Madison, Wi - Tuesday

Wednesday began with a rousing performance from the band and a sense of enthusiasm. The groups gathered downstairs, tired, but ready to start the day. We enjoyed a glorious breakfast of biscuits and sausage, courtesy of the staff. Group seven was assigned to clean up breakfast and did a fabulous job. Group seven made its way to the Catholic Multicultural Center, and group two went to a summer school program which serves to help students retain their smarts when school is not in session.

In the first part of the day, group two worked with a wide variety of different children from many different backgrounds. Not only did the experience of interacting with the children impact us, but we made a difference in the life of the kids, whether it was teaching someone the rules of kickball, or helping with a particularly difficult problem. In the second half of the day, we went to a public park. We played games and had fun with the kids for a while until it was time for the evening's activities.

Group seven started off the morning by driving to the Catholic Multicultural Center, a place which provides a culinary education for individuals who had previously been incarcerated. We did various odd jobs, such as weeding and rearranging tables. When we ran out of work, the group was treated to a long and interesting talk by the overseer of the worksite, Tom. He talked about a great many things, including the importance of faith and the benefits of communication across different denominations, even when it is uncomfortable. We ate lunch in a field full of mosquitos. To pass the time, the group, to the chagrin of Matt, decided to play a game of Wrestle. Despite his initial doubts about the game, which mainly concerned the potential for injury, Matt eventually agreed to play a few rounds. This turned out to be a mistake. Matt hurt his arm, thus confirming his own fears. Truly, there is no better example of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Due to complications with the terms of volunteering, we had to stop going to our regular second activity. We instead opted to go on the prayer hike. After a beautiful experience, our group headed to our last activity.

Both groups met up with each other in the same park for dinner and games. Dancing, eating, and fun was had. Unfortunately, some people were still hungry, so later, after showers, several people decided to take the arduous journey to the Subway across the street. The evening finished with a wonderful service which helped every single person's connection with God.