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If you have a story (art, poem, essay, song, etc...) of how a service-learning experience impacted your life and faith, please share it with us by clicking here.
 Anna Holzemer
Anacortes, WA
Pacific Lutheran University
When I was 17, between my junior and senior years of High School, my youth group and I spent 18 months doing fundraising to spend a week in Vicente Guerrero building houses for two different families. When we got there, we were immediately mobbed by children and adults alike. We spent the week building four walls and two pieces for a peaked, that when put together made only a one room house. We also dug a 9 foot deep-3 x 3 hole for a new outhouse. At the end of the week when it was all finished, the families were in tears because of what we had done for them. They killed all their chickens (which was a HUGE deal) and sold several of their rabbits so that they could put together a meal for us. It’s a trip I'll never forget, and something that changed my entire view on life.
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 Sam Hunzinger
Seattle, WA
Juanita High School
One of the last days my mission team was in Mexico we were taking bunk beds out to houses in this village in Ensenada, Paradise, and we were almost done for the day when our leader says, “Ok guys, were going to try and get at least one more up before we leave.” So me, another guy, and 2 girls are like ok were up for it. So one of the leader guys, Juan, drove us out to this little shack on a hill and we’re like ok cool. Until we get inside. Walking through that door was like walking into Dante's inferno, not only was it about 100 degrees because of the lack of ventilation but also because of the poor living conditions. There was spoiled food everywhere and there was a cloud of flies like nothing anyone of us had seen before. The amount of flies was so massive that the beds seemed black until you got close and the cloud would buzz up and move to a different location. After getting over our shock and horror, we got to working on the bunk beds in the 100 degree-unventilated-fly infested house. It had its difficulties with no electricity, but luckily the house next door had electricity so we were able to run an extension cord to run the drill. We finish up and we get out of the house and into the "cooler" outside. We are on our way to meet up with the rest of the team when it finally hits us, "guys do you realize what we just accomplished" and we all look at each other. Wow, God was really with us in there, and things started sinking in. We had exactly the right amount of screws that we needed, and somehow, without measurements or adjustments the bed somehow fit. The overall thing is that we were able to finish this project within an environment that none of us were prepared to serve in, but God was with us and really worked through us to help the people.
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 Jessica Wagner
Peshtigo, WI
University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
This past Labor Day I participated in an activity put on by the University of Stevens Point. It was called Labor For Love, and it was the university's way of showing thanks and to give something back to the community. Over 500 people participated and we were each assigned to a group that went to a different place in the community. My group went to the Salvation Army where we froze vegetables for about three hours. I, being the farm girl that I am, was the only one who knew what they were doing and took charge to help the group through the task. It was fun and rewarding and I had a great time hanging out with the others in my group.
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 Emily Isensee
Vancouver, WA
Pacific Lutheran University
In San Antonio during the 2006 National Youth Gathering, I worked with a group of High School students at the Respite of San Antonio. We started off getting a tour of the home, which is an emergency care center for children with disabilities who are victims of abuse and neglect. The stories they told us during the tour were very sad, but it just made me that much more appreciative of the ministry they were doing there. After the tour, we went outside and helped clean up the grounds. We did everything from raking leaves to washing vans. The work was more than just the task at hand because we knew we were doing it to make the home a better place for the children. When we were done, the children came out to the playground and played with us. Although they were all adorable and so happy to be playing with us, it was a trying experience because each of the children had special needs or a disability. We didn’t just go do something and leave, but instead we learned the history of the place and got to meet the children we were helping, as well.
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 Cameron Wiemerslage
Burlington, WA
Boise State University
Back in September I participated in a project at school. Since I’m in the Nursing program at school here, I ran a first aid tent at the biking portion of the Special Olympics held in Boise. It was such an amazing event, filled with ups and downs. When we first got to the track, where the biking took place, there was a man who was running and refused to get off the track, even for the Special Olympics! He finally got off the track after he told us he was filing a complaint against the Special Olympics for forcing him off a "Public" track! It was crazy! The races got underway and I was very glad that I only had one crash because all I could do was put ice on his knee. So for the day of working at the first aid tent, not a lot of things happened, medical wise, but it was an experience that I’ll never forget and I would do it again in a heartbeat!
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 Jacob Wagner
Western Washington University
I've been tutoring ESL (English as a second language) at a local high school as part of a service-learning component for one of my courses in the college of education here at Western. I am working one-on-one with a young woman called Neetu. She is from Delhi, India, and speaks minimal English. Before she came to America two years ago, she lived in extreme poverty. She can not read Punjabi, her native language-let alone much English. Teaching her has been frustrating for both of us. I know she has potential, but she has to believe that she does. When I see how she came out of a society in which poverty is rampant and in which women are not supposed to be educated, I am angry with the great injustice in the world. I have definitely learned as much as I have taught, if not more.
