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

Migrant Immersion Day!

For this awesome day, we went to two different farms, Five Loaves Farm and Breckinridge Blueberries. We picked fruits and vegetables, weeded, and planted seeds. After several hours of diligent work, as we headed into the Grocery Outlet to buy dinner for our "families"; we were paid our wages and given our scenarios. Finally after a dinner full of barter, we headed to the migrant camps. There we handed out fliers for our Wednesday food bank and played an intense game of dodge ball.

-Abbie, Claire, and Allie

First Full Day at AGAPE

Today was filled with adventure. We walked around asking for donations for our food drive.  Each group took two streets parallel to each other, in total walked six to eight blocks. Later in the day each group went to a different grocery store to ask for more donations. We stood in front of the store for three and a half hours. By the end of the day we had a room full of food. We had a very successful day!

By Alex and Haley

First Day at AGAPE

      Today we arrived at Sacred Heart Church and introduced ourselves to the counselors. They told us what the theme for the week would be. It turns out that it was the Corporal Works of Mercy, or seven acts that everyone should do in good faith for others. The Corporal Works of Mercy were: Visit the Sick, Visit the Imprisoned, Bury the Dead, Shelter the Homeless, Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, and Clothe the Naked. The last thing we learned was what we would be doing this week at AGAPE, and what AGAPE is all about.

Ben Jellen, Romi Almeda

Thursday Party Day!!

Ok guys, today was the last full day at AGAPE!!! I personally am soooooo sad about that. I know the title says party day but before all that all the kids here went around the neighborhood and stuck flyers telling people that even more people will be comeing next week for another food drive! Then we all went to the YMCA to swim ( Which was soo fun...I went of the diving board!) and to shower. Not showering everyday with 50 people can get a little...natural smelling haha :) Then we went and had a BB with our friends at sunset. it was sooo fun my friend Gena and I played dodgeball...I was definatley not the best... ;) When we got back we had prayer and then we had ICE CREAM and a dance party. After that we got kicked back down to the basement and now were partying down their instead of upstairs.

Bye!! Betty and Terese :)

The Epic!!!!!!!! Agape food bank

Hi my name is Eddie Ramirez Banda and I have been going to Agape for two years and today we went and organize the most epic(!) food bank. But first we had to buy many thing that were perishable, food and diapers, load, unload, and planning out things. When we started the food bank I felt like a very important person. "Mama T" stands for Mother Teresa. That's what I learned at Agape. In our book their was this Question that said "who did you see Jesus in during the food bank?" Well my Answer was: I'm not sure who said it but some famous person said "when you serve someone in need you serve Jesus and God." And the one I served were migrant workers and that was my Answer. There was this kid and he was a very shy kid and the kid was holding a tech deck so my friend Hudson got the a bunny. The kid was shy at the bunny but then he grabbed it and I know he loved it and that's all I have to say for today.              

                                                                                                 FROM    

                                                                                                             Edward Ramirez Banda

Today was a very happy day.  We got ready for the food bank!  We started by separating the clothes that people gave to us.  After that we set up the food.  Then all of the people who needed food and clothing came and got what they needed.  I was happy and proud to help out the people in need.                                                              
                                                                                                From,
                                                                                                  Bella Valdivia

Monday and Tuesday

7/23
The second day at agape camp was amazing. We started out the day with a yummy breakfast of a choice of, cereal, oatmeal, or a bagel. Then we split up into groups and went door-to-door asking for donations for the food bank we will be holding on Wednesday. Going door-to-door was very exhausting, but it was also very fun. After collecting food door-to-door, we had sandwiches, chips, and fruit for lunch. Next, we split into groups and went to stores to ask for donations. at first I thought 'This is going to be the longest two hours of my life!' but as I got used to handing out fliers and sorting food it was really fun.
        Once we got back to Sacred Heart Church we unloaded food into a storage place, i was amazed on how much food was donated. Soon later, about one third of the campers got wrist bands (me not included). At first i was jealous, but i carried on with my day. We separated into family groups and went on a scavenger hunt. It was so fun. Once we got back from the hunt, we had a delicious dinner of, pasta, salad, and rolls. After dinner the councelers told us to just leave our dishes there and not wash them. After dinner we played a game where we had to get through a fake spider web of string, holding hands to your group members, without touching the string. 
        After we played games we gathered in a circle for a group discussion. At that time we were told that everyone who got a wristband represented one of the migrant people. They cooked the meal, but was not allowed to eat it, and had to eat a rice burrito instead. They would always be out for even the smallest touch of the string. I felt so oblivious, i had not even realized what they were doing. it made me open my eyes to what was happening, not only to me, but to every one around me.
       The second day at agape camp was truly uplifting, inspirational, and a simply wonderful day. 


   -- Tina P. Saint Catherine of Sienna Perish--            


7/24
Five fifteen in the morning, and the lights were already on. Everyone was like a walking zombie since no one thought ahead and went to sleep any earlier than the night before. Despite our too-early morning, however, the Agape campers were busy fast. From weeding in the gardens to picking blueberries, the fields that hire migrant workers were full of tired teenagers. From seven till eleven in the morning, the campers at Agape were given an introduction into the lives of the migrant workers. Though waking up was difficult, and the labor was . . . laborious, there were many important things that were done today, many things that will make a difference in our lives.

Sierra L.

