Friday, July 25, 2014

MS Norfolk Trip Day #2 - 7.25.14

Our first full day on the Norfolk trip was filled with wonderful moments and memories.  After breakfast the team headed out to the Union Mission Ministries homeless shelter.  We all gathered in the Chapel at the homeless shelter where Linda Jones, Public Relations Director, told us about the history and purpose of Union Mission Ministries.  We learned about what causes homelessness and how the shelter seeks to help people get back on their feet financially, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  It is not a long-term shelter and so their goal is to see every resident actually leave the shelter and live on their own once again.  After sharing about Union Mission, Linda let the Norfolk team ask any questions they might have.  It was really special to watch multiple hands shoot up as the team wanted to know more about homelessness.  They wanted to know how the shelter helped the residents and how other people could help homeless people that they encounter.  After the Q&A time, Linda led the team on a tour around the shelter.  She showed the team where they sort donations, run a thrift store, and house people that come to the shelter.  It was great for the team to be exposed to some of the "least" in this world that God calls us to help and love.

Next, the team headed to a local park for lunch and some wiffleball!  After lunch, the team headed to their second service site, a nursing home called Consulate Health Care.  Upon arrival the team went into the cafeteria where the residents had already gathered for Bingo!  This is one of the residents favorite activities and so the Norfolk team split up into groups of 3 or 4 and sat down at the tables with the residents.  Some residents required assistance to hear what was called, some needed help marking the called numbers, and all of them were excited to have young kids as company during the game.  God worked through the entire team as they were willing to sit for an hour and half playing and talking to the residents while they played Bingo.  They pushed through any discomfort and fears they may have had in order to make the afternoon a special one for the residents at Consulate.  Once Bingo ended, the team said goodbye to everyone they met and they headed back to the buses.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the beach together enjoying some sweet fellowship outside on a gorgeous day in VA Beach.  It was great to see the team unity that has come from the shared experiences from the day.  Everyone was playing games together and it was great to see the team enjoying some good clean fun.  The team ate dinner on the beach and then headed back to Spring Branch for some free time and porch time.

During porch time, Luke spoke about the ideas of competition and compassion.  He talked about how our competitive nature often can lead us to becoming self-centered and to break our communication with Jesus.  Instead, God calls us to be compassionate towards others by focusing on their needs without expecting anything in return.  The team finished the night in small groups where everyone had the opportunity to debrief all they had experienced today and think about where they struggle with competition versus compassion.  It truly has been a blessed day and we look forward to our final serving site tomorrow morning and afternoon at the Park Place Child Life Center.

 

MS Norfolk Trip Day #1 - 7.24.14

This is the fourth year that we have taken a group of 6th graders (rising 7th graders) down to Norfolk/VA Beach for a mission trip.  This trip is intended to introduce the kids to the idea and importance of mission trips.  We will expose them to different kinds of poverty in our Hampton Roads community and give them opportunities to wrestle with what God might be telling them.  The trip began as we all gathered at the Chapel to check-in and get ready to leave.  We gathered in a circle to send the team off in prayer and then we loaded up the buses and headed down to our housing site in VA Beach, Spring Branch Community Church.  Spring Branch has become a close partner to the Chapel in many ways over the years.  Not only is Travis Simone's father the lead pastor of Spring Branch, but the Chapel has also partnered with them for conferences, youth retreats, and staff retreats.  Spring Branch has a really cool student area with a room where the Norfolk team can hangout with video games, a pool table, foosball tables, and couches.  Thus, upon arrival, the entire Norfolk team was super excited to enjoy some pizza and free time with all these fun activities.

After getting settled and enjoying some sweet fellowship, the team gathered for their first "porch time."  Porch time is our evening gathering, which we have on every Chapel mission trip, and its purpose is to take time to remember moments from the day, sing worship songs, and listen to a talk that helps us process our experience.  For the Norfolk team, this was most of the team's first ever porch time and it was beautiful to watch them sing songs to God and diligently take notes as Luke talked from Luke 10 about why we go on mission trips and how to get the most out of our time in Norfolk.  Luke 10:1-17 is the story of when Jesus sends out 72 of his followers on their own mission trip.  Jesus specifically says that he is sending them out "like lambs among wolves."  Luke talked about how Jesus purposefully intends for us to try new things that may cause discomfort or fear, like a lamb would feel near a wolf.  However, Luke challenged the team to not to let discomfort or fear keep them from doing the things that God wants them to do.  Instead we need to be willing to trust God and let God use us even if we are hesitant to act.

Finally, we ended the night with small groups.  It was great to have an opportunity to pause and begin conversations that will carry through the whole weekend about God.  Please continue to pray that every kid would take the opportunity to ask a question they've always wanted to ask or open up in a new way that might allow them to deepen their relationship with God.  It has been a wonderful first evening of the trip and the entire team is excited to start serving tomorrow.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Final Norfolk Meeting - 7.15.14

We had our final Norfolk meeting on Tuesday, July 15th.  The meeting was split into two parts.  During the first hour Luke finished the pre-trip bible study on Elijah.  We have been studying Elijah's encounter with God as a model for how we should be on the lookout for the presence of God during our trip to Norfolk, VA.  He looked at 1 Kings 19:13-18 to show what happened after Elijah's encounter with God.  Elijah still had the same verbal response to God's question, What are you doing here?, but Elijah's actions showed that he had learned something because he obeyed God and went back the way he had came.  Furthermore, God showed Elijah that he was not alone and that he should not try to follow God's plan alone either.  After Luke's teaching, the team split into small groups and looked at the questions below.

Small Group Questions

During the second half of the meeting, the team split up into four groups and each group was given two random household items that they had to use to create a competition.  As a group they were given ten minutes to create the competition and then they presented it to the rest of the group and got volunteers to try it out.  Some of the leaders judged all of the competitions to determine which group worked together the best, was the most creative, and presented the game the best.  The goal of this fun exercise was to build team unity as well as have the team get used to playing/leading games because we will be doing a lot of games with people down in Norfolk.

Finally, just a final reminder that we are leaving at 5pm on Thursday, July 24th.  Please try to meet in the SM Worship Room by 4:30pm on Thursday to check-in and get packed up.  We are planning to return by 5pm on Saturday, July 26th.  Below is the packing list for the trip.

Packing List

Saturday, July 12, 2014

SERVING DAY 5 (NASHVILLE TEAM)


What an awesome day to end our experience here in Nashville! As we mentioned in yesterday's post, tonight's post will be brief/general so that the staff team can focus on preparing to leave tomorrow and on getting the most rest possible before our drive to Williamsburg.

One of the biggest highlights of the day for each serving group was getting to go back to the YMCAs/camps that we've each been working with all week to say goodbye to the children we have come to know and love. It's amazing how strong the bonds we've formed are: bonds between our team and the kids, as well as bonds between small groups and leaders. Many other acts of kindness and tangible displays of God's love took place today at other serving sites, too. Everyone put in their full effort to finish strong and have the most possible impact here in the Music City. It truly is inspiring to look back and think about all that’s been accomplished here in just one week!

After our final full day of service, the entire team had the opportunity to go to the Nashville Sounds AAA baseball game to end the week with a celebration. We enjoyed all-you-can-eat food (hot dogs, burgers, BBQ, sides, and dessert) on the outfield porch, and had an incredible time cheering and enjoying each other's company throughout the game. After a victory for the home team, we capped off the evening with a great fireworks display at the stadium before heading back to the housing site for bed. We feel so blessed to have been a part of this entire experience, and can’t wait to get back to tell you all more in person.

Our plan for tomorrow (Saturday) is to leave at approximately 8am (Nashville-time). We hope to be back in Williamsburg around 9pm, but will send updates via the text list whenever we stop for a meal and when we get close.  If you would like to add yourself to the text list, simply text the word NASHPARENT to the number 41411. This will be our final blog post for the trip.

Once more, thank you all for your prayers and your support.  We hope you’ll plan to join us for the Student Ministries Missions Experience on Sunday, August 3rd to hear a full report from the trip. See you then!

