NC Update - Day 5

WHAT A DAY! God has shown up in amazing ways this week, and today was no exception.

Today began a little differently than the rest of the week. After breakfast, instead of morning worship, we all headed out to the flag pole and had a group prayer with all the other mission teams here this week. After the prayer, we loaded up the buses and headed to the work site for one final day on the job.

At the site, the students worked hard all morning. Around noon, the families that live in the three houses surprised the group with a pizza party in their yard! They wanted to thank the kids and leaders for all their efforts this week. (FYI, Alexis has the name and address of one of the ladies on the street, in case students want to write or send a thank you note. Simply email Alexis for the address.) After the wonderful lunch, the team went back to work on the trenches and digging the large holes for the septic tanks. We were working really well, when a rain storm came over the mountains and soaked us (and all of our trenches!). After the rain showers, we persevered through the mud and the muck, and were able to finish all 12 trenches (which amounts to almost 400 feet of trench!). Although the septic holes were dug, we weren't able to get the tanks in and cover them up - the weather had finally gotten the best of us. Nevertheless, the professionals we worked with said that the team did an excellent job and that everyone should be very proud of what they accomplished.

After a messy bus ride back to ReCreation headquarters, we all cleaned up and sat down to a well-earned dinner! IMPORTANT NOTE - All students had to put their work shoes into plastic trash bags to avoid trashing the vehicles. When you pick up your student, please make sure you grab their shoes from the pile or they will be thrown out on Tuesday!

After dinner, we had a final worship session led by the ReCreation staff. Several students were moved to tears by the service and the presence of Jesus. After the service, we spent about 20 minutes packing and cleaning, before heading downstairs for Porch Time. Students shared some powerful examples of where they saw Jesus throughout the day and the week, which was followed by a moving worship set. After lifting our praises through song, Alexis shared a message about finding God and being found by God on this trip, and encouraged the students to take all that they have learned and experienced and translate it into a tranformed life back in Williamsburg. This group has bonded in a special way, and it has been a blessing to watch them draw closer to each other and closer to Jesus on this trip.

After Porch Time, each grade and gender gathered for their final small group. Again, Jesus was all around us! Each small group leader reported back the same: small group was amazing, and our kids' lives are being changed! Praise God for how he has shown up this week.

Lights out was called a few minutes ago. This will be the last post for the NC Mission Team. During our drive home tomorrow, you can call Luke's cell phone at 757-570-0292 for travel updates. We will still wake up at 6:15am, breakfast at 6:30, and hopefully a quick cleaning/packing job before we hit the road (our goal is to get out around 8am!). We will stop for lunch in Durham, NC, and still expect to be home around 5pm. Again, please keep checking the hotline (757-570-0292) for the most up-to-date arrival time. If you have an emergency, please call Alexis on her cell phone (919-260-0719). Please pray for safe travels. The students are sad to leave, yet excited to come home and share their experiences with all of you. Thank you again for all of your support and your prayers!

DC Team Update #5

Our final day in DC can be summarized with one word, "Amazing!"  It is impossible to detail each instance throughout the day where Jesus showed up, however I offer this one story as an example of how God has pursued our team all week long.

One of our groups was completing an activity called the "city survey."  It is another tool the organization with whom we partner uses to help teams understand the complex dynamics involved in the homeless epidemic in DC.  We were asking various people in and around Union Station to talk about their thoughts on homelessness and how it affects their daily lives.  One of our assignments was to talk to a street vendor.  We stopped a man selling newspapers and asked him his opinion on the homeless and how it affected his daily life. 

At first the man did not want to talk  but soon he stammered out the words, "I am homeless."  Our group was shocked.  We thought that because he was employed that he would not be homeless.  However, he described to us the plight of the "working poor" in America.  He shattered many of our stereotypes and caricatures of the homeless.  He was hard working and well spoken.  It seemed so out of place for him to live on the streets at night. 

