Rainer and Lindsey: Volunteering in Sydney

We took a day to serve here in Sydney this week. A friend of a friend connected us with a homeless drop-in lunch program in the suburbs, so we went out there on Friday. It was a great experience. The Newtown Mission serves lunch 3 days a week and dinner on Thursdays. It's a hot meal, a listening ear and even free legal council.

We showed up and started on cleaning prep dishes with Jane, who I couldn't understand a thing she said all day because of her accent. We helped stock food items coming in as donations with Cameron, a young worship leader at a local church. We all gathered to pray with Pastor Brian, and then we opened the doors. We served over 50 people lunch. They had sandwiches, salads, and a range of hot food from pasta to curry. A 3rd party company has the job of going around to hotels, concerts, and other venues collecting leftover food and distributes it throughout various feeding programs.

Although most people were kind and nice to serve, Rainer did get cursed out by a 6'2" transvesite for not getting enough vegetables. It was pretty funny. We met a great guy named Nick that called Rainer the Mississippi River boy. We cleaned up the dining room and kitchen, and said goodbyes. It was a great day serving God and others.