Welcome to Second Presbyterian Youth Ministry!

Welcome to the Blog that is entirely dedicated to the youth activities at Second Presbyterian Church! Here you will find the latest information on outings and gatherings, photos, and more. Enjoy!

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Reflection by Ali Sharpe, rising Senior. The trip to Broad Street Ministry in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will always be one of my most treasured memories. Before the trip I would have never imagined how much it would change my perspective and attitude towards issues in society. Our week was loaded with new experiences and eye opening moments. When we arrived at Broad Street we were split into neighborhood groups and with those groups we traveled to different locations over the course of a week. Aubree, part of the youth initiative staff, was our leader and Chasity, Caroline Smith, and Kaitlyn were also in my group! On Monday our group traveled to Beacon, a church devoted to caring for the community around it. Beacon serves as a light for people going through dark times and gives them hope for the future. They also are very involved with the children in the community and have many after school programs for children to create art in a safe environment. While we were there we painted, mowed the lawn, and helped prepare for the upcoming art show. On Tuesday we went a tour around the city with Andre, a man devoted to helping the homeless community because he too has been homeless. He broke the wall of stereotypes we each had regarding people in the homeless community and opened our eyes to a side we have never tried to look for. He took us to different murals around the city and different locations people experiencing homelessness can get help. That afternoon we went to Manna, an organization that prepares hot meals for people with life threatening diseases such as cancer and aids. In just two hours we helped prepared 750 meals! We left feeling tired yet accomplished! On Wednesday we got the opportunity to help sort mail in Broad Street's mail system. Broad Street allows anyone to use their address if they do not have one so they can obtain the crucial benefits they need to survive and get a job. Broad Street has over 2,800 individuals using their address!! We worked all morning sorting and filing mail. That afternoon was our free day and we enjoyed walking around the city! We went to a food court type place for dinner and got ice cream for dessert! Thursday our group got to serve in the daily Breaking Bread meal hosted at Broad Street. The unique part of Breaking Bread is that anyone can attend the meal and they are treated like guests. We served them as if they were seated in a restaurant! This was probably my favorite experience of the week because I didn't feel as if I were giving out a handout, and I got to connect and listen to amazing stories! On our final day we traveled to the Carousel House and helped garden in their urban garden. Each summer they allow teens to come and garden and learn life skills through a program called Teens 4 Good. We weeded, and sprayed plants. At the end we got to harvest various vegetables and pick fresh raspberries! I am so thankful for the wonderful opportunity I had and I hope I can go back next year!!

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