P:C - Familiar Songs Touching Hearts

I was in the group that visited the nursing homes every day. We had learned several church songs in German, but Sophie also taught us some German Volkslieder. I can remember at every home we went to the people enjoyed the English songs and the hymns that we sang in German, but when we sang the Volksleider, no matter where we sang, even the people in various stages of dementia lit up. Some even sang along with us. It was extremely touching to see how even my poor attempts at German could bless someone else through something as simple as a little song.

P:C - Joining the Homeless

Friday night was a night where the bare necessities were lost. I found myself up at 2:00am playing soccer with people who have gone without the bare necessities for long periods of time, yet for whom provision is still found in small ways. That takes me to the realization of living the simple life and trusting in the Lord for the necessities. God knows best. He puts people in our lives to show us truth, and that truth isn’t easy but it’s worth the sacrifice. These have seen many things throughout the week that have reiterated that truth. That is what I have taken from this experience.

P:C - Open for Use

My heart overflows with the joy of salvation more than ever. I’ve watched God work this week in ways that has excited my soul and delighted my heart. The only story that stands out in my mind the brightest is how the Lord broke down the brick wall of hesitation and fear I had at the beginning. I’m naturally a social, friendly person, but not knowing the language frustrated me. I also thought, “What difference can I make in thirteen days?”

The first night of First Supper, I was terrified. I prayed, “God, please, please, please open my heart, pull down those fears, and use me. Please, use me!”

The second night I came to the tent more confident. I was determined to communicate. I even wrote German phrases on my hands. I ended up talking to a man named Frank from Frankfurt, who was looking for another church (he left the Catholic Church). We talked for an hour. He knew some English, but had a think accent. Afterward, I cried. I could do nothing bur praise God!

To be honest, I came on this trip and hadn’t a clue what I’d experience. God is amazing, and I cannot thank Him enough for the moments on this trip.

P:C - Using What God has Given

I was a member of the group that went to a nursing home to sing each day. Each day we came in contact with very special people and great stories came from each time, but the nursing home we went to on the third day was extra special. I felt like the residents were extra open to us being there and were so very thankful for our gift of singing to them. We were even all able to have some kind of conversation with each resident, even though we spoke different languages. When it came time to leave, we gave fliers for the First Supper to the workers like have had always done. They couldn’t believe how much we were offering them. They were so blessed and really wanted to come to the First Supper. So that night one of the workers showed up at the tent, and she brought with her a bag full of chocolates – all different kinds – and she said that we had been such a blessing to her residents and to her that she wanted to think us. However, she still did not think that her gift was good enough and she continued to thank us over and over. It was just cool to see what can happen when we take the gifts that God has given us to bless others. We can really impact other lives for Christ!

P:C - Changed

I’m not exactly sure what to say. I’ve seen so much happen thus far. I’ve experienced things I can’t express with words. God’s love is stronger than anything I’ve ever known. Each day I hear stories of people coming to Christ and changes that are happening in their lives. I listen to the changes taking place in Mainz. But I feel the greatest change I have witnessed is the change God is making in me. I suppose the best way to say it is to quote these words from a famous hymn:

“I surrender all.”

P:C - Unexpected Miracles

The only story that I have to tell is that God showed me that I am not alone. He also showed me that He can change anything He wants. Some people came expecting miracles in the form of healed bodies, but this week I have seen something far more powerful and just as miraculous: healed hearts. Those change worlds. I am not alone, because we all are overjoyed to see that happen.

P:C - Conversations over a Cup of Coffee

On one of the days we had outreaches, I started to speak to a man in this thirties who decided to have a cup of coffee with me. We got talking, and he told me that he was in Mainz for two days because of a business trip. He wasn’t really interested in Jesus, but he started telling me about his life. He is divorced, he lost his young son one-and-a-half years ago to cancer, and that he lived in South Africa for four years. After our conversation he left, and I was sure that I’d never see him again.

The next day I went back to the tenet, and soon I found that he was there again. He had come back for more conversations and a cup of coffee.

That showed me how much people desire to be loved and listened to. As much as they pretend to be okay in society, they are lonely in their hearts and long for someone to care. I know that I was able to show Jesus’ love through simply listening.

P:C - Sharing in the Community of Prayer

All week long, our group travelled to nursing homes in Mainz. On Friday, we sang at a Catholic nursing home in downtown Mainz. We finished with several German folk songs, and then the director stood up and thanked us. She said, “Singing is a form of prayer, and it’s wonderful to see young people who are willing to pray for and with their elders.” What she said stuck with me as we spoke with the residents in our sparse German and as we headed upstairs to sing for the dementia patients. They were grateful we had sung for them, yes; but they were even more excited to share in the community of prayer with us.

