This group from Trinity Lutheran Church in Manila, Iowa, visited a homeless tent camp as part of their Service and Mission team experience.

A group from the Central College campus ministry team participated in a SAM team experience which included a stop at our Bethel Mission facility.

The purpose of Service and Learning Experience is to educate the community and create awareness about the cause of homelessness. We do so by providing a variety of meaningful outreach opportunities for churches and other groups to experience the mission field in their backyard.

Service and Learning Experiences may represent a mixture of individuals, families, youth and/or adult groups from churches and local organizations and businesses.

Service and Learning Experiences are generally scheduled on the first and second Saturdays of the month.

Some Service and Learning Experience activities may include:

• A tour our Door of Faith recovery center including a personal testimony from one of our recovery residents which will help participants better understand the struggles of overcoming homelessness.
• Waiting in a soup kitchen line with homeless and near-homeless men, women and children from the community who have come for one of our three free daily meals that day.
• A hands-on experience helping with the noon meal at our Hope Café by serving, doing dishes and busing tables along side our shelter residents.
• A walk through the largest emergency shelter for homeless men in Iowa—our Bethel Mission facility.
• A possible group activity with some of our shelter residents or a possible group activity with our homeless children at our Hope Family Center.
• A possible group work project at our Hope Bargain and Community Outreach Center.
• Participate in a Make a Bed ~ Keep Them Fed experience which includes making a bed at in our Bethel Mission dorm and committing to pray for the person who will sleep in that bed.  Click here to learn more.
  

To schedule your group please complete our Group Volunteer Application and state your interest in participating in a Service and Learning Experience. Our staff will contact you to confirm information and availability. For questions call (515) 265-7272.