iServe – RiverTree

Between my brother’s family and mine, we have 5 children ranging in age from 11 months to 7 1/2 years old. We figured the best plan was to bake a bunch of cookies and breads and distribute them around to various groups of people as part of our iserve project. The kids would be able to participate in every aspect of the project and we would enjoy ourselves in the process. We were left with only the task of selecting the people that we wanted to serve. Lots of ideas were batted around and we finally decided to serve the people who are always serving others. For example, the people who work in the nursing homes taking care of the elderly on a day to day basis, our local firefighters and police, a neighbor couple who take care of their grandkids every day so that their daughter can work and another couple that served as foster parents to a couple of young sisters last year. Finally, we had a plan. The baking would commence on Friday night.

Then my four-year-old son broke his foot on Thursday afternoon. He was put into a half cast and was told that he couldn’t walk until he saw an orthopedist for a walking cast.on Tuesday. This meant that my incredibly mobile boy had to be carried everywhere. Suddenly, our great plan for baking and delivering all of our baked goods to these wonderful ‘everyday’ servants looked doubtful. To be truthful, I was completely ready to bag the whole idea. I was overwhelmed with the cast and the carrying and pretty much got caught up in the enormity of it all. I told my 7 1/2 year old daughter Caitlin that we might not be able to serve like we had planned. She asked me, “Why?” and I explained that it might just be too much. She looked at me and went on to explain in great detail that it was definitely not too much to do. We were all going to help. That what we were doing was more important than having to work around Nathan having a broken foot. We were serving like Jesus did when he was here. Out of the mouths of babes. My attitude was successfully adjusted.

Well.we did bake cookies all day on Saturday and delivered them on Sunday. One nursing home, the one where my grandmother lived until she died, welcomed us back with open arms and told us some stories about my grandmother that we had yet to hear. The other nursing home was somewhat suspicious, at first. They told us that they had never been brought cookies before. They kept asking us why we were bringing them cookies now. It was actually kind of funny in a Who’s on First sort of way. The Police and Fire Departments were happy to accept homemade goodies and the neighbors said it was nice to be recognized. We all felt wonderful and the kids loved being able to hand out their handmade cards to each place we delivered our goodies to. They were addressed, To Those Who Serve Others.

We are talking about how we can do this on a more regular basis. Hopefully without anymore broken bones.

The plan. My husband would lead a site and attend a couple meetings to prepare for it and that counts for both of us serving since we’re married and I would be helping him by making phone calls. On the day of, I would take my older two children down to work after things get going (it was a Hammer and Nails project of painting a house – scraping, priming, then painting). Then I would leave and run our youngest to dance class etc. and work on projects at our house to “serve” my family.

My real plan, be unavailable for that whole day, this iServe is just too hard, our youngest is too young, and aren’t we supposed to be “worshipping” together on the weekend anyway, not “working”. Plus not only do I have so much to get done at home and my husband is gone enough helping others, I need help too. Also, I am so out of shape, I have never painted before, let alone while trying to supervise a very active 8 year old and the thought of being around a bunch of people I didn’t know, and trying to make conversation while not looking too sweaty and gross, just upped my already anxious and shy nature to a point I was unwilling to deal with. It all just seemed to hard. Well, believe it or not I do have a conscience. Guilt and low feelings were present this whole time. I prayed for forgiveness and for a more willing spirit…..in the future.

God’s plan. Have husband call one hour into the project to bring the kids down early before the sun got too hot and then I would leave (we were all sleeping when he called). Bring out the already very determined nature of our youngest child and have her refuse to leave, and I mean absolutely refuse to leave, grabbing a brush and starting to paint. I would be left with a choice of leaving with her anyway in a loud scene making kind of way or trying to supervise her helping with the big task the volunteers took on. So we stayed. And it couldn’t be too easy because He knows I don’t need easy, I’ve had a lot of that already. Next, have our two older kids dive right in and work incredibly hard as an example of unselfish serving. Then remind me through out the rest of the day, that “For even the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45) because people are what’s important to Him and should be to us. How did He do this as everyone was scraping and painting and leading and just plain working hard?

