Holy Redeemer - Food Bank Day!

Today was the food bank day, the day we have worked for all week. We started by breaking up into different groups, one stayed at the church and loaded up all of the donated foods that were collected, one group went to the stores to buy items with donated money, and the third group went straight to the food bank site to prepare. Surprisingly there is a lot of work that goes into setting up a food bank such as sorting out all of the foods, setting up tables, dividing up jobs, and making sure everyone knows what they're doing and saying. Early afternoon we were ready to open up the food bank, it amazed us to see that the families would arrive several hours early and stand in line waiting for the food bank to open just to insure that they would be able to get food. The first several hours there were consistent people going through the lines with their boxes collecting food.  It was shocking to see the children that would go through the lines and only took what they needed versus what they wanted out of love for their family. The people were so grateful that we were there to help them, the people who volunteered were amazed about how gracious everyone was for the food bank. Everyday there is just more eye opening experiences that help enlightens us and show us how hard people work. You could truly see Jesus at the food bank radiating love out of everyone there. 

-Sesheta and Hannah 

Holy Redeemer - Day 3

If yesterday was difficult, today was probably the most eye opening. Waking up at 5 in the morning is not something we like to think of as an ideal schedule day in and day out. Driving through the chilly morning air to a farm in the countryside, we all prepped ourselves for a hard days work, looking forward only to body aches and a small amount of food. We emerged, however, realizing that a migrant worker must endure this lifestyle for months, if not years on end. Despite the fact that we were working at multiple farms, the general consensus was that the work was draining, yet enlightening. Everyone emerged altered by the fact that they understood the hours of picking under the hot sun that it took to put everyday food on the table; a migrant worker is paid minimum wage or below for this labor. Soon after, we were to find out that we would be surviving for the rest of the day on these wages of a typical migrant worker--roughly $1.50 per person. This was difficult at first but turned into a good exercise that further opened our eyes to the extent people who earn this amount must go to buy something as simple as dinner. Despite all of these hardships however, we were reminded at the end of the day that all these people are still human just like us. At the migrant camps we visited in the evening, every single child was interested in the same games or crafts we had grown up with. While the clear distinction was that these children worked much harder to aid their families, they accepted almost as brothers and sisters nonetheless. They say that blood is thicker than water. We found that the world itself can act as one large family.

--Daniel and Justin

Holy Redeemer- Day 2

Today we woke up and went on a walking food drive through different neighborhoods. It was a challenge in the neighborhoods because there weren't many people who came and answered their doors. It was sort of a disappointment when this happened, we really wanted to get as many donations as possible. But when we came to the stores to ask for donations, we were more energized to see all the donations people gave us. Some groups got as many as three full shopping carts. There was even a man who was generous enough to buy a shopping cart full of  food. When we got back to the church, of course, we got to eat dinner, but it was different than normal. Everyone was given a card that had a color that corresponded with a certain table. There were three total tables, one was more of a first class table. They had a three course meal with cheesecake. The second group was more of a middle class with just one main course meal, consisting of soup and bread. The third group was more of a poverty class. They just had tortillas and rice with no seasoning. It was an interesting exercise that taught us to be grateful for what we have. And that some people in this world, aren't as fortunate as many of us are.

- Kara and Sam

Holy Redeemer - Day 1!

We arrived at 6 pm today. Once we got here, we had to unload our baggage and donations from our home community. Our lovely leaders had us play introductory games, make team names, cheers and skits. We learned about the 7 Catholic Social Teachings and each small group did a skit on one of the teachings and the larger group had to guess. It was really, really, really, and we mean really, fun. We got super cool, bright orange t-shirts to wear for food collection day tomorrow and at the food bank on Wednesday!

Love,
Galatia and Emma

Our Lady of Fatima Day 5

Hello reader. Today was our Celebration Day!!!!! We woke up and then went over to church for morning mass. Then we had breakfast. After that all of us went to our designated streets and handed out flyers. Next we went and had lunch. Afterward we went to the pool and jumped off the diving board, slid down the slide and splashed in the water. Finally we went to a migrant camp, there we had a barbecue and played dodge ball with the children. All in all we all had a good day with each other and Christ.


