Day 8: Save The Best For Last

 Brian Nelson: 

The work site for Friday was the North End Block Club, our expectation was for painting whole houses, building decks, major power tool application, and beautifying Detroit’s North end. The actuality was to finished clearing an alley way of brush and debris. This was no small task (see pictures for a visual) and this was not a non-important task as we found out by our host couple. We learned that the alley ways that were more jungle-like than for auto use were used for drug deals, drug use, and other illegal activities. A cleared alley can be used for walking, parking, driving, and most importantly, the illegal activities move to a different location. By the time we left, we could see from one end of the alley to the other, this was a very satisfying sight. Our host couple were very pleased with our work, we also received thanks from a couple of neighbors.

What else did we do today? Our EG (Evening Gathering) included more great songs, a Baptism, Communion, and afterword, cake (of course, we had a Baptism). After cake was Pie, as in Pie in the face for charity. Our own Levi squared off against Camp Counselor Austin and the result was a pie tie but the real winner was the Foundary Charity (the house where the Counselors are staying for the summer).

This was a great week of work/play but the best part of our time here was learning what Detroiters really want. They want us to work with them in their communities, to learn about their plight, and to help them with very particular tasks (cat houses, planting collard greens, and clearing alley ways).

Aimee Bray:

Friday: everybody’s favorite day of the week. We look forward to it every Monday. Friday, June 29, 2018, was no exception. Everyday throughout this week flew by, and we all were both excited to see what the next day held, but sad that our trip was coming to end.

For me, the phrase “save the best for last” was applicable to Friday. We all worked to clear out an alleyway behind people’s homes. It was crazy to think that under all of the dirt, vegetation, trash, and logs, that a street was there. I worked with the boys in a part of the alley that had not been cleared at all. I took the weed-whacker and used that for a while, until we came to a roadblock. What we actually thought was a dead end, was a pile of dead trees, huge logs and sticks, and random trash. There was an air conditioner, a TV, and some other very questionable items. I would grab the trees and sticks and hand a pile to each guy. I definitely bonded with all of them on Friday.

NickO and Levi especially grew as an important parts of my life on Friday. Tucker and I had been close friends for over a year, I have known Jed for ages, and I had bonded quite a bit with Patrick earlier in the week. I found a humor in NickO that cracked me up, and I love calling that guy NickO. Levi also made me see a new side of himself, and I loved it. Not only did I love Friday because it was my favorite physical work of the week, but I loved getting to know my friends better :)

My favorite part of the whole day was feeling that we were truly making a huge difference. We made a lot of progress that was tangible and visible, unlike anything we did the rest of the week. For me, I could feel that we were helping people, which I loved.

This week, I met a friend named Dalton. His pastor and I would talk when we’d see each other, and I wanted to have a conversation with him. I asked him questions about finding a faith, how to deal with loss, and fundamental questions about faith that I struggle with. He gave me answers that I had never been given. It was interesting to get and look at a whole new perspective. It gave me peace with where I am in life, which I really haven’t had in years.