He used this teamwork and He used a little dog. A dog He knew was going to be abandoned that day, pushed out of a passing car, right by that particular house at that particular time. He brought a pause, and suddenly there was something to talk about, to talk to the homeowner about – she is not a dog person! Something for my 8 year old (who loves dogs) to work on taking care of with the homeowner’s granddaughter getting to know each other in the process, and so on. Relationships and connections were made with one another in His name above and beyond what I would have expected, because I thought it would all just be too hard.

God has good plans.

Also, as a side note, when I went to my journal to record my thoughts about that day, this is what was on the page before.

Now what I am commanding you is not too difficult or beyond your reach. Deuteronomy 30:11

I had the opportunity to serve at New Destinations thrift store this past weekend. I was prepared to go in and volunteer to sort clothes, and help them with some organization. When I arrived, I was asked if I remembered how to eat a line of elephants. I replied one bite at a time. I was told to remember that when I saw the job ahead of me.

I was lucky enough to work along side the Hunka’s, and we actually had a great time making a “dent” in the mounds of work that is there. Not only did we learn things there, we allowed ourselves to be surrounded by the dedication and caring of the volunteers and managers. One volunteer was so touched by our willingness to help, that he said it restored his faith, because we were an answer to prayer. If you walked in and saw the mounds of work that lies ahead of these faithful volunteers, you would understand why we were an answer to prayer.

I walked into the building being a part of RiverTree’s iserve experience. I walked out knowing I am returning. To help, to serve, to show the love of Jesus.

Ninety-seven people served together at the Massillon Homeless Shelter. The stairway, hallways, entry, waiting room, kitchen, lounge area, the men’s restroom, the Y room, toy room, and offices were all scrubbed, cleaned, and painted, the kitchen cabinets were refaced, the counseling room was sound-proofed, the yard was cleaned up and flowers were planted.

Everyone worked together to accomplish what God wanted us to accomplish over the weekend.

The director of the shelter was crying as she told us, “You are all amazing! Thank you all so much! Everything looks andsmells wonderful! It is so much more than we ever imagined!”

The little girl with the braided hair stood in the toy room with me and she said, “Look at our new room! Isn’t it beautiful? They even made a chalkboard wall for us to draw and write on. I LOVE IT!”

Galatians 6:9 Don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. We avoid discouragement by keeping our eyes on the goal and reward of heaven.