St. Catherine Parish

7/24       Migrant Immersion day

After three groups from different parishes going to three different farms to weed and pick vegetables like the migrants do on a daily basis, we got the chance to take showers at a local YMCA and have at least twenty-five minutes to take a shower-you'd think you would have enough time, but really it isn't enough-the whole group met up at a grocery store. From our work at the farms (making about $.15 per person), our OTHER groups, our Family Groups, got to have our money and practically use it wisely as we will be using it for our own dinner. My group chose to have pasta and pizza, which was...eh, kinda a good idea. We came back home and made our dinner.
After dinner and cleaning up all we can, everybody loaded back into the cars and rode towards the migration camps. I have been to this migrant camp before, but this time was different because we would be having lots more people along with me. We went around the building, passing out fliers for the food bank we'll be having the next day. When we finished more of the children started to come out and we had the chance to play dodge ball, paint nails, color, and make jewelry with these fantastic people. It was great to know that at least you can talk to them in English-I must say, I am NOT good with Spanish-and they can understand each word you say. I got to talk to the kids and had an amazing time.
Experiencing this whole day, I wouldn't say, was overwhelming. It's like we went to the farms yesterday at 6:00 o'clock in the morning, and then visiting the migrant families in the afternoon today. Overall, it was fun and I'm glad I get to be here, meeting new people each day. :)
-C

Agape--Christ the King and St. Catherine: First Day

                      Today was an exciting first day at Agape. After we finally arrived, we settled in in a building next to the church. The boys got to stay in the nursery and the girls got to stay in the library. After we got unpacked we went to the dining/activity hall, to play some games, get to know each other, pray, and get into our families. We first learned each other's names by going around and stating our name, our favorite fruit and our favorite activity. Then we played "were's my dragon" to learn more names. We got into our families and prayed using our journal's. This was a fun first day and I hope the next days are just as fun. Tomorrow is food bank day. I'm really looking forward to that!
                                      Hudson. P

7/19 ST. JOHNS BRO!

There was a funeral today so we actually wake up and move to a different church near by. It was nice to have a different setting. After we ate breakfast we watched an inspiring video called, Dying to Live. Dying to Live showed the struggles of making the journey crossing the border from Mexico to the U.S. Honestly, I've seen the video before so it wasn't anything new, but I was able to experience the video in a different way. Next we went to church, it was a short and sweet service. The Gospel was from the book of Mark. It was about yokes, but the underline meaning was "my yoke is easy, and my burden is light". I swear every year we hear this Gospel at Agape. After mass, we enjoyed walking door to door putting fliers in the door jam, mentioning that there is going to  be a food drive collection next week.  This was my favorite job because I did not have to speak to any living person:). We came back and ate some delicious left over tacos and sandwiches. After which we departed to the aquatic center where we could swim and finally take showers. The part of the day i was looking forward to most, sunrise. Being able to see the kids one last was a great way to end this week. playing soccer with them and dodge ball was amazing. I know this entry is kinda short, but they are attempting to start affirmations so... 
-Giraffe and Elephant

¡Tenga un Buen Dia!

Today has been an amazing day. We've done a lot throughout this past week, working with our fellow peers to do tasks that we were challenged to do. Us as a group are fantastic, we have been able to work with each other and do great things that make us a great team. That isn't what astounds me. What astounds me is the people that we serve. The people that we have been meeting and serving this week are amazing, for they are the ones who I have seen Jesus shine through the most. Today was a great followup to the day that we had yesterday. Yesterday, as you read, was Migrant Immersion day. Today, we brought the food that we collected on Monday (and then some) and brought it to Third Christian Reformed Church in Lynden, and put on a Food Bank. I'm not sure if we should call it a Food Bank though, because people aren't coming in and 'withdrawing' food, but they are taking it as a gift from us to them. THIS is what astounded me today. People would come and they wanted to be served, but this is not a bad thing, they are coming to the realization that what they need is help, and they are asking for us to give it to them, and we are GLADLY giving it to them, so then they may be able to feed their kids with confidence, and sleep with a sense of security, that they know that there will be dinner tomorrow. This is a great thing, that we are able to give them security and confidence. People go through the line, and you can see the smiles on their faces,  and the love in their eyes, and the Holy Spirit in their hearts, and it has given some people epiphanies, because some of these migrant farm workers are happier than ourselves, even though we are the ones who can feed ourselves every single day and don't worry about anything that we may need for the next day, they are worrying about that, but they still may seem like the happiest people that you may know. While we are helping out putting on the Food Drive, people are laughing, we are having fun, and we are (attempting) to speak to the people going through in Spanish. As we are speaking to people in Spanish, sometimes people are saying gracias (thank you), other times igualmente (you too/also), but then there is that one time when you are starting to get cocky, and then you say ¡Tengo un buen dia! which means I have a good day, rather than you have a good day, and they stare at you blindly, and you don't know what's wrong. At first I thought there was something wrong with the way I looked, but then I later realized that I was saying it wrong. After I realized what I was doing, and I reflected upon what happened today, I realized that even though I was telling people to have a good day, and then, on occasion, telling them that I was having a good day, that I really was having a good day, and that it was good for them to know that, because there is that occasional person who asks if we are being forced to do this, when really we are doing this without being forced, doing it through our own free will. (I guess that means that my Spanish not being totally up to par is not too bad :) Today we did a lot of things that were not only beneficial to us, but also the farm workers. Today has been a great day, I really have had a wonderful day today! So, just thing to yourself, did you have a good day today, what could you have done better, what can you do better tomorrow? Just think about that, spend some time with God, and please, PLEASE, ¡Tenga un buen dia!

-Alex C. 

Agape food Bank Wed 7/18/2012 St. John the Baptist

Oh wow... Where to begin... Today we worked at the Agape food bank! We got up at 8:00 and completed the usual morning routine of breakfast and chores. Later having arrived at the destination of today's activity the food bank, we had 2 hours to complete setup. Everyone worked hard,quickly BUT efficiently. Also today's corporal work of mercy was cloth the naked. Cloth the naked meaning: literally clothing the naked with cloth donations from Monday's walking food drive. And restoring the immigrants human dignity. St. John the Baptist kids ,adults and Agape staff fullfiled this service of God by smiling, conversing in English and Spanish, helping them select their food etc. Throughout the food bank. Some memorable moments were seeing the migrants children selecting food for their families. One even riding alone with a friend as his family was in the fields working. Another little boy when asked by one of my fellow peers if he would like the larger jar of peanut butter, replied looking him in the eye said " I do not need that nor does my family but there is some other family out their who will" Another moment was seeing God in the immigrants... They came to the  food bank knowing that in coming they were helping provide for their families admitting they needed help, couldn't support their family on their own daily wages. Never the less they were happy, smiling, and laughing at our failed attempts of speaking Spanish. - Maite O.