Friday, July 11, 2014

NC Mission Trip Day #6 - 7.11.14

Today was our final full day here in Weaverville, NC.  We ate breakfast, joined together in prayer with all of the other groups, and then headed immediately to the work site.  We didn't have morning worship because we wanted to have as much time as possible at the work site and ReCreation Experience does their final day of worship at night rather in the morning to finish with a celebration together.

We arrived at Mrs. Clubb's house ready to work with an extra hour of time to finish as much as we could. The first thing we did was to all gather around Mrs. Clubbs house and sing Happy Birthday to her son, Kenneth, who turned 25 today.  We gave him a cookie cake and made sure he knew that we were thinking about him on his birthday. After working for a few hours a local engineer visited our site to check on the work and make sure it was being done properly and he immediately commented about the amount of work we had done.  He had stopped by on Wednesday, during our day-off, and then when he came back today he was surprised to see how much more we had done.  Only through God's empowering strength were a group of 12-14 year olds able to impress a licensed engineer.  At the end of the day the NC team completed all of the painting on Mrs. Clubb's trailer, completely finished one of the 160 foot long trenches and got about halfway through the other one.  It was truly a spectacular sight for everyone that drove by or stopped to see what we were doing.

After completing our week of work, we headed back to the ReCreation headquarters for dinner and an evening of praise and worship to God.  ReCreation grilled out hotdogs and hamburgers for us with sides of macaroni cheese and baked beans.  It was definitely everyone's favorite meal of the week which was great to end on.  Then all of the team's gathered for a time of worship and reflection with the ReCreation Staff.  We praised God for all that had been done and watched a slideshow of pictures that recapped all of the projects happening around the area this past week.  Some teams built porches, fixed roofs, painted walls, and of course we dug.  God accomplished a lot this past week and it was a privilege to be a part of it.

Finally, we gathered for our team's final porch time out back around a fire.  We sang our favorite songs from the week and Luke finished the story of Elijah that we had begun during our pre-trip training meetings.  Elijah felt burnt out and alone. So, when God told Elijah to go back the way he had come he also gave him explicit instructions to surround himself with people to help him.  So, Luke talked about the importance of having others to partner with us on our faith journey.  We can't do it alone!  Then the team split into their small groups and had some amazing final moments together. Every small group went for at least an hour with some lasting a couple hours.  God has been stirring up things in the lives of everyone on this trip and it was great to have the opportunity to discuss and reflect on those things.

To God be the Glory, Great Things He has Done!

Thanks for keeping up with us throughout the week and we look forward to seeing you all tomorrow evening around 5:30pm.

Please be sure to sign up on our text list to recieved periodic updates on our travel progress.  To sign up you just text the word NCPARENT to 41411.

SERVING DAY 4 (NASVHILLE TEAM)


Another day, and another day of Gods beautiful plan playing out exactly as He constructs it. Day four provided some great opportunities for our serving groups to once again live out scripture in awesome ways. We started off with a devotional from Luke 21:1-4 titled Giving. The focus was on what sacrifices we could make during the day to further serve the communities we’re encountering in Nashville.   

Serving Group 1:
After morning devotionals, Group 1 headed back to the to YCAP for another fun-filled day with the kids that they have been getting to know all week.  The team spent the first part of the morning with free time where they played a lot of basketball as well as cards, soccer, and ping-pong. Then they went into their family groups where they had rotated each day this week.  The kids have begun to really connect with our students and relationships have formed. After leaving YCAP and having lunch, the group went to Nashville Cares, an organization dedicated to the education and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the Middle Tennessee area. The group learned about the diseases and about the women whom they will be helping serve tomorrow through the Nashville Cares Community Outreach Program.  Group 1 next went downtown to participate in “Beat the Heat,” an activity which involved searching for those in need and handing out ice-cold water to them.  They carried the hope of starting conversations and hearing stories of those with whom they shared the water. After leaving downtown, Group 1 went to Sitar Indian Cuisine for dinner before returning to the housing site for porch time.

Serving Group 2:
Group 2 also began their day with devotionals and then went to serve at the Isaiah 58 Feeding Center.  The food center is a soup kitchen where Group 2 helped with food prep and cleaning tasks while partnering with another visiting team.   After serving some of the guests at the feeding center, the group helped load a food truck going to a nearby neighborhood.  When they were finished loading the truck, several students in the group helped lead worship with the feeding center’s worship leader for a little post-breakfast entertainment. The group continued to meet and get to know some of the guests at the feeding center and then cleaned up from breakfast and headed to Magnus Potter Boys and Girls Club.  At Magnus Potter, Group 2 had a blast playing in the gym with the kids.  After gym time, they all went to an ice cream social with Front Porch Ministries and then headed back to Magus Potter and watched a movie with the kids. After leaving Magnus Potter, Group 2 went to Istanbul Restaurant where they ate Turkish, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean foods.  After a delicious meal, Group 2 headed back to the housing site for Porch Time.

Serving Group 3:
Group 3 started their day off at the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls club once again. Both the group and the kids at the center have really enjoyed starting their days together this week. Throughout the week, Group 3 has exhibited an amazing amount of flexibility during their service, and today was no exception. Kick ball, pool, ping-pong, computer games, dance offs and X Box kept everyone busy. Our group also humbly and joyfully volunteered for the dirtier jobs of cleaning bathrooms and mopping the gym floor.  After lunch, Group 3 left Andrew Jackson and went to End Slavery Tennessee, where they heard a message on modern day slavery that goes on in the United States, specifically right here in Nashville. Group 3 then went to a local neighborhood to help the End Slavery Tennessee organization spread awareness by hanging door tags and talking to people about what is going on.  End Slavery Tennessee’s mission is to empower people through raising awareness, and so our kids participated in carrying this out.  The hope is that it contributes to stopping human trafficking altogether.
Group 3 also finished the day with “Beat the Heat,” which involved the simple act of walking around downtown and handing out ice-cold water. It was fun to find people working in the heat of the day, the homeless, and others in downtown Nashville who were all refreshed by what the group had to offer. After dinner at Sitar Indian Cuisine with Group 1, Group 3 closed with porch time and small group discussions.

Serving Group 4:
Group 4 dove into the day with devotionals with a passage from Luke 19 and then traveled to Catholic Charity Ministries to serve for the morning. The CCM leader-Wendi, who is an amazing servant of The Lord-explained that the purpose of the warehouse they work out of is to serve international refugees seeking America and what the country has to offer. The goal at CCM was to provide job skills, financial training, English literacy, and other workforce related tasks. The group met with some of the refugees before lunch and then headed to Shelby Park for a quick lunch. The group then traveled to Trinity Lane Baptist Church for the second to last day of kids’ camp. Upon arrival, Allyson, the camp coordinator, informed us that a long time community member had passed away earlier in the week. The funeral costs for the family were more than expected, so the camp quickly turned into a fundraising operation to help cover some of the costs. The camp set up a car wash and sold bracelets to those who showed up/passed by. By the end of the day, just under $300 dollars was raised for the cherished congregation member. For a church that receives just $1,500 a month in tithes, $300 in one day was an amazing testament to Gods faithfulness to his kingdom in times of great need. The group left the ministry site and ate at Sweet's-a southern soul food restaurant. The night ended with a fantastic porch time and extended small groups.

Serving Group 5:
Group 5 had the opportunity to go to Lexington Garden this morning. The team helped re-stake parts of the garden, as well as put up new stakes on many plants. Your children also watered the entire garden, cleaned up all the extra materials, took out the trash, and sorted them into different categories/areas (wire/metal fencing, wood, bamboo, plastic, etc.).  Several of the boys in the group were able to help a resident build and put up a fence to border the garden. The team’s final task this morning was to pick up debris piles around the apartment complex using wheel barrows. It was certainly a morning filled with lots of manual labor, and the team was committed 100% to the tasks at hand. There was another missions team at Lexington Gardens today (this group was from Austin, Texas), and it was neat to see the students sharing jobs and space with other teens who are also committed to living out their faith. Everyone collaborated well, and it was good to see such a huge impact in such a small space.
After lunch, Group 5 again returned to the N.I.C.E. camp for refugee children, which was the same place the group visited on Tuesday afternoon. Since our team had already established relationships with the kids from N.I.C.E earlier in the week, the group found the children more willing to open up. Not only that, but our students also found that their familiarity helped them understand their roles better, which then allowed them to engage in even more effective ways with the kids. The afternoon at N.I.C.E ended with an exciting game of soccer outside in the beautiful weather. For dinner, Group 5 headed to Swett’s for some southern soul food!


