For any friends of Secret Sojourners who have been following along on our journey, we extend an open invitation to Salem Covenant Church youth group events. We strive (though imperfectly) to be a community that supports one another in living out the call of Jesus to love our neighbors as ourselves. We welcome you to explore what that might mean for each of us wherever you’re at on that journey. For more information, contact Mike at mnyman@mac.com or ask the friend who’s already part of our community. Thanks for following along.

Alright, so I know we still have Sunday, but today was really the last one. Mike has already told us that tomorrow will solely be traveling, so after this sleep is all that will be happening. Anyway, this morning we awoke at Peninsula Covenant Church, not knowing what to expect. All we got out of Mike was that today would be emotionaly hard on most, if not all of us.

When we finally got our mission, we found that we would be helping out at San Francisco Safe House, a recovery home for women. The home was equiped to help women leave lives of prostitution and get back on their feet. Our guide for the day was a day worker at safe house, and we heard some personal stories from several of the women in the house.

After a very warm welcome involving snacks, we were ready to go into the community for an outreach program. Outside, we walked around the neighborhood handing out toiletries and protein bars to the homeless people on the street. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but to see these people flock to where we were, showed that what we were doing was right.

No sooner than we had begun, all of the stuff we were giving out was gone. Seeing this, we packed up the vans and headed towards Grace Cathedral. The space was huge, and the stone work magnificent. It was hard to beleive that the church was built over one hundred years ago. Now by this time, all of us were starving. Thinking quickly, our guide headed us in the direction of a nearby taqueria where the food was amazing.

After saying goodbye to safe house, and our guide, it was time for the beach. Though the winds were whipping and the water freezing we all seemed to have a good time. The trip to the beach was short due to the sand flying everywhere but fishermans wharf was waiting for us next. When we arived there, the glowing lights of Girahdeli Square welcomed us in with a smell of warm chocolate. The night was filled with laughter, side street shops and chocolate.

When it was over, we headed back to Peninsula Ccovenant for what we thought would be sleep. However due to a three o’clock wake up time all of us decided to stay up until it was time to leave. The night went quickly and soon we were back on the vans.

So now we are on the plane with a delay into jfk. With the way it is looking we probably won’t get home until after midnight. On the other hand, all of us are still having a blast. See you all very soon,

~Jake~

When we woke up inside the student center of Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City, all of us were brimming with energy. We were running to the showers, talking excitedly, and even juggling a soccer ball right out side the door. Soon, Mike called us in for our next mission, and we rushed in to see what we would be doing. For today we would be heading to the Presentation Conference and Retreat Center in Los Gatos. Here, we would be experiencing a day of silence and tranquility, while at the same time looking deeper inside ourselves.

When we first arrived at the center, it looked like one building, surrounded by dust. As we stepped out of he vans, some more detail fell into place, but not much. Mike went inside the yellow, dust covered building, and soon reemerged with an very nice little old woman. After introductions, this lady showed us around the property, and in doing so, we found that this retreat center was much more than one building and dust. The whole place was filled with green forest, vividly colored flowers, and many tranquil animals. The main building that we had seen before also had much more to it than what we had perceived at first. Inside we found that the entire thing was made eco-friendly green.

Moving into the day, all of us split off to start the silence. Some went into the shade to cool off. Some went down to the lack to stare at the green water. Others stayed at the pool to lounge. Either way, the quiet was calming, and the surroundings were soothing. All the way around the day was amazing. By two we were swimming in the pool, and then by three we were back out into the silence. This time there was a twist though. Mike handed all of us letters form you, our parents and told us to go back out and reflect on those words. In the end, the entire experience was quite emotional and absolutely great.

After the silence, our next mission came at us. As Mike put it, “In sharp contrast to the quiet and solitude you’ve experienced, head to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for an evening of loudness.” Just from that, you can tell that the night would be extremely fun.

