Waking up to rain and cloudy skies overhead didn't stop our positive attitudes this Charleston day! We all gathered in the hotel to enjoy a breakfast together and get our day started. Shortly after, we headed to the church we were in contact with in case of a bad storm on our beach side campsite. There we met Marvin. Oh Mr. Marvin! A cute older man he was, met us and was so welcoming as he showed us around the circa 18th century sanctuary. At Bethel Methodist Church right in downtown Charleston, we learned about this special congregation who didn't stand for slavery even in the height of the slavery movement in the South. At this church we also met a talented, friendly organist who was more that generous in sharing our group the art of the organ. This organ brought tears to the eyes of some and the starry-eyed looks of girls picturing their wedding day in this historic sanctuary. These starry-eyed ladies weren't any less excited when they found out the city of Charleston is the second most popular city in the U.S. to get married-- after Las Vegas of course! We were also graced with the presence of Pastor John who shared with us the rich history and pointed out writings that were discovered on the walls dating back to the 1800s by Confederate soldiers who were a part of the congregation. Perhaps the most interesting, or eerie, fact was the buried slaves and other citizens of the city that are currently buried under the church parking lot-- where headstones line the lot.
Following the visit to Bethel Methodist Church we headed to the Charleston Autism Academy located in a local Baptist church to play a little futbol (as one Argentinian calls it-- shout out to Ayelen)! There were seven kids and twelve of us, plus the kids' teachers. We all had a chance to play and spend some one-on-one time with the kids. They seemed really excited to be interacting and playing with new people. We then did some video exercises including calming songs and arm movements; the kids seemed to really enjoy it.
After that we headed back to our campsite, and while eight of us set up the two tents, four of us went grocery shopping. We met back up and went back to downtown. We had a ghost tour scheduled at 7pm, and we were running a bit late, so we stopped by Jersey Mike's for some free subs, with a small donation to a local Leukemia charity. We then met up with our ghost tour guide Jeff inside a downtown voodoo shop.
We had made it just in time for our departure into the unknown. We began in a courtyard with another small group and left on the tour of haunted Charleston. Behind the oldest church in the South we gathered at a spot with much history. A witch medicine man sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for shoes made of alligator, a serpent silver ring, fame, power, glory, the works. How he perished remains in question. He now haunts the streets of Charleston. As we walked around the city, he told several stories like these. We got some creepy pics.
Stay tuned for more awesome ASB Charleston stories! :)
The Charle-STUNNERS!
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