Stories

Doing Something in the Neighborhood

In the Encanto neighborhood of San Diego, volunteers busily spread out around the  Euclid Avenue Trolley Station. They painted over graffiti, pulled weeds and picked up trash. Crews also worked along Euclid Avenue from Guymon Street to Geneva Avenue; along Market Street from Euclid Avenue to 54th Street; and along Atkins Avenue from 59th Street to 70th Street.

The following Sunday, the Pastor calculated that volunteers painted two miles of wall along the trolley line. He told of how an appreciative resident and her friends made 300 sandwiches for the workers.

One volunteer named Yumiko picked up trash for blocks in the Encanto area alongside Imperial Avenue. She said she came out because “I want to give my time back to God because he has given me so much.”

Yumiko is a single mother who years ago had to quit school to raise both her son and the son of a friend who passed away. 

“When I lost my job last year, I prayed and asked God for direction," she said. "The boys are older now; one in college and the other in high school, and the Lord has opened a door for me to return to dental school. I put my faith in God and He is supplying all of my needs.”

“I just want to stay active and be productive in the community," a young man named Jorge said. "I kept telling myself to get involved and I finally decided to do it.”

A mother-daughter team named Annie and Maria came out early. “My daughter has been a member of the church for two years now and I started attending about a year ago. I live nearby and decided to volunteer," said Annie. 

After about three hours of cleaning up the community, Maria was headed to work.  “Although I have to go to work now, taking the time to volunteer is worth the sacrifice and is the least I can do. Instead of sitting around and complaining about what needs to be done, we just have to do something about it, otherwise, who are we to complain?"