A Day in the Life of A Migrant

I can't believe how every time I experience migrant immersion day, I leave with a new perspective. Today we got up so early, 5 in the morning. We ate a quick breakfast and then headed out to two different farms. One group of kids went to Five Loaves Farm, while the others went to Breckenridge Blueberry Farm. The previous night everyone was separated into different migrant families, and today we worked with our family members for about four hours doing various jobs. My family was at the blueberry farm and we weeded the berry bushes, as well as picked the ripe berries. They were deliciously round and full of juice. When we were finished, we headed to the YMCA to shower. Then we were paid for our days work and given the task of buying enough food to sustain our family for dinner without going hungry. It was tough, with my group only having $6 to buy our dinner. We settled on pasta with salad, bread, and cinnamon rolls. It was a pretty substantial meal, and we were able to have leftovers. With dinner finished, the group visited all kids at a migrant camp called Sunrise. I was lucky enough to show some girls how to make friendship bracelets, as well as painting fingernails. It was too soon when we had to say goodbye. Reflecting on the events of today, I begin to think about the CWOM- Corporal Work of Mercy- we had discussed in the morning, "give drink to the thirsty." Thinking about how I satisfied another's thirst was challenging. I think there were more times during the day where others met my needs of thirst, rather than the other way around. My group noticed how tiring today was, and we only did a few hours of manual labor. There are migrants who work for hours, even picking up two shifts, all to try to quench their thirst to provide for their family and better their lives. Seeing and experiencing first-hand what it is like to work that hard for so long was one of the most humbling experiences I've ever had. It has left me considering how privileged I am and how many blessings have been given to me. The one who has blessed me is God, and I leave today with a new-found sense of gratitude for His work in my life, as well as others lives. This gratitude leaves me with a new thirst. A thirst to continue to go out and do what He is calling me to do. I thirst to discover what His plan is for me, to go out, and share with others all the blessings life has to offer.
-Olivia R.

St John's Day 2

Well. Today was…Quite the interesting day. It was filled with some ups, and some downs. Overall though, people were changed for the better. One of the activities we had done, was the Agape staff gave certain people bracelets. We had no idea what this meant at the time. We had a nice variety of breakfast, with oatmeal, cereal, bagels, and that wonderful thing we call fruit. After that we were driven to separate neighborhoods and we walked around door-to-door, asking if there were any toys, non-perishable food items, or clothing. Once we were done with that, we went back to the church for a lunch of sandwiches. In the opinion of many of the Agape pupils, it was in fact the best sandwich they had ever had the pleasure to put upon their taste buds. Once we were finished with our magnificent lunch, we drove to different grocery stores, and collected certain items of food for a food drive.

This was quite the interesting experience. There were people who could not give a rat’s furry behind about giving food, and helping others. On the flipside, there were certain individuals who could not be more excited about going in the store, to get food for those in need. We had a case, where a lady came out of the store, saw what we were doing, and immediately went back inside to get items of food on the list. This is the compassion and love that we all wish could show in everybody, not just a selected group of people.

Once we had finished with collecting all the food and thanking the generous flock of people, we moseyed on back to the church, to unload and then begin dinner. We had finished unloading, and were expecting for our meals to be prepared for us as usual. However, when we got to the doors leading to the eating area, we were escorted to a nearby field, where we were divided into families. Certain families had three people, and others had around 5-6. There was a family of 3 and a family of 4 that were lead into the kitchen. The glows on their faces when the saw the spaghetti and salad fixings sitting on the counter, were indescribable. After small meals throughout the day, they were excited about being fed a large meal fit for kings. After working for nearly an hour, they had finally finished preparing the food for everyone. Once they had finished putting everything out onto the table, they were asked to gather into the kitchen for a quick prayer.

 After the prayer, they began to wonder back out to the dining hall to begin the feast! However, the Agape Leaders called them back in, and gave them the devastating news, that the group that had worked over the food would be given a meal of a tortilla, a scoop of black beans, and a scoop of rice with some salsa. Along with water. Once again, their faces were indescribable. But not in the same way as before. They had all finished eating their meager meal, when they thought that their workload was done for the day. But no. Once they tried to leave they were given dishes to wash. They were confused until they realized that the group that had not been with them in the kitchen had eaten the meal they had prepared! So they grudgingly began to clean the dishes of the lucky. It was especially hard when they saw all of the food that was still perfectly good to eat, being thrown away in front of their faces after having such a small portioned meal. After all of the chores were done, they trounced back out to the field. Much to their dismay, they discovered that the two larger family groups had not only eaten the food that the smaller groups had prepared; they had played games, and gotten to do activities instead of working. The two smaller groups were crushed after hearing this.

After that we went into the hall to reflect on the day, and there were many feelings felt at the same time. There were kids who were unaware that they were eating a meal prepared by the others, when they got so little. The entire small group didn’t know that the larger group would be slacking off and enjoying their hard work. In the end, this brought us to the knowledge that events like this happen on a regular and daily basis. It’s sad to think that there are migrant farm workers, who work in a field all day, with fresh produce, then walk into a grocery store and can only afford canned beans, or fruit.  Not the stuff that they pick every day, just for other people’s convenience. A word that can describe the feelings of the group as a whole that evening would be humble. It would be safe to say that everyone can appreciate the value of something as simple as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. So…Then we closed with prayer, and now we’re sleeping. So…Goodnight Internet! I’ll see you in the future!
Thanks for reading,
Sincerely,
R-L

St.John the Baptist Catholic Church Day 1

- What an amazing day! Great weather and fun times! :) God was surely smiling on us today.
We arrived at about 5:45 here at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
We unpacked and had pizza for dinner. Afterwards, the teens went downstairs to setup our sleeping areas while the adult drivers and Agape Staff had a meeting.
After a while, the teens were called back upstairs to play a few icebreaker games. First, one was called 'Have you seen my dragon', (originally it was called 'have you seen my goat', but, apparently the goat died, according to J.P.). The second game was similar to charades.
Eventually, we did skits acting out the CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY. Every group did an awesome job!
Later we had individual time alone to fill out our journals and then shared what we wrote with our small groups. Finally, t shirts were handed out and we were given a snack.
Tomorrow, I hope we have great weather again and that we all have fun! :)
Lord, thanks for this wonderful opportunity to get to know each other more. Help us to see You in others. If we are not seeing You, then help us to look even harder. Amen.
- Sara O.