We learned two important lessons from our friend Tony.  The first lesson was that you never really know what is going on in some one's life until you engage in relationship with them.  We could have walked by Tony and never thought twice about who he was or what he might be struggling to deal with in his life.  However, our team took the time to stop and engage him on a personal level.  Tony's response of opening up to us confirmed in our minds the deep need people have for relationships of mutual support.  We have been privileged to pursue those types of relationships all week.

The second lesson we learned from Tony is that we don't find God on mission trips, God finds us through men like Tony.  Of all the street vendors we could have picked to complete our exercise, we picked the one man who was actually homeless.  There is no doubt in my mind that God went before us and intentionally put Tony in our path in order to teach us more about Himself and how He is always at work in the world around us.

This relates to our Porch Time theme for tonight.  We once again sat on the steps of a beautiful church (The National Shrine Catholic Church) and talked about where we saw Jesus, worshiped Him and opened His Word together.  The idea that we landed on was that we did not find God in DC, but rather God found us through the people we served here in DC.  We asked every student how God found them and how they hoped being found in DC would impact their life back home.

You can expect some of your kids to return home with lots of thoughts, questions and hopefully changed attitudes toward the world around them.

To God be the glory.  Great things He hath done in our midst this week.  Thank you for for partnership in prayer while we have been away.

We are expecting to return to the Chapel around 2pm.  Please call the hotline tomorrow for regular updates on our progress toward Williamsburg, 880-6429.  We will be stopping for lunch in Richmond to eat and continue processing what God has done in our hearts here in DC.  We are excited to see you all tomorrow.

NC Update - Day 4

In the home stretch . . . the NC Mission Team completed another fun-filled day at the work site, getting a significant amount of the trenches finished!

Our day began as usual, with breakfast, worship, and a brief message. This morning's topic helped students and leaders remember that "it's not about us!" We are here to serve God by loving and serving others. The message must have really resonated with several students in the group, because the team put in another full day on the job site.

To set the scene and give you a better mental image of what we've been working on, I'll describe the work site situation in a little more detail. The three homes we're working on sit right next to each other off a narrow gravel road. Although there's not a ton of space between the houses, they each have long and steep back yards, in which we are putting the septic systems. From the back of the houses, we get a great view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

On the first house, all the way to the right, most of the 8th grade boys have been diligently digging (along with a few other students from different grades and small groups). They dug 4 trench lines, put the pipes in, re-filled the holes, and connected each trench/pipe with mini-trenches and connectors. Tomorrow they will dig the final hole for the septic tank, as well as assist with completing work on the other properties. The second house, in the middle of the row, was started a little late, so there's still a significant amount of work to be done. However, the lower trench has been completed, and the largest hole for the septic tank has also been started. Several eighth grade girls completed the lowest trench, while lots of seventh grade boys and girls, along with a few eighth grade boys and sixth grade girls, helped make some progress on the other three trenches and the septic hole. The third house, all the way to the left towards the end of the road, is in a very similar situation to the first house. All the trenches have been dug, piped, filled, and connected. Only the large septic hole tank is left to be dug. The sixth grade boys, along with a few sixth grade girls and other helpers from various grades and genders, have been working hard on that property for the entire week.

After working diligently for the entire hot and humid day, the group headed back to ReCreation headquarters for showers and dinner. At 8pm, we again had Porch Time. After a long round of "I saw Jesus in . . ." (a time where the students and leaders share with the group where they saw Jesus during the day), we had a slightly extended worship set, and a message about being a conduit of God's love. Small groups followed the Porch Time, and we are now currently enjoying some "sweet fellowship" and free time before lights out.

Tomorrow will be our final work day, so please pray for the strength and energy to finish the projects we've started. God has definitely shown up in many ways, and we look forward to seeing Him work in us and through us tomorrow, as He has throughout the week. Please pray that our eyes would continue to be opened to experiencing God in new ways, and that we would really be able to process this experience and take the lessons we've learned back to Williamsburg.

