Small Blessings
I never expected to work at Project Transformation during the summer following my college graduation and yet God had an alternate plan for me this summer. Throughout my experience I have God work in countless unforeseen circumstances; though I cannot pinpoint one moment and declare it to be the zenith of this job, I can identify several aspects that have made PT the rewarding and challenging summer it has been.
Although I anticipated a highly diverse population among the children I serve, I did not anticipate the disparate backgrounds of my fellow interns. Everyone here at PT truly brings a different perspective to our mission. It seems obvious that differences can threaten to divide the link between different people, but I have seen that our repertoire of skills make us successful in what we have to offer at our worksites. The body of PT interns is not a mystical body bending backward to be the mystical body of Christ by serving in different ways despite our similarities; rather, we are a group of young people with a wide variety of gifts and talents striving to act as the body of Christ for the world so that through our differences we convey our common mission.
Moreover, each week we interns have the opportunity to go into the home of one of our children to spend time with their families. Though some of the children struggle with a great amount of adversity in their home environments, it is rewarding that some of these families function as a model for what a close family can be. Families have come together to prepare meals for us and others have discussed the plans for their children to attend college and be educationally enriched. Each of these “home visits” has been enjoyable to me and each family has shown me Christian love and hospitality.
I have found the weekly worship services to be spiritually renewing also. Each service hinges upon a different theme and features an accompanying guest speaker. I really enjoyed one week in particular when Ms. Sarah Wilke, CEO of The Upper Room and co-founder of Project Transformation spoke on the areas of our life which are spiritually dormant, areas of our life in which we negate God’s ability to powerfully transform us. Her sermon really conveyed the mission at the heart of PT: despite our stubbornness God fully works to undergird transformation in our lives when we yield to Him. I have come to realize (with resistance) areas in which I behave pridefully in my beliefs and areas in which God beckons me to change.
Work at PT does not come without its challenges. The job is demanding, tiring, and sometimes stressful. Tension does arise when such a large group works in such a close-knit environment. When perceived holistically, however, it becomes obvious that the hand of Jesus weaves together many small blessings in a mighty way here at Project Transformation.
Matt Peisen
St. Marks Summer 2011
University of Dallas Graduate
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Reading Rocks!
This summer as the reading coordinator at St. Marks, I have been able to see transformation already. On the first day at our site, we gave the children reading assessments to see what level they needed to be reading at. One little boy did not know any of the words. I was surprised because he was going into second grade. Since English is not his first language, I didn’t think it was all that odd that he didn’t know the words, but when he didn’t know the letters either I began to get overwhelmed. I pulled out the flashcards to see which letters he knew, and asked him to hand me the A. I watched his face as he stared blankly at the cards, and finally handed me the G….upside down. Over the last few weeks, I have watched as he has begun to learn his letters, and to love reading time. The time that he gets to spend one on one with the interns and volunteers has boosted his self-esteem. I am so thankful for the amazing reading volunteers that take their time to read with the kids, and for the opportunity to see transformation occurring in the lives of the children that Project Transformation serves. God’s love and grace is so evident in these children’s lives, and I am so grateful to be a part of it!
Danyelle Graves
Project Transformation Intern 2011
University of North Texas
Pirates and Princesses and Puppets, Oh My!
Last week at St. Marks United Methodist Church was an adventure! Our theme was Fantasy Week, and everyday we used our imagination in different ways. On Monday, we dressed up as pirates and had pirate activities. We were also blessed to be able to use a life sized pirate ship as a decoration. When the kids walked in on Monday morning, the gym had been transformed into a fantasy land. On Tuesday, our theme was royalty. The girls were very excited to dress up like princesses! We spent the day wearing crowns, and in the afternoon had a tea party for the princesses, and a jousting tournament for the boys. On Wednesday we dressed up as superheros, and competed in superhero contests. Thursday, we became storybook characters, and created our own puppet plays.
The children loved getting to use their imagination, and I think the interns did too! Project Transformation has reminded me of the creativity God has given to all of us, and the joy that comes from having a child-like spirit. I am so thankful for the opportunity to show God’s love to the children at St. Mark’s this summer, and to see His love in their eyes.
Danyelle Graves
PT Intern 2010
University of North Texas
Praise and Gospel Worship Night
“The Bishop is coming! The Bishop is coming!!” These cries rang loud and clear throughout the Project Transformation community as we prepared for the arrival of our very own Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe, who was gracious enough to agree to speak at Tuesday night worship in Perkins Chapel. Tuesday’s service was presented as “Praise and Gospel Worship,” and boy, they weren’t kidding. The chapel was completely packed with interns from Dallas, Denison, as well as our staff, and a buzzing electricity of anticipatory energy. And may I just say, this service definitely went above and beyond anyone’s expectations!