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 Veronica Whetstine
Post Falls, ID
University of Idaho
I was given the opportunity to go beyond myself and serve others in Juarez, Mexico. After landing in Texas, we were loaded into fifteen passenger vans and made our way over the border and into Juarez, Mexico where the street was filled with debris and small children wearing tattered clothing ran about without authority. We unloaded the vans and were directed into an unfinished building which ended up being the church. The basement of the church was filled with teens and youth leaders that were placed into work groups and for the rest of our first evening we were told our assignments for the week, got to know our work groups, and were sent to bed. Each day the sun beat down on our backs and our clothes were drenched with sweat, but despite the poor working conditions we were able to be successful and touch the lives in the community. Everyday at the work site there were different children from the neighborhood that would come down and play on our work site and help us in the little ways that they could. About halfway through the week there was a family that we met whose fence had been burned down the night before and their house robbed. This misfortune brought about the opportunity for a group of us to help them out. We spent the rest of that day at their house and we built them a new fence out of authentic Mexican building supplies. When we were finished the looks of appreciation on the family’s faces were ones I will never forget. The van ride across the border was long and hot but it didn’t bother me too much because my thoughts were full of images of the people whose lives we had touched and the towns we had explored. When I returned home I couldn’t wait to tell my family how much I cared about them and to share with them all I had experienced. This experience touched my life; it made me realize how good I have it, and how much I take for granted everyday. The greatest things in life are the unexpected; the ones that sneak up on you when you’re least ready but change you in the biggest ways. My trip to Mexico was one of these things in my life and I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.
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Emilie Barlow
I was on a mission trip in Romania, and I was visiting a local church to meet the congregation and join with them in worship. After the service I was meeting people and struggling to communicate with them through hand signals and translations in broken English. I was greeted by many older women who graciously welcomed me with kisses and smiles. One woman walked up to me and started speaking to me quickly and emphatically in Romanian, I was surprised and immediately looked around for anyone who could translate, but I couldn’t find anyone. The woman did not wait for a translation, but said whatever it was that she had to say to me, kissed me and left. I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, but later I was overcome with the love that she had for me. This love didn’t come from her knowing me or from my doing anything specifically for her, it was merely from my willingness to be there. Her rush of emotion has touched me and stayed with me for a long time afterwards.
Emilie Barlow is a Multicultural Studies major at Trinity Lutheran College. She wants to work in cross-cultural ministry with children.
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Audrey Hubbell
A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to go help with a service project in Tacoma WA. A group of students, including myself, gathered under a bridge with other Christians to share food, clothing, and music with many folks living on the street. It was about 8:00 p.m. and 20 degrees outside. I, not thinking, was wearing a pair of five dollar Old Navy sneakers and little ankle socks. I was freezing cold, but decided to stick it through.
As the party began, I realized that there were more workers than work, and I had nothing to do. I decided to grab some food and join a couple of gentlemen sitting in the gutter. As I introduced myself, they offered me a blanket and I sat and talked with them for the rest of the evening.
About ten minutes in, a girl came by, offering socks. She looked past me and offered the men socks. They both declined. Then Chevy, one of the men, looked at my bare colorless ankles and said, “But she could use some. Can I get a pair of socks for my friend here?”
The girl handed the socks to Chevy, and Chevy handed them to me. I took off my shoes, placed the socks over the tiny pair that I was wearing and then slipped my shoes back on. It was such a blessing that night, to receive those socks from Chevy and for Chevy to be able to offer something to me, the “one who has”.
That night, I began to realize a valuable ministry lesson. I began to realize that, it is not enough to build ministries among the poor and for the poor. The poor must be incorporated into the family of God and take their place in Christ’s kingdom for the kingdom of Christ to advance.
This experience changed my entire way of thinking.
Audrey Hubbell is a Multicultural-Urban major at Trinity Lutheran College. She is helping the director of the SALLT Project doing assorted assignments because she believes that God does miraculous things when we serve and love each other
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 Eric Thompson
Streetcorner Saint
I met a woman today
No, I didn’t meet her
That would be too much
Too much of a blessing
Too much of a privilege
I don’t deserve such an honor
I saw a woman today
She stood on a streetcorner
She had a sign
But she wasn’t homeless
Just in need of help
Assistance
Aide
And I passed her by
My heart burned for her
She was beautiful
Fair among women
Though her clothes were wet
Her hair was tattered
And her eyes were sad
Such beauty no man deserves
And her sign read “Single Mother”
What would I have done
If a pane of glass and a door of steel
Had not been between us
I wouldn’t have given her money
Though guilt would have found me
After the fact
My heart cried out for her
Tears filled my eyes
I wished for a second chance
I know what I would have done
Silver and gold I would not have given
I would have given her the true gift
Love
Affection
Compassion
Jesus
I would have gotten out of that car
Walked to her and said
“Cast down your sign”
I would have held her in my arms
And cried into her hair
I would have prayed for her
And kissed her brow
Then left her in the rain
Will I ever see her again
Will I know what became of her
She and her precious child
Not likely
But I would have at least known what I gave
I would be certain of what I brought to her
Hope that she is not alone
Though in a city of millions
One soul can feel abandoned
Encouragement that she is loved
Even by one whose name is unknown
And by He whose name is Love
And the strength to keep walking
Whether with a sign in hand
Or in a life overflowing with blessing
I will not forget her
She who was fair among women
Beautiful in the earth
Tender to my heart and soul
She, the unnamed teacher of humility and kindness
She, the streetcorner saint.
Eric Thompson is presently a Sophmore at Trinity Lutheran College studying Christian ministry through Music and Worship. He is very involved with the worship and liturgy scene of the college and is currently writing liturgies for the school and leading worship for daily chapel services and weekly worship services. Eric's heart is geared towards a life of "returning and rest, of quitness and peace" as is found in Isaiah 30.
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