PETAL PUSHER UPDATE # 8 (SUNDAY,
JAN. 3, 2016)
A week ago today the Petal Pushers from Iowa met in Kansas
City and prepared to fly to LAX the next morning. The group from Indiana flew from Indianapolis
early in the morning and we met when we
arrived in California. We have bonded
and become one group of God’s purple shirted people on a mission. So much has happened since then.
We decorated floats for three days, watched the famous Rose
Parade from Colorado Boulevard, toured the USS Iowa Battleship, some went to
the Reagan Museum, and most of us went to the beach. We have eaten together and had group
devotions at the hotel many times. We
have been shopping at the 99¢ store, engulfing the store in purple shirts, and
today we went to the Union Rescue Mission in the midst of Skid Row in downtown
Los Angeles to work and hand out personal and health items to the homeless. We also handed out bags, underwear, socks, t-shirts,
Bibles, hats, candy, etc.
Our journey to Skid Row was made easier this year because
Ellie reserved three van/buses to take us there. This was much better than maneuvering eight
rental cars and all the items we brought with us into the fray of the
city. I am positive all the drivers agree
it was so much better to be taken there.
When we arrived we unloaded all of our cargo into the building and were
taken into the chapel for an orientation about the Union Rescue Mission.
As we were given tasks, some were asked to play with
children, some worked in the kitchen and food serving line, some prepared food
for tomorrow’s breakfast, and many set up tables and laid out items to be given
to different groups of homeless people who came through. We came with thirty suitcases of items plus
boxes and boxes of Bibles and overflow items.
We left with nothing, not even the empty suitcases! Thanks to the giving spirit of God’s people
in Indiana and Iowa, the love and face of Jesus was present today on Skid Row.
When we returned from Skid Row around 3:30, we went to our
rooms for naps and met again at 5:45 to share a group meal at the Hometown
Buffet a few miles from our hotel. On
the way back to the hotel, the drivers filled the rental cars with gasoline so
we are ready for our return to Enterprise early in the morning. The Iowa group must be on the road by 6:00
a.m. in order to fly back on Southwest Airlines at 8:30. LAX is sometimes a zoo so there will be no
time to waste jumping through the security hoops and check-in procedures. The Indiana contingent will have an easy day
tomorrow for they do not leave California until 6:00 p.m. The problem they will have is a very late
arrival in Indianapolis.
When we returned to the hotel this evening, we had our
Sunday worship service led by Pastor Ernst.
He was a former pastor in Iowa District West and is now retired and
living in Indiana and is a member of this mission team. We took a collection during the service, a
common practice among Lutherans, and it will be given to Kimberly so she can
purchase books for the children in her classroom to read. She had expressed that as a concern last
evening when she spoke to us.
As our last night came to a close, Ellie shared some ways we
can continue to serve when we return home.
Some items she shared included making pillow case dresses, shorts from
t-shirts, witness bracelets to give to people at fairs next summer, and
sponsoring kids in Haiti. We also
received lists of addresses for everyone on our mission team so we can stay in
touch when we get back home.
Ellie ended the serious part of our evening by bringing to
our attention a sobering thought. She
pointed out that the people gathered in the room tonight will in all likelihood
never all be together again. God had
brought us all together as strangers and now we will scatter as friends to be
lights and salt in the world where we live.
After all the fun we had and the experiences we shared and the work we
accomplished, we had arrived at the finish line.
Secret servant gifts were handed out and the identity of secret
servants was revealed at the very end of our time together. With nothing more
to be done, we formed two circles and had closing prayer. Each person took a turn and expressed
whatever was on his/her heart. There
were grateful hearts for all that had happened this past week and for
friendships and opportunities we had shared and experienced together. The meeting room we were privileged to use
all week was tidied up, chairs stacked, trash collected and papers picked up
and lights turned off. The room fell
silent and the doors were closed as we disbursed to our rooms. The Pasadena Mission Trip was finished.
As the mission trip is coming to a close, just a personal
comment or two. I can truthfully say I am really tired. I sense a need for time away, time to
recharge and process all we have accomplished this week. I need some quiet time to come down from the
high and get back on smooth ground.
Routines are generally boring but I am ready for a simple routine again
for a short time at least. The only
thing I am not ready for are the temperatures I hear about back in the
Midwest. There was some mumbling about
single digits but I have decided to ignore that for the time being. Maybe I will be able to sleep on the plane
tomorrow and wake up in Kansas City only to realize the cold temperatures I
heard about was just a dream.
So, to my readers wherever you may be, thanks for staying
with me and for being part of our mission adventure in sunny California! I hope this has helped you to visualize all
that has happened during our adventure and perhaps instilled a desire to do
something like this yourself.
At any rate, as I close this last update, may God bless and
keep each member of this team and all those who have been part of the adventure
by reading daily updates.
Sincerely,
Lynn Menz
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