DC 08 Day 5 - March 28

Well, this was our last day. We started early in the morning with our "8 minutes with our Best Friend" devos time and chores around "Star", the CSM facilities that we have stayed in all week. Then it was off to the Capital Area Food Bank to work a 9-12 shift. We packed boxes full of items that will be picked up by area food distribution centers, food pantries and facilities that provide for the needy in the DC area. Many of the places that we worked in the kitchens earlier in the week actually get some of their food from the Capital Area Food Bank! This is true of Food & Friends where we began work on Monday - so in reality we came full circle today. We worked hard packing boxes of like kind products till they were full, taping and labeling them and then placing them on the appropriate palate to be wrapped and taken to the ware house. We prayed over the items that we were packing and the people that will recieve them. After our shift was up, we went back to "Star" to eat a bite for lunch, say goodbye to our CSM hosts and load the vehicles. Next, it was off to see the US White House with cherry blossoms in bloom. And, then the group voted to head back to Union Station - this time with money in hand to do some shopping. We headed out of DC and into Maryland where we arrived for dinner and a show at Medieval Times. We had a group picture taken with "the King" of the castle while we were all wearing our yellow and red crowns. (I haven't scanned this yet to put on the site, but I will.) You could label it the "Kings of Christine" as one of the organizations we worked this week had posted on their bulletin board that listed volunteers for the day. We did also go through the small museum of Medieval Torture devices at Medieval Times. It was a teachable moment for our students as they heard that these were items used on many Christian martyrs during the middle ages and even some still today in places like China. Dispite that sobering thought, the dinner and show was a great entertaining way to end a week of hard work and services to others. We pulled into King's parking lot a little before midnight Friday, dog tired and totally satisfied with great experiences serving others, impacting our world for Christ! Thank you for your faithful prayers, encouraging comments and wonderful support that made this week possible. Please, continue to pray for all of us that God will grow our hearts and spirits through this so that we will keep on serving others now while back at home! Ephesians 3:14-21 We will do at least 2 follow up group sessions and have a chapel reporting service in the coming weeks. Keep checking the blog for posts about these! God bless you, all!