P:C - A Plethora of Blessings

At the Frankfurt airport, Project: Camp leaders picked us up. Within five minutes, I knew that every one of them was God-fearing and passionate. Their authenticity inspired me!

After delivering fliers to people’s mailboxes, I was waiting at the main train station, talking with my cousin. There was a little extra space on the bench, and a lady, in German, asked to sit. We continued our conversation in English. The lady then asked us if we were from America. We told her yes, and when she asked why we were here, we told her about First Supper. She probed further, asking more faith questions, and then asked for the phone number of someone who could give her good directions to First Supper. Even though we finished passing out fliers a little early, God was not done with us.

I have never had so much fun picking up trash and clearing out a dirty pond!

After meeting Michelle while picking up trash, I wanted to say hello following the message at First Supper. I approached her, and as she turned around I noticed she had been crying. She told me, “He got me on that one.” She proceeded to tell me that she had invited other friends to come. She told them that she did not have all the answers yet, but someone here would. To see her come closer to Christ was amazing. It had been a long time since I have seen or been a part of that moment. She blessed me with her vulnerable nature and willingness and excitement to lean toward God!

Sergio received a Project: Camp T-shirt. On Saturday night at First Supper he went around having Project: Camp members sign his shirt. The smile on his face and the joy that he gave off blessed me.

P:C - Visiting the End of the Road

We had the awesome opportunity to bless the nursing homes. Each day we would go to a different nursing home – each time we would leave behind a little of our hearts. There they were – older people – who seemingly longed for human contact. I must say, God gave us an incredible gift in allowing us to learn and sing German songs in a day and then going out to bless the older people. They smiled, encouraged us, told us how wonderful it was, and even shed some tears when familiar songs were sung.

On Friday we sang for two groups – the regular one and then the dementia patients. We were locked in on that floor. We tried to hold our composure amidst multiple distractions, but when one man took his front teeth out and started shaking them even the staunchest lost their composure.

We need to always remember those that have already walked this road before us.

P:C - Beyond Just Speaking Words

Coming into this trip, I told a friend that I was not spiritually prepared or ready for whatever I might encounter in Germany. I think that might be the very reason I am here. I came with the mindset of being able to help others and minister in ways even beyond just speaking words. But it seems like God literally had to throw me out of my American comfort zone for me to hear Him speaking to me through picking up people’s trash. There have been distraction and things that have weighed me down since I have arrived, but it seems those things have been used by God to speak to me the most. I’m sorry I didn’t share an encounter I had with another person, but these things have been on my heart that it’s almost all I remember from this week. I know my words cannot properly relay what exactly is happening inside of me, but I feel it, even if I cannot explain it, and I hope it’s something to which I will never become numb and forget.

P:C - Preach the Gospel Always

I guess the one story that keeps coming back to me is how the work team that I was on was able to bring a man to the tent just by being joyful. We were in the swamp and in the field and the man who actually worked at the location was amazed that we got so much done as well as how joyful we were throughout the whole project. It was really cool to me because of my favorite quote, said by St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel always. If necessary, use words.” This whole project just really let me see that quote in action, and I thought that was awesome. This whole week has been an amazing experience. Thank you all for allowing me to take part in it.

P:C - Blessed to Be a Blessing

I was part of the group that went to the nursing homes. We went there to bless the residents, but all of us were blessed as well by them. As we would sing, you could see some of the people singing as well, especially when we would sing the folk songs. We would just wee their faces light up! It was an awesome experience!

When we finished singing we would walk around and greet them as best as we could with the little German we knew. They were so appreciative of what little we did for them! Sometimes it felt like we weren’t doing much, because all we really had to do was go and sing, but when we would go and see how much it meant to the people it felt like we had done something very special for them. It was so awesome to be able to go and sing to them and just be part of that whole experience.

P:C - All Because of Jesus

One week in July, I thought it would be a week like any other week this year, but God’s plans were and are different. People gathering together to reach other people – that’s definitely an extraordinary thing.

I could tell you a lot of stories, but one evening really impressed me. It was Saturday, July 18, 2008. First Supper was almost over. Moreover, it was hard to understand the speaker, Hans Zimmermann, because it was raining and the sound of raindrops falling on the tent was getting louder and louder. Right after the final prayer, I opened my eyes and saw the sun shining outside. A perfect, beautiful rainbow stretched over the sky. Even though it was hard to understand the speaker, God spoke and He showed His love in this small sign.

That situation reminded me of a concert, where the sun came out of its hiding place while we sang:

“All because of Jesus,

All because of Jesus,

All because of Jesus we are here.”

And that’s truly the same here: All because of Jesus we are here, in Mainz, and God smiles when He sees our work here. He’s the reason we’re here and through this rainbow He proved and showed His support