If you’re looking up the word “subdued” in the thesaurus, a picture of Tuesday’s worship will be listed as an antonym. The whole congregation was standing in song, hands clapping and feet stomping, bouncing and swaying with the lifted voices. PT’s loud and proud gospel choir was OUTSTANDING – any other lesser adjective doesn’t do them justice. When their blended voices rose in unison and you felt that tug to Heaven, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to laugh uproariously in joy or let the brimming tears roll down my cheeks. As we watched Bonnie Worley whip into a beautiful pirouette as she graced us with her dance offering, I just wanted to stand on my tiptoes and let my smile reach its greatest capacity. As I sat with open palms faced skyward, ready to receive the message of our Bishop, I felt completely rejuvenated by the Spirit. The Presence was palpable – you could feel it vibrating through the floor and into your feet, all the way through your fingertips. Our Bishop wore a very festive United Methodist button down from an overseas ministry experience that I felt went quite well with his inspiring message. He let us know that we aren’t here to just make an impression, but that we’re here to make an impact, to be an actual difference in the world around us. He reminded us that this whole awesome summer internship thing really isn’t about us, as much as we like to think it is – it’s really about crawling out of our caves and walking out of our comfort zones and touching lives as we strive to create change. There was a pleasantly fitting chorus of Amens. The chills I felt throughout the entirety of the service had absolutely nothing to do with temperature in the chapel. God is good. All the time. And his love endures forever.
“The Bishop is coming! The Bishop is coming!!” These cries rang loud and clear throughout the Project Transformation community as we prepared for the arrival of our very own Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe, who was gracious enough to agree to speak at Tuesday night worship in Perkins Chapel. Tuesday’s service was presented as “Praise and Gospel Worship,” and boy, they weren’t kidding. The chapel was completely packed with interns from Dallas, Denison, as well as our staff, and a buzzing electricity of anticipatory energy. And may I just say, this service definitely went above and beyond anyone’s expectations! 
If you’re looking up the word “subdued” in the thesaurus, a picture of Tuesday’s worship will be listed as an antonym. The whole congregation was standing in song, hands clapping and feet stomping, bouncing and swaying with the lifted voices. PT’s loud and proud gospel choir was OUTSTANDING – any other lesser adjective doesn’t do them justice. When their blended voices rose in unison and you felt that tug to Heaven, I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to laugh uproariously in joy or let the brimming tears roll down my cheeks. As we watched Bonnie Worley whip into a beautiful pirouette as she graced us with her dance offering, I just wanted to stand on my tiptoes and let my smile reach its greatest capacity. As I sat with open palms faced skyward, ready to receive the message of our Bishop, I felt completely rejuvenated by the Spirit. The Presence was palpable – you could feel it vibrating through the floor and into your feet, all the way through your fingertips. Our Bishop wore a very festive United Methodist button down from an overseas ministry experience that I felt went quite well with his inspiring message. He let us know that we aren’t here to just make an impression, but that we’re here to make an impact, to be an actual difference in the world around us. He reminded us that this whole awesome summer internship thing really isn’t about us, as much as we like to think it is – it’s really about crawling out of our caves and walking out of our comfort zones and touching lives as we strive to create change. There was a pleasantly fitting chorus of Amens. The chills I felt throughout the entirety of the service had absolutely nothing to do with temperature in the chapel. God is good. All the time. And his love endures forever.
Hannah Browning
PT Intern 2010
Abilene Christian University
Summer of community
My biggest fear whenever I leave for a new place, a new adventure, or an unfamiliar territory is that I won’t fit. I fear that I won’t find people to understand me, to listen to me, and to value me. That is why when everyone arrived for Project Transformation summer 2010, I was so excited that our theme for the summer would be community. I joined the PT family last summer and fell in love with the community, but it is such a different experience when we are intentional about our community experiences. Each morning during training week, we would all start the day with devotionals focusing around our theme. Sometimes though, until you see something in motion, you cannot truly appreciate it.
One night last week a lot of the interns were gathered around the fountain outside our houses. The fountain was lit up and everyone was sitting around dipping their feet in the cool water getting to know one another. Long training sessions often turned into long nights of chatting. As my bed called me back to its comfort and warmth, I turned and looked back at the fountain. I saw only silhouettes against the lights of the fountain. It was my Aha! Moment. As much as we had talked about community, it was at that moment that I saw it in action. Community is organic whether we are intentional about planning it or not. Regardless of my fears in the newness, I know that meaningful connections will rise where there is community.
Sam Meadors
PT Site Coordinator Summer 2010
University of Arkansas
Volcanic Activities and More!