Today was celebration day! A fun-filled day with joyful smiles seen on the faces of everyone. The joy of jesus was a clear and present force among both the agape servers and among all the migrant children. We all had a memorable time as we danced, sang, and played all day long. Though it was great to see us all have a memorable time this week, the greater gift was seeing others and myself selflessly serve people in need. Also great, was the mutual exchange we experienced while spending time with the migrant workers and their children: we served them with food and in return they shared with us their joy and grateful positive attitudes which, I ensure all of us learned from. Though they have little, it seems that less is more for they had the most positive and praising attitudes I have ever witnessed. I'm eagerly excited to share my newly-found happiness with all I encounter from this day forth. My love of service blossomed and never have I been more open to letting jesus in my life, giving him more control than I would have ever imagined. It pleases me to say that I'm sure many others have also experienced this same feeling I have. Today marks a pivitol time in the well-being of myself and many others. Much is to be taken from the Agape service project.
-Richard B

Sunday, July 8; the day we arrived at Agape I set a goal to befriend one of the migrant children. Tuesday and today July 10th and 12th; I befriended one of the girls from the migrant camp. Her name is Marissa. She will be the reason I come back in summer of 2013. I'm very excited. Today is what we called celebration day. It was a great day. I'm glad I came to Agape because I let Jesus more into my heart and prayed to Him each night before bed to help me wake up with a smile on my face. I was so glad to have had Him with me in my heart this week and I kept a positive attitude all day. When I was feeling upset or angry, He helped me to smile. We had a barbeque and all the kids had a great time! Playing volleyball, soccer, dodgeball and even just chatting with the girls about how they spend their day. We painted nails with the kids and even most of their mothers came to get their nails painted. The day ended in such great terms. But, ended also on sad terms because we left our new beloved friends behind. I will miss my new friend, Marissa, so much. I'm so glad everyone was so positive and not complaining. It just made the day so much more fun. We had fun because instead of thinking of ourselves we thought of the kids and how much they enjoyed being with us, playing sports, painting each others nails, and just chatting amongst ourselves. I trusted in Him to help me have a good time and He really did help me! I'm so glad I came. I love the Agape Service Project. I can't wait for next year.
-Hannah L

Clothing the Naked with Community

         Today was the day we held the food drive for the migrant worker families, it was REALLY satisfying to see all the work we had done to collect the food finally going to the families. While we were doing our daily reflection, I realized that the work we had done this past week wasn't even close to comparing with what the migrant workers do in a single day!

 This morning, the first thing we did today in order for us to set everything up was to transport all the food n clothes from the church basement to the farm where we would hold the food bank. After lifting most of the food into the vans, we realized we did not having enough car space for all of the things, so we had to pile it on top of our laps. The three of us who were in the backseat of the car ended up being neck deep in bread and tortillas, if there's one thing I learned about that drive its that bread makes an amazing pillow!

After we set up the tables and separated the food in the right categories (flour, snacks, canned meats, fresh produce, etc.) we all took our places at each category to help the migrant workers as they went through from table to table picking out what they wanted. I was placed at the condiments section, it was really difficult because after the common favorites were gone, nobody really wanted to take the leftovers. People walked past my table saying no. And at first I felt really downhearted at the fact that everyone was skipping me. But later on I realized that it wasn't about me, it was about them and what they wanted, because frankly, they deserved it, I was simply there to help. Many of the workers only spoke Spanish, so it was hard for me to talk llto them because the only other language I know besides English is French. So I asked the other volunteers who did speak Spanish to help me with some phrases to describe what was on the table. Some things we didn't know how to say like "Salad dressing" so we got creative and said "para insalada" (sp?).

 Later in the day when the families coming in began slowing down, we saw some people who had just got off from work. Their hands were dark with dirt and raspberries stained their shirts, you could tell they were tired from a long day of hard work, and I felt bad for them because most of the good foods were gone, and they had to pick what was left over. We were able to give them extra foods, because we knew that not many more people were coming, but something that really struck me as amazing was the happiness you could see in their faces because they were glad to be there. Today's reflection was "clothing the naked" with its literal meaning as well as the meaning of giving dignity to those who have been wrongly refused of it. The funny thing is that the person who was without dignity was probably us volunteers (especially me) who had trouble pronouncing the Spanish words and were laughed at by the people who could speak well!

 One story at the food bank that I would really like to mention is of a little boy I met. His family was the very last one to come, and we had just started to put things away. He was playing on some ramps at the end of the farm, when suddenly his shoe went flying off of his foot. He looked around and walked awkwardly on the wood and then looked at me with a confused face. I didn't want him to get any splinters so I took his shoe and motioned for him to put his foot in it (there was a language barrier because I couldn't speak Spanish.) He put his foot in and I fastened the strap, and then began to walk away, suddenly I looked behind me and he surprised me by giving me the most purest, innocent, and angelic smile. It really made my heart fill with joy, and I feel like I saw the face of Jesus in him. This is something that I wan't to cherish in my heart forever.

In truth, we leave wordly things behind, we might realize that deep down, we are not whole, and we can never truly be if we do not seek out God. And even then, we will never truly be satisfied until we enter the gates of God's heavenly kingdom. Without God, there is no joy, and I think that is how so many of the migrant workers are so happy even when they have to work so hard for so little!

One thing that I absolutely love about this mission trip is the community and the love that everyone has for everyone, even if its people we've never even met before! All the people I saw today were truly beautiful, from the volunteers, to the migrant workers and especially the children!

 ~*~Kellie Kralovic
Sacred Heart, Enumclaw.

Got thirst?