After dinner, each team met back at the housing site to get ready for our final Porch Time. Because we have a fun activity planned for Friday night, this (Thursday) evening was our culminating experience for the trip. After a call to worship from Psalm 100, we dove right into an extended song set, praising God for all the He has done in us and through us this week. After worship, Hawley brought us the evening’s message from 1 Kings 19, reminding us of our pre-trip studies of Elijah’s encounter with God, and finishing the story with God’s call to Elijah to “go back the way you came.” God also told Elijah to anoint two kings and another prophet to partner with him as he lived out God’s call back home. After the message, we had a chance to respond by burning cards on which we had written (during the overnight training meeting) things that have been holding us back from living out God’s call on our lives. After burning the cards, each person wrote out the names of three people whom they hope will support them and walk with them (like Kings and Prophets) as they return to Williamsburg. It was a beautiful evening, and God’s presence could be felt in a tangible way.
After Porch Time, everyone went to their separate small groups to continue the great conversation before bed.

Thank you again for all of your prayers throughout the week.

***Because we have a fun night out planned for tomorrow, AND because the staff/leaders want to get the most rest possible before our drive back on Saturday, we will only post a very short blog entry tomorrow (Friday) night for you to read on Saturday. We look forward to sharing most of the stories from Friday when we get home on Saturday night!

Thursday, July 10, 2014

NC Mission Trip Day #5 - 7.10.14

Today's schedule was very similar to Tuesday's.  The team woke up, ate breakfast, sang worship songs, and listened to a morning devotional that challenged the team to serve like Jesus did.  With that challenge in mind we headed out to our serving sites for the day.  The 7th graders spent the morning at the local MANNA food bank and sorted rice just like the 8th graders had done on Tuesday.  Once again they formed an assembly line where they packaged another 2,000 pounds of rice.  The MANNA site has provided a nice change of pace for everyone, so that they can engage in serving the community in ways other than digging and painting.  The 7th graders joined back up with the 8th graders for lunch and an afternoon at the digging work site.  We had the opportunity to meet Brenda Clubb's mother who lives up the hill a little way.  We learned that she suffers from Parkinson's Disease, but she was so grateful for the work we were doing to help her daughter.  Also, we had the privilege of meeting Brenda's neighbor that lives in another trailer above Brenda.  She has been living alone ever since her husband passed away a few years ago, and she cherished the opportunity to have some company to talk to.  These two interactions showed how the NC team has been sharing God's love not only with Brenda, but the entire community that lives near Brenda.  It has been a beautiful picture of the body of Christ at work.

Today our work was cut a little short because ut poured rain for about 45 minutes while we were at the work site and filled our trenches with water.  So, we headed back to our housing site early and were able to have a little extra rest time before dinner, which was nice.  After dinner and an epic game of soccer against one of the other groups staying here at ReCreation Experience, the NC team gathered for porch time.  Tonight, Philippe Warren, who has been a leader on this trip for the past 6 years, gave the evening talk.  He gave us some great thoughts on the question: Why does God allow suffering to occur?  He used the story of the man born blind in John 9:1-11 in order to answer this question.  Jesus tells the people listening to him that this man was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him. Philippe used this to tell everyone that one of the most important truths to understand is that even in the midst of suffering God is present and working.  Philippe ended by challenging everyone to be a light in this world in the midst of suffering knowing that even the most horrific suffering inflicted on Jesus was used for the ultimate salvation for people.

After porch time, the team ended the evening in small groups.  Philippe's talk hit a nerve in a lot of people because suffering is something that we can all relate to and we all have wondered how God could let things happen.  So it was great to be able to immediately process these ideas in small group. It has been a wonderful day of witnessing God at work here in North Carolina and we look forward to finishing strong tomorrow on our final day at the work site.

SERVING DAY 3 (NASHVILLE)


Day three was just as awesome as the past two have been here in Nashville.  This morning’s devotional was on Luke 19:1-10 and was titled “Rethink”.  It encouraged the team to focus on repentance as a form of rethinking how we approach our faith.  As always, we cannot fit everything that happened into a blog post, but below is a recap of our day:

Today each group had the opportunity to participate in an activity called Urban Exposure.  The object of this activity was to expose our students to some of the poverty, homelessness, and other issues that exists in Nashville.  The groups were given the assignment to either pack an extra lunch or they were given 5 dollars to meet a need of one of the homeless people they encountered.  This experience was very impactful for all of the groups as it was a way for them to not only be the hands and feet of Christ, but also see Jesus where the world tells us He shouldn’t be. 

Serving Group 1:
After morning devotionals, Group 1 excitedly headed back to YCAP as they continued to foster relationships with the kids at the summer camp. The kids were just as excited to see them return!  The team spent much of the morning playing basketball, volleyball, four square, and various other games.  After free play, the kids split into what they call “family groups,” and Group 1 accompanied them to their different learning stations.  As the kids at the camp learned about various skills like cooking, lifetime sports, and dance, Group 1 was with them to learn and keep the good times rolling.  After saying goodbye to the kids at YCAP, Group 1 headed into downtown Nashville for the Urban Exposure activity.  The group really enjoyed this activity as it gave them an opportunity to engage on a personal level with the homeless of the city.  Group 1 reflected at the end of the activity on the steps of the capitol building as they looked out at the cityscape and talked about the poverty that they had just experienced first hand.  Group 1 then headed back to the housing site to meet back with the rest of the missions trip for dinner, porch time, small groups and bed.

Serving Group 2:
Group 2 began their morning with their devotions before heading out to Loaves and Fishes, a local soup kitchen that feeds over 145 people per day. The group helped in many different ways such as washing dishes, serving coffee and other beverages, and cleaning the floors and bathrooms. As the guests ate their meals, the team got to spend time talking with them and learning more about the challenges they face here in the city. Following lunch with the guests that came, the team got to debrief with Jeff, one of the volunteers, and learned about the goal of Loaves and Fishes: to feed the hungry. It was a refreshing encounter to witness the Christ-like service at the kitchen and compare it with Jesus’s own experience as He met the physical needs of those around him before the spiritual. Next, Group 2 set out for their Urban Exposure activity.  They really enjoyed praying over the city that they had the chance to explore and investigate this afternoon, especially praying for those homeless men and women that they had the opportunity to meet.  After the exposure activity, Group 2 went back to the housing site for dinner, porch time, small groups and bed. 

Serving Group 3:
The Boys and Girls club was once again the first destination for Group 3. The team was able to help put the kids through some athletic exercises and helped them plant individual gardens with a variety of different vegetables in egg cartons. Today was all about prepping their "gardens," and tomorrow each kid will have a chance to plant and eventually take home their creations. These mini gardens are meant to be an environmental experiment and to help get the kids excited about eating healthy.
After working with the kids in the morning, the team embarked upon the Urban Exposure. They started by eating lunch with Barry, a man who has been homeless for 35 years. The group got to talk to him for a while about Nashville, the city’s history, and the realities for homeless people in the city. Group 5 also had the chance to walk up to the top of a large parking garage to pray for Nashville and the people of the city. To finish their experience, the team sat and listened to a group of street performers before asking them questions about their time in Nashville. Finally, everyone went to a local boot store and tried on all sorts of fun footwear before heading back to the housing site for dinner.