DC Team Update #4

God continues to show up in unique ways as we serve here in Washington DC, aka Banniker's masterpiece (that's a little piece of DC trivia for you).  Today was another full day of engagement in the lives of some of DC's poorest residents.  

Group 1 went to Union Mission to experience life at a homeless shelter and serve the residents who seek refuge there each night.  We partnered with their ministry to serve Latino families with food for a week and clothing for the summer season.  We played with the mother's children to give them a much needed break while they searched for clothes for their family.

We spent the whole afternoon at the "Fishing School."  The Fishing School is a summer camp program for inner city kids that focuses on teaching them principles that will help them maintain employment throughout their lives.  We helped with both educational programs and outdoor games.  

Group 2 spent the morning at the "Wider Circle."  This is the ministry that provides furniture for people  who have recently left life on the streets and are trying to get into a home of their own.  They spent hours loading trucks that were headed out to help get people back on their feet.

In the afternoon they did their "Urban Plunge."  They ate dinner with a homeless man named Wayne. During their time together Wayne told them that he had be trying to relocate to Northern Virginia where he had the prospect of employment.  Our team helped Wayne obtain the necessary means to get to the other side of the Potomac.  

Group 3 was our first group this week to word with the elderly.  They spent the morning spending time with elderly people who were extremely excited about interacting with our young team.  I get especially excited about this type of work because I think the students can easily translate what they did with the elderly in DC to what they could do with the elderly in Williamsburg.  

They spent the afternoon working at a summer camp at a local church.  The energy and enthusiasm of our team is always high.  They are able to show up in any situation and create fun for the kids that are present.

Thursday is our last day in D.C.  Please pray that God will begin to press the lessons we have learned this week deep into our hearts as we prepare to go home and continue to serve Jesus in Williamsburg.

More to come...

NC Update - Day 3

God provided a beautiful and restful day for the NC Mission Team! Because the organization we work with, ReCreation Experiences, always has the work groups take Wednesdays off, we took the opportunity to explore the surrounding area, serve a local retirement home, and enjoy the beautiful views of the North Carolina mountains.

First, a recap of last night's activities. Porch time again went very well. The students have been attentive during the talks and have participated well during worship and small group time. God continues to make connections between students and their leaders during structured activities and free time.

This morning began as usual, with an early wake-up call, a solid breakfast, and a time of worship. After the worship, our group headed out to a local park to enjoy the morning and play capture the flag. After a few rounds, it was time to head over to the Brian Center, a retirement community located near downtown Weaverville. The students broke up into smaller groups and spent some time visiting with the residents, sharing stories, and re-filling bird feeders. Both the residents and the students were truly blessed by the experience.

After our visits, we ate lunch at the picnic tables outside and spent a little "Time Alone with God" (TAG), before again loading the buses and heading to our afternoon location. The team headed down the road a bit to Brevard, North Carolina to enjoy the fun of Sliding Rock, a natural water slide (with lifeguards, of course!) found off the side of the Blue Ridge Parkway. After a few runs down the slide into some pretty chilly water, the team went a few miles down the mountain to Looking Glass Falls where a few brave souls waded in the cold water, while the rest of the group marveled at their bravery and the beauty around us.

After the Falls, we took pizza up to an overlook spot on the Blue Ridge Parkway to enjoy a gorgeous view of the mountains. While at the overlook site, we sang a few worship songs and had our Porch Time talk with our most beautiful background yet. After the talk, the team loaded up the buses and headed back to ReCreation headquarters for showers, small group time, and some free time before bed (lights out in 15 minutes!!). It's been a full day, and the students are excited to continue work on the septic systems tomorrow. We are almost finished with all the ditches and are hoping to install the pipes/tanks tomorrow. Please continue to pray for safety in travels and on the work site. We truly believe your prayers have made a big impact on our experience!

DC Team Update #3

God blessed the Washington DC mission team with another full and fruitful day.  Again we had several groups going to do ministry in a variety of settings.  I will do my best to include details from all the group projects.

