much needed sleep

Hey everyone,
Apparently God wanted my roommate and me to sleep in today. We both slept through 4 alarms set for 9am and woke up at 11am. It was definitely needed! Luckily, we could sleep in and didn't miss anything because the students left this morning to do team building at a low ropes course outside the city. I have to lead a unity/teamwork devotion tomorrow (sunday) so I just have to work on the today.
Tonight we have a mens' and womens' dinner then a free night so that should mean a pretty relaxing day.
Yesterday, we visited 3 ministry sites in the city that the students will be working at. Pacific Garden Mission is a rescue mission that sleeps 600-700 homeless men A NIGHT! and serves that many full course meals to them as well. They are a 100% donation mission that is one of the longest running missions in the US, never having to close its doors in 130 years! It was very cool to be there.
The second ministry we visited was the Pui Tak Center in Chinatown. It is a Christian school and organization that teaches English to chinese immigrants and runs a kids camp in the summer, which the students will be helping at. It is the largest building in chinatown and almost every english-speaking immigrant has gone through their program. What an opportunity the center has to reach them for Christ.
The third ministry (and my favorite for the day) was the Kids Club in Cabrini Green. Just a few miles from the Gold Coast- the richest part of Chicago- hundreds of families live in poverty and struggle with issues of crime, broken homes, drugs, etc. The Kids Club has a 2+ million dollar budget and is opening more clubs every year in different areas in Chicago, but the impact it has made in this "project" (though they are no longer called projects) is amazing. I am most excited about visiting this ministry site this summer.
[note to parents: the director happened to mention their need for teachers and social workers for their after school and summer programs...hhmmmmm.....]
At Kids Club they reach out to FAMILIES, not just the kids, in a variety of ways. They have a community center that houses their after school and summer programs, which is very structured for kids. During the school year, they have a programs for K-8th graders I think from 3 or 4 until 7 or 8! They feed them, help them with homework, require them to take elective classes (like art, music, etc) and have Bible study! They also have other ministries apart of Kids club in addition to that too...like a bunk bed ministry so families with many children can have seperate beds for each child instead of making a few kids sleep in the same bed! Awesome...
OK- so I have to stop rambling and need to get to work, but I'll write again soon!