Serving Group 4:
Like the rest of the groups, Team 4’s day started off with devotionals in Luke 19. Then the group started the Urban Exposure for the morning. One goal for the day was to meet a need for one of the many people encountered throughout the day. Additionally, this was an effort to allow the Lord’s spirit to lead each group to where God wanted the group to serve a need in the Nashville community. For Group 4, this looked like buying food for the homeless and musicians on the streets. The total experience was three hours of walking around downtown and interacting with a wide variety of people. On the bus home, the group did high/lows of the experience and it was the first time for many of the kids that they felt a "tangible" difference being made while here in Nashville. After finishing with Urban Exposure, the group traveled back to Trinity Community Camp where they have spent each afternoon this week. The group has solidified many relationships with the children at the camp. A highlight for the group was hearing from one of the camp leaders, Nate, speaking about his experience with the surrounding community.  Nate explained that most of the kid’s parents are dealing with substance abuse issue, which had a tremendous impact on the group. To watch Nate and the kids have full hearts each and every day even when they have every reason to be discouraged inspired the entire group. The group came back to the housing site for a Mexican style dinner, porch time, and small groups.

Serving Group 5:
Group 5 started off the day with their devotionals and then headed to Fifty Forward, which is an elderly day care where patrons have a place to spend the day while their families are at work.  The group spent some time getting to know many of the elderly there, as well as led a time of entertainment where Group 5 united their voices in a time of worship alongside the patrons.  After worshiping, the group continued to form relationships with the elderly patrons by doing crosswords, playing cards, and other activities before being serenaded by a 104-year-old man playing the harmonica.  After leaving Fifty Forward, Group 5 headed into downtown Nashville to participate in their Urban Exposure activity.  Group 5 had a huge take away from the activity, as they were able to see three homeless people that they had served on Monday at Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen.  It was amazing for the group to experience the love of Christ coming from Nashville’s homeless, as heading into the Exposure activity the group had been focused on sharing that same love to them.  After the activity, Group 5 headed back to the housing site to meet up with the rest of the missions team for dinner, porch time small groups and bed.

At Porch Time tonight, Lex spoke about the Parable of the Great Banquet, and encouraged everyone to accept God’s invitation and experience life to the full, not just here in Nashville, but back home in Williamsburg, too. Small groups brought out some great discussion before everyone headed to bed to rest up for another full serving day tomorrow. While we’ve only really been in Nashville for three days, it’s incredible to see the impact that Jesus is already having on the group as we serve Him here in this city. Please pray for our Porch Time Thursday night, as it will be our last official Porch Time for the trip. Please pray that God shows up in big ways and starts to seal some of these amazing lessons into our hearts.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

NC Mission Trip Day #4 - 7.9.14

Today was the NC team's day-off from their normally scheduled work projects.  It was an opportunity to rejuvenate for the final two days of digging and painting that will close out the week tomorrow and Friday.  After breakfast the NC team went to a local nursing home in Weaverville, NC called the Brian Rehabilitation Center.  It houses residents with needs ranging from physical therapy to Alzheimers. The NC team split up into smaller groups in order to tackle multiple projects at once.  One team of guys weeded a garden that had been completely overgrown.  Another team picked up trash.  These two teams eventually finished their clean-up projects and joined everyone else inside who were visiting with residents at the Brian Center.  It was amazing to watch groups of 12-14 year olds be willing to break through the intitial awkwardness of interacting with these residents and show them compassion.  Some played board games, some visited in bedrooms, and some sang songs to Alzheimer patients.  The entire building was abuzz with new energy that not only brought love to the patients, but also encouraged the staff.  The activities director was so grateful for our help that she surprised the team with a cookout.  She provided hot dogs, chips, homemade lemonade and tea.  The whole team was thankful to have something other than PB&J or turkey sandwiches for lunch.

After leaving the Brian Center, the NC team headed up to a natural water slide called Sliding Rock.  It is located in the Pisgah National Forest and has become a tourist favorite in North Carolina.  It is a rock that has rushing water over it and so as you sit down the water propels you down into a open pool of water at the bottom.  It was great to enjoy one of God's natural wonders in the world even if the water was freezing cold.  Since it was a cooler day today and there was a light drizzle at times, the team didn't spend the whole afternoon at Sliding Rock.  Instead we got to have some relaxation time by going to watch Rio 2 as a team at a really cool discount theater in Asheville.  The team enjoyed the opportunity to just sit and relax for a couple hours.

To close out the day the team headed to a super sweet porch time location: Megan May's family barn.  Megan's family owns a barn where that is open on the bottom floor and perfect for a large group to gather.  However, the team's favorite sight at the barn were the six pigs that the May family raises outside of their barn.  There were many pictures taken with the pigs and lots of food fed to the pigs, which ended up being a unique and fun experience.  After the team had their fill of time with the pigs they headed inside the barn for a pizza dinner, worship songs, and a talk by Megan May.  Megan shared some stories about the distractions she faced on mission trips that she had been on when she was younger and talked about the shame that some of these distractions led to in her life.  Megan ended by reading Matthew 11:28-30 and told the team that theses verses have been a huge comfort to her and has helped her face many of the distractions in her life that can often pull her away from God.  It was a very important message for the NC team as their are so many things that can distract them from God's presence on a daily basis.

The team finished porch time, said goodbye to the Mays and their pigs, and headed back to ReCreation Experience's headquarters for bedtime.  It was a wonderful day-off and definitely helped the team rejuvenate so that we can finish strong on our final two days at our work site!  Stay tuned tomorrow for the details of our return to the work site.

SERVING DAY #2 (NASHVILLE TEAM)


It’s been another incredible day here in the Music City! The devotional for this morning was from Luke 5:1-11, where the team was encouraged to continue to “put out into deep waters” as we serve this week. While a few paragraphs just can’t do the trip justice, below is a recap of each group’s activities for the day.

Group 1:
After morning devotionals, Group 1 returned to YCAP to reconnect with the kids they began building relationships with yesterday. It was fun to see the children light up as the team returned to engage with them again.  The team took the kids from YCAP to a community garden called Crop City where everyone got to learn about the importance of healthy eating and the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources. The staff at Crop City helped get everyone engaged through their creative use of games and competition. After saying goodbye to the YCAP kids, Group 1 headed to a local park to eat lunch.
After lunch, Group 1 went to Welcome Home, a halfway house for men recovering from alcoholism and drug addictions. The team was able to serve the community at Welcome Home by cleaning out a storage area that was in desperate need of a refreshing! This organization is truly a light to some of the “least” and “last” within the community, and it was a privilege to be able to partner with them to serve in such a tangible way. For dinner, Group 1 met up with Group 2 and Group 5 at the International Market Thai Restaurant to enjoy a delicious meal together before heading back to the housing site.

Group 2:
Group 2 had a busy morning, which began at the Salvation Army’s mobile feeding ministry. The mobile feeding ministry serves hot breakfasts to homeless people in the area, and is able to impact a large number of men, women, and children because of its ability to be in so many locations. After serving breakfast and spending time with some of the guests, the team took a little time to complete their devotionals before heading to their second site for the morning, Community Care. Community Care is one of Nashville’s few day shelters. For homeless men, women, and children. The team made themselves available to serve in several ways, such as washing windows, organizing storage areas, sweeping and moping the floors, serving lunch, washing dishes, and spending time building relationships with the guests. Group 2 really dove into all the work with great attitudes and servant hearts, no matter what the task.
After breaking for lunch, Group 2 returned to Magnus Potter Boys & Girls Club to reconnect with the children there. The first activity was dodgeball, which was a ton of fun for everyone. After the organized game, there was free time to do several different activities and to continue building relationships with the kids. Even snack time proved to be an opportunity to get to know one another and to realize that, while our differences on the surface may seem significant, there are so many other ways that we are truly connected. For dinner, Group 2 met up with Group 1 and Group 5 to enjoy some delicious Thai food at the International Market Thai Restaurant.

Group 3:
To start their morning, Group 3 got up and processed through today’s devotionals that were in Luke 5:1-11 and worked through the questions prepared.  The group then headed out for Andrew Jackson Boy and Girls Club to help with the enrichment program there.  Group 3 helped the kids look up important individuals on the internet, learn a few facts about them, then draw a picture of them as their morning project.  Other components involved group exercise, team building exercises, and art projects.  Our students impressed the staff at the Boys and Girls club to the point that they huddled our students together in order to let them know how our group was so involved and invested, that they saw a change in the kids behavior and excitement to be there each day.  It was a special moment. 
Group 3 ate lunch at the local farmers market and then walked to Bi-Centennial Park to hang out and catch some rest.  They then drove out to a suburb of Nashville to Cole Elementary School, a low-income school, in order to help them with summer organization.   The team sorted through shelves, reorganized closets, painted and re-organized classrooms, and worked to re-order storage spaces.  The work was challenging, but because of the commitment and dedication of the group there was a ton energy, excitement and fun that went into completing the tasks.
Group 3 closed out the day with dinner at Thai Kitchen.  They did an awesome job!

