Today we went to the Ronald McDonald House!! This is attached to the Rady Children’s hospital. This hospital is a very special, but sad place. This hospital houses children fighting rare diseases. Often times, this hospital can be the last resort for many families. Today, we got to partner with Ronald McDonald House and help serve them breakfast. We had many jobs when we got there -some were cooking bacon, some eggs, some pancakes, and potatoes. Surprisingly, we only had one causality!! I took a tiny chunk out my finger, but was back to work in no time. Once the food was cooked, we were able to be out in the dining area, serving it to the parents and family coming in. This gave us an opportunity to talk with these people and be able to give them a smile and a distraction from all they were going through. We sat in on a few conversations of families and people, talking about their life and their story up until this house. We all appreciated being able to serve these people during their time of stress and be that presence of compassion for them. 

 

After we finished serving breakfast, we were taken on a tour of the house. This gave us a chance to ask questions that we had inquired about all morning. Our tour guide was Ashley. During the tour, we found out that her family had stayed in this house when she was a little girl. Six hours into her life, she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. This disease involves an attack of the lungs and a decrease in the ability to exchange air- this led her to many different medical treatments, and finally, a double lung transplant. We all felt so honored and encouraged by her story. We saw the Lord through this by the servant heart she had. Every person at the house is a volunteer and to see her take her story and turn it into service is at the heart of Jesus’ mission. 

 

Next, we came back and were able to shower st a YMCA near town. This gave us an opportunity to lift (gainzzzz) and run! It was a great break in the day and we all very much enjoyed a clean shower and freshening up. 

 

We went to the park and ate lunch with some of the homeless men that work with the church. We made some fresh tacos with rotisserie chicken and corn tortillas- real Mexican food as it should be! We had the opportunity to feed those around us who were in need, talk with them, and hear their stories. This really was an activity to see how well we assess need, and what that looks like in a group setting. To meet a need for these people can be life-changing, and just shows them that they are still deeply loved and cared for, even if circumstances don’t always showcase that. 

 

Our mission for the night started at church with instruction on how to build up relationship when talking to people who are homeless. This was near to all our hearts and something we loved being able to do. It put us out of our comfort zones but we learned that vulnerability is powerful and lead many of our conversations to prayer.

Here is a video: https://belmontbruins.com/genrel/SanDiegoMissionTrip