     It has been said that each person we encounter has a different thirst and we have been called upon by God to quench these various thirsts. Today we were sent out to work the fields of farms in Lynden, Washington. First, waking up at 5:30 in the morning was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Waking up knowing I was going to be working tedious hours out in the scolding sun did not make this morning any easier. When we arrived on the farm we were directed to pluck the peas off the vines. We worked and worked and worked. Just picture this.. my hands covered in dirt, knees aching in pain, back permanently stiff in the most uncomfortable position, head pulsing almost audibly and forehead dripping of sweat. The drive to go on was almost diminished as the last half an hour rolled around. The pea-picking finally ended just as the realization that the labor work for the day was not over came to surface. When we arrived on the next farm all the strength I had in the morning was nearly depleted. I weeded and weeded till I could not weed anymore and luckily it was lunch time by then. After lunch my smile could not have any bigger; not because the delicious sandwich had ended my hunger but because I knew that I was minutes away from finally taking a shower. After the refreshing, rejuvenating shower had come to an end so had my trembling for the next activity. My family and I had the opportunity to buy and make our dinner with money we earned from working on the farm. To my surprise, I did not get paid minimum wage. All five of us only earned a total of seven dollars and fifty cents! Ludicrous..I know! Well this was enough to make ourselves a nice spaghetti dinner. After dinner we were right off to go visit the camps. At the camps I came across several migrant children. They ranged from two to seventeen years old. My friend, Bubba, and I met this little girl named Maribel. She was sitting in the grass watching over her younger sister and brother. Let me tell you.. they were adorable! Maribel sat there gazing at the other children playing games in her group. Bubba and I noticed this and we offered to take care of her children. She handed them over and went off to play with the others. Bubba and I spent a few hours with the babies and throughout this time exuberant smiles were put on many faces including ours. I had a blast and loved the whole experience. As the day came to a close it was time to reflect on the day. I was sent out by God to give drink to the thirsty. I did this in many ways and some include creating friendships, involving everyone in every activity, sustaining a positive attitude, providing support and sharing my love with all of God's people. By doing this I quenched the thirst for community, assistance, love and acceptance. Living a couple of hours in the life of a migrant worker showed me that there are people out there that work ten times harder and longer than I do in this country receiving the same thing I am in the end and sometimes even less. It has taught me to never take anything for granted because life is harder for many others so always find the good in everything. I need to always find the strength to do even the most unpleasant things in life because I will always have it easier than many others. I hope that others can come to a similar realization.
Angela Lindsey
Sacred Heart Enumclaw

Offering it up

       Today was split into doing two major things, both of these activities drained my energy to an all-time low, but I'm glad I was able to experience them and better myself from it. From the morning until dinner we spent our time going door to door gathering food and standing outside asking for donations to be brought to the food bank for the migrant workers. And all day today we were offering our smiles, hands, and voices up for the families that would receive this food. Later I offered myself up for the other groups when I made them dinner and prepared their lunches. And I spent today being as selfless as I could, even though I wish it was more. My inspiration for the day was to keep the joy of Jesus as my strength, so that even when my legs were getting tired walking up and down streets and I was getting hot and sore from standing outside the grocery stores, I kept a smile on my face. My youth leader Kelsey told me that doing this was something her old youth group called "Offering it up" because if Jesus was able to offer up everything, including his life, for us then  I should be able to offer my strength up for these families and for them getting to have food on the table. In the morning me and several others were handed bracelets to wear for the remainder of the day and not told why. At the time we thought we were special for getting them when others didn't but now I'm sure if you asked any one of people wearing them if they could switch with someone who didn't they would say yes. When we came home from the stores we were split up into four groups, two groups stayed inside and two went outside. I was in the two inside and we spent our time preparing dinner tomorrow’s lunches for everyone. What we didn't know was that the two groups outside were playing games and relaxing in their beds. When they were served the food we made and then we had to clean up after them we were all upset and confused why this was. Unanswered we were shuffled and sent to do a team building exercise and the difference in treatment became even more evident. People who weren't wearing bracelets were given special privileges and those who were, were judged harshly and had a more difficult time finishing the exercise. At the end of the day all of this was explained. To our surprise our bracelets were not a gift but extra baggage we were forced to carry around. They represented us being in a minority, one who worked for everything they wanted instead of having it handed to them. One of the leaders J.P. told us his life story and about how he had to deal with this all of life, being pushed to the outside and being forced to try harder than most to get to the same level. In a unanimous vote we all decided how it was important to share Agape with everyone around us, not based upon their physical appearances at all but on the principle that they are God's children and should be treated with respect and your utmost acknowledgement. All in all everything that happened to me today, from spending my time and strength doing work for others and trying my hardest to be treated normally, I will never forget how important it is to treat everyone like they are equal and important to me.

-Marcy K.

Agape day one,
     Yo readers it's blogger B. Today was one of those lovely sunny days in summer where we all hop in a car and get ready for a road trip, this wasn't just any road trip though. It was one meant to make an impact and meaningful moment in our lives. The two plus hour drive built the thrill and excitement, or maybe made us snooze and dream about the wonderful mission. Either way we couldn't have been any more happy to hop on out and finally arrive at Agape. Although this first day doesn't involve helping the migrant workers or going out yet to be the hands of God, it's just as important as any of the up coming days. Today was the day we all made a bond with our friends and new faces, the day in which we start seeing each other as one big Agape family. We share simple things about ourselves, we laugh, we smile, we bond without even having to pull out our phones or Facebook one another. Most importantly we reflect on questions we normally would never ponder, they're the type of questions that can lead to action and open our hearts to the world, to God.
     One of the questions tonight was, What has brought you here? What are you seeking from this week/this experience? Well we all have different reasons and responses. Mine was the calling of helping  more then just my community; I love volunteering at Northwest Harvest, being a Sunday school teacher, and just helping at simple church activities. But this was an opportunity to help strangers that God calls my brothers and sisters. I'm seeking love, happiness, and change. And by change I mean something in my life that I can express to others as meaningful, unforgettable, and the reason I wake up happy, with a smile to share to everyone.
     Now i am a huge fan of quotes and the one I'll be living off of this week is "Serve one another through love". In fact all of us here will be. In different ways we'll all experience it and be sharing the love we spread through out the day. Blogger B is out.
                                              
                                              Dueces, Bubba Barrera (Sacred Heart Enumclaw)

As we said farewell to everyone at the migrant camp, we saw how much we impacted everyone's lives with all of our personalities. It surprises us to see how we are so similar to the migrants and, how little we take for granted. Agape gave all of us a new pair of eyes through God to show us that Jesus is in everyone we encounter. Yesterday morning we watched a movie before mass on how some migrant workers come to America to find a better life for their families. They die to live. The movie was very moving. We hope to continue helping the migrant workers again some way.

