Shelby Payne Photography: The Dream center, Day one!

Our first leg of the trip began after youth group on wednesday. Our old youth pastor let us stay in his church down in Vancouver for the night, so we could commute the minuscule 15 minutes to the airport instead of driving down on thursday morning. We left for Vancouver wednesday night around 10, and arrived at 12. We had to sleep on the floor, but by the time we rolled out our sleeping bags, and set our pillows down, we were ready to fall asleep at one. 3 hours later, at 4 in the morning, we are up (even if some of us were basically still asleep)! Driving to the airport in our vans, crammed with our luggage, we arrive and grab breakfast and rush to our flight.
We landed in Long Beach California at about 9, and loaded the vans. We went to In n' out, which absolutely sucked for me because I do not eat meat. Fries are good though, right? We then rushed to the dream center, because our first ministry started right away as soon as we arrived. Our team learned that half the group would be working with foster kids, and half the group would be doing food truck. I was in the food truck group, which is what I had been hoping for!

I was able to have the oppurtunity to work at the food truck last year, and I fell in love. The food truck operates off of donated food ( veggies, crackers, cheese, fruit, bread) The food is then placed in bags, put in piles, then distributed to the families. I was able to hand out a weeks worth of groceries to families who acted like the rotten onions were as precious as gold. I had families coming for fourths, even fifths. Rounding the corner around the truck, and running back to the line. It was so rewarding to be able to be on the other end, handing them that little sack. I counted to the best of my ability, and there were over 90 people at the food truck, standing in the hot and humid weather getting their food. One of my biggest goal in life is to be a photo journalist in India, bringing awareness to human trafficking, and global poverty.

I was told before the food truck ministry that I was not able to use my camera. It broke my heart, because I believe that pictures explain so much more. They did not want us to exploit the homeless, and destitute. It was completely understandable, but in my heart all I wanted to do was take pictures so I could show people the hurt, and need. I was able to snap a few measly shots from the van before we started, but I soon realized that they are as precious as any shot I could have gotten.

After the food truck, we went to target to buy water bottles, since the water at the Dream Center is somewhat toxic, haha. It was crazy going from one extreme to the next. Seeing families with nothing, to shopping in target buying 170 water bottles filled with fresh, crisp water. It broke my heart knowing that those families probably do not even get bottled water.

We then went to dinner, which was followed by Thursday night church. I thought that we were to be having another ministry that night, but to my surprise, we did not. Which was probably good because our energy was non existent.

   As I sit at a small table down at the cafe where there is wi-fi, I am trying to reflect on the past couple days. There seems to be a theme of a Pandora's box situation. Where everything goes wrong, bad things are occurring before every ones eyes, but there is still that little ounce of hope that God has instilled in the lives of the people I have had the chance to encounter. Although I may not be the most religious person in our group here, it is an awesome feeling to know I am changing lives even if i just say hello, accompanied with a smile, and give a homeless, wrinkly, lady a simple hello.

   This verse has been encouraging me through out this trip:

   "I was hungry and you fed me,
   I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
   I was homeless and you gave me a room,
   I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
   I was sick and you stopped to visit,
   I was in prison and you came to me."

-Matthew 25:35