The Boardwalk was filled with games, rides, food, music and people, (As you will see later, Jordan had a great time on the roller coaster!) Blue Oyster Cult played on the beach, and the food was just as greasy as the stuff at Sterling fair back home. All in all, the night was a blast, and I know all of us will remember this day.

After the fun, our next mission came out, saying that we were heading back to Peninsula Covenant Church for a good, and long nights sleep. Now the trip is almost over, and all of us are torn between the want to stay and the want to go home. Either way, see you all soon.

~Jake~

Right now, we are in the vans heading for Peninsula Covenant Church in Redwood City. It’s ten at night here on the west coast, and all of us are wiped out. Not a lot of strenuous activity, or walking for that matter, but there was a ton of food, and it was wicked cold,

We awoke at the campsite again this morning, dusty, and wishing that all of us could have done laundry. Personally, I had a rotten morning due to a pair of broken glasses, a freezing cold shower, missing shampoo, and sore back from sleeping on some pretty big rocks. Soon however, everyone’s misery faded away as we saw that we could pack up the tents and move out from the camp ground. Our first mission of the day was to return the tents to Modesto Covenant, a decently long drive. After the drop off, lunch was to be had, so we made a quick stop at a variety of fast food joints.

When the next mission was posted, it said that we would go to the Covenant Village of Turlock, which was a retirement home. There we would meet with a few of the residents, and sit down and talk about a different spectrum of love- marriage. When we arrived, all of us could see the allure of a retirement home in California. The entire space was covered in lush. green plants, fountains filled with vibrant, blue water and a calmness that was only beaten by the rolling valley in Yosemite.

When we finally got to meet the people that we would talk with, we were split into three groups, so as the conversations would be a little more intimate. The couple that I got to meet with had been married only nine years, and were both previously widowed. Another lady that I spoke with had been widowed, but was previously married for 65 years. Over all, the three provided insight that none of us kids could have even though of previously. It truly was a reward to be able to talk to them all.

After lemonade, cookies, and goodbyes we headed out for our next mission. The van ride would be over an hour, but it would be worth it. We were headed back into San Francisco to walk over the Golden Gate Bridge. Before that however, we would eat. We stopped at at Thai place, and I must say the food was bountiful and delicious. Once our stomachs were full, the Bridge beckoned for us to come.

Walking across, the winds were intense, but the view of the entire city made it all worth it. After the cold, out next mission came out, we would be staying at the church in Redwood City. It just so happens that the van ride is over, and we are just now pulling into the church parking lot. I hope we all get a goodnight sleep. Night all.

~Jake~

In the morning we woke up early, awaiting our next mission. After showers and a quick pack up, Mike told us that we would be hiking through Yosemite National Park to see two waterfalls. So, we packed our backpacks light, strapped on our sneakers and headed out for the park. What awaited us was the most beautiful and strenuous thing in the world.

During the drive up to where we would be hiking, we stopped and took pictures in front of the half dome. Though it was over ten miles away, it was as vivid as ever in the distance. Already we could start to imagine what lay in store for us for the rest of the day. We packed up and moved out to curry village, where the vans would stay for the day.

As we got there, if you looked straight ahead without glancing up, you would have thought a huge rain storm was heading our way. However, with that upward glance, you would see that those clouds were nothing more than a huge rock face that surrounded curry village in almost all four directions. From there, we took a tram car to our trail. Inside the tram, Kim found a quote that she really wanted me to put here. It was “The soul perceives what the eyes can only see”.

As we got to the trail, it was clear that we were in for quite a hike. Though it only went about four miles, there and back, we would be moving up in elevation - over 2,000 feet. As we thought, the climb up was absolutely crazy. Nearing the end of the climb we were faced a long set of stairs that when looking directly at them seemed be at a complete vertical drop off.

After the cliffs of insanity were over, we were treated with the best view of the entire valley below, a rushing waterfall, and the emerald pond. After the long hike the freezing cold water of the emerald pond was the best reward. Stepping out of the refreshing water, we had a packed lunch of peanut butter and jelly. All around us, little squirrel like creatures looked up for the food in our hands. The little things had become so used to humans that if you held out a piece of bread, they would come right up to you and take it from your hand.