Maddie Abbott and Yetunde Smalls

Thoughts from Sarah L.

Today we served the migrant workers at the food bank. We have worked very hard to prepare for this event and all of our hard work paid off. We served 131 migrant families today. In preparation for the food bank we collected items like diapers, bread, tortillas, beans, flour, sugar, and much more. It was a great feeling to see how much we helped all of the families today. Many of the families had just come from working on the farm and their hands were stained from picking berries. We saw the face of Jesus in everyone that came to the food bank today. I especially saw Jesus in the faces of the migrant children. It was a great feeling to see them smile as they picked out their toys. Even though the families spoke in Spanish, it was not hard to communicate with each other. You can easily communicate just by looking each other in the eye and smiling. Serving the migrant families today has been my favorite part so far. I look forward to the rest of the trip.

--Sarah L.

Migrant Immersion Day!!!

Today started off with waking up at 5:30 and making breakfast! At 6:00 we circled up and talked about what was planned for us today which included working on a farm, shopping with the amount of money a migrant worker make for a certain amount of hours handing out fliers for our food bank tomorrow, and ending the day playing dodge-ball. All of this led us to work in solidarity. When we went out to the farm where we weeded many plants including, strawberries, swish chard, zinnias, and spinach. During the trip at the farm to make the time fly we would make up stories sentence by sentence that had incredible plot twists and intriguing beginnings. After this we went shopping with the amount of money we would have earned from shopping that morning. Groups earned $4.50 to $6.00 and managed to get enough for a fulfilling meal. After this we came back and made dinner our selves only using the things we bought at the store, tools in the kitchen, and water. When everyone finished dinner we took a little rest and then left to hand out fliers to the migrant workers at the camp with information on them about our food drive the next day. When we got to the last camp after we finished out fliers we were able to play with the children and teens at the camp. This included many fun games of dodge-ball and basketball, playing on the play set, coloring, and making bracelets. When we left, the children were sad to see us go, but glad to here we will be back on Thursday. Gathering back at the parish center we had closing reflection and talked about our day. It is now time for bed. 

Goodnight.

Thoughts from Emma M.

Today before lunch, we walked around the neighborhood collecting donations. We would tell them we are with the Agape Service Project and are gathering non-perishable food items for the food bank we are having on Wednesday. After lunch, we drove to the grocery store and as people were walking into the store, we would briefly explain to the shoppers we are hosting a food bank. We would then hand them a sheet of paper with a list of items we need for the food bank. We asked them if they could buy a few extra items for Agape. Before dinner, us girls were into two groups. The group I was in went outside and had a very fun scavenger hunt. The other group stayed inside, and ended up cooking us dinner without us knowing. While we were outside they prepared our meal and even cleaned up for us. Both groups understood that the group inside was taking the place as migrant workers, becasue they cooked our pasta but they had to eat rice and beans. I think it was a good experience for both groups. In the end, we had all become fully aware of how much the migrant workers need our help and understanding.

~Emma

First Night Of Agape--Network of Sacred Heart Schools

Last night all eleven girls arrived safely in Bellingham.  After a hearty meal of burgers, and waffle fries we, the eleven girls, played a series of icebreakers so we could get to know the Agape staff better.  During the final game the Agape staff had us play a silent sharade game , where we had to act out a certain type of animal and that animal deterimned the small groups we would be in. The game ended up placing the eleven girls in three groups.  Those three groups were the groups we would be in  for the rest of the week. After that we learned what Agape really was, and how it deals with the Corpral Works Of Mercy. To make  sure we understood the Corpral Works Of Mercy, or as the Agape staff calls them C.W.O.M  we journaled, had a closing prayer and slept. This was the first night of Agape and it was very eye- opening and eventful experience.

-Yetunde S.

Young Adult Week 2012!!

Finishing up the week

My week at Agape has been incredible. I literally found out about Agape on three days before it started on Sunday night, and I’m so grateful that I decided to come, and was able to be a part of it. Living out the corporal works of mercy, or Cwoms as we called them, gave me new insight into how we are all called to share Agape love, Christ’s love, and Serve one another through it.

Before each morning reflection, we prayed a prayer from Blessed Mother Teresa saying,

“Lord, open our eyes, that we may see you in our brothers and sisters. Lord open our ears, that we may hear the cries of the hungry, the cold, the frightened, the oppressed. Lord open our hearts, that we may love each other as you love us. Renew in us your spirit. Lord free us and make us one.”

Throughout the week as we moved through the different activities of each day, I came to see each part of this prayer. Summarizing this whole week is hard, because there are so many activities that I want to write about. Our morning prayer wraps through the whole week and everything we did, so I’m going to write about how each part played a role in my week.

 “Open our eyes…”

Three times during the week we had the opportunity to interact directly with the migrant workers that we were serving. Whether this was through playing with the children, talking to the adults and teenagers, or during the food bank, each provided its own way in which we could see Christ in our brothers and sisters. My eyes were opened to a community of people that I was given the opportunity to show love to. Also, while working alongside the other members of Agape, I was able to see the Jesus in each and every one of them.

                “Open our ears…”

Each morning and evening we reflected on the corporal work of mercy for the day. During these reflections, I learned how the corporal works weren’t just the literal sense, where we gave food to the hungry, or clothes to the naked, but how each had a deeper meaning. Once I understood this, I was able to open my own ears, so that I could better hear the cries of the hungry, the cold, and the oppressed.