Group 4:
Lexington Gardens was Group 4’s first stop of the day.  Lexington Gardens is a low income-housing complex for people who are at risk of falling into the criminal justice system but who are trying to build themselves back up before that happens. The goal of the group’s visit was to weed and clean up a garden on the property. This community garden is designed to create self-sustaining food for the local residents. This garden is very important to the community here because much of this area can be described as a “food desert” due to a lack of affordable fresh produce and supermarkets in the area.  The team spent most of their time weeding the corn and pepper garden plot.  Everyone felt excited to be able to contribute in such a practical and much-needed way to a community with so much need.
After lunch, Group 4 returned to Trinity Community Camp to reconnect with the kids they had built relationships with yesterday. The team once again assisted with crafts, played games, helped with reading and homework, and led a devotional for the children. With such bonds already starting to form between Group 4 and the kids at the camp, the team can’t wait to see all that Jesus is going to do through these relationships as the week progresses!
For dinner, Group 4 got to experience Sitar Indian restaurant as they continue to expand their horizons in so many ways on this trip.

Group 5:
Group 5 spent the morning working in a garden with an organization called the Nashville Food Project. The food from the garden goes to feed the homeless once a week. Before the team arrived, the garden supervisor (Christina) did not realize a group was coming today, and she was slightly overwhelmed by all the work that had to be done. When Group 5 showed up, they were truly an answer to her prayers! The team worked hard tending the plants and performing other tasks around the area. Everyone had great attitudes as they completed their assignments with joy.
In the afternoon, Group 5 partnered with an organization called N.I.C.E, a community-based organization dedicated to empowering refugees and immigrants through social services and educational programs. While at N.I.C.E., the team helped the refugee kids with their English lessons and played games designed to teach them important skills like vocabulary and grammar. The kids the group is working with are refugees from Egypt, most of whom came to the United States due to religious persecution. To be able to not only teach these kids important skills but to also demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way was a truly fulfilling and meaningful experience for all. After the lessons, Group 5 also got to play soccer with the children before it was time to say goodbye for the day. Group 5 will get to return to N.I.C.E. on Thursday to once again engage with the kids here.
For dinner, Group 5 joined up with Group 1 and Group 2 at the International Market Thai Restaurant.

At the end of the day, all the teams reconnected at the housing site for a little rest/hang out time before Porch Time. At Porch Time tonight, the good times were rolling, as many funny stories were shared during Remember That Time. Your children also had incredible perspectives on how Jesus has made his presence known in tangible ways, and many of those moments were shared during our “I Saw Jesus” time. After a great worship set, Hawley spoke to the team about Incarnational Ministry, reminding us that, as we feed, serve, and love the least of these, we are doing it to and for Jesus. He encouraged everyone to continue to be conduits of God’s light and love, and to let His love flow through us and energize us as we serve. We are so excited for another full serving day tomorrow and to see all that God has in store for us. Please continue to pray for God to work in us and through us this entire week.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

NC Mission Trip Day #3 - 7.8.2014

Day 3 began the same way as Day 2 with breakfast, high energy worship songs, and a devotional thought by one of the ReCreation Staff members named Dave.  After the morning activities, we headed out for our second day of serving.  The team split in half for the morning and went to two different serving sites. One group consisted of all the 7th graders and they headed back to the digging and painting site that we began yesterday.  It was inspiring to watch the 7th graders jump immediately back into the work we had begun yesterday without any hesitation.  They were excited to prove that they were just as good of diggers as the 8th graders.  About ten of the 7th graders continued the painting project on Mrs. Clubb's trailer.  We are priming the exterior of her entire trailer and the 7th graders continued priming by working on the back side of her trailer.  The rest of the 7th graders continued digging the two trenches.  Today we focused a lot of our energy on squaring the pipelines to the correct dimensions as well as breaking up rocks that were in the way of our trench digging.

All of the 8th graders spent the morning at a local MANNA food bank that provides food for local organizations who distribute that food to the homeless and low income families in the area.  They had a brief orientation by one of the staff members at MANNA to hear about how the organization seeks to battle the hunger of needy people in their area.  The team was impressed by the gentleman giving the orientation because it was obvious that he was very passionate about the mission of MANNA and his role in that mission. The 8th graders sorted 2,000 lbs of rice into separate bags by forming an assembly line.  Each person had a specific job as the rice got passed down and they worked together to complete a "ton" of work.  The 8th graders headed back to our digging site for lunch in the afternoon.

Together the whole team worked hard in the afternoon and left the site feeling accomplished about all they had completed.  The most exciting news of the day came when we found out that the charges for having an improper sanitation system against Mrs. Brenda Clubb were dropped by the judge today.  Our team was the catalyst for the judge recognizing that Brenda was taking steps to fix her sanitation problem, and so we got to witness God saving Brenda's home and property through out hard work!

After working, eating dinner, and having some free time, the team gathered for porch time in which Luke spoke on the difference between competition and compassion.  He looked at Mark 9:33-41 and discussed how the disciples got caught up in their competitive spirit which led them away from recognizing opportunities for compassion around them.  God calls us to compassion rather than competition, and Luke challenged the team to be on the lookout for opportunities to show compassion.

It has been a great day and tomorrow the team gets a day-off from going to the digging site and will spend the morning visiting a local nursing home followed by some fun activities in the afternoon.  Please check back tomorrow for more updates on the trip!

SERVING DAY #1

What an amazing way to start our week long adventure! We had a blast serving the community here today and God has already shown up in some incredible ways already in Nashville!

Our team split into 5 serving groups and each one had a different day (as will happen each day), filled with serving opportunities.  Each morning before starting our day of serving, each group will spend some devotional time together in the booklets we provide for them to really set the tone for the day. Our devotionals track through passages out of the Gospel of Luke, so you could read along with us if you like.  This morning we were in Luke 2:6-7, Luke 4:16-21, and finally Luke 6:17-26.  God has been and will be working in our lives and the lives of all the people we will serve throughout the week.  After Devotional time, the groups head to different locations before meeting up at night for Porch Time, our daily gathering where we debrief the day and open God's Word together.  We share funny stories during "Remember that Time" beautiful and wonderful moments where we saw Jesus, and then times of worship, a talk from God's word, and small group discussion. 

Each Serving Group went on a prayer tour of the city of Nashville, directed by our CSM leaders where they witnessed ways in which God has been working here.  They also were directed to some of the areas of the city where God's presence is still needed and had the opportunity to join together as serving groups to pray for throughout the city of Nashville, for the city of Nashville.  They prayed not only that God would work through our missions team this week, but that His presence would be felt here for some time to come.

Serving Group 1:

 Serving Group 1 headed out this morning to the YCAP - YMCA where they hold a four week long summer camp for middle school aged students from the local community.  After spending some free time playing basketball, four square, and soccer as the students gathered for the camp, the group lead a game time, during which many rounds of dodgeball were played.  This morning of games and spending time with the campers was an amazing opportunity for Group 1 to engage and really act out the love of Christ in a way that comes so naturally to them.  After dodgeball, a few members of the group lead a short devotional for the campers and then engaged further with them as the group was assigned to be leaders within "family groups".  During this time Group 1 got to know a smaller grouping of campers, who they look forward to spending time with and getting to know more as Group 1 returns to YCAP each morning for the rest of the week. After lunch, Group 1 left YCAP and went to End Slavery Tennessee, where they heard a message on modern day slavery that goes on in the United States, specifically in Tennessee and right here in Nashville.  Group 1 then went to a local neighborhood to help the End Slavery Tennessee organization spread awareness of what is going on locally.  Next Group 1 went on their prayer tour of Nashville, where they really were in awe of the amazing history of the city and how looking back, God's presence can easily be seen.  After the prayer tour, Group 1 met up with Group 4 for dinner at Istanbul Restaurant where they ate Turkish, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods.  After a delicious meal, Group 1 headed back to the housing site for Porch Time and small groups before heading to bed.

