We quickly figured out that we would need to buy bus tickets. After walking around for quite some time, we eventually found the place to buy the tickets. This took asking around a lot, going into several places that do not sell bus tickets (such as a post office) and getting some strange looks. Most of all, we ran into a lot of very kind people who helped us find our way to the little booth that sold us the tickets. Finally! We were so happy to be able to buy our tickets- only to be encountered with another challenge- which tickets to buy. We asked a lot of questions and slowly figured it out. At last, we were on our way. And then, another challenge stopped us in our tracks. We weren’t sure which bus to actually get on. After a little bit of confusion, and the help
stops around that could take us where we needed to go next. So, we started walking. A lot. Eventually we were told that there was an app for the bus system, which did help, but only once we had made it all the way to Glory Chapel! With the app, we were able to get to the final bus stop and make it back downtown. From there, we earned enough points to get some lunch! With very sore feet, and a newfound appreciation for cars, we walked to Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue for lunch. I thought this experience was very beneficial. It definitely made me realize how challenging it can be to use the bus system; it takes a lot of time and can be very inconvenient. Before this experience I didn’t realize how fortunate I was to have a car, but after riding on the buses (and walking a lot!) I was very thankful for the easy transportation I had to get home that day. I think the students were really impacted by their scavenger hunt as well. It was designed as a simulation of a teenager, given a list of errands to run for his mother that day. A lot of the students came back talking about how much they had to walk and what it was like to ride the bus- the public transportation system being entirely new to them. They also had exciting stories about the people they had been able to interact with and even pray for along the way. Even though the scavenger hunt was challenging at times, it was a great way to experience Life In The City. Written by Jenna Adendorff.
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Into The Waters THP June 2017 One church, one body, Diverse yet together in love, Denominational barriers broken, By Father, Son, and Spirit above. testing the waters In the Trinity there is unity, Oneness in purpose and plan, Jesus prayed that we would be one, As He and the Father began. stepping into the waters Many churches from all around, Together in prayer, hearts are knit, Red and yellow, black and white, To Jesus, our hearts we commit. wading in the waters We are one in the bond of love, Can’t tell the difference among all, As the power of God is released, We embrace God’s unity call. ready to jump Together we are growing closer, As one body, hand in hand, Hope for the world from God’s view, For the glory of Jesus we stand. jumping into the waters Together, working for Jesus, Impacting the region for good, Spreading the good news all around, Loving one another as we should. swimming in the waters Completely submerged in the river, His love flooding us deep within, Touching the city of Hartford, Seeing His glory and watching love win. © 2017 ELICIA ROY written for THP - The Hartford Project on 6/27/17 Poem written by Elicia Roy, Week One Leader, Westfield Evangelical Free Church
My experience at Week One of The Hartford Project was amazing. It stretched me further than I thought I could go, and although it was long and difficult at times, it was well worth it. As interns, we get minimal sleep, and are constantly going all day. Sometimes we are complimented on how smoothly things are running, which we really appreciate, especially because it’s our job to make sure no one notices the absolute chaos going on behind the scenes. In the midst of this chaos, it was the quiet moments that really stuck out to me - when I was able to sit back and listen to all that was going on around me. One experience that was particularly impactful for me happened Monday night when we went to the Citadel of Love for dinner. On this night, a police officer was passing by and asked us what was going on. We explained the event to him, and he shared that he too was a believer and would love this opportunity to speak to the youth. He began by speaking about his life as a police officer and what that looked like. He answered questions about his experiences- the things he had seen and done as an officer in Hartford. He also encouraged us to pray for Hartford, and gave us specific ideas of what some of the pressing needs are in the city. He especially highlighted the youth- saying they really need prayer: prayer to stand up against peer pressure and to respect their police and teachers. He told us different stories about how easy it can be to be negatively influenced by others, and what it’s like to see things from the youth’s perspective. Something else that grabbed my attention was when he said that living in a small city makes it easy to run into family members