StreetReach - Memphis
For the past three years, I've been traveling to Memphis, TN with my youth group to serve at Street Reach Ministries. While we are there, we serve the children of Memphis specifically during morning Bible Clubs. These are similar to Vacation Bible School, however they are outside and we walk door to door to pick up the kids, instead of them being dropped off by their parents. In the afternoon, we serve in different community projects such as visiting nursing homes, playing with kids at community centers, doing yard work, or cleaning the facilities we live in for the week to serve the other missionaries who are serving during the same week as us.
Because I have been going to Street Reach for multiple years now, I was worried that it would become routine and mundane, however the Lord is faithful and always has something new to teach us. I was in awe of the way I grew spiritually while in Memphis, even just for a week's time, so I thought I would share just a hint of what I experienced while I was away.
On Sunday night when we arrived after our orientation, our team picks the routes we will walk for the week in order to pick up as many children possible to bring back to our Bible Club site. Because I have been going for the past few years, I know what routes are longer than others. The past two years I was able to walk the same route, but this year I thought I would wait until the end to see where I was needed since I was a leader. At the end of choosing routes, the longest route remained without a leader. Although this wasn't my first choice, I said I would be the leader for the orange route. The first day as we left the pad where all the missionaries meet to gear up and pray before the day, I was caught up in the fact of how far we had to walk as the Memphis heat is no joke and was already at least 90 degrees at ten in the morning. However, the Lord quickly taught me a lesson through this. When we are walking the kids to and from Bible Club, having conversations with them, giving them piggy back rides and just loving on them, the kids get to have a break from living in survival mode. Because of the place where these kids live in inner city Memphis, most of them are very poverty stricken and don't even know where their next meal is coming from. However when the kids are at the Bible Club or walking to and from, these kids get to step away from the sin that so often surrounds them. Suddenly I found myself thankful getting to walk those few extra steps with those sweet kiddos.
Because I have been going to Street Reach for multiple years now, I was worried that it would become routine and mundane, however the Lord is faithful and always has something new to teach us. I was in awe of the way I grew spiritually while in Memphis, even just for a week's time, so I thought I would share just a hint of what I experienced while I was away.
On Sunday night when we arrived after our orientation, our team picks the routes we will walk for the week in order to pick up as many children possible to bring back to our Bible Club site. Because I have been going for the past few years, I know what routes are longer than others. The past two years I was able to walk the same route, but this year I thought I would wait until the end to see where I was needed since I was a leader. At the end of choosing routes, the longest route remained without a leader. Although this wasn't my first choice, I said I would be the leader for the orange route. The first day as we left the pad where all the missionaries meet to gear up and pray before the day, I was caught up in the fact of how far we had to walk as the Memphis heat is no joke and was already at least 90 degrees at ten in the morning. However, the Lord quickly taught me a lesson through this. When we are walking the kids to and from Bible Club, having conversations with them, giving them piggy back rides and just loving on them, the kids get to have a break from living in survival mode. Because of the place where these kids live in inner city Memphis, most of them are very poverty stricken and don't even know where their next meal is coming from. However when the kids are at the Bible Club or walking to and from, these kids get to step away from the sin that so often surrounds them. Suddenly I found myself thankful getting to walk those few extra steps with those sweet kiddos.
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8
Another takeaway from our time in Memphis was from a lady at the nursing home that I have gotten to visit for the past three years. This particular woman has been at the nursing home for several years and when she started living there wanted to find a way to still serve God amidst her circumstances. So for the last several years she has crocheted over 440 scarves for the homeless people of Memphis. The reason this experience stuck with me was because although this woman wasn't in the best condition, she was using what the Lord had given her to glorify Him and to do the best she could.
Some other memorable parts of our experiences in Memphis were being able to have an off night with my team eating at Corky's BBQ and Jerry's Sno Cones, worshiping alongside my brother and sister, and adventuring with twenty-six of my favorite people. Although we are there to serve the people of Memphis, it is always nice to be able to serve the friends that we came with and grow closer to them and share in the experiences of the trip together.
In conclusion, He is faithful to provide for us in every season and always wants us to look to Him to continue to grow, no matter our age, knowledge or wealth. I am thankful that I am never done growing in Christ and that He always has something new.
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