Serving Group 2:

Serving Group 2 left from their Devotional Time to go to Catholic Charities, which is a warehouse and manufacturing facility that exists as a place where refugees can come and have a place to work and be trained at a skill.  The facility also has apartments where the refugees can be housed until they are able to assimilate into American Society.  Group 2 assisted on an assembly line for the production of a variety of goods that are produced by Catholic Charities.  After lunch, the group headed to Magnus Potter, Boys and Girls Club where kids ranging from elementary to middle school aged were ready to great them with a friendly game of dodgeball! After dodgeball, Group 2 led a game of Jeopardy for the kids as a way to keep them learning and engaging with some form of education over the summer.  After the more educational time was finished, the group got to invest with the kids on a more personal level during some free time where they played a variety of games including basketball, football, computer games and even did some hula hooping.  After an afternoon of fun with the kids at the Magnus Potter, Group 2 left to go on their prayer tour where they really enjoyed the stop at the Tennessee Titans statdium where they compared the presence of God in the stadium to the presence at the Juvenile Detention Center that is right across the street.  It was powerful for them to see that the differences among us that seem huge, are of no consequence to God.  After the prayer tour Group 2 went to Swett's for dinner, a local southern cooking restaurant where they enjoyed some of the fine local cuisine that Nashville has to offer.  Group 2 then met up with the rest of the missions team for Porch Time and small groups before heading to bed.

Serving Group 3:

Group 3 headed to a local soup kitchen run by the Temple church here in Nashville.  They served roughly 100-150 people daily for lunch.  When group 3 arrived, they were first served a lunch from the food they would prepare to serve our guests.  They then broke into teams, some to welcome, some the serve in the kitchen, some to handle being servers, and some to visit with those who are eating.  The kids heard people's stories, asked them about their lives, and many were inspired by the words of encouragement they ended up receiving from the grateful guests.  The team did an awesome job treating those who came as people, as valued, as true guests, when so often they are forgotten, pushed aside, or left alone. 
For the second half of the day, group 3 spent time with 200 students at the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls Club.  These kids have ENERGY!  Ping Pong, Xbox Live, Basketball, Computers, Arts and Crafts, Wiffle Ball, pool, checkers, jump rope, tag, and board games.  Our group was amazing and relentless.  They served and loved and cheered for these kids as they played so much.  It was inspiring.  Jesus and his spirit allowed us great opportunities to begin relationship with the kids, and they welcomed us with such joy!  We look forward to spending time there each day to continue to love and value these children. 
Group 3 ended with a prayer tour of Nashville, dinner at Swett's Soul Food, and porch time.

Serving Group 4:

Serving Group 4 started off their day on the prayer tour of Nashville.  The group talked about a picture of wind filling sails and how the prayer tour for them felt as if God was filling their sails for the day ahead of them.  So, feeling full of the Spirit, Group 4 went to the Trinity Community Camp where they helped facilitate a summer camp for kids ranging from pre-k to 8th grade.  They lead the kids in an hour of free time games, playing a lot of basketball, board games, and a number of other fun activities! The group spent the next few hours doing crafts that were being given to a local nursing home as a gift for its residents, as well as taking some time to devote to learning and enforcing the idea that learning doesn't stop when school does.  After the educational learning, they led a devotional thought on the fruits of the spirit.  The emphasis of this teaching was that God has given everyone gifts and that each of us has something to bring to our community.  Reenforcing this type of thinking helps the kids to realize that they are an important part of the community around them and that but recognizing that bringing everyone's gifts together will bring the community together.  After leaving Trinity Community Camp, Group 4 went to meet Group 1 at Istanbul Restaurant where they enjoyed the Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Turkish meal.  After dinner, Group 4 met back up at the housing site with the rest of the team where we all heard a great talk, experienced God through a time of worship and talked about how we had seen God throughout the day before going to bed.

Serving Group 5:

Group 5 started their day with our trip devotionals to begin engaging with what God has to say to us as we serve the people of Nashville.  They then set out to serve at "Loaves and Fishes" soup kitchen.  The team spent extra amounts of time just sitting and being with so many who came in their need.  It was wonderful to hear reports of the dignity and respect that was conveyed in the conversations that took place.  30% of the guests typically are homeless, while 70% of the people come from the surrounding projects, many with children and families.  The team then ate alongside the guests, and again served by cleaning all tables, trays, plates, and re-setting the room for the next day.   They swept, mopped, stacked chairs, and all else necessary to completely clean up afterward.  The kids were champs in their love and care for the guests and the kitchen itself!
After cleanup, the staff came and sat with the team to share more of their stories and how and why they choose to work at the kitchen.  This was a great relational time with them after serving as a team with those who are there daily. 
Group 5 then traveled the city on the prayer tour and the students in this group were proactive in each location, all taking time to lead the team in prayer for the variety of things.  They finished with eating Thai food with watermelon and ice cream for dessert.  A solid day for group 5.

As you can see, DAY 1 was PACKED! Many went all out and will need every minute of rest tonight to be able to serve again tomorrow!  Please pray for rest, for energy, and for supernatural dedication to the job God has blessed us with this week.  Thank you for your prayers, for your support, and we as a team are empowered by all you do for us!  Check back tomorrow!


Monday, July 7, 2014

North Carolina Team Day #2 - 7.7.2014

Today was our first full day here in the blue ridge mountains of North Carolina.  The day began with breakfast and worship alongside the other churches here this week and the ReCreation Experience team.  The ReCreation team loves to start the day with a lot of energy and motivation for the day.  We sang worship songs and listened to one of the ReCreation staff members give a devotional thought for the day as we headed out.  He encouraged us to stand firm in our faith and know that God calls to live differently than the world does.  This call to act differently was then lived out as we headed out to our work site to begin digging and painting.  We were introduced to Brenda Clubb who lives in a trailer up on a hill in the mountains of North Carolina.  She is married to Carl and they have two kids. Kenneth lives in the trailer with them and their daughter lives somewhere else.  The opportunity to serve a very sweet lady and her family became an extra motivation for the team as we began the work.  About 15 girls decided to begin painting the family's trailer while everyone else began digging two 160 foot long trenches.  Each trench had to be a foot wide and 18 inches deep.  It was inspiring and impressive to watch a group of 13 and 14 year olds give so sacrificially to help a family that they had just met that day.

After a full day's work digging painting the team headed back to the ReCreation headquarters where they showered, ate dinner and had some free time.  People were playing soccer, basketball, four square, signs, cards, and many other community building activities during free time.  It was great to watch the team be able to not only work hard together but also have fun together.  After free time, the entire team gathered together for our first "Porch Time."  This is our nightly gathering where we reminisce about the day, sing worship songs, and listen to a talk that is meant to help the team process the trip thus far.  Tonight, Luke kicked things off by looking at the passage in Luke 10 where Jesus sends 72 followers out on their own mission trip.  He challenged them to think about why Jesus would send people out "like lambs among wolves."  He dug deep into things that could "devour" us and keep us from encountering God on this trip.  He finished by talking about how our purpose on this trip is to "heal the sick and tell them that the Kingdom of God is near" and how the resulting emotion that the 72 and we will feel is joy.

To end the evening everyone split up into small groups to dive a little deeper into the things that may be "devouring" us and keeping us from recognizing what God is trying to teach and show us.  It was a wonderful first night of small group in which your kids began to wrestle with the things that God is challenging them with.

Tomorrow we will be heading back to our digging site, but half of our group will also be spending the morning at the local MANNA food bank.  So, check back tomorrow for more stories about all that God is doing.  Also, don't forget we have the parent prayer meeting tomorrow evening at 7pm in room 156.

Nashville Team Has Arrived!

We made it! All five vans stayed together throughout the whole twelve hour drive from Williamsburg to Nashville.  We made a total of 4 stops, one for lunch and dinner and only two bathroom breaks... an achievement by itself! The kids enjoyed jamming out to all their favorite songs, getting to know each other thru random questions and games, finding out how beautiful the mountains of Va and Tn really are, and sharing a little about what they're most excited about for the week. 