or friends on the job. As a police officer, he has to put his job first. We could all imagine how difficult that would be. I really appreciated him taking the time to speak to us and pray with us - and it seemed everyone else did too! It was incredible to see the youth from all our different churches praying for the youth in Hartford. There was a lot of unity there in that moment. I think the kids realized that we all have struggles and hardships- sometimes they are the same, and sometimes they are different. Either way, we all need prayer and support. The theme this year at The Hartford Project is Stories, and it was incredible to me how hearing someone’s story opened my eyes to understand people better. When we heard this police officer’s story, it gave us a glimpse of his own, and many others’, perspectives. It also made me realize that we all have our own stories to tell- stories that need to be heard and stories that will help others understand us. In the same way, it was important to hear the stories of that police officer and of the many interactions he had in order to understand the experiences of other people. Once we can hear the stories of others, it’s a lot easier to be unified. When we realize that it’s actually good that everyone has different stories- it’s actually something beautiful, we can learn to love those around us well. I’ve always loved stories, and this past week I got to hear a lot of them- from students, from speakers, and from people we encountered- like the police officer on Barbour Street. I learned that stories are important. In a world with a lot of chaos and noise, sometimes it’s hard to know what to think or believe, but if we can just take the time to get to know someone - to listen to their story, it helps us to have more peace and clarity. Jesus told stories too- and this week helped me to realize how important it is to tell our stories, and to listen to others’ stories as well! Written by Jenna Adendorff.
Everyone ran for shelter (the interns found shelter under the tables) while it rained. When it started pouring a number of people rushed into the church, while others crowded under tents. And then, it started hailing, and just about everyone ran into the church! We all were in there drying off and bonding over our soaking, squishing sneakers, when outside, the hail cleared up, and a beautiful double rainbow appeared. running for shelter, and since we were stuck inside, we all got to talk and meet new people. Isn’t it true that when we go through “storms” in our own lives, God uses them to bring us closer to those around us? God can use the “storms” in our lives to bring people to us that we can lean on. We can quickly bond with those around us when we are going through something difficult. It helps us recognize our need for each other. That’s what happened that night in the storm. The coolest part, was that when all was said and done, God had placed a double rainbow in the sky. Everybody loves a rainbow, but isn’t it amazing that as Christians we can look at rainbows as a promise from God? After the storm, there’s a rainbow. A promise. How beautiful is that? So maybe our block party was rained out, but God still used it to move in incredible ways! We got to make new relationships, bless others, and be blessed, all the same. And even in the storm, we got to see a beautiful double rainbow afterwards, and it made for some pretty good stories! Post written by Jenna Adendorff.
The host family was extremely welcoming and conversation flowed naturally, so naturally in fact, that we got caught up in discussing life in Hartford and were late back to the general meeting! I had the opportunity to learn more about the day-to-day life in Hartford, and to get to know some of the people that lived there. I came to realize that people in Hartford are just like me, they have the same hopes and dreams as I do, and I developed a deeper love for the city and its people. She is excited to serve as an intern this year because she will be able to experience even more of THP and Hartford than in prior years. Being able to serve in the city that I love has always been something I look forward to every year, and as an intern I believe I can take it a step further than I have in past years and really get to spend time in the city helping others. I hope to gain a deeper love and knowledge of the city. Every year I have gone, I have been blessed to meet amazing people, hear stories, and be pushed far outside my comfort zone. I hope that I will be able to serve and bless the people of Hartford through this internship. Being the Community Events Intern will be perfect for Jaymee! She will be able to impact those around her as she spends the summer preparing for Love Wins in a city that she is so passionate about. I love getting immersed in the city life, through living in South Church, working at work sites, helping at Love Wins . . . It is incredibly exciting for me to fully engage in serving Hartford for a week. Fun Fact // Jaymee is bilingual - she can speak Afrikaans fluently. Favorite Verse // Isaiah 40:28-31 // “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Post written by Jenna Adendorff.
