Seattle called out to 96 youth and 28 adults from the Dakotas Conference to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  United Methodist youth and adults from North and South Dakota served ten different agencies and hundreds of homeless and hungry people.

Photo: Youth prepare sandwiches for people at a Seattle mission.  The  youth and adults from the Dakotas Conference fed hundreds of people.  Photo submitted by John Britt.

The group divided into teams to serve a wide variety of agencies and sites.  Each team went to a new site each day. Everyone had different types of experiences and learned a lot about serving in a myriad of ways.

“What a GREAT trip we had to Seattle to serve the economically challenged and other people in need,” said John Britt, pastor at Rapid City First United Methodist Church in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Agencies served included:

•  A homeless shelter where several bunk beds were painted to help stave off bed bugs.

• A mission where food was prepared and served to about 45 people at the site.  In addition, food in catering boxes were hauled "up the hill" to serve about 120 people under a highway overpass.

• A huge food distribution warehouse where tons of food was sorted into various serving sizes.

• Two community gardens that were cultivated, weeded, and harvested for food to be used in shelters and food banks.

• Four different shelters where team members worked with women, children, and teens in a variety of ways.

• A food bank in Pike's Place Market where food was sorted and handed out to lots of people.

The group also participated in a cultural night at a Methodist church in Tukwila. Everyone dined on ethnic food and heard from both Samoan and Burmese singers and speakers. 

“On the church property there was also 'Tent City 3' - a fully self-governing village that about a hundred homeless folks call 'home'.  It was amazing to tour the 'city' and to talk with some of the residents,” described Pastor Britt.

The trip wrapped up with a day spent playing tourist.  The morning was spent in the harbor area with lunch at Pike's Place Market.  The group then headed to the Seattle city center by bus to tour the Space Needle and the Experience Music Project Museum. 

Britt noted, “It was a great way to end a wonderful trip!!”