This summer provided an unforgettable opportunity for post-senior high congregation members. After growing up and worshiping under the roof of Mount Olivet, as well as exploring and serving communities together on faith trips, the chance arose to reunite and seek Christ in Denver, Colorado.
In the midst of my Freshman year at college, Joe Kaatz, reached out to me regarding the possibility of spending a week in the Denver area with my childhood church friends and peers. In the past, such an opportunity hadn’t been offered to young adults at Mount Olivet, so I was beyond excited. Without question, I decided that this was something I wanted to be a part of.
As the very first trip of its kind for MOPLY, there were a lot of logistical arrangements that had to be figured out. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church was kind enough to host our group for the week, providing us with a kitchen, bathrooms, and rooms to sleep. Local community centers and gyms allowed us to utilize their showers. We will forever be grateful for such accommodations.
We volunteered at a local Arc thrift store by cleaning up their vast clothing racks, and we were led by a retired volunteer named Ed, who had been selflessly dedicating freetime to helping out at the store and inspiring everybody with his optimism. It is to be noted that he also often spends his weeknights working with youth and families struggling with substance use disorder. We all felt the glory of God shining through this man.
At the Samaritan House, we worked on tasks such as yardwork, meal prep, and facility
tidying to facilitate comfort for incoming guests. This was truly an eye-opening experience. I had the privilege of serving lunch to residents. It was a blessing to interact with a diverse group of residents, across multiple languages, learning about their stories. During this opportunity, I met someone similar to Ed from the Arc store. This volunteer was also a man dedicating time during his retirement to giving back to his community and God. For the past 10 years, he served meals at the Samaritan House at least once a month. His kindness radiated to our entire group, even though only a few of us had much time to connect with him.
Between volunteering, we explored various neighborhoods in the metro area. During these exploration periods, we had the privilege of interacting with locals and truly getting a glimpse into life in the area. While wandering through the streets, I spontaneously walked into a sock store. I exchanged greetings with the owner, which unexpectedly turned into a 10-minute long conversation. A complete stranger had turned into a friend. I mentioned our trip and plans for the week, which resulted in receiving blessings from the owner and feeling empowered about our upcoming week of service.
The week ended and we had all been changed. God had truly been felt by all and inspired us to bring our experiences back home to Minnesota. As I reflect on our trip, Colorado surely demonstrated the capabilities of the Lord.
Upon reading this, you have been able to gain insight into our journey and the amazing people I had encountered. Every single person I met taught me new things about giving and living a faith-led life. They increased my awareness of how unforgettable goodwill and amiability go. These people may not remember me for long, but I will never forget how kind and life-changing they were for me.
Overall, each member of our group could provide you with such stories. We were all touched by wonderful people- many even having their own connections to Minnesota. All in all, getting to reunite with my peers from Mount Olivet and share such Godly experiences was absolutely unforgettable. Being part of the first trip of its kind for our church is something I will always cherish.
Within one metro area, we discovered Christ in many places. I believe this holds true everywhere. No matter where life takes you, you will find God.
By Aleah Anderson