It’s time to meet Lydia Yu - The Hartford Project’s Administration and Life in the City Intern for summer 2017. Lydia is so passionate about The Hartford Project because it played such a big role in her life, especially when she first attended in 2014. She shares on her experience:
Lydia is looking forward to interning because she wants to be able to pour into others at THP. She is excited to see how God is going to work in the hearts of each student, just like He worked in her heart.
Lydia will be amazing as a Life in the City Intern because she has truly grown to love Hartford through her experiences at THP. She shares about working on the worksites:
Fun Fact // Lydia’s favorite song to dance to is “Cotton Eyed Joe.” Favorite Verse // Philippians 2:15 // “So that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.” Post written by Jenna Adendorff.
Today I will be introducing Eliana Echtenkamp, The Hartford Project’s Community Partners and Life in the City intern for this summer! This role will include coordinating Home Dinners, where students at THP get the opportunity to eat a meal in the home of someone who lives in and loves Hartford. She will also prepare Life in the City talks and activities, and work with our various Worksite partners. Eliana grew up living, worshipping, and learning in Hartford. She shares her experience of her home church, Glory Chapel International Cathedral:
One of Eliana’s favorite things about being a part of The Hartford Project for the past three years has been the unity between different church communities around Connecticut.
She also loves the main sessions, filled with worship and speakers. Everyone from all the churches come together in unity. On the main sessions she says, “I love hearing about and listening to what people have to say about the word of God.” Eliana is excited about reaching the people of Hartford through this internship, and providing opportunities for youth around the state to reach out to others as well.
Fun Fact // Eliana loves writing music lyrics, rapping, and playing sports. Favorite Verse // Philippians 4:6-7 // “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Post written by Jenna Adendorff.
Today I will be introducing Christina Perreault, who will be interning in Communications this summer at The Hartford Project. Christina will be going into her senior year at The Master’s School, and has been attending The Hartford Project for four years! With that came many impactful experiences and memories:
As Christina begins her internship and spends more time with the Lord, she looks forward to how He will use her to change the hearts of those around her:
This summer, she is excited to meet new people and build strong relationships. The Communications Internship will be perfect for her.
Fun Fact // Christina only sees in 2D! Favorite Verse // Matthew 6:33-34 // “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Post written by Jenna Adendorff.
Hello! Today I will be introducing our Administration and Kitchen Management intern, Catherine Schultz. Catherine is graduating from The Master’s School this spring, and she is excited to see how God will use her as she interns this summer! He is already speaking to her through this time of transitioning from high school to college:
Catherine attended The Hartford Project for the past two summers, where she was able to give back to the community. She shares: As she prepares for this internship, Catherine looks forward to further investing in the city of Hartford, while also growing in her faith: Fun Fact // Catherine collect spoons from all over the world! Favorite Verse // Isaiah 42:6 // “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles.” Post written by Jenna Adendorff.
Hey there! This summer we have a stellar group of six interns and we can't wait for you to meet them. First up, let me introduce you to Jenna Adendorff. This summer, Jenna will be interning in Communications and Discipleship! Jenna is a third-year college student at Colorado Christian University, majoring in Communication and minoring in Leadership Studies. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and grew up in Simsbury, CT, where she attended The Master's School. Jenna participated in The Hartford Project as a high school student with Wellspring Church, and is excited to give back to other students as a summer intern! About her experience as a THP participant, Jenna shares:
There are so many great reasons to intern with THP. Jenna felt God leading her to apply, and is looking forward to combining the two things she loves most - communication and outreach!
We asked Jenna what she hopes to accomplish through this internship. What will she learn? How will she give back? Jenna shared:
Fun Fact // A player for the Miami Dolphins once asked Jenna if he could borrow a dime to buy a pretzel! Favorite Verse // 2 Timothy 2:13 // "When I am faithless, he remains faithful." Next Up: Jenna will be introducing you to our other five interns! Post written by Jacquelyn Perreault.
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