                “Open our hearts…”

Each day, I felt such a desire to be able to share the love of Jesus. I wanted to keep the joy of Jesus in my heart, and as my strength, so I smiled while collecting food for the food bank, I played with the kids at the camp, talked with the teenagers. I wanted to be able to love each as Jesus loved me. However, as much as Agape gave me the opportunity to practice sharing Christ’s love, I was also able to receive it. Throughout the week, I felt so loved by so many people. The other members of Agape, the migrants that I served, even the people who donated food during the food drive,  all showed me love.

“Renew in us your spirit…Lord free us and make us one.”

After spending a week in solidarity with the other members of the Agape service trip, I really do feel my spirit renewed in Christ. With the opportunity to step outside of my usual life and routine, to experience new things, meet new people, and build new relationships, I felt joy and love. There were times when I was tired, when tasks were hard, when I wanted to stop, but the power of the Agape love that was all around me kept me strengthened.

Going into this week, I had no idea what to expect, but after finishing the journey through Agape 2012, I’m so glad I made the decision to come. The love and joy I experienced was truly remarkable.

-Kaitlyn R.

                “Joy is prayer. Joy is strength. Joy is love, a net of love by which you can catch souls.”

                ~Blessed Mother Teresa

Shelter the Homeless

Thursday's CWOM was to Shelter the Homeless. We reflected on how this means not just physically providing a home for a person who does not have one, but also housing people in God's home by sharing his Agape love with them.

With this in mind, we started out the day by passing out flyers to local neighborhoods to warn them that the next group will be coming by to collect food next week for the food bank. Afterwards, we went out to the migrant camp for a barbecue and to play games with the families there. We were told we had to find one "little buddy" at the migrant camp and learn three things about them before we were allowed to eat. I was worried about finding a kid who was willing to talk to me long enough to give me three facts about themselves, but it turned out to be incredibly easy. Most of the kids are so open, energetic, and excited for new people to play with.
 At one point, Rachael and I went into one of the houses to drop off some leftover food for one of the families. The second we walked in the door, the grandmother was offering us food and treats to take. Even though we were there to serve them and they clearly have so little, they were willing to immediately give us what they could offer.  This was especially impactful since we had just done our shopping activity at the Grocery Outlet a couple days before and I felt the stress of having such a small amount of money to feed a family. They don't have an abundance of food or belongings, but they welcomed us into their home warmly.

Moving forward in the "real world" outside of Agape, I am trying to focus on continuing to shelter the homeless by seeing the face of Jesus in every person I encounter. As we discussed in morning reflection on Thursday, we would be treating each other ALOT differently if we could recognize Jesus in everybody and love each other as Jesus did.

As much as I hate to see this week end, I feel like I have grown and learned so much. All of my prejudices against the migrant workers were debunked, I was encouraged to come out of my comfort zone to invite other people to serve, and I got a little taste of what a day in the life of a migrant worker is like. I have a newfound respect for all migrant workers and the sacrifices they make in order to provide a better life for their family. I will continue to keep all the families in my thoughts and prayers as I go about life through this summer and continue to work on sheltering every person I meet with the love of God.

In the words of Blessed Mother Teresa, "A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love"!

-Sarah Anderson

Food Bank Day!

Today we set up the Agape Food Bank at a church in Lynden, WA. To set up for the bank we split up into different groups. Some groups went to the church to move food and clothing out of a storage unit and other groups went to Cash and Carry to buy produce. It was surprisingly hard work setting up for the food bank. We had to carry heavy boxes and bags as well as ration out beans, flour and sugar into individual portions. Needless to say it was exhausting and tedious at the same time. It really put into perspective the work that migrant workers do every single day. They have to pick berries as well as carry heavy bags for hours. Not only do they work hard, but many of them don't get paid adequate wages for the work they do.

By the time we finished setting up for the food bank I was very hungry. Yesterday we lived with only minimal food to experience the lives of migrant workers and I don't think it hit me until today. I was shocked once we finished our lunches to realize that I was actually more hungry after eating then before eating. I soon realized this was not an uncommon phenomenon (being hungry and feel unsatisfied even after eating a full meal). People all around the world go to bed hungry and are never full. It gave me a new respect for Migrant Workers who work all day with hunger in their bellies, yet they still have smiles on their faces and find time to play with their children. In many ways it makes me feel embarrassed to think that I have had everything handed to me here in the United States, yet I still complain that my life is difficult.

The presence of Christ was very powerful at the food bank today. I saw many "miracles" in the sense that God definitely was moving in profound ways and had answered the prayers of his children. We had 57 families come to the food bank and we never ran out of donated food. That was in many ways the first miracle I saw today. People gave so generously to support the food bank despite never interacting with any of the people who received the food. The holy spirit had definitely been working in peoples hearts for them to give so much to support those who have so little. The second miracle was when a women named Ruth came to the food bank. She showed up after most of the families had come and she didn't even know the food bank was happening. I really do think she was led to the food bank by God. She kept saying how good Jesus is and how he always provides no matter what she is going through. It was clear she needed the support and was shocked she was actually receiving free food and clothing. The last miracle I saw was by the way my fellow young adults worked together for the sake of others. It was really hot outside and we were all tired and hungry, but no one complained. They all had big smiles on their faces and you could see the love of Jesus radiating from them as they served the migrant workers. It is such a blessing to have people my age who love God.

Today and this whole Agape Service Project has been eye opening and holy spirit led. I have grown closer to God in new ways and have experienced the love of being in community with others and Christ. The whole experience has been a testimony to the fact that God is real, he works in mysterious ways and is love for us is never ending.

-Justin H.

To Those Who Thirst...

Today was the day I've been looking forward to since I first heard about the Agape Service Project: Migrant Immersion Day. I love learning about different lifestyles, digging in deep and attempting to walk in the shoes of others. I could feel myself giddy with excitement as we were given our wake-up time of 5:30am. This was gonna be great.

