Children Go Where I Send Thee

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Saturday, March 21st



As we depart from Pittsburgh this morning, we all can’t help but wish we could stay here another week. The week was both very long and very short. Our work here was hard and exhausting, but spiritually renewing. We will keep the people we have met here in our hearts and in our prayers. The people from the Pittsburgh project are all unique and special and have a deep passion for the work they do there. They have so much of God’s love in them and are so willing to share it with the world that they could not help but brighten our time here in Pittsburgh.


We ate breakfast with the new groups starting their weekend of service and even met the group that will be continuing the work at Jim’s house. We said goodbye to Ed, Dave, Akil, and the others we met and worked with this year. They prayed with us for a safe trip home, and thanked us for our hard work. Before leaving Pittsburgh we stopped and the West End Outlook for one last view of the city and a
departing prayer.


Although this was merely a “Plan B” Spring Break trip, it turned out to be so much more than any of us expected. Kim and others have told us this week how thankful they were for God changing our direction and bring us to them. Though some of us may still mourn the loss of a day on the beach, we were called to serve here, and we are all very thankful we chose to come. So it seems only fitting that we title our last blog for this year’s Spring Break with the song title “Children Go Where I Send Thee”, a song that Ed has been singing all week (although only being able to recall half of the words). We were sent here and will walk away with our hearts full of God’s love.

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Photos

Stephanie
During our stay in Pittsburgh, I have met a lot of awesome people including those we worked with and our homeowners. These were the people that influenced me the most by learning how grateful it was that we, the group, arrived in Pittsburgh and not in California/Mexico. Not only did I learn how to insulate an attic, build steps to the attic, and learn tool names, I also got a refresher on shingling. The most important thing I have learned so far is the daily life of those in Pittsburgh. It is far different from Iowa life and has touched me in a way that I will always remember.

Zan
As I started thinking about what to write, and going over all of my experiences from the last week, I kept going back to one particular thing: the people. Everyone I met on this trip never ceased to amaze me. Not just the people that we helped by working on their houses, but the people that have given their lives back to the community by working at the Pittsburgh Project. All of these people inspired me with their Faith and their lives, and I hope that I will not forget it soon!

Jessica
I have learned on this trip that God can be found in some unexpected places and people, and I love it. Pittsburgh is a great city with some amazing people. Many people that I met this week touched my life in different ways. There were the people we helped who were amazingly grateful for our work and sooo fun to get to know and there were the people who work at the Pittsburgh Project who were sooo fun to work with and get to know. This was a growing experience and I loved serving the people of Pittsburgh and learn new skills (like insulating and shingling!) as I did it.

Michelle
This has been one amazing week. To see what a small group of people can do to make a difference in someone else’s life is a great feeling. I enjoyed working on the many projects and learning new skills. I will remember many things about this trip especially the people I meet. The people who work with the Pittsburg Project and those who work in the community are wonderful people who give up a lot of their time for others. I am glad to have been a part of this great experience.

Katelyn
Each experience that I have had here in Pittsburgh has brought me new things to ponder and has renewed my faith in unexpected ways. Sometimes God shows himself and his love in ways and in times we least expect it. I saw God in the gratefulness of Kim, the passion of the people at the Pittsburgh Project, and in Ed’s always cheerful, joking, demeanor. This trip has really renewed my passion for doing God’s work. And I never would have thought I would have found such a thought provoking Bible study in the basement of a tattoo parlor!

Susan
Wow, what a trip and experience! I learned so many new things that I would probably never have learned in Iowa including how to plumb, install electrical outlets, and stand on very tall scaffolding without falling off! Along with these new found skills, I had my heart and eyes opened to a completely different world to what I’m used to. As we drive back to Iowa I look forward to starting my everyday life with a brand new appreciation that I’ve gained from this inspiring trip.

Mallory
Every time I set my feet on Pittsburgh soil I feel at home. I am so thankful that I had the chance to bring my church family to see the place and the people that I love. I learn something new each time I come to the Pittsburgh Project and this time was no exception. I learned about humbly loving your neighbor and will come back to Cedar Falls with many ideas about how to make that happen in my own community. My favorite part of this week was being able to work for a homeowner and see the work that I facilitate during the summer come to fruition by the work of my own hands. It was something I haven’t been able to be a true part of for a very long time. I feel so blessed that I was able to labor and learn in such a beautiful city.

Amy
I am so grateful to have spent the past week in Pittsburgh working at the project surrounded by amazing people. The homeowners and workers we met were really incredible people; several of whom inspired me to begin creating “top ten lists” of people that they fit into (inspiring, intriguing, darn right cool). Admittedly bummed that I didn’t spend break using my Spanish and in the sunny sands of southern California because it was my original plan, this week worked wonders just as well. (I even saw Spanish graffiti, once..”besos” and got a slight tan on the roof!). Pittsburgh is a beautiful city filled with beautiful souls. I will never forget the laughs, insight and memories I gained on our alternative spring break.

Kevin
In addition to seeing many great sights and eating some good Pittsburgh foods, the memories I will keep are the numerous projects we worked on and the caring people we met. First, who would have expected that in one week, I could have the chance to work on projects including plumbing, electrical, drywall, plaster lath, and installing a window (not the computer software :-D ). I was nervous at the start of the week, but Dave and Jack helped me grow more confident as the week went on. Second, I had a chance to meet and work with outstanding people who care immensely about others. Not only the students I went with, but also the professionals at the Pittsburgh Project. Dave, Jack, and Jonathan give of their time and energy to help others who are less fortunate in their community. Will, Michael, Mark, and Courtney could be working in places outside of Pittsburgh, but they want to make a difference in the lives of people around them. Through the pictures and conversations, I will remember this trip for a long time to come!

McKenzie
I have to admit, starting off the week by getting into a 15 passenger van with a bunch of college students was a little intimidating. Although I’ve been to Pittsburgh before, it was never in this circumstance. Now sitting in the same seat I was in seven days ago, I am so thankful I took this opportunity. Not only did the city continue to teach me about my own life and faith, the people impacted it as well. I feel so blessed that I got to spend my spring break with my sister and her church family doing God’s work in a city I love.

Scott
I found myself thinking before the trip that this was going to be a second place venture. We had been thinking Southern California and Tijuana. When that became an unsafe option, several of our original group decided that Pittsburgh was not a substitute destination that they were interested in. What we found was far better than what I would have imagined, and what we were able to experience more than I could have hoped for.