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.