We got up as the sun was rising, rushed through breakfast and were off to a farm outside of Bellingham, where we'd spend a few hours doing manual labor as the migrant workers do. We arrived, had a beautiful discussion with the farmer about human dignity, and set off to pull weeds.

Overall the experience was interesting. I thought of how my mother grows food in her garden at home. Even though the work can get tedious at times, the experience is lax and even therapeutic. However, working in someone else's field is a little more stressful, requiring delicate hands and a focused mind. As I separated the weeds from pea plants - working hard to ensure no peas were ruined in the process - I thought of people who thirst. Often the thirst can be an effect; something is happening in their lives that causes them to thirst for more. These struggles choke like weeds. For the beets, carrots, and peas, I gave drink by removing the weeds with gentle hands. How can I do the same for my brothers and sisters in Christ?

After "work" we met in our "family" groups and received our wages for the day. I was in a family of three and we had $4.50 to buy our dinner. This felt like a fun challenge, but I also had to remember the intentions behind it.

In fact, all day I had to remember the reasons behind our activities. I had to stop and ask myself what this experience would be like for the workers. At the field I was treated kindly and tended to. The grocery store presented an opportunity to stretch creative juices to feed a small group of people for the evening. We chatted and laughed with friends the entire time. But everything would be very different if we were migrant workers.

I feel like that's the big point I walked away with during Migrant Immersion Day. I get to walk away. Tomorrow we return to normal eating schedules, next week we return to normal lives. However, for the migrant community, this lifestyle is normal life. There is no walking away and saving money; there is only survival, and the thought that I was only getting my toes wet felt frustrating at times. In a way I thirsted. I wanted to learn more, talk with people, comprehend this situation even further so I can figure out the best way to serve.

At the end of the day we visited the migrant camps, passing out flyers for tomorrow's food bank and playing with the children at one of the camps. I received a nice spiritual drink, and I got to use that nourishment to serve the thirsty in the camps. The adults were in need of food, and the children thirsted for the opportunity to be joyful kids.

I can't wait to work at the food bank tomorrow. I can't wait to feed the hungry and give drink to those who thirst.

-Alyssa W.

Agape Day 2- A Better Understanding

Today was the second day of Young Adult week, but the first full day. We got up this morning, ate, said morning prayer, went over rules and then quickly went off in separate groups, to different neighborhoods going door to door, collecting non-perishable foods for the Agape Food Bank. My group was on Forest and South Garden Street, just west of Western's campus. Because it was the middle of the day, there wasn't that many people home, but most doors that did open, had people on the other side, excited to help. After going door to door and eating lunch, we then set out to different grocery stores in the area. We stood outside in our groups, passing out fliers indicating what types of donations customers could buy, and donate to the food bank.

 Something that really stood out to me during this time, was how many of the people who did donate, but only donated one or two items, apologized to us for not donating more. It really made me sad to hear them say this-- every time, I tried to reassure them that anything helps, and we really appreciated their donation. When this happened, it really made me think about what people are doing when they donate their time or money to those in need. No matter how big or little their donation is, they are still choosing to donate. They are still making a choice to serve God and serve others, even if that choice isn't as much as they would like to donate. But the plain fact that they made that choice, and are giving of themselves-- that is definitely enough, and helps tremendously.

After being at the stores, we then came back to Sacred Heart and did some team building activities. I was told to go on a scavenger hunt with a few others, but was a little reluctant to go, because some of our group was in the kitchen making dinner, and we wanted to wait for them, but we were quickly told not to wait and to just go about our scavenger hunt. So we did, and it was a lot of fun. We then came back for dinner, but the other members of our teams were still missing and seemed to still be in the kitchen. We were very confused and were concerned about our friends, and saving some dinner for them, but the Agape staff said that they had already eaten and to not worry about them. We were then brought back together for another team building activity, where we had to all stand in a line, holding hands, going through a spider web-- without touching the web. This was definitely a challenge, but even when some of us touched the web, they let it slide. After this activity, we found out that we had been split off into different groups, and those with black hair, wearing wrist bands, had been bossed around, and were told they had to clean and make dinner and had also been accused more of touching the web during the spider web game. It all made sense now-- and after finding this out, it really made me think about all of the injustices in the world and how even just during that game, I could have admitted I touched the rope and gone back, but I didn't, and yet the others were called out unfairly, and I did nothing about it. How often does that happen in our everyday life, in our society? That's there's an injustice, but we do nothing about it? Thinking about this, made me realize this is something I really need to work on in my own life.

Looking back at the day, something else I struggled with, was another thought that came to me while standing outside the stores. We were out there for a few hours, and after a while, I definitely found it hard to stay positive and motivated. I kept finding myself, peeking at the clock that was positioned in the middle of the complex we were standing in. I then started thinking about other individuals who stand outside of grocery stores-- girl scouts selling cookies, boy scouts selling popcorn, high school students selling chocolate bars... but then I also began to think about the people in Seattle who are of low income who sell the Real Change Newspaper. For those of you who have not heard of the Real Change Newspaper, it is a Newspaper in Seattle, that people of low income or homeless can buy for a very low rate, and then sell for a dollar or however much the buyer wants to give them. Individuals who sell this paper usually do so outside of grocery stores, on street corners... pretty much anywhere that they are allowed to, and in high populated areas so they can find business. Anyway, the point I am trying to make is that these individuals stand for hours on end each day, asking people that walk buy if they would like to buy a newspaper, and I'm sure, everyday, they get some of the same responses that we got-- people who are excited and happy to help and will buy the paper, and people who are not at all interested, and sometimes don't even acknowledge them. Today, through trying to get donations for the Agape Food Bank, we got a taste of this, but I cannot even imagine how it would be to do that everyday. The strength that they have to keep going and keep pushing on, even when they do have rough days, is tremendous. As I thought about that while looking at the clock today, I quickly tried to change my perspective and remember that through the work we are doing we are serving God, serving others, and have the opportunity to see the face of Jesus through all of it.

--Chelsea M.