The adrenaline rushed through my body as I walked into the Seattle Union Gospel Mission. I knew God was working in every single one of the middle schoolers’ lives. It was a choir trip that I would never forget. It was the beginning of June, just after school got out. My choir took a five day trip to Seattle to sing for many people who felt down or did not know Christ. On the second day of the trip, we drove downtown to the sketchiest part of Seattle to sing for homeless people. That evening was an amazing experience that opened up my eyes because I would think differently about the people and care for them. 

Our choir leader, Joy, told us on a Sunday evening after dinner that we would have to go into downtown. We were going to sing for the homeless men and women that lived downtown next to the Union Gospel Mission. I did not like the idea of going downtown, because I heard about tragic events happening down there. The thought scared me. I know that it was terrible that I thought of those people that way. As we walked into the shelter, the stench of cigarette smoke and body odor did not intimidate me because I felt a rush of peace from God. I knew everything was going to be okay. I did not have to worry.

During that night, I felt God touching my heart for those people. I did not know their stories, or how much trauma they might have been through, but I knew God was in the room. During one of the songs, the people stood up and waved their hands in the air and started to praise God. It was wonderful to witness so many people come to the Lord that evening.

I have been humbled ever since that choir trip. Now, instead of shaking my head in disgust, I pray for them hoping that they would find Jesus. Those hopeless people in the shelter found hope from a bunch of middle schoolers singing to them about Jesus, and now I have even more hope in the Lord. I’m very happy there are organizations and nonprofits that help these people, and more people should start helping them. They need all the help we can give them, that includes Jesus. With simple deeds, and acts of kindness, we can help them and might lead them to Jesus.

I thank God everyday for giving me a home, loving family members, and wonderful friends. Even though I have these things, it does not mean that I should take them for granted. With God’s help, we can help ourselves not to be selfish, but to help others, such as the homeless, and to fill them with hope. I have been on two choir tours and this summer it will be my third. Every year that I’ve been to a homeless shelter, the people come in without hope, and after we sing to them, they walk out with hope. One of my goals in life is to fill them with hope and show them compassion; just like Jesus did.