STAINED FENCES AND OPENED HEARTS

This week, two groups answered Jesus’ call in Acts 1:8 by serving right here in their own "Jerusalem." Crestview Church of Christ and Highland Baptist Church, both based in Waco, partnered with Mission Waco to serve local communities. We’re always thrilled when local churches serve with us.

Crestview Church of Christ started off the week by joining in fellowship with Church Under the Bridge . They  then spent the next three days fully engaged in the Groups experience, marking their first overnight experience with Mission Waco. They served at Kate Ross Apartments, sharing Bible stories, playing games, and doing crafts with the children. Though only two kids came on the first day, the team remained joyful and poured love into those children. Their persistence reflected Jesus' heart for the one (Luke 15:4-7). By the following days, many more kids joined in the activities. The team's enthusiasm never wavered. Whether serving two children or twenty, they showed that every life matters to God.

For their service project, the team stained the fence at Mission Waco’s Addiction Recovery Program, Manna House . Afterwards, they listened as residents shared powerful testimonies - their struggles with addiction, how they discovered Manna House, and the supportive community they've found there. Each story highlighted their ongoing journeys of recovery and inspired the volunteers with hope and perseverance.

One special part of the Groups experience is visiting chapel at My Brother’s Keeper homeless shelter. Visiting groups spend time in fellowship with the residents of My Brother’s Keeper, sharing God’s word and listening to their inspiring stories of faith and trust in God. For the Crestview team, they highlighted this as one of their favourite parts of the trip. They were deeply inspired by the faith and generosity of the residents. One unforgettable moment happened when a resident brought snacks to share with the team. Even though he had very little, he wanted to give. This reminded us of the widow's mite story from the Bible (Mark 12:41-44), showing true generosity comes from the heart.

The visits made a lasting impact. One volunteer discovered a potential calling to serve underserved communities, and is now considering a career in this life-changing work. Others said the residents taught them that real joy comes from God, not from things we own. Those short chapel visits left everyone with big lessons about faith and what really matters.

The middle school ministry of Highland Baptist Church served selflessly the second half of the week. They had Street Camp with the kids at Kate Ross Apartments, completed a service project at The ROCK Children's Center where they weeded and refreshed the playground and also fellowshipped with the residents of My Brother’s Keeper during Chapel. Their experience culminated in powerful worship with Church Under the Bridge.

Reflecting on their experience, the Highland team shared significant personal breakthroughs. One youth shared how recognizing our shared humanity as God's image-bearers helped her overcome initial discomfort with people experiencing homelessness. An adult volunteer described being profoundly impacted by a conversation with an MBK resident - someone he admitted he might have previously dismissed due to their background. This encounter became a powerful reminder that God values and uses every person, regardless of their past.

Something really special about this week is both Crestview and Highland have sponsored homes to be built at Creekside Community Village for our neighbors experiencing chronic homelessness. During their time serving and learning with Mission Waco, we got to visit the site of the project and praise God for the amazing things He is accomplishing in our city. We are humbled by these sweet partnerships.

This week, we learned that service is not about numbers but willingness; willingness to pull weeds, stain fences, share God’s love and to recognize God’s image in every person. To both teams, thank you for your energy, your sweat, and most of all, for letting your hearts be changed.