Working hard and playing hard

Helllloooooo mission trip followers (and parents). Today was another great day for many.

We play lots of cards during down time

The Poogan's Porch Pirates (including Ella and Anna who are writing this update) ventured into the unknown depths of farming. In other words, we picked the weeds in a field of carrots. This work was to help an organization called Fields to Families which donates their extra crops to people in need. P.S. we do not recommend eating the carrots straight from the ground like Nolan did. 

Yum!

Multiple groups participated in the Blessing Box challenge today. This included being given a small amount of money, ranging from 6-10 dollars, and walking to the nearest grocery store to try and buy enough food to provide a meal for our family. This was a very difficult task, and it educated us a lot on how difficult it is to not only afford food but also to find ways to get it. We learned about the effects of gentrification, specifically on how it affects low income families in Charleston. 


Making a meal for 4 with six dollars is hard


Several groups also visited the Low Country Orphan Relief Center where they put together care packages for children that are displaced from their home or family, ranging from infancy to age 18. These packages included clothing, blankets, stuffed animals, and other basic needs to help these children feel more comfortable in their environment. Overall, today we had many fun and educational experiences! 

In addition to clothes, every foster kid receives 3 stuffed animals and 4 books in their support package

We had two near surprise visitors today. Monica is a First Church SHF alum who now lives in Charleston. She brought donuts to the group working at LOR this afternoon. Shayde is another SHF alum who lives in Charleston, and he joined out group for dinner (pulled pork and green beans). 


A spirited group discussion

Tomorrow we were supposed to spend the day seeing sights and learning more about Charleston but the weather is going to be very rainy with thunderstorms, so some things have changed. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

Love,

Ella and Anna 


Charleston is beautiful


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