Did you notice our high school students were missing on Sunday morning?

To begin our Lenten journey, we volunteered at Heartside Ministries, a day shelter within walking distance from the church. Because it was so cold outside, and shelters have residents leave early in the morning, a warm place drew many in this morning.

We made cinnamon rolls and spent time with our neighbors before worship. During worship, our youth choir sang “Courageous” and “Dare You To Move.” These songs took on a whole new meaning for me as I sat next to a high school senior from a nice, suburban high school who had gone to jail for two weeks, and is now homeless - a boy just like the students in our youth group. He could have easily been any one of our students.

We also met two 21 year olds who had moved to Michigan for a girlfriend. One is from Ohio and is looking for a job so he doesn’t have to live in a shelter. The other was from Arizona, had his heart broken, and just wants to save enough to take a bus home. Who would have imagined that our “Journey to Hope” would begin by offering words of hope to homeless versions of ourselves?

~Sami Marasigan, Director of Senior High Youth and Young Adults