We had a great day here in the Norfolk/Va Beach area, which started this morning with breakfast together and an excitement for what God had in store for us! Our first stop after leaving Spring Branch was to Union Mission Ministries. They are a multifaceted organization that provide housing on their campus for both men and women, a thrift store, donation warehouse and career advisers for homeless men and women who they are working with to get into more permanent housing. We had the opportunity to meet with one of the directors of Union Mission, Miss Linda and she spoke with our team about homelessness and what Union Mission is striving to do about it. We presented her with all of our donations and she showed us where they would be taken, the process for who would receive them and some of the rest of their campus.
After leaving Union, we headed to a nearby park to have lunch. After lunch we went to Consulate Healthcare Center where we were able to spend some time with some of their patients there. They are mostly elderly and/or disabled men and women who can't always do things on their own, or have people to do things with. The team paired up with residents in order to double their chances at winning bingo. Our students were able to witness the intensity that is elderly bingo! After playing, we joined the residents for some refreshments and the chance to get to know them a little better. Our team thrived in what could have been an uncomfortable situation, forming instant bonds with the residents.
We were sad to leave them, but after our goodbyes we went to the beach where we did some team bonding, followed by dinner. Once everyone had eaten, we went back to Spring Branch for our second Porch Time of the trip. We reminisced on the day during Porch Time's staple segments called "Remember That Time" and "I Saw Jesus" where we remember the funny things that happened during the day, but also where we saw God at work on the trip. After worship, Nick spoke on why our faith looks and feels different when we are on trips like this than it does at home. We looked at a passage in John 11 where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, but before he does Lazarus's sisters Mary and Martha each react differently to Jesus' arrival. Mary acts quickly, rising up and going out. Martha initially goes out, but questions Jesus, allows some doubt to control her. We spoke about how as we look to tomorrow where we will be heading home, we will be faced with a decision: to allow what we experienced on the trip to change us and let our faith control us or let in any fears that we may have. We continued these talks in small groups and then are heading to bed soon, excited to finish out our trip well tomorrow!
Friday, July 22, 2016
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Norfolk Night #1 - 7.21.16
The Norfolk team started our trip this afternoon by having a great drive down to VA Beach! It was great to watch as the team immediately
began to bond on our car ride down I-64. There was no complaining about
the traffic, but instead the extra time in the cars was used to have great conversations and sing! As a result, spirits were high
as we made it to our housing site, Spring Branch Community Church, and
settled into our home for the next two nights. Spring Branch is led by
Travis Simone's father Pastor Michael Simone, and we have had a
wonderful partnership with them for many years. One of our favorite
things about the church is their youth room where they have game consoles, a pool
table, a Foosball table and a great space for our team to hang out. The whole
team was super excited to see all the fun things Spring Branch has to
offer!
After dinner and some free time playing games we began what was for most of the team their first ever "Porch Time." Porch Time comes from the old days on Nicaragua trip where the teams would spend the evening on an actual porch and talk about where they had seen God at work during the day and we use the same title for all of the nightly meetings on every Student Ministry mission trip. Tonight, Nick spoke on the idea of "being sent." We looked at Jacob, the biblical character we studied in our meetings before the trip and how before all of the things that we learned about with him and Esau, he too had been sent somewhere by God. We also looked in Luke 10 where Jesus sends out the 72 and how they took nothing with them so they could avoid being distracted and take all of the opportunities to serve and learn about God that were set before them. After the talk, we split up and had our first small group time where we continued discussing the idea of being sent and where we could look for opportunities in our time down here. After small groups, the Norfolk Team headed to bed excited to see how God was going to show up tomorrow!
*If you aren't already on it, you can sign up for the text list by texting "norfolkparent" to 41411. This is how we will communicate our eta for the way home and give short updates throughout the trip.
After dinner and some free time playing games we began what was for most of the team their first ever "Porch Time." Porch Time comes from the old days on Nicaragua trip where the teams would spend the evening on an actual porch and talk about where they had seen God at work during the day and we use the same title for all of the nightly meetings on every Student Ministry mission trip. Tonight, Nick spoke on the idea of "being sent." We looked at Jacob, the biblical character we studied in our meetings before the trip and how before all of the things that we learned about with him and Esau, he too had been sent somewhere by God. We also looked in Luke 10 where Jesus sends out the 72 and how they took nothing with them so they could avoid being distracted and take all of the opportunities to serve and learn about God that were set before them. After the talk, we split up and had our first small group time where we continued discussing the idea of being sent and where we could look for opportunities in our time down here. After small groups, the Norfolk Team headed to bed excited to see how God was going to show up tomorrow!
*If you aren't already on it, you can sign up for the text list by texting "norfolkparent" to 41411. This is how we will communicate our eta for the way home and give short updates throughout the trip.
Norfolk Mission Trip Packing List and Departure Time
Just a reminder to please meet at the Chapel at 4pm in the SM Worship Room.