Our first group set out in the morning to work with a ministry called, "The Wider Circle."  This ministry provides furniture for families who are transitioning from living in homeless shelters into homes of their one.  We put furniture together, picked up donated furniture and searched the University of Maryland campus for mattresses the office of residence life was giving away.  With every mattress we found, the representative from the organization would say, "that is one less kid sleeping on the floor."  The passion of our team was met with equal passion from the staff at The Wider Circle.

In the afternoon we began really engaging in the lives of kids in DC.  We worked in a summer camp program hosted by a local church.  I use the term camp very loosely.  This program was under-staffed and severely underfunded.  The staff was over joyed to see our team show up.  We were able to give them a much needed break by playing with the kids all afternoon long.  We even taught the kids a song or two.  One of the songs we taught was called, "Do You Love Your Jesus?"  To hear their little voices shout, "yes I love my Jesus, deep down in my heart" was the sweetest sound I have heard all week.  

The second group did their Urban Plunge this afternoon.  The Urban Plunge puts you right in the center of poverty and asks you to get to know the faces of homelessness first hand.  Our team came back with great stories of learning about poverty first hand as well as sharing their faith with the people with whom they also shared a meal.

The third group went back to a day care center where they had worked a day earlier.  They did such a great job building relationships the day before, they were able to jump right in and continue the good work God had already started.  Their were reports of the team remember every kids name at the center and many of the kids remembering the team member's names as well.  God has blessed our team with the ability to build wonderful relationships in short periods of time.  However, what an even greater blessing to be able to spend extra time taking those relationships to an even deeper level.

We ended the day with Porch Time on the steps of the National Cathedral.  It was wonderful to sit in the shadows of such a grand building, but still realize that God lives in our hearts and not in man made structures, no matter how ornate or beautiful.

We are looking forward to seeing God show up on Wednesday.  Continue to pray that we would have eyes to see and ears to hear all that God is doing around us on this trip.

More to come...

NC Update - Day 2

The Lord has blessed us with wonderful weather for the first half of our week in the mountains of North Carolina, and our team continues to work hard and build relationships.

Last night's "porch time," our daily debrief and Bible study time, went extremely well. Students eagerly worshipped, identified places where they saw Jesus throughout the day, and listened attentively to the evening message. After a final prayer, each grade and gender separated for some small group time. After small groups, students and leaders spent some time relaxing at our housing site, building relationships with each other, and meeting new friends from different teams across the region.

This morning, as we do every morning, we started off the day with breakfast, a high energy worship session (while "Porch Time" is something that we do as just a Chapel team, the morning program is put on by ReCreation Experiences and includes all groups that are here for the week), and a brief talk about servanthood and what it means to wash each others' feet. After the program, the teams loaded up the buses and headed back to our work site for another day of digging.

Yesterday, many students had expressed interest in meeting some of the families we are serving this week, and today we got the opportunity to meet several of the women and one of the men who live in the three houses we're working on. Many students got to chat with the ladies, ask questions about life up here in the NC mountains, and build relationships with them.

We also began work on the third and final house today. We are currently working on approximately 12 trenches, and our supervisors say that we're ahead of schedule. After all the hard work, we're excited about a "day off" tomorrow. During our day off we will be serving at a local retirement home, and then exploring some of the beautiful scenery that this region has to offer.

We just finished dinner and have a little bit of free time now before our second "Porch Time" begins. Students are currently using this time to shower, rest, journal, and enjoy each other's company. Tomorrow's post will likely come a little later in the evening (closer to 10pm), after our adventures in the Asheville area.

Please continue to pray for safety, that we would be rejuvenated during our day off and able to come back to the work site with strength and determination to finish. You can also pray for relationships to deepen: relationships between students and their friends, relationships between kids and their leaders, relationships between our team and the people we are serving, and (most importantly) the students' relationships with Jesus!