After lunch, we geared up for the hike back down, which we son found out was just as hard, if not worse the way up. Either way the hike was awsome, and the top was so rewarding that there was and still is absolutely nothing to complain about. When we finally got back to curry village, we stopped in for dinner at their buffet. Stories of the hike were passed on to each other, and soon we were all back in the vans, ready to head back to camp. Within five minuets of the ride, all of us had passed out, asleep, waiting for what was in store for us next.

Hope everything at home is going great as well. Don’t be afraid to reply to the pictures or posts, we would all love to hear from you.

~Jake~

Where we just left off, we had woken up at four thirty in the morning, and were ready to head out to JFK airport in New York. The drive was quick because it was so early in the morning, and the airport was only a third filled. By now it was seven thirty, and our flight was set for nine, or at least the first one was. Due to the compacity of the planes, our group had to split up into two, and go onto different planes, one at nine, and one at eleven.

The flight was six hours long, and when it was done, all of us were dying to stretch out legs. The first group stepped off the plane, grabbed lunch, and waited for the next group. Even though the planes start time was only an hour off, it seemed as if we had waited two or three for them to step onto the west coast. Soon, we were back into vans, with another two and a half hour drive ahead of us.

Our first stop was at Modesto Covenant Church where we had pizza, and picked up equipment for camping that night. After a quick goodbye, we loaded up the vans again for another long drive, this time to the campsite. By the time we got there it was dark, and we had to set up the tents in pick black. After the rustling confusion, we all had time to look up and see the clearest night sky, with multitudes of blazing stars. The day was over, but we were looking forward to the next day.

~Jake~

So, I’m almost a full day late and I’m driving in a cramped 15 passenger van through San Francisco…
Again, sorry for the lateness of this post, but i’ll get into the reason later.

Ok, Yesterday we woke up in sunny Philadelphia, ready for anything that Mike had to throw at us. That was good to, because we had a long day ahead of us. Our mission was to head to Cornerstone Christian School and help out for the day. As we drove up to the school, it was obvious that we would have our hands full. Fully energetic kids from ages four to twelve were running around in the school yard, and soon we would have to jump right in.

We walked into the main building first, and were split into six groups, Mime, Drama, Dance Computer, Arts and Language Arts. These groups would form the basis for the first half of the day. The point of the groups we were in was not just to help teach, but it was to connect and have fun with the kids that we got to meet. One particular girl sticks out in my mind. She was clingy and full of energy all day, and I am so glad that I got to meet her. At one point, I picked her up, and she reached for the cross around my neck. Her face got very sad, and she looked up and said “Jesus died there you know… and I love him”.

“I love him too”, was all I could muster as she jumped out of my arms, and a tear formed in the corner of my eye. To me, it was the purest and best comment that I have ever heard.

After the morning classes were over, the kids left for a bowling field trip, and we stayed behind to help out the school. First however came lunch, and yes, we had real Philly cheese steaks! Once lunch was over, we started moving classrooms around in preparation for the upcoming school year. The work was easy, but we knew it was appreciated due to the gratuitious amounts of thanks that we received afterwards. In thanks, the man that over saw our work let us sign the inside of his tool shed, as so he could remember us and the help that we gave.

Soon, we were leaving the school and saying goodbye, venturing out for the next segment of our trip. We, being in Philly, had to visit the historical district. So to the Liberty Bell we went, and soon a huge debate of whether or not it was real came into conversation. Real or not, it was really cool. Dinner came second, and to decide where to go, once again we split into groups. Each group was given thirty dollars, and let loose to find their own spot around a cluster of buildings and places to eat. After a multitude of different meals, we were given our next mission. Tonight we would be staying in Livingston, New Jersey, and the next mission would start at four thirty in the morning… great!

