More Sunday and Some Monday

Greetings!

It is Monday night in Fairhope, Alabama. The advisors meeting just wrapped up and the group is eating ice cream back at Baytreat while I have headed back to the parking lot at Two Sisters Bakery. This is the source of our wi-fi.

Today's installment begins with more reflections from Sunday ...

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Martha’s notes: Happy Father’s Day to all of you fathers! We started the day with eggs and bacon prepared by Tom, Corey, Michaela, Fuller, Connor H., Hannah, Conner S. There were no skillets, so Tom used a pan to cook the eggs, much to the amazement of his crew. Then we headed out to Government Street Presbyterian Church in downtown Mobile, about 45 minutes from where we’re staying at Baytreat. We learned about L’Arche, one of the organizations we’ll be working with this week and even got to meet Sarah, one of their residents.

After that we headed up to the church’s large, historic sanctuary for worship. Connor H. and Conner S. even got up to give the “Moment for Mission” to introduce our APC group to Government Street’s congregation. We went back to Baytreat for lunch and then we headed out to enjoy the Gulf waters.

Cory: Today was Sunday and we swam in the mobile bay and got pooped on by a pelican named Nathan.

Katie: Happy Father’s Day Daddy. We saw many pelicans. We named them Scruffy, Oliver, and Twist. Today we went to church in Mobile. It was quite big and exciting. We talked to a L’Arche member named Sarah. She was very funny and had a great life story. She is a cancer survivor. Then we went swimming in the Bay. It tasted horribly salty. A pelican pooped on Cory. HAHAJ We ate the best ice cream ever! I am excited for tomorrow!

Hannah: Happy Father’s day to all y’all fathers! I woke up early to help with breakfast, we had eggs, bacon, and fruit. Then we went to the biggest church ever! After that we went swimming and I got a bunch of sand on me and almost got sand lice! (Don’t worry I didn’t!)

Nathan: Happy Father’s Day to all you Happy Fathers. We went to one of the biggest churches I’d ever seen today. Conny and Stifel got to speak about our church during Minute for Mission. Then we went swimming in the bay. I grew a permanent sand mustache. Katie hated it. I cannot wait for tomorrow!

Holly: I am very, very, VERY sun burnt. I seriously look like a lobster.(Nathan agrees)

Conner S.: today was a hot sunny day up to a 100 degrees. We went to church at 11am and it was the most fanciest church I have ever seen. Close to 2 pm we swam in the Mobile bay and that was fun we saw so many pelicans. So far I love Alabama. My two favorite days coming up are Wednesday - we will be helping some people less fortunate then us and Friday we get to tour the Alabama battle ship. HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD.

Alestair: well I have a British accent problem.J I love the water. The new people are okay . The British accent is cause I kept talkin like that. I have a matching buddy her name is Callie. A girl is trying to steal my identity her name is also ali - she is trying to drown me, and failing miserably. We played hide’n’go’seek. Me, Callie, Stifel, and Michaela were forgotten.Then we played again and were forgotten again. Good Night its 11.

Monday, June 20 ...

The day started early for Group A -- Chris, Conner S, Connor H, Cory, Breanna, Sarah, and yours truly. Up at five to go to the Coffee Club at the church. It is breakfast for homeless folks. I got to serve the grits!! After everyone was served, the kids got to try the grits. I would wish to report that no one died! It was a busy day with four groups of us serving all over Mobile. I asked Group A to share some thoughts. They typed their thoughts in the van heading back to Fairhope and Baytreat. The thoughts follow:

Conner: Today I had to wake up at 5am along with Cory, Connor, and Pastor Rick. We went to Coffee Club and we served the homeless. There was a nice guy named Pettaway he was homeless for three years and told us his life story. In the morning we took a walk around downtown where we stayed, we had to feel like we were homeless. We saw all the places where the homeless stayed often. After that we had lunch at 15 Place, that’s where the homeless have lunch Monday-Friday, they can also take a shower there, and get their mail. I just got back from boys and girls club. When we got there the Alabama National Guard Band was doing a band performance for the kids and then we got to play and mess around. I also saw a box of free kittens but didn’t get one.

Cory: I woke up early, like at 5 and was really tired.

Connor H: Well today we had to wake up at 5 o’clock am to go to coffee club it was nice to meet all the people that came. We then went to go eat lunch with the homeless and the person me Katie sat with fell asleep but it was still fun. After lunch we went to the boys and girls club and listened to the army of Southern Alabama play in a band so it was a really fun day over all.

Sarah: Well today group A and I went to coffee club at GSPC to serve breakfast. We saw many homeless people that (at this point Sarah fell asleep and has not had a chance to finish).

The trip is going well. As with any group adventure, there are ups and downs, but the downs are out-numbered by the ups ... and all is well!

Thanks for your prayers and support! More pictures will come in the next post!

Peace, Out!

RICK