Our purpose became evident as I explained to my first grade students on Monday morning why their elementary school was a little cleaner, a little cheerier, and their playground was filled with many new things to keep their expanding minds learning even at recess. I knew that countless lives had been touched as one of my students raised their hand after our discussion and said one simple statement, “Miss Hostetler, can you please tell your church thank you for me.” Many hands shot up following that one, all of them motioning the same response. “Please tell your friends at church ‘thank you’”. Their excited hearts bounced into line anxious to get through lunch and get outside to explore their new toys on the playground. I am a first grade teacher at Franklin Elementary School in Massillon. I also lead a THRIVE group on Monday nights at my house. I used to quietly respond that my group consists of 4 girls and that we are looking to expand. But after our iServe opportunity on Saturday September 22, 2007, I now know what the power of four with hearts working for Jesus can do. Of course working at an elementary school at an inner city school, after hearing our iServe charge, I quickly thought of my students. What can we do to touch the lives of these children who are in so many ways missing out on so much? So many ideas came to mind but also seemed so out of reach with a group of four. We flipped many ideas back and forth until we decided to overhaul the playground and what ended up being the entire environment at Franklin Elementary. We quickly started planning with anxious and joy-filled hearts ready to share the love of Jesus. We decided to purchase as many playground toys as we could. We started “dreaming” of collecting enough money to replace a broken basketball hoop on the playground. Before we knew if Jesus totally took over. I thought I had a plan, but God had a bigger one. We soon found another group that was still in search of a serving project. We asked them to join with us. One day, and a few phone calls later we had a group together that only God could have formed. The next few days everything just fell into place. People started going out into the community telling people about our project “The Church Has Left the Building”. Local businesses agreed to give us discounts. Talk of the project in many of our workplaces inspired many other hearts to join us in our serving journey. Saturday morning 37 people including many teens, children and families, joined together for 6 and a half hours. I saw it before and I saw it after. Franklin Elementary was truly transformed on Saturday. It wasn’t just the work that I saw take place on Saturday, it was the heart behind it that motivated them. When teenagers walk up to you on their own asking for things to do and asking what I needed help with. I had an adult that joined us that doesn’t attend RT. His family was there because they had heard about our project from a member of our group that his wife works with. This gentleman was so anxious to join in and be a part of this project. He turned around after being at the site for 10 minutes. He wanted to get his push mower and bring it back so he and his son could mow the entire school grounds. Serving is truly a ministry and a journey. It isn’t just the time that you put into the project, it is your heart. It is the things leading up to, and the things to follow the service. Saturday was truly amazing, People pulled together all for a common cause, to share and spread the love of Jesus to those who may not know him. Weeds were pulled, flowers planted, trash picked up, grass mowed, four square and hopscotch painted, a basketball hoop replaced, two tetherball games put up, stars were painted on the sidewalk entry to the school, the front door was decorated, torn mats under drinking fountains were replaced, the sidewalk, steps and parking lot was swept, and many other acts of service were performed that touched the lives of nearly 400 students and 30 staff members. I am so proud to be the leader of a group of four girls. Four girls that have a heart for Jesus and a desire to change the world. You don’t have to travel across the world to change or touch a life. There are people around us everyday that are dieing to know the love of Jesus. Don’t let them leave Earth without experiencing the love that we are lucky enough to already have! “I can do ANYTHING through Christ who strengthens me”. Go forth in love and don’t forget that God is your strength. He will use you if you only open your heart and mind. I am so happy that God has blessed me, so that I may be a blessing to others!

We had a great turn out for the service project at Franklin Elementary School in Massillon. We had 37 people participating (including children.) We cleaned up the parking lot & entire property of trash, weeded and prepared existing flower beds, landscaped the entire front of the building, mowed the entire school grounds, swept & cleaned the playground, replaced a basketball goal, added 2 tether ball games, repainted lines for Hopscotch and 4 square, purchased mats for under drinking fountains, purchased basketballs, footballs, kickballs, playground balls, and other playground toys. 
 
The most amazing part was seeing people working together to accomplish a huge task that would not have happened if everyone had not participated. It was encouraging to see our thrive group taking this step in growing to be more like Christ. They are excited and can’t wait to do more!!

My mother in law, my self, and our 4 year old and 2 year old delivered chocolate chip cookies to all the Jackson Township Fire Stations and the Police Station with the simple message that the McGaughey and Sykes families from RiverTree Christian church appreciate them keeping our community safe. They were all very appreciative and other RiverTree Partners had visited the station as well. It worked out well with the young children. My wife couldn’t go because she was at home with our newborn. Here are a couple pictures.

For our serve opportunity, we cleaned the South Park @ the Bog after Little League football Saturday for the Parks and Rec. Department. We then went to two firehouses and delivered homemade goodies and homemade cards ( that the kids made ) to the firemen.

On Sunday, Sept. 23, we had a group of 17 people go to Jubilee Counseling Center in Canton to do yard work and landscaping. The team effort was fantastic and amazing! We accomplished edging, weeding, planting, transplanting, mulching, mowing, and weedkilling. We also installed a small cobble stone patio in the garden for placing a bench or chairs and an outdoor light was installed. Everyone pitched in with the skills they had and the transformation of the grounds was amazing! The camaraderie and team building through our serving brought joy to all involved.