-Saski

Our Lady of Fatima- Day 4

Today we had a food bank it went very well.  We served a total of 112 migrant families. We had a toy section and the migrant children were really happy for even the smallest thing, one child was so happy he carried around his new train set even though it was about his size he wanted to show everyone.  Some families sent there children because both parents were working and they needed food.  I felt sad that some families needed us to have food for the week but happy to help.  All in all it was a great day and I will remember the migrant workers smiles for a long time.
-Jon

Our Lady of Fatima Day 3

Today I worked on a farm. First, I weeded squashes like a pro, next I harvested zucchini, then I watered lots of tomatoes and peppers. Whilst I was weeding squashes, I made a beetle friend. I named him Jerrard. Unfortunately, the farmer squished Jerrard on accident. Gianna and I were the best watering squad ever.  After that, I weeded onions. It was scorching and I thought I was going to catch on fire. We went for 15 minute showers at the YMCA, and I feel so clean! Next we went to a  Market to buy our dinner. My family had three people and we got $4.50 for our dinner. We bought Chef Boyardee and a pizza. After that, we came home and cooked our food. Then we went to a migrant camp and played with the kids. All in all, it was a really fun and rewarding day. 

Sara and Claire

Our Lady of Fatima- Day 2

Today we were tasked with gathering the food for our drive, people's reactions were... interesting to say the least. Some people complimented us on helping out the migrant community, others simply gave a smile; even fewer gave us a look of "I am so done with all these kids asking me for donations." The outcome of the day was surprisingly high, I'm hoping to see what the food bank will be like this year.
-Ben

Our Lady of Fatima- Day 1

Today we arrived at Agape. We all introduced each other in a large circle. Later we learned about Catholic Social Teachings. The one we focused on today was Family and Community Participation and Care for God's creation. We learned a lot from it and we found that everyone can find a part in helping each other.
- Alex

More Agape Fun

     Yesterday was seriously fun. I really enjoyed the barbecue with the migrant children. They are really interesting people to talk to and  get to know. Swimming was really fun as well. I was really entertained by the divers. Especially when people yelled out random things. And that's just the overview.

     The first thing we did during celebration day was pass out flyers asking for food donations for the food bank that will be next week. Next, we went to a park/ beach.  Then, the swimming pool and lastly, the barbecue. I really enjoyed my time at Agape and I look forward to NEXT YEAR.

Christine

St. Catherine Day 4 - Food Bank

Today, we woke up at eight and had breakfast. We split into groups and went to stores to buy the items we still needed for the food bank. Our group met back up an hour later at the site of the food bank to set up. Hundreds of cans of vegetables, fruits, and soups were sorted, and the food bank began. It was really exciting to watch families come and pick out the food and clothes they wanted, and be so thankful for what we had given them. It made every one of us feel like we were truly doing something that could help the people we have been learning about all week. The excitement in the children's faces as they picked out toys made everyone happy. After several hours of handing out food in the hot sun, the ice cream/horchata man came in his truck to give us treats. We were very grateful for the cold refreshments, especially because we have been eating less and working hard this week to enrich our knowledge of the migrant workers lifestyle. All in all, everyone had a lot of fun today seeing how much we were making a difference to the people coming to the food bank. It was a really enriching and memorable experience.
-Siona and Meghan

St. Catherine's, Day 3

Today, we woke up at five o'clock in the morning to go work at a farm for migrant immersion day. Everyone was super exhausted but we all managed to rise and eat breakfast.
When we got to the farm, we split off into our families and began to work. First, we weeded and hoed the onions. Then, my family, which included Jay, Nate, Siona, Max, and Jack, had to cut the runners off the strawberry plants while Tina, Will, and Hayden planted potatoes. Soon after that, we switched jobs.
After having lunch, we were driven to the YMCA to shower. I bet everyone's minds and body's were screaming, "Showers at last!!!!!" Finally being able to take a shower was very refreshing and cheered everyone up.
When everyone was clean, we headed over to Grocery Outlet to get food for dinner. We had to do this because today was dedicated to us experiencing a migrant workers everyday life. My group had already decided what we were going to make for dinner. Four of us went to Agape last year so we knew what to make and what not to make. So, we grabbed two packages of noodles, marinara sauce, ground beef, and a six pack of Dr. Pepper (which, in my opinion, is absolutely gross).
I think making the dinner was the most fun, even if we had to eat it at three or four. Nate cooked the meat, Max made the noodles, Jay fetched things, and I made the sauce. I have to say that the food was quite good. Other groups made pizza, pasta, and potatoes which also all looked very good.
Everyone played spoons after dinner until it was time to go to visit the migrant workers. Jason turned out to be the master of spoons.
First, though, we had to hand out fliers for the food bank that is happening tomorrow. Then, we gathered at one of the farms. A majority of the girls made lanyards while the boys played dodge ball. I met three lovely girls named Annette, Rosa, and Daniella. I found out that they liked One Direction and that they are good at painting nails. We played volleyball and Hot Potato for a while until all the Agape had to leave.
Now everyone is (yet again) playing spoons.
I had a lot of fun today. I don't know about everyone else, but I realized all the work the migrants do for us. No one ever really realize it though. The least we could do is treat them with the same amount of respect everyone else gets.
-Soraya

