Here we are, on the verge of our final morning in Detroit. One question seems to come to mind on this Saturday Eve: where has the week gone? We could give you a long summary of all the events that have guided us through the past few days, but realistically, all we can really convey is that it’s been a long, surprising, exciting, fulfilling, challenging journey, and today proved to be no exception.

                  Our first destination this morning was the American Moslem Society Mosque in Dearborn. Malik, one of our co-leaders, was able to partake in the Friday prayer service as the group watched and learned about some of the history and practices of Islam. This proved to be a welcome component for the inter-faith aspect of our trip, and as we discovered tonight, we all took something valuable away from the experience. The hospitality we were received with spoke volumes of the inter-faith cooperation that has already been long at work in Detroit and continues to bring communities together.

                  Our next step was one last visit to Earthworks to a wrap up our week of activities with a closing reflection. We all shared with Shane what our time with the organization and the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, as well in the city at large, had come to mean to us in the short time we’ve spent in Detroit. He in turn shared his perceptions of our group’s activity at Earthworks along with insights on how to continue learning about food justice and bring back some of the concepts we witnessed in Detroit back to Erie.

                  After dinner at the retreat center, we rounded off our experiences here by visiting the Detroit Institute of Art. Our group quickly became immersed in the endless displays spread throughout the massive building, and our time flew by as we examined piece after piece (and some of us didn’t even make it to the third floor). It was a beautiful and inspiring way to end the main activities of this trip, and will always serve as a refulgent memory in our hearts.

                  As we move into the final stage of our journey and prepare to head back to Erie, know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers, as always.

With love from Detroit,

Detroit ABST 2016