It was great to see the students open up over the course of the week. One of the participants was very nervous on the journey from South Dakota to Chicago. She shared that she didn't know what to expect and wondered if they would be accepted into the community where the majority of the people didn't look like them. As the week progressed, and as she gradually realized how great the differences were between us and the community, she became fully involved.

She also said she was thinking about going to school in a "big city." She was no longer afraid!

One night we decided on night ministry for the evening and prepared food to give to the homeless. Rene, a member of the church took us to a place where homeless people gather.

Initially, the students were nervous. For some, this would be their first conversation with a homeless person. It wasn’t long before they were handing out food and fully engaged in conversations. Some prayed, while others spent time getting to know people and hear their stories.

One student said, ”When we passed out food to the homeless we stopped and chatted with a guy there. Somehow the conversation turned to the stars and the solar system and I was amazed at his knowledge of the universe. My favorite part was when he talked about God being mirrored in the moon, and we like the tide; he is constantly drawing us into Him. We gave this man food but he gave me a whole new perspective!”