BLINK’s time in Boston is quickly coming to a close. This past week was our busiest week of the summer. We’ve spent the past few weeks preparing for this week. This week was Serve Medford with Community Fun Night on Friday. Last Saturday around 80 volunteers from all over the South came to help Redemption Hill Church with different service projects around Medford. Every volunteer was such a tremendous help and we are all so thankful for their time and willingness to serve! Throughout the week projects during the day included:
– Service projects at businesses around Medford Square – window washing, cleaning, organizing, painting, etc.
– Kids Camp at Willis Ave. Community Center
– Working in local parks – laying out new sand and mulch, cleaning, painting
– T Giveaways of granola bars and gum with Redemption Hill invite cards and Community Fun Night flyers
Crosspoint Youth playing with kids at Willis Ave.
Me with the Renewal SummerLINK team after handing out 600 T Giveaways at Wellington Station
The Renewal SummerLINK team and Kerrin cleaning toys at Play Academy
BLINKers with Judy Lonergan at Lonergan Insurance Agency and Real Estate painting her office
One of the many opportunities that brought us all much joy was giving 15 Jesus Storybook Bibles to the kids at Willis Ave. These kids were “regulars” that we have been able to get to know over the past few weeks. We were allowed to share several stories from the Bible over the past few weeks and were all burdened by how many of the kids had never heard one story from the Bible. It was such a joy to present them a gift that we all pray will change their lives. We were also able to give one to the director, Leah, to keep for the center! It was such a delight to watch each one look through their new Bible! After handing a Bible to one of the little boys, Peter, and his mom, the Lord presented a wonderful opportunity for me to hear that Peter had been asking questions about God after hearing the stories we were able to tell. He and his mom were both so excited to have a Bible for him to have his questions answered and to be able to keep learning!
We all wrote a short note and signed each of the Bibles and personalized them for each kid
Kelsey showing sisters Cassady and Maisey their new Bible!
Aaron giving Davon, Christian and Tony their Bibles!
Peter and his mom, Maggie, looking at their new Bible!
On Wednesday, we were able to take a fun day having lunch with the Reedy’s (a couple at RHC) and then going to a Red Sox game with Crosspoint! We all had a blast taking a free day in the middle of such a busy week. The Red Sox played an incredibly long game (15 innings) against the Seattle Mariners that ended with a W for the Sox! Most of our team was able to stay for 14 of the 15 innings. Unfortunately Wednesday also marked a rough spot in our week with several of our team members getting the stomach bug. Even though we had several BLINKers confined to our hotel rooms, God was gracious to grant us strength to finish out the week strong and gave a speedy recovery to most of those who got sick!
Caitlyn (SummerLINK Clemson), Abbey, Liz and me at the Sox game!
A “wicked” beautiful sunset over Fenway!
God has continued to grant our team unity as we live in incredibly close quarters and work together to carry out specific tasks that have been entrusted to us by RHC. We have had sweet time together during our Worship and Word and Men’s and Women’s Time learning about Christ’s humility, obedience, and sacrifice on the Cross and learning more about one another. I am so thankful for this team who constantly push me closer to Christ by applying what we are learning. I confidently say that we are “brothers and sisters” who in likemindedness desire to see this lost and broken city come to follow and love the Lord. God is continuously growing our hearts to have an even greater burden for Boston.
As our time in Boston finishes up, our team has several prayer requests:
– Continued relationships to be built with those who we made connections with during Serve Medford
– Visitors to come to Redemption Hill Church because of T Giveaways, Community Fun Night, the 3 vs. 3 basketball tournament, and general word spreading about RHC
– Continued recovery from illness and protection from the stomach bug for the team members who haven’t been sick
– Boldness in our last few days to have Gospel conversations
Meredith