St. Catherine's, Day 2

Today is a day where we went around neighborhoods to ask for donations. My group and I were fast to learn that every one must be at work since they didn't answer their doors. People who had children were pretty generous to donate at least a few cans of food. After lunch, we had gone out to grocery stores in groups to stand out with two carts, head-to-head, and asked people for donations. We would hand out slips that had a list of what they can consider buying and giving to us. Any food given must be non-perishable, so the list helped out a bunch. It's surprising to hear some excuses that people can give to not take their time and donate. Some couple said, "Sorry, we're not from here". All we could do was just smile it away, but we thought to ourselves that that is irrelevant. You can still donate even though you might not be from around these parts; we aren't either. But the kind people that gave us food made us all smile, thanking them very much and telling them to have a nice day. When we came back for dinner, we were given these colored paper. Either blue, pink, or yellow. I was in the pink group. Basically, the pink group was instructed to sit on this tarp on the ground, the yellow group got to sit at a table, and blue group got to sit on the balcony with a fancy, set-up table. When we revealed what we were able to eat, we had to eat a cup full of rice with tortillas, and water. Yellow group got to have chicken broth with celery and carrots with a slice of bread. Blue group got a three-course meal, complete with salad, spaghetti and meatballs... Plus sparkling apple cider! The rice and tortillas were good, and somewhat satisfying... But I must admit, I was not full. When we all became one group again, we talked about the first world, second world, and third world. And how other people don't have what others do. We understood that we should treat each other respectively, with human dignity. Today is a lesson of rights and responsibilities, and I'm sure we've got the message. Can't wait for tomorrow! :)
~Raedel

Saint Catherine's, Day 1

Hi, I'm Sam, coming to Agape for the week. Today (the first day) we did some activities to get to know each other better. We did ice-breakers like a game when we say someone's name and pass a ball to them. Also, we talked about the CST's (Catholic Social Teaching). It was really fun to learn the CST's. We did skits describing each CST. That was a bit tricky for me. I'm not the best about writing or coming up with ideas. Otherwise, it was fun. Agape is a big change in my normal life. A lot is different now but REALLY fun. I am really enjoying Agape. It has been a bit boring today because mostly we are learning about each other. We are only going to have more fun every day.

Christ the King, Day 4 and 5

Day 4

Today was our food bank for the migrant worker camps!After loading all the donations we had gathered earlier into the cars, we were on our way to the church lot. We all helped to set up and picked jobs to do. Some played with the kids so the parents could get food from the stations. We saw Jesus in the small children who came to the food bank in place of their parents, who were working in the fields, and also in the hard workers in the group.
Even though the well-awaited ice cream man did not come, we all had a wonderful time because we all knew that we worked hard!
-Simeon and Anna

Day 5

Today our catholic social teaching, or CST, was Life and Dignity of the Human Person.
This teaching really shined through as we progressed  through the day. Our day began with going through different neighborhoods, and passing out flyers that had the information of next weeks food bank. Although we wont be participating, we showed our support for next weeks food bank. After a few fun fill hours at the pool we went to a migrant camp and had a delicious barbecue with all the family and children of the migrant workers. Between soccer and dodge ball we really had a good time with these amazing people, and with that good time came an understanding of the dignity of the human person.

Love Billy and Hudson

Christ the King, Day 3

Today we learned all about the lives of migrant families and workers. We started out the day by experiencing the hard work they have to do. We woke way too early and we were already late. We picked berries for hours straight in the hot sun, while another group went to another farm. This showed us about what the migrant workers have to do every day. Later we went to the grocery store with our "families" and we had a very small budget to keep to make our dinner. This showed us how the migrants really have to budget their wages. Later we went to a migrant camp to see how the family life was for the migrant families. We played with the kids and saw the smiles on there faces. This taught us that despite all the troubles that we went through during the day a good attitude is all you need.


-Virginia
-Alejandra

Christ the King Day 2

Today we went to different neighborhoods with our small groups. We knocked on peoples doors and asked for food donations. We also collected some donations that people already had set out for us. Although some people turned us down we still kept going and had fun! We were so surprised and happy about the amount of food we had collect in than short period of time we had. At noon we split up into small groups and went to local grocery stores to collect food donations that people bought for the Food banks and for the migrant workers. We handed out flyers to inform than about what we needed and how they could help. Some people donated a few cans while others donated full grocery bags of donations. Dinner was the most interesting experiences of the day. We were divided into 3 different classes: Pink=Third World Country, Yellow=Second World Country, Blue=First World Country. Being in the third world country, we realized how much we took for granted. We ate on a tarp without silverware and ate only white rice and old tasting corn tortillas.We had a limited supply of water which quickly ran out. We watched as the yellow group filled up on chicken noodle soup with bread while sitting at a table with silverware. We all watched as the blue group feast on salad, spaghetti, then cheesecake. While ringing the bell for service in between their 3 courses. We learned a lot about the third world countries don't have much and how we could help. We are enjoying Agape very much and we look forward to each coming day.

