The City of Brotherly Love

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Philadelphia, PA with a group of 9 inspiring Bennies and Johnnies and 2 fantastic staff people. My friend Colin and I were the co-leaders of the trip, and facilitated a lot of the pre-trip preparation, but we had an easy job in Philly because our group took the lead all on their own! We spent the week with the Center for Student Missions or CSM, an organization that facilitates service trips for groups all over the country, and gives us a place to stay and an awesome host for the week. So after 22 fun-filled hours of driving over 2 days, we arrived in Philly and brought a snow storm with us! It was barely a storm by Minnesota standards, but three inches of snow got school cancelled on Monday for Philly’s students.

On Sunday when we arrived around 4 PM, we had a chance to unpack quick, then hop back in the van to grab dinner at a fabulous Indian restaurant. After dinner we began a prayer tour of the city, and it was one of the greatest introductions to a city I’ve ever had. We spent about 2 hours driving around Philadelphia and praying for the different issues it’s facing. Our host Brittany didn’t stop talking for more than a minute or two, because there was so much to share about the city. We saw the famous areas of Philly like the City Hall and Love Park, but then we started touring the impoverished areas of Philly like Kensington. We stopped under a bridge to pray for the homeless men, women, and children of Philly. We stopped by various schools in rough neighborhoods that are doing their best to help students succeed, but are facing budget cuts and other problems. We stopped by missions that strive to assist the marginalized people of Philly, and we even stopped by a few of the beautiful murals that cover Philadelphia. We ended our prayer tour with heavy hearts, at a scenic overlook of the city. As we looked out at the beautiful nighttime skyline, it was easy to see that things look better from far away. Brittany encouraged us, and told us that despite the heaviness of the issues, we’d see a lot of promise in Philly during the week. She was unmistakably correct.

We spent our week in Philly serving with a variety of organizations. We spent a morning with the Inglis House, a home for people who are wheelchair bound for a variety of reasons. Despite the conditions of the residents, we saw so much joy and life in the people we met! Each and every person we met had a distinct personality, and they weren’t hesitant to share it with us. It was inspiring to say the least.

We spent another morning working with men at the Whosoever Gospel Mission. This organization houses men who recently got off the streets, or left jail. The staff provide resources for the men like work at the thrift shop, or work around the housing facility. The community strives to uplift the men and give them the resources they need to get back on their feet and find work. We helped sort clothes at their thrift shop and then had an opportunity to talk with the men over lunch. Each of the residents we spoke with had a life story that was both complex and unpredictable. Our group had stereotypes shattered as we spoke to these men who had come from a variety of situations, but treated us all with kindness and respect. There was an incredible sense of solidarity within that community, and we were lucky to be welcomed in!

We also volunteered with the Honickman Learning Center for three afternoons. Honickman provides after school care and tutoring for students in elementary school through high school, but all of the students are from the projects. Somewhere around 70% of the students at Honickman don’t have father figures in their lives, and many of them didn’t get three meals a day at home. They came from a rough area, and faced a lot of challenges. We worked with Ms. Chris’s class for the week and were able to help 2^nd and 3^rd grade students. We noticed very quickly that many of the students had issues with learning and discipline, but they still met us with kindness, joy, and excitement every day. Ms. Chris was stern and focused with the students—she spoke of college frequently, and reminded the students that there is a better life outside the projects, but they’ll have to work very hard for it. She understands how incredibly difficult it is for kids to break the cycle of poverty, and avoid getting wrapped up in illegal activities. But Ms. Chris and all of the teachers at Honickman empower the students there, and do everything they can to help them break the cycle.

Another moving experience for our group was working with Hands of Hope delivering bag lunches to homeless people seeking shelter in the subway. We began the night with 20 lunches, and gave every single one away. We split up into smaller groups and spent a couple hours walking around trying to talk with various people and give them some food. Many of our group were nervous, because they had negative experiences with homeless people in the past or were fearful of them. However, every single one of us met people in the subway who were kind and loving toward us. We heard stories from various people who faced huge challenges in life, and were simply down on their luck. We met others who were resistant to take the food, or to talk with strangers. We had a variety of experiences, but none of them were what we expected. There was a sense of community in the subway—people were taking care of each other, and they were seeking connection with others. We were glad to provide a meal to anyone, but even more grateful to listen to their stories for a while and show them compassion. Our hearts ached for the people we met, but we were moved by their joy and openness.

Our other service experiences were sorting toys with Salvation Army, cleaning up the streets with Rays of Hope, and sorting food with Philabundance. These experiences didn’t work directly with people who needed help, and sometimes they were less-than-glamorous tasks. In each situation, the work was never-ending. It was important for us to contribute to these organizations, and to see that those jobs are important too. It inspired great respect for the people who work tirelessly to help others, and often don’t receive thanks for it. Philadelphia is a city with so many nonprofit organizations and churches working toward justice—it’s astonishing. We were uplifted by each of them, but recognized that there’s still so much to be done.

Our experiences were so fruitful, and reflecting on them provided even more insight for us. We began the week with the prayer tour, and it left us with heavy hearts. It was difficult to hear about the issues in Philly because they felt insurmountable—what kind of difference could we make in one short week? Incredibly enough, as we were able to work with people throughout the week we felt more and more encouraged. Each person we meant was a gift, and inspired us in a new way. As we worked on issues it felt like change was possible, it was only in the beginning before we had begun work that we saw change as impossible. We shattered stereotypes, crushed fears, built community, trusted each other, and spent a life-changing week together. I will forever be inspired by a city full of beautiful murals and miraculous people, and the friends I explored it with.