Gappers go to Ann Arbor

So, I’m kinda just playing catch-up at this point. These are from the Gappers’ first monthly trip to Ann Arbor waaaaaaaay back in September.

Ryan’s from Ireland so he likes to pick fights… not a stereotype, it’s just true

Ryan stopped suddenly and screamed because he thought this dog was driving the truck:

Meet the Ann Arbor Gappers:

Maria Meads: yet another ray of sunshine from Minnesota

Peter: This picture captures Peter. Also a Minnesotan.

Post-lunch Banter in front of the U-M Art Museum

Dancing… again

James (director of the North American GAP program) and Camille, not a GAPer.

In order to better understand the artwork Matt and Peter took on its form.

Ryan and Maria enjoy the Art/ Swing

 

Gappers home at 4229 Commonwealth

Another Late Bag o’ da’ Week

Third place: It originally was just a broken heart with no dotted line or text. Sooo we edited it to be a little less depressing.

Second place: God’s valentine to us all 🙂

First PLace: That’s Sr. Judy riding a unicorn through the alps waving a cross. Thank you Matt Hagen for giving the world this glimpse of how we see Sr. Judy.

Bezalel Project: What’s different?

Times are a’ changin’. When I got back to Detroit in August I was excited to start Bezalel Project and see the kids I worked with this past summer. I had worked with elementary kids in grades 3 and 4 and it was the bees knees; painting, singing songs and goofy games. Upon returning I was very disappointed to find out that we did not have the staff to run both an elementary program and a middle school program this year. So, as of this year there is no elementary program for Bezalel Project, only a middle-school program. This was pretty hard for me to deal with in the beginning. When we went door-to-door to give the middle-schoolers their registration packets for Bez their younger brothers and sisters, kids that I spent time with this summer would answer the door all excited to see me and ask if I was there to invite them back to Bezalel. It was hard to say no, but the fact is, we just don’t have staff.

Even with only middle-school kids Bezalel is a hand-full and a half. But it is totally worth it! Up until this point this post has been pretty negative so I want to reiterate that last point: it is worth it! And if you don’t believe me here are some pictures to drive the point home 🙂

Yasmine, Gjvon and Keenya on a little field trip to Belle Isle

One of our volunteers, Jerry peels apples for snack with Emmitt assisting

Dennis caught with the caramel (“some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, millions of mischeifs”)

“TWO!” In the middle of a game of Mingle Mingle. (The leader calls out a number and people need to get in groups of that number, whoever has no group is out)

Donovan is technically too young for Bezalel this year but his sister Gjvon (face-palming in the pic) can’t come unless she can bring him along. They are always the last ones to be dropped off after Bez and that is a blessing 🙂

Donovan is making some great progress in boxing.

Who could punch that face?

Matt and Donovan chillin between rounds

That’s all for now, I’ll try to get more Bezalel stuff up by Thanksgiving.

The Bag of Last Week

Welp, this is last week’s bag of the week, better late than never (at least it comes with a story):

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This bag wins mostly because of context. Right before I picked this bag up Sr. Judy told me a little story about the day before. She was giving out jackets and as one homeless man helped another homeless man get his jacket on he said to him, “You see, this is how we know that God still loves us”.

Wow. This story is really touching because it suddenly takes these little, humble services and decks them in the extravagant love of God! Like the little nun said, when you do those small things with great love God is manifest and people experience Him in the most real way possible. What better way to share the Gospel than bringing God right into someone’s life?