As we all prepared for lack of sleep, questions of what we would be doing in the morning filled the air. None of us expected that today we would be on the opposite side of the country. So that was it, a jam packed day filled with awsome people and huge surprises. Talk to you all in a couple of hours to recap today. Hope everything is going just as good at home,

~Jake~

As the day is winding down, everyone is hanging out. The X-Box is roaring on the t.v., card games are going on in the kitchen, and finally, we have showers.  After a public, out door shower on the beach yesterday afternoon, and then over six and a half hours of driving today, all of us were feeling rather grimy. By the way, tonight we are staying in Philly. The house we are staying in is great, and a lot more spacious than any of us expected, especially being in the middle of the city. 

The day started out early in Peabody, where we spent the night. As we all got dressed into our nice clothes, we all had the same idea- we would be attending church there. However in a turn of events, we packed up the vans and headed out for Jamaica Plains. The church we left for was Covenant Congregational Church in Boston, and I have to say, the service was great. The entire congregation was very welcoming, and the sermon about the story of Samson was amazing. After our goodbyes to the pastors, and the children we befriended in the short time, a new and uncharted territory lay ahead… The Scott’s house in Shrewsbury. 

Yes, we were heading home for the time being, but the promise of an awsome, home cooked meal waiting ahead, none of us could say no. After lunch (amazing mac & cheese), we had to say goodbye to Hannah, who sadly could only come with us for the weekend. Keep in touch Hannah!!! 

After a quick change of clothes, the vans were again packed up and we moved on to our next location, JFK Plaza in Philadelphia. The drive was long, and three stops were involved because of the length. Thankfully, all collisions were avoided, however, there were some pretty close calls coming through New York…  Though the drive seemed long all of us kept each other busy talking, and no sooner than naught, it was all over.

In the Plaza we met around a large piece of art simply showing the word love, and the artists name gave us the clue to get us here, where we will sleep. Our hosts for the night have left the house to one of their friends because of a vacation. They do know that we are here, but think about it- twenty people you don’t know sleeping in every room of your house, touching your stuff, and you aren’t ever going to be there. Talk about an act of complete faith and love. Thank you to them for everything, and a goodnight to our families back home. I hope that tomorrow is just as fun, with much less driving involved. Talk to you all tomorrow,

~Jake~

So, I’m typing form the Community Covenant Church in West Peabody. All of us are wiped, but the day could not have been better. We started, as you know, at our church, partaking in communion. By doing such, as our first act, the scene and mood for the rest of the week was set.
After our goodbyes, we packed in the cars and said hello to Gordon College. As we pulled into the parking lot in the back of the school’s library, Katie, our guide for the day, met us. From there we descended into a thick, lush forest, hiding the steel cables within. We started by breaking off into two groups, and approaching the low ropes. After that we sat and reflected on the skills, such a team building and trust, that we learned from defeating the low ropes as a team. Then we moved on to the high… very high ropes course. This took more of a personal step to move through, but it was great all the same. Then at the end, I got to climb the last element to get our next clue, and I’m sure that Niki won’t let you miss out on the picture of me flying through the air like a crazy squirrel.

After our goodbyes to the three instructors, CJ, Shanell, and Katie, we packed up the cars and headed for the beach. Oh, yes! while you were sitting at your house, just waiting to hear how our day went, we were running up and down the white, hot sand and cooling off in the ocean. The water was great and of course, the chain lightning was to. It was a quick storm, it cleared the beach for us, and after the clouds parted, we were treated to one of the most beautiful golden and red sunsets that I have ever seen. Then, for the third time, we packed up the cars and moved out.

Now, as some gear for bed, and others nights are just beginning, we all hope that the fun, excitement and spiritual high will last for long after the trip is completed.

Tomorrow, we have to get up by 7:30 and be packed and out of here by 8:45. Also Mike has told us that we need our Business casual clothes, and at this point, that’s all we have to work with. As for tonight, all of us, especially Jason, would like to say Hi to our families, and wish them a great week as well. So goodnight, and I will talk to you all tomorrow.

~Jake~