Here is a link to the packing list if you still need it:
Packing List
Here is a link to the packing list if you still need it:
Packing List
Friday, July 15, 2016
Nashville, Day 6 - July 15, 2016
Sorry to have missed you yesterday! We had our Porch Time off-site at the amphitheater in Bicentennial Park; a very cool atmosphere for our final time to really reflect and hopefully seal in what God may have had in store of us this week. Luke spoke on Jacob and really wanted to address how Jacob was fearful of his brother arriving with a fleet after he had stolen Esau's blessing. Before the trip, students were asked to write down some of their fears in life (popularity, performance in school or sports, growing up expectations, pressures, etc.) and there was an opportunity to symbolically surrender those fears as they burned up those pieces of paper while the song "No Longer Slaves" was sung in the background. That song announces that we no longer slaves to fear, but rather, we are children of God. With small groups afterwards, we got back to the church site just a little later than usual and went straight to bed after a long day of serving. View a quick "hello" and "thank you" from Luke and the team here: https://vimeo.com/174737209/b2b2d60b34
Today, briefly (as we're about to set sail for dinner and line dancing!):
Morning - Groups 1, 3: Each team went to the the Boys and Girls Club that they had visited throughout the entire week. Playing, instructing, and modeling good behavior for the kids has been a great experience as we sought to serve the staff at these camps. I know one group performed a skit on how to be "caring," and afterwards was able to share that our performance does not define our days, or who we are, but rather that how we care for one another determines the type of days we experience and the lives we lead. It has been so much fun to serve at these sites.
Morning - Group 2: This group went to Operation Stand Down this morning. They went to sort clothes and organize home furniture that will eventually be for sale in a thrift store that supports veterans. While less relational work, that physical labor can be incredibly gratifying as you know that sometimes God really just needs able hands and feet to work. While we may not know who exactly will benefit from the donated items or the proceeds, we know we were able to offer what we could to an organization that has been here before our arrival, and will be here after! That's been a great lesson this week as we continue to learn that this trip is not just about us, although we do have time and talents to give, but that there is an element to empowering those who are here on a daily basis to really impact those in need on a daily basis.
Afternoon - Groups 1, 2, 3: All three groups met up at Loaves and Fishes. This is put on by Catholic Charities, and people from all over the community come and receive a variety of donated groceries. We were able to assist by having some of us form an assembly line that would hand out whatever item they had. And others were able to assist by carrying the box that contained each item has the recipient walked down the line. The people that received these donations were so happy and grateful for us, it put everyone in great moods! There was no complaining about what sorts of food were available or how much we were able to give them; it was just thankfulness.
Group 4 - This team went to Round Table this morning! They helped do laundry, washing towels and bed sheets for this homeless organization. They then had their Urban Exposure. This is an activity that CSM challenges us to engage in. We go down town with an extra packed lunch and find someone who looks like they could benefit from it. Sitting down with him/her, we eat lunch. It's not all that complicated a task, but engaging with homeless people can be intimidating or overwhelming. We ask where they're from, how long they've been in the city, what they like most/least about living here, etc. It's always interesting to hear someone else's story and to be able to offer them something as simple as a bagged lunch. The activity continues with various challenges, kind of like a scavenger hunt list, for us to imagine being homeless, ourselves. Where will we find water? A bathroom? A park? (Is there a city map?) Transportation? All of these are things we don't often need to think through, knowing the exact location of everything we could possibly need to survive, and knowing we have access to it whenever we want. So this is a unique challenge, accurately titled "Urban Exposure."
Group 5 - This team continued its service at the YMCA camp. With emotions comparable to those of Groups 1 and 3, it was their last day with kids they had spent the week with. It's difficult to capture the subtleties of a week spent with kids in a blog, but it's the persistent subtleties that inspire and transform. We hope we've been able to visit this city and persistently serve with joy, care, sincerity and gratitude. The way we are loved by Jesus is similar; it's persistent, steadfast, and yet easily overlooked, not always in plain sight. We're grateful for the staff who serve at these camps full time, able to be persistent in their commitment and care for the youth of Nashville. In the afternoon, this serving group went to Project C.U.R.E., a site visited by some of our other teams earlier in the week. This organization ships donated medical supplies to those who need it all over the world. It's a great organization that really impacts and enhances the lives of people who simply do not have the access to medical supplies and equipment that we do.
All teams are now at dinner, and will be line dancing later tonight! Will certainly be a fun a celebrate way to close the week. Current plan is to depart for Williamsburg around 8am tomorrow morning. If memory serves correctly, it was roughly 12 hours on the road a week ago, so a rough estimate would be to arrive at the Chapel around 9pm tomorrow (we'll drive through a time zone, so we'll lose an hour on the road). Of course, we'll text and update everyone as those plans gain clarity!
Today, briefly (as we're about to set sail for dinner and line dancing!):
Morning - Groups 1, 3: Each team went to the the Boys and Girls Club that they had visited throughout the entire week. Playing, instructing, and modeling good behavior for the kids has been a great experience as we sought to serve the staff at these camps. I know one group performed a skit on how to be "caring," and afterwards was able to share that our performance does not define our days, or who we are, but rather that how we care for one another determines the type of days we experience and the lives we lead. It has been so much fun to serve at these sites.
Morning - Group 2: This group went to Operation Stand Down this morning. They went to sort clothes and organize home furniture that will eventually be for sale in a thrift store that supports veterans. While less relational work, that physical labor can be incredibly gratifying as you know that sometimes God really just needs able hands and feet to work. While we may not know who exactly will benefit from the donated items or the proceeds, we know we were able to offer what we could to an organization that has been here before our arrival, and will be here after! That's been a great lesson this week as we continue to learn that this trip is not just about us, although we do have time and talents to give, but that there is an element to empowering those who are here on a daily basis to really impact those in need on