-Clara

-Lynn 

-Clio

Christ the King. Day 1

Since we got to Agape the first thing we noticed was it was not going to be a five star hotel type thing. Next we found out that it would be hard work but full of good times and fun. The leaders of Agape told us about
the days of the week and what to expect. All in all it seems like it's going to be a fun week!

                                                                                    Maliko & Conail                                              

Solidarity with the Poor

Today was the last day of our Agape Young Adult Week. It has been a very long couple of days, yet at the same time, it has gone by so fast. I have learned a lot and I have grown closer to Christ through the experiences I've had this week. Today, we served at the food bank for the migrant workers in Lynden and it was a blessing to have been a part of it.

For the last couple of days, we have had multiple discussions about what it meant to live in solidarity and how we are to recognize Christ in our brothers and sisters. For me, the food bank was a great opportunity to put into action the different Catholic Social Teachings we have talked about throughout the week. Today’s CST happened to be “solidarity with the poor,” in which we are called to be peacemakers and to love all of God’s children through recognizing each person’s inherent human dignity. As a helper at the food bank, I was challenged to step out of my comfort zone and interact with strangers, many of which may not even speak the same language. Despite the language barrier, the Holy Spirit did His job in making sure I was able to see Christ in all the families who came: from the grandmothers who were able to gather supplies for their neighbors, to children who were picking up food for their families who could not make it to the food bank due to work. In the interactions that I had, no matter how brief, I was able to grow closer to Christ.

As I leave our Agape Young Adult Week, I hope that I am able to keep the experiences and lessons of these last couple of days in mind and the relationships I've built close to my heart. I pray that we may all continue to reflect on all the blessings God has placed in our lives and give thanks, I pray for all those who are struggling, and I pray for all those who have the power to bring justice to all of God’s people, so that all may live with the human dignity God has given us from the very beginning.

Laura

Human Dignity and Our Responsibility

Today was the third day of our Agape Young Adult week. Our Catholic Social Teaching today was Dignity of the Human Person, which was very fitting for what we did today. We started the day by going door to door in neighborhoods in the area, putting flyers in the door jams asking people to go through their pantries and donate non-perishable foods when next week's group comes back to collect. After dropping off flyers, we went back to Sacred Heart and watched, Dying to Live. This is a documentary about the lives of immigrants from South America, and what they go through when trying to cross into the U.S. illegally. I had seen this documentary before, but it is also mind blowing just to hear about what they have to go through in order to gain a better life. After having opportunities like this week, and seeing this video and going on mission trips and really understanding and learning about immigration issues and how important it is to really treat others with that human dignity they deserve, it makes me really want to educate those around me as well so we can all go out and try to make better choices. I have a lot of friends and relatives who sometimes jump to conclusions about people who cross into the country illegally-- which is pretty common in our society; putting those labels on people. But having had this opportunity to learn more, we are called to share what we learn with others and educate them. Something I have learned through this experience that I really think others should know about people who are crossing from South America into the U.S. illegally, is that they are doing so because they have no other choice. Who would want to leave their home and their family behind if they didn't have to? The economic state of many of the countries in South America is such that jobs are few and far between, and the work that is available either doesn't pay enough or doesn't give their workers enough hours to make enough to live off of. Parents are finding that in order to feed their families, they have to travel to the States to look for work. This is what is behind illegal immigration. People are starving and they have no other choice. Having learned this, I hope to educate my friends and family back home and just spread the word. It's a small thing to do that we may not feel like makes much of a difference, but as a friend of mine said today, every drop of water in the ocean creates a ripple. 

After watching Dying to Live we prepared for going to the migrant camp, and then we headed to the camp to have a BBQ with the families. This was my most favorite part of the day-- playing with the kids, getting to know them better and just seeing the smiles and pure joy on their faces. It is these faces-- the images of pure joy that I hope to remember and bring back with me after this week. When having conversation with friends and family about immigration and the rights of others, I will think of these kids to give me courage to have these conversations. In addition to making an effort to educate others, I am also hoping to be more conscious about the purchases I am making and the companies I support. When pulling weeds at Sam's farm yesterday, we talked a lot about the importance of buying organically because the food that comes from those farms are ones where workers do not have to work with harmful pesticides. It's also important to think about where you are buying your clothing and other items-- who makes the clothes for these companies? Are they treating their workers with that human dignity they deserve? Christ dwells within all of us and we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I am excited that all of us as young adults have been able to have this opportunity and I cannot wait to go out after this and create that ripple in the ocean. 

-Chelsea