The day began with youth group time, park program prep, and prayer walks in the community. The times we have spent each morning this week taking prayer walks in the community, starting conversations with people and praying with them have become a highlight of our trip. Many of the students have formed relationships with people during the prayer walks and have built some solid connections by talking to them multiple days in a row. We've been able to pray with them, share the gospel with them, and some have been able to pass out Bibles to those who may never have had one of their own before. Prayer walks have been an incredible opportunity for connection and a way to pray and share the gospel with people in the community. Many have stated that they would like to continue doing prayer walks in their own neighborhoods when we return to Chicago.
The highlight of the day for many was preparing brown bag meals to pass out to people in Love Park in downtown Philadelphia. The students were challenged to not just pass out food, but to be very intentional about sitting down with that person to hear their story & be willing to share their own personal story, to share our faith with them and why Jesus is important to us. It was an eye-opening experience for most of us and one we will never forget.
We've already begun our last full day here in Philadelphia. Please pray with us even now that the things we have learned and experiences we've had will not just stay behind in Philadelphia, but would go with us back to Chicago. We will take what we learned and live differently back home, more on mission for Jesus, more bold to share our beliefs about Christ, more willing to begin conversations with people about faith issues and pray for them. That is our prayer and we would ask that it would be something you would pray for us about as well.