Lunch

Culvers! Yay!

We're about half way to Chicago. As of right now we're planning on dropping off the equipment at the school to save some time in the morning - breakfast is scheduled for 5:30.

We should be at the school around 3:30 and then we'll hang out in Chicago for a while tonight.

-Chris

Driving through St. Louis

Look! The arch!

Heading to Chicago

We had a great time here in st. Louis! We played sardines in the church last night and everyone seemed to find a great hiding place!

This morning we are heading off to Chicago for a free day, which should be a great time! Plus, the weather is amazing!

Then tonight we are staying at Dani's house where Alex is convinced he will sleep with the alpacas!

We shall see how the alpacas feel about this...

Until then,

-Shelley

Heading Back to Shepherd of the Hills

Eating lunch in a soup kitchen is a very humbling experience. We stood in line like any average school lunch, but for those community people that come maybe every day, it's perhaps their only source of a real meal. The thrift store connected to the soup kitchen may be their main resource for clothing-just thinking about this is so strange for an average middle class white college first-year female.

As I type, we are driving the van back through the run-down desolation that is East St. Louis, and I wonder what some people's lives must be like in such a place as this. Then I remember something that Jensen said during the concert this afternoon-Jesus died for all of us, no matter our situations in life-and the faces of the people we played for today, both students and community members, and I know that God worked through us today and gave these people hope through our music.

AMEN, as one of the men in the audience exclaimed.

Off to the church, then Guitar Center for some supplies.

God bless--over + out.

-Laura Mackey

St. Vincent de Paul

So here we are getting ready to unload the truck for our concert this afternoon.

I'm pretty excited to play here. This city is so run-down - it is a place that really needs to know that "greater things are still to be done here."

Not to mention rocking out in a thrift store is one of the coolest things I've ever done.

-Chris

Driving to East St. Louis

We awoke this morning to a great breakfast provided by the pastor. As we get ready to leave I find myself not knowing what to expect when we get to the "eastern" part of town. I have heard horror stories about what we'll see and experience in this run down section of the neighborhood. I am looking forward to the show we get to play there. I have heard that tons of people show up to worship with us at this thrift store. I feel that this is a place where we can truly make a difference in the lives of some of those much less fortunate than me, and that is what our service work is all about.

-Reid

Shepherd of the Hills Worship

We just finished packing up from our concert/worship tonight at Shepherd of the Hills in St. Ann, MO.

Tonight was an amazing worship experience. The people here are incredibly welcoming and so kind to us, and they seem to really appreciate what we do. Even just one person appreciating and coming closer to God through this is enough - but to see a whole church filled with people who appreciate and understand this makes us realize why we do what we do.

Now we're going to sit down and talk about the week and how we think it has gone so far. There's a lot of amazing things to talk about.

Tomorrow morning we'll eat breakfast here and then head over to East St. Louis to play at the thrift store.

-Chris