This post was written by Brennan Trick.

How cool it was to be a part of the Love Wednesdays action this June! From singing happy birthday to unsuspecting community members, to pushing shopping carts in the Target parking lot, to even handing out encouraging notes to service workers, one could predictably say there was never a dull moment.

Now that Love Wednesdays have come to a close, I was thinking, “Why can’t we also have Love Sumotuwethufrisatdays?” It doesn’t have to take a special gathering (although those are really fun!) to be with someone in whatever her need may be. No, none of us will ever honestly be able to say that we have it all figured out—that we know how to meet others’ needs in every way possible, because really, that’s not the point, right? It’s about the journey: the crazy, sometimes frustrating, tiresome, joyful, faithful adventure in seeking to love others on a regular, normal, drink-my-morning-coffee, I’m-running-late-again?! kind of basis. It’s easy to trick ourselves into thinking that serving someone else, “spending” time with a teenager needing to hear she is loved, or doing some sort “good deed” has to take place during a set, designated timeframe; it’s easier to function that way—compartmentalizing our lives into checklists, putting God in a box. But what if we were to take this joyous, organized chaos of an adventure of Love Wednesdays and look at our own day-in and day-out lives to see how we can do small things with the greatest and most genuine of intentions, but in the most ordinary way? God’s love has a way of peeping through in the dullest and most commonplace of moments.

This post was written by Melissa Fretwell last Wednesday night as a reflection of Love Wednesday. Come experience the surprise, messiness, tension and joy for yourself this Wednesday night at 7:00 pm at the RISE Mission House!

These are only a few words to describe tonight’s Love Wednesday. It was brought to our attention that a Block Party and a vigil would be held at Court Square.

Off we went with balloons. Cupcakes. Hats. Cards. To offer surprise parties!

Just a little more info …           

Block Party: 230+ youth and 100+ adults hosting a Block Party as part

of a local Middle and High School Youth Mission Week. Cotton Candy.

Inflatables. Band. Etc.

Vigil for Cesar Rios: 28-year-old from Mexico with no criminal record who has been residing in Harrisonburg for five years. Scheduled to be deported this Friday from Farmville Detention Center for picking up a piece of firewood in a national forest.  

Walking through the mass of the Block Party we arrived to find a lone man waiting for the vigil participants. Turns out it was the mayor! Along came Isabel. The face of the DREAM Act. Isabel spoke to the Sister2Sister ministry a few months back about her story. She arrived in the states as an undocumented individual with her mother when she was under 10. She earned a 4.0 high school GPA and graduated from EMU magna cum laude. However, she continues to be undocumented and thus cannot obtain a job. She is a gift!

We stood in the tension …

Of the excitement of the Block Party

The chaos of the vigil

The local radio station interviewing the mayor

Children walking through the area

Mike on his bike … we met him at Midnight Prayer

Kalia … We connected with through the shelter

We stood with cupcakes. Balloons. Hats. Cards.

All not really knowing what to do.

Standing.

We found Cesar’s nephews. Why not? Let’s start this vigil with a little surprise. I assured them we were crazy and we wanted them to know they matter.

They are loved.

They are  a gift.

The vigil began with a few words of introduction and then…“We have an announcement. A little over a hour ago Cesar was released.”

I wonder, “Was this what it was like on Palm Sunday?”

Some partying.

Some not knowing what to do.

Some talking.

Some in confusion.

Some celebrating.

Well, off we went to another party. Dixie at the Dollar Tree. Dixie drives over 45 minutes to work. She was covering for someone tonight. A few weeks back a RISE friend was in the Dollar Tree and it really was Dixie’s birthday … we are a little … “ish” on things. The smile on Dixie’s face was pure joy.

Off we went to a few other stops …

As I reflect upon this night … I want to thank those who were willing to give this night a chance.

I know it was messy.

I know it was uncomfortable.

I know it was confusion.

I know that you matter.

I know that Cesar matters.

I know that every person we meet matters.

I know that God longs for us to continue to be a movement that strives to live a lifestyle that believes everyone is a gift.

Everyone matters.

I’m sure we all have a lot of questions.

What is 287G (the law which drives the deportation)?

What is the DREAM Act (a bill that would allow people like Isabella a means towards citizenship)?

I don’t have a lot of answers…

A few local groups working hard on these issues are … Virginia Organizing and NewBridges!

What I know is that I’m transformed by the RISE community.

A community that is willing to reach out.

To journey.

To be part of supporting each other.

THANK YOU for journeying with me …