Assignment Stories and Photos
Every year, participants experience powerful transformation within their own lives and in the lives of those they are serving with during the assignment phase. Read more to discover the stories and photos that capture some of their experiences.
SOAR Heartland: Assignment Stories
By Marco Funk, MCI Team
On the Sunday of SOAR 2010, the Siloam team went to Winnipeg Centre Vineyard for Sunday morning worship. Just as we made a turn onto Main st., we saw a man sitting in a wheelchair on the sidewalk next to the street. One of our students read the sign that he had tied to his chair, it read: "On the spot poetry". As we parked our car at the church, a few of our team members encouraged us to go to this fellow and pay for a poem. We collected some spare change (adding up to approx $12) and we walked over to this fellow and introduced ourselves. The poet's name was Larry, and he asked if we were part of the church group. We explained to him what we were doing in Winnipeg during our SOAR trip. Before he began writing his poem, Larry asked us to give him a theme. Since the students were quiet, I suggested that Larry write us a poem on the theme of Hope and Truth. This is what he wrote for us:
Hope & Truth
by: Larry
Without truth there is no hope.
Without hope there is no truth,
and when it is true,
there is hope,
because no matter how ugly,
if there is acknowledgment only -
there is hope.
And acknowledgment is truth!
Acknowledgment is agreement,
and that is a truth by covenant.
But a covenant that does not give hope
is not true in the larger sense.
Truth is not always covenant;
but if it is true,
and there is acknowledgement of the truth -
there is hope.
This is a poem,
it is about truth and hope;
and as it is for a group:
Maybe you can contribute!
What do you think about hope and truth?
This is a small template,
the rest is up to you!
What you choose
what you believe!
We ended up seeing Larry a few more times during the week. We saw him at Siloam drop-in centre and then again on Good Friday, when we joined the congregation on their 'Cross-walk' in their neighbourhood. We also saw Larry come in to worship on that Sunday when he wrote that poem for us. During worship, pastor Nate led the gathered body in the Eucharist. It was as we broke the bread and drank from the cup that I finally understood Larry's words in the poem. "If there is acknowledgement only - there is hope!" This is the practice of communion - recognizing one another in the shared food of Christ's table. In that acknowledgement of sibling-hood under God, there is a true covenant between Larry and us. I am grateful for his gift to our team and to me.
By Jessica Stewin, MBCI Team
Working outside of a VBS context this year was something I was really excited about. I knew we would be working in the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard with their Flatlanders Inn, a transitional housing complex that aims at being an intentional community. But just those words, intentional community, drew up biblical images of relationship, compassion, and the basic act of people coming together. I couldn’t have been more excited with this opportunity and how it would stretch my team and me.
During our second drop-in time, I noticed that there were some new faces that had come into the church. One of those faces was a disheveled looking individual missing all his front teeth, I think his name is Andrew. I introduced myself and he shook my hand. Then he started talking. He shared with me his sorrows, wounds I have no way of healing. My heart broke as I looked into his eyes, as I felt asmall piece of the pain he was harbouring inside. This man had been through a lot more then I will ever have to experience, and I felt helpless as I sat there trying to make conversation, trying to relate, trying to understand. We had encouraged our youth to pray with people they met, and I had to expect the same boldness from myself. I prayed for this man, for his relationship with his daughter, for job opportunities to come, for his new teeth that he was getting on the upcoming Wednesday. I laid it out for God to carry, because there’s no way I could hold on to these heavy burdens and he should have to carry them alone either. I invited him to come to the walk of the cross that Friday, and was very excited when I saw him there.
God was wrestling with my heart that week. He was showing me his passion for these individuals and his love for stories and relationships. I was able to see the beauty in the broken and the hope amidst the hopelessness. Flatlanders Inn is such a creative and well rounded program that integrates housing with a support network to hit the key needs of the surrounding community and the people that this group reaches out to. I was excited about the opportunity to work with them before the week started, but I will forever be touched by the hope that I saw there and will treasure all of those story keepers in my heart and prayers.
By Erin Neudorf, The Meeting Place Team
This week I met a little girl, she was very shy and held back at first but I could see a light in her. She was creative and loving and beautiful. I heard God calling her name and his light was in the sparkle of her dark brown eyes. We connected right away and she loved to hold my hand and get piggyback rides everywhere! I was walking around with her and another little girl ran up and started talking with us. I asked if they were friends and the other little girl replied, “No I am not allowed to be her friend.” I felt like someone had punched me. How could anyone have a reason not to love this special little girl? On our last day at her VBS as she was leaving she gave me a big hug. My heart ached for her and her struggles. I ask that God wraps his arms of love around my friend and shows her that she is his child.
Church of the Open Door
By Michal Goertzen, Douglas Mennonite Team
Each afternoon of VBS went in a similar routine. First we would pick up the kids, and from beginning to end, they are giving us hugs, asking for piggybacks, and enjoying every second of it. Once we all arrive back, we would pray and eagerly dive into our lunch. Then throughout the afternoon, we did all sorts of activities with them, like singing songs, skits, Bible lessons, crafts, and games. I think they loved all the attention we gave them every day. We cared about them individually, and got to know them, which is something every kid needs in their lives.
Many kids gravitated towards individual leaders as the week progressed, and we were able to establish real relationships with a lot of them. It was so nice to have such fun with these kids and to see them having fun without having to worry about anything else. One girl who I got to know over the week was an 11-year-old named Grace. She wasn’t very talkative, but she was so sweet and caring. You could tell she just wanted someone to care about her too, and be there for her.
In some circumstances, it broke my heart to see the hurt and pain some of the kids go through, and the poverty in which many of them live. They are all so special, and sometimes I just wanted to wish away all their hardships. In other occasions, we were able to see the stereotypes about inner city kids contradicted, in the caring nature in which they looked after each other. Siblings caring for siblings’ well beings, and making sure they were protected. The innocent way in that they said that kids should pray too. It made me realize even more, that kids are just kids no matter where they are from.