We arrived at 9pm central time and the Nashville CSM team was very welcoming as we arrived and helped us get settled.  Lots of energy in the room despite the 12 hrs in vans.  We are staying in Eastland Baptist Church in the East Side of Nashville, the CSM home site.  Center for Student Mission is here in Nashville year round keeping a pulse on the city, building relationships with the ministries of our serving sites, and improving opportunity for groups like us to have maximum impact.  They provide the connection between us and the local organizations and ministries who need man power to run throughout the summer.  This is our chance to be the hands and feet of Christ.  We hope and pray for a great day tomorrow!

 We are all tired from the day's travel, but are going to sleep tonight full of excitement for what God has in store for our team tomorrow.  We will break into 5 serving groups tomorrow and have the opportunity to serve doing a wide spectrum of things:  Serve food to those staying at a shelter and share a meal with them, play with kids in a summer camp program, take a tour of Nashville and pray for the need that exists here, and also learn more about the history of the city.  It will be action packed with great opportunities to serve and connect with people who are in need. 

Check back tomorrow for another update!

Sunday, July 6, 2014

North Carolina Team Day #1 - 7.6.14

Our trip began at the Chapel with a wonderful time of prayer together as the body of Christ.  It was a beautiful picture to see families holding hands with other families as the North Carolina (NC) team was sent down to the small town of Weaverville, NC.  Weaverville is right outside of Asheville, NC and we are staying at an old school building that has been turned into the Recreation Experiences headquarters.  Recreation Experiences mission is to share their Christian faith through home repair.  To that end, we will be doing a large digging project this year.  We learned that we are going to be digging septic pipelines and a septic tank hold for a lady that lives in a trailer.  She was actually arrested because her property was not up to proper sanitation code.  Her court date is this Tuesday and so she will be out taking picture tomorrow to show the court that she is in the process of fixing the sanitation process.  You all can pray that we are able to help her save her house and allow her to keep living in her home.  It is going to be an exciting project that the entire team is ready to be a part of starting tomorrow morning.

We had a smooth day of travel and it is always great to have seven hours of intentional bonding time on the buses and van.  It was great to already hear stories from leaders about conversations they are starting to have with their small group kids and to watch the kids get to know each other better as well.  We look forward to watching these relationships grow and watch God work through as the week continues on.  However, that's it for Day 1, but we will be up bright and early for breakfast and morning worship.  Then we head straight to our first day at the work site.

Be sure to check back again tomorrow for another update!

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Nashville Team Final Reminders

We are so excited to depart on Sunday for our high school mission trip to Nashville, TN. Here are a few final reminders to make sure your child has an awesome experience.

Schedule/Travel/$$ Reminders:

  • We will meet at the Chapel in the Student Ministries Worship Room on Sunday, July 6th at 8am! We plan to leave by 8:30am, and will not be able to wait for any late-comers. Please be sure to get there on time.
  • We plan to stop for lunch and dinner on the way TO and FROM Nashville. Please make sure your child has enough money for food on the way there and back. Students can also pack a lunch to eat on the way there, if they desire. There may be an opportunity to purchase souvenirs while in Nashville, so your child may want to bring money for that, as well.
Packing Reminders
  • Attached you will find the Checklist/Packing List from the final team meeting. Please make sure to use that as your child is packing for the trip.
  • Please note: some serving sites will require students to wear PANTS to be able to serve. Please make sure to pack a pair of pants, or your child will be unable to participate. The same can be said for CLOSED-TOE SHOES.
  • LONG SHORTS are also a requirement. Running shorts are NOT allowed at serving sites. If you are not wearing the appropriate attire, the CSM staff will ask you to change or not allow you to serve. For ladies in particular, please make sure to pack longer shorts (the closer to the knee, the better!). (If you are having trouble finding them, Lex just saw some for sale at Belk's. They're in the workout section in the back right for about $10 a pair.)
  • TANK TOPS are NOT allowed at any serving sites. Please just pack t-shirts for the trip, since those are always an appropriate option.
  • Other items to make sure you remember: a towel, a sleeping bag OR twin sheets, a bible, toiletries, and a water bottle.
  • Please try to pack LIGHT, as we will be taking 15-passenger vans without much cargo space. Try to limit your luggage to one medium-sized bag, a sleeping bag, and a small "carry on" bag for in the bus. 
If you have any questions, text Hawley (215-498-1928) or Lex (919-260-0719). We can't wait to see all God does in us and through us in Nashville!


Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Nicaragua Team Update - Wednesday, June 24, 2014

After a restful night’s sleep, breakfast was served at the top of the resort, giving us a beautiful view of the landscape and the lagoon. Right after breakfast, everyone headed back to their villa to begin their second debrief small group. In these small group times, we review our pre-trip trainings, as well as discuss how God has appeared to us on this trip and how we want these experiences to impact our lives back home in Williamsburg. After small group, each student was asked to write a letter to their future selves. These letters will be sent to them in a few months to serve as a reminder, an encouragement, and a continuation of the call to serve.

At 12:30pm, the team gathered down by the lagoon for lunch. With another gorgeous backdrop, we enjoyed a delicious meal (burgers and French fries, along with a vegetarian option) and shared some sweet fellowship together. The students had free time between lunch and dinner in which they could swim in the lagoon or pool, rest, or continue processing their trip by completing devotions or talking with their leaders.

We all met once again for dinner at the same lagoon-side location. After everyone had eaten and a team picture had been taken, we headed to our final Porch Time in Nicaragua. With a light breeze blowing and the sound of the waves in the background, the team worshipped God and sang praises to Him for all that was accomplished on this trip. Hawley delivered a powerful message, finishing our study of Elijah. After Elijah’s encounter with God on Mount Horeb, God tells him, “Go back the way you came.” We, too, must go back to live out God’s call on our lives. Hawley encouraged everyone to “anoint” two kings and a prophet, just like Elijah did, to come alongside each of us as we live out our callings. We finished our Porch Time with a final experience (burning the cards on which we had written things that were holding us back from following God’s call, then writing down the names of the “kings” and “prophet” we hope to partner with when we return) and another worship song. God’s presence could truly be felt tonight in our experience together. Finally, the group headed back to their rooms for our last small group of the trip.  After some late-night fellowship at the pool, it was time to head to bed so that we can catch our flight tomorrow morning.

Our flight is scheduled to depart at 7:44am Nicaragua time (we are two hours behind Williamsburg). We will send a text just before we take off, and will continue to send travel updates via text messages. Once again, if you have not yet signed up to receive text updates but would like to do so, please text the word NICAPARENT to the number 41411. We expect to be back at the Chapel around 9pm on Wednesday, June 25th.


Thank you all so much for all of your prayers over the last 8 days! God has truly shown up in some incredible ways, and we look forward to continuing to process the trip with all of you when we return.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Nicaragua Team Update - Monday, June 23, 2014

Today was a wonderful way to finish our time serving here in Nicaragua! We began the day with yet another delicious breakfast prepared by Pastor Oscar and his team. After packing up all of our stuff and loading the bus, the group got to visit the houses of three different families who are a part of Oscar’s church in Somoto and who benefit from the feeding center there. The group was amazed to hear the story of Ana, a young woman who, inspired by the feeding center at the church, opened up her home to serve as a second feeding center in the area. Almost 50 children, after singing and dancing to praise music, eat lunch in Ana’s house five days a week. To see her serve with such passion and to open up her home so sacrificially was a lesson on service that the team will never forget. After lunch, the kids sang “Happy Birthday” to one of our team members, and every child gave the birthday girl a big hug! Ana’s house was truly filled with joy this morning, and so was our team.

After saying goodbye to the kids at Ana’s house, the team traveled back to Oscar’s church inside the city to serve lunch at that feeding center, too. Once again, the kids were excited to sing “Happy Birthday,” and Pastor Oscar brought out two large cakes – one for the birthday girl and one for Hawley to celebrate Father’s Day in Nicaragua (which was this past Sunday). The kindness and generosity of Oscar, his family, and his church leadership team has been contagious and reminds us of the paradoxical truths we find in scripture: while we were the ones who came down here to serve, we feel like WE are also the ones who have received so, so much in return.

