Friday Night On The Street
Experience a Friday Night “Lock In” that your youth will never forget!

• Learn first hand about homelessness
• Talk with and hear testimonies from homeless people and how God is working in their lives.
• Hear how destructive alcohol and drug abuse can be, sometimes resulting in losing all that you have.
• Work hard to raise money to help the Mission by participating in telephone solicitation (optional).
• Serve homeless people a hot dinner and/or a breakfast meal.
• Leave your youth with an experience they will never forget.
  1. An appreciation of how faith in God can help during trying times.
  2. A better appreciation of poverty and how God provides opportunity for service.
  3. A better understanding of how alcohol and drug abuse can destroy one’s life.
  4. A better appreciation of how many of today’s youth have been blessed (home, car, new clothes).
  5. Some practical ways they can help raise money and/or do service work for the Mission.

• Call or email our volunteer coordinator, 502-299-2692 or volunteer@waysidechristianmission.org and schedule a Friday night.
• Friday 4:30 and 5:30 PM Arrive (arrive early as possible – so you can serve the evening meal).
• 5:00-6:00 PM Serve dinner, eat dinner (groups may skip dinner and order pizza, etc. during the 6:00-9:00 PM activities, or better still decide to fast for the evening) then clean up the kitchen.
• 6:00-9:00 PM divide into groups and rotate to be involved in the following.
  1. Dialogue with homeless people – hear testimonies, ask questions, learn about how destructive alcohol and drug abuse can be.
  2. Listen to gospel songs recorded by homeless people or sing and share with the Mission Choir.
  3. Telephone family, friends and church members soliciting their financial support of the Mission (optional)
  4. Read what the Bible says about poverty and discuss the homelessness aspects of Jesus’ life.
• 9:00-10:00 Watch and discuss videos on homelessness
• 10:00-11:00 Take a closely supervised tour of the Mission (boys tour the men’s facility and girls tour the family and women’s facility. See first hand what it is like in a homeless shelter when it is full and in operation (depending on staff availability and youth age and maturity-this tour may be delayed till Saturday.
• 11:00-6:00 AM Sleep or have your own planned activities.

  Youth sleep in sleeping bags on the floor of the Mission’s child development center (simulating sleeping on the street). Boys and girls in separate rooms. Adults will be supplied a cot if requested.

• 6:00 AM Up and Dress (no shower-part of the simulation)
• 6:30-9:00 AM Serve breakfast, eat breakfast, and then clean up.
• 9:00-? Participate in a Mission ministry activity.
  1. Teach a Bible lessen to the children.
  2. Bring and help with a craft project for women and/or children.
  3. Youth choir or drama performance.
  4. Help “deep clean” the kitchen, or chapel.
  5. Work on landscaping needs.
  6. Help us clean up the community surrounding the Mission.
  7. Take our kids/mothers on an outing.
  8. Have a birthday party for all children or adults with a birthday in the month you come.
  9. Clean and landscape the playground.
  10. Bring in “McDonalds” etc. for a children’s treat.
  11. Make some old fashion ice cream for the families.
  12. Have a cookout – hamburgers and hotdogs.
  13. BE CREATIVE-the list is endless.
• When the activity is completed, pray for the work of the Mission and for all those who enter our doors. Pack up and depart. Departure time depends on your schedule.
• Sunday – Take some time during church and let your youth share their experience (what is the most important thing that you learned), how the church can help the Mission on a regular basis.
  1. Pray for those who are in need.
  2. Be active “Missionaries” in our inner cities
  3. Boldly support the Mission financially. We cannot do it without help.

Requirements:

• Adult supervision
• Permission slips
• Release of responsibility
• Cell phone in case of an emergency
• Transportation to and from
• Sleeping bag or night pallet
• Towels and paper towels
• First Aid Kit Middle and High School only (some exceptions may be made)
• Youth must stay in designated areas and are not allowed to leave the group.
• Youth must clean and set up all items that may have been moved, before leaving. The area you are sleeping in will be a childcare room for homeless children on the following Monday at 7 AM.

Sleeping Quarters:

• • Located at Hotel Louisville 120 West Broadway, Louisville KY 40202. 
  • Rest rooms available
  • Showers available (if requested)
  • Water fountains available
  • Refrigerator available
  • Small warm up kitchen available

For More Information Contact Our Volunteer Coordinator:
KIM 502-299-2692
volunteer@waysidechristianmission.org