A Full Day

Our second full day at the Dream Center saw our team split up into several smaller teams to work with various ministries.

First, me, Linda & Ashlee were up and at 'em before 6am to do the morning shift in the kitchen. We worked alongside first year disciple students (women), helping to serve breakfast and prep food for upcoming meals. We cracked eggs, sliced & plated desserts, made hoagies (well, the West Coast version), and cleaned several pounds of fruit. Because of our assignment in the kitchen, we also spent an hour at the Food Bank, handing out food to @150 people. I commented to the people I served with that I was surprised at the number of elderly who were in line and how sharply dressed some of them were. I guess those in need don't always "look" like the people in need that we imagine.

Next, the remaining ladies trekked over to Angeles Temple to clean the Kidz Dream Zone. All I know is that the outreach leader was super impressed with the speed and tenaciousness of our team. They busted it and got all the work done in about an hour. That left time for them to walk around Echo Park, which until a few years ago wasn't even open. They met some USC students who needed a ride to the Dream Center, so they made room in the van.

The gentlemen all worked at the Dream Center this morning. They were on a Construction Team, which included some painting, cleaning and from the groans I'm hearing from Bill & Mark, lugging furniture up and down several flights of stairs.

The afternoon found half of our team working with Project Prevention. This is the ministry that the Dream Center provides to families to keep their children out of foster care. Over 50% of the children in foster care are there, not because of neglect or abuse but because their parents are lacking what the state deems as necessary for proper care. In some cases, that's food, furniture or even infant supplies. The Dream Center work with these families to supply the needed items that will keep the kids OUT of the foster system. So, Ashlee, Kelly, Barb, Amanda, Sheila, Denisha, Sammy, and Peter had a chance to deliver a sofa to a family in need. They also worked in the recycling area sorting through bottles and cans in order to raise funds for Project Prevention. They raised $55.13; praise the Lord.

The other half of the team stayed at the Dream Center to paint rooms for the DC Leadership School. The leadership school is all about training young leaders in discovering their God-given gifts and abilities, while building in them a strong foundation of Godly character and servant leadership.
Bill, Elaine, me, Mark, Ivette, Leslie & Linda inhaled paint fumes, took turns on the rollers and trimmed our hearts out - busting out three rooms in a little over two hours.

Tonight we are resting…well, sort've. Our friend, Michael Beckmann, is sharing at our team devotions tonight. Plus, we'll connect with a good friend of the Fast's and ours, Dana Scannell.

I'm going to post pictures later. Keep an eye out for them. And, remember us in your prayers! They are felt - all the way out here and even though we are three hours behind.

Love all of you! Pastor Arlena