Once the cake was finished, it was time to say goodbye to Oscar and his family and start the journey to our final destination, the debrief site, where we will process all that God has done through us and in us on this trip. With a stop for dinner on the way, we made it to the resort with just enough time to start our post-trip small group study before it was time to head to bed.
Tomorrow we will be at the debrief site all day participating in small groups, reflecting on God’s Word, enjoying His creation, and experiencing our final Porch Time together. Please pray for God to seal these lessons into our hearts and that the result of this trip would be nothing short of life transformation for each participant.

Tuesday night (or Wednesday morning, by the time you read it) will be our last full-length blog post for the trip. As we travel home on Wednesday, we will send updates via text message. If you would like to receive those travel updates but have not yet signed up to receive text messages, please text the word NICAPARENT to the number 41411.


Once again, thank you so much for all of your prayers. We are excited to process the trip tomorrow, but also excited to get to share stories with everyone in person. Buenos noches! (Goodnight!)

Nicaragua Team Update - Sunday, June 22, 2014

Happy Sunday from Somoto! After a restful night, the team spent the morning worshipping with Pastor Oscar and his church. It was incredible to see them praise God with such passion and joy: dancing, clapping, and singing to a mixture of English and Spanish songs. Hawley delivered a message for the adult service about Elijah and the lessons our students have been learning on the trip. Lex and her team led the children’s church with a lesson on the fruits of the Spirit and the importance of prayer, finishing with crafts to help the kids visually remember God’s love for them. It’s mornings like these where it seems like we get a preview of heaven, when people of all different backgrounds and cultures can praise our Creator together as one.

Following church, we came back to our housing site in Somoto for lunch with Pastor Oscar and his staff. The team had a great time meeting the church leaders and hearing about the roles they play as they minister to the people of Somoto. Since our team site is conveniently located just outside a national park in a beautiful valley with plenty of space for outdoor recreation, the children from the feeding center in Somoto joined us for an afternoon full of outdoor activities. The team had fun playing soccer, throwing Frisbees and paper airplanes, coloring, and making new Nicaraguan friends. After we said “adios” to the kids, we made it back to our houses just in time to escape a refreshing rainstorm.

After a full day of service, the team gathered for a delicious dinner and an enriching Porch Time. Lex spoke from John 21 and encouraged the team to continue to demonstrate their love for Jesus by “feeding his sheep,” both in Nicaragua and back in the States. Tomorrow will be our last serving day before heading to the Debrief. We are excited to see what God has planned as we continue to work alongside Pastor Oscar and his church. Thanks so much for all your support and prayers!



Saturday, June 21, 2014

Nicaragua Team Update - Saturday, June 21, 2014

Today was a total FIESTA (“PARTY,” in English)! After another great breakfast from our housing site, we loaded everything onto the bus and began the process of saying goodbye in Leon. Our first stop was Las Chacaras to say “adios” to Pastor Ricardo and the children from his church. The entire team put on a “graduation” celebration, providing encouragement to the kids who had come to the hygiene training sessions that previous two days. The little ceremony consisted of a welcome, a speech from an esteemed guest (one of the team members who pretended to be a famous celebrity), and a prayer. Each child’s name was called, and they proudly came up to receive their graduation toothbrush as the team hummed “Pomp and Circumstance” and clapped for each kid. We finished by encouraging the children to take what they have learned and to become ambassadors for health and hygiene in their community. After the ceremony, the team served lunch to the kids before giving some good bye hugs and loading up the bus.

With a brief stop at the local supermarket, the group purchased cake and ice cream to bring to their next goodbye party at Verbo Leon. But today, instead of serving the children, our group had the honor of serving and loving the church’s staff team and key adult volunteers. Nicaraguans and Americans sat together on picnic tables outside as we shared a delicious meal. With the help of our translators, we were able to thank and encourage the youth staff, the pastor, and the women who serve in the feeding center. Once everyone had finished eating, the team played a few games with our Nicaraguan friends before finishing the fiesta with a piñata, cake, and ice cream. Once again, goodbye hugs were shared, and the team loaded up the bus to depart Leon. After a very brief stop at the local market, the journey to Somoto began.

After arriving in Somoto and being greeted by Pastor Oscar, the team settled into their new housing site. For tonight’s Porch Time, our three volunteer leaders/intern (Margaret, Tim, and Tommy) each shared a little bit about what God has been teaching them here in Nicaragua. They challenged each of us as they shared from the heart. What a privilege it is to serve alongside these leaders!

We are excited to join Pastor Oscar at his church tomorrow morning to worship God, and to begin serving the children here in Somoto. Please continue to pray for health, for safety, and for God’s love and light to shine through us.


Nicaragua Team Update - Friday, June 20, 2014

Today was packed full of so many fun and exciting opportunities to serve Jesus, and the team did an awesome job of taking advantage of each chance God put in front of them. Once again the group split into two separate teams to serve at both Verbo Leon and Las Chacaras. The Verbo Leon team returned to complete their painting and cleaning projects in the morning, braving the sun to serve in such tangible ways. After filling countless garbage bags and finishing some trim work on the painting project, the Verbo team headed back to the church to serve lunch to the children at the feeding center. It’s been a joy to see so many meaningful relationships grow in such a short period of time. After finishing their own lunches, the Verbo group started the second day of VBS, teaching the children about the importance of prayer and how God really wants to connect with them. As part of the craft to help the kids remember the lesson, your sons and daughters got down on the ground to help the Nicaraguan children trace their hands onto construction paper. What a sight to see . . . our team literally getting on the kids’ level to serve them and teach them about God’s love! A smaller section of this group also continued the discipleship training they started yesterday, helping these young Nicaraguan leaders grow in both their skills and their own faith.

Meanwhile, the team at Las Chacaras began their morning by continuing the Health and Hygiene training at the local school, instructing the children on the importance of washing their hands. The team had even written an original song to help the kids remember the lesson. It was heart-warming to think that the things the kids are learning can really have an impact on their health and future. After the training session, the Las Chacaras team helped serve a nutritious meal to the children at the feeding center before eating their own lunches together. Afternoon activities at Las Chacaras consisted of soccer, tag, and other fun games with the kids. Jump rope was also a big hit. Just like the Verbo group, the team at Las Chacaras has also developed many significant connections with the children in the community, overcoming the communication barriers through the international languages of service and love. Once the afternoon activities were finished, the Chacaras team picked up the Verbo team to get a little rest before the evening event.

After heading back to the hotel for a brief rest and dinner, the entire team returned to Verbo Leon to pick up a group of kids from the church and take them to enjoy a fun night of devotion and competition. The packed bus found its way to a local sports center, which our group had rented out to host the kids. The team and the children all sang a worship song together and then listened to the youth group leader from Verbo Leon give a brief devotional thought about God’s love in our lives. After the lesson was finished, the soccer competition began. The first game was between the younger Nicaraguan kids and the ladies on the Chapel team. Despite a valiant effort on our girls’ behalf, the home team had the advantage and came away with the win. Next, it was the guys’ turn to take on the older Nicaraguan boys. A packed grandstand cheered them on as the epic battle raged. But once again, home field advantage proved to be too much to overcome, and the guys fell to the Nicaraguan powerhouse. Who needs to watch the World Cup when you have incredible opportunities like this to have fun AND serve Jesus in the process! The night was a huge success, and the joy on the bus ride home was tangible and made the team feel truly alive.

Once back to Verbo Leon, the team gave many goodbye hugs as they dropped off the children. After returning to the housing site, everyone gathered around for tonight’s Porch Time. Lex shared a message about “The Secret of the Poor,” encouraging us to live a life of compassion instead of competition. We finished the evening with what we like to call “sweet fellowship,” enjoying each other’s company as we finished winding down for the day.


Tomorrow (Saturday) will be our final day in Leon. Please pray that God would continue to give us energy to serve faithfully, that we would be filled with joy, and that our travels to Somoto tomorrow afternoon would be safe. Buenos noches!