amiable people ever. Why? To see how strong the Holy Spirit is in these people is probably one of the most rewarding experiences I could see in my life, and I'm only 16. I hope that one day I was be equally as blessed with such a gift. Although my back is extremely stiff now and sore, I'm glad I got the opportunity to go out and at least try and do some of the work these humbling, but lessfortunate people, get to experience daily.
                                -Daniella N.

Reflections from Bailey (St. Leo's) and Mia (St. Joseph's)

I have learned so much during my first day here at the Agape Service Project. In the morning we packed up in vehicles and headed out to neighborhoods to collect food donations from local residents. I have never gone door-to-door before, so that was a completely new experience. I found that   once you take the initiative to do something right in a community, you will find that people are willing to help. For example, one of the houses that I visited today decided to give us 14 boxes of organic cereal. I was astonished that people would give so much to a necessary cause.

Later in the day, after lunch, we packed up and headed out again, but this time we traveled the local grocery stores to host food drives. Specifically, my group ran a food drive at the Grocery Outlet in Bellingham. The beginning of the food drive was really tough. Unfortunately, in approximately the first 45 minutes we only received one box of Fruit Loops cereal. As time went on, people began to donate and amazingly we ended up completely filling the back of our chaperone's car.  In that experience, I learned that with teamwork, time, and relentless effort, you can accomplish anything. In this case, successfully collecting enough food.

As you can see, it is worth doing service to help people that are less fortunate. Taking time and helping someone is really important because it will teach the person or people you help to do the same for others. Even in this short amount of time I have spent at the Agape Service Project, I have learned so much and I can't wait for the days to come.

                                                                        Bailey D.

        Today I learned that a few people might say no to a donation but there's always more who say yes. I've learned that even if someone might say no you can't know what difficulties they themselves face. I also heard a very touching story from one of our counselors that made me realize there ARE others in this world other than us. All of us found this out after a dinner the a half of our whole group disclosed what they were doing in the kitchen while the other group (the one I was part of) was playing outside. I have to admit I was a little suspicious when the counselors told my half of the group to leave our plates on the table after a great dinner of spaghetti and rolls. What we found out was that the group that was in the kitchen had prepared our whole meal and had to eat beans, rice and tortillas. After this exercise I realized we spend a lot of time talking care of #1 instead of the people that really need attention. This camp has really made me think about others and not myself.

                                                                                                        Mia A.

St. Joe's and St. Leo's-- First Night

We left Tacoma in the mid-afternoon and had dinner in Burlington before arriving at Sacred Heart Church in Bellingham. When we got there, we met the youth group from St. Joseph Church in Seattle. We   played some ice breaker games and formed small discussion groups. We learned the seven Corporal Works of Mercy and talked about how we might learn more about them and ourselves this week.

At the beginning I thought this was going to be hard, staying in a place I don't know and being away from home for a week. I might feel like homesick and missing my free time but being here is amazing we get to see a new world under all pressures and life problems. It is like you are breaking free.  This is a beautiful place for reflecting;  watching the movement of the trees and seeing the mountains and Puget Sound from the parish hall . It is amazing!!!.

Sonyamarie R.A.

Pool and Kids

Today we had day was full and togetherness and swiming smiles. The pool and slide were amazing and getting a looong shower was really nice. But, the best part was definetly bonding with Jesus in the children. They were so gratful to receive attention from us, we really wouldn't change a thing.

Food bank

Today we had a very successful food bank that served 89 migrant families. They all were very humble when receiving food that we had previously collected from generous donors. We enjoyed seeing their smiles when we provided them with the basic necessities that they needed in order to support themselves and their families. At the food bank, the staff, parents, and the kids were all able to put aside their differences and together make one body, many parts to makes the migrants day. Today, we saw Jesus in the migrant families that came to support their families and make their children's childhood worth while.

-Kate and Emilia