Day 3: What can I do?

Today started with service: everybody pitched in to help clean up Crossroads. Yes, parents, your kids were sweeping, clearing gutters, cleaning walls...there is now no excuse and they will be able to help in any renovation projects.

We also broke into groups to work more on the Global Distribution...sorting, folding, cleaning rusty bikes.....

After lunch and some rest time (this humidity is a killer for the hairstyles!) we were involved in a poverty simulation game. This involved us breaking into "families", and working by making paper bags, and then having to beg merchants to buy them from us. It is very hard to describe this activity, except to say that we all saw poverty from a different angle: it isn't just about money. The problem is much deeper than merely a lack of finance. We saw poverty through the eyes of a mother, through the eyes of real people. 3 billion people in our world live in poverty. We have to care about that.

One person caring a little bit can have a snowball effect. Mother Theresa never planned to become Mother Theresa. She just wanted to help one person with what she had.

And then...for some light relief, we went and had fun on the beach.

Day 2: What can you do, as one person?

Day started early with brekky in Narnia (the name of the main meeting room). We had a fabulous introductory talk about the origins of Crossroads. When DJ, one of the Managers, was young, his family received a call about 2 million people who had become homeless and lost everything in a flood in China. What do you do, as one person? What difference can you make? There are no Op shops in Hong Kong, and his family overheard some elderly people saying they had perfectly good clothes to give away, so they took those...and the word got around...and the offers kept coming in...and that is how Crossroads started as a Global Distribution Agency, working hand in hand with the UN for crisis situations, poverty, and refugees, connecting donations from big business with people in need.

In the morning session with DJ

Working up a sweat organising the warehouse supplies

Making preparations for packing furniture

Packing tiles for shipment

Group 1 about to embark on the "Aids Experience"

Day 1: The adventure begins

Writing this at night after a verrrry long day....many of us were up at 4 am to get to the airport. Everyone survived the flight, and the competitions about how many meals would be provided...(only one! plus snacks). We all got a big surprise when we walked out of Hong Kong airport into 30 plus degree heat. Our drive past the Hong Kong Harbour, seeing all of the suspension bridges and the Lego-like tall apartment blocks really highlighted the contrast with the shanty town buildings falling down on the shore.

We have met Mimi, who is our liaison person at Crossroads. Students have picked their bestie for a bunk mate, and teachers are happily ensconced in their units. Our dinner was an ad hoc affair over at the Harbour where there are multi million dollar boats and little shops, and the area is called "The Gold Coast".

Shalea's thoughts on her fourth service trip...
"...I love the feeling of helping and giving to other people. I especially love helping the poor, as it not only makes me feel happy, it makes me much more grateful for the things that I have. I also love the Mission Trips because I get to make new friends, friends being either in my grade or not.
I love the idea that our school has for serving the poor within Asian countries...."

Putting on a brave face for their parents

Mr Conoulty has been our fearless leader and guide. There is nothing he hasn't thought of. He has been awesome.

6 SLEEPS TO GO!!!

The count down is on with only 6 sleeps until we fly out to Hong Kong; next Tuesday!

It's time now to start organising our material for packing. We have the final checklists and itinerary documents sorted so we'll be checking off all the items as we squeeze them into our luggage....we don't want to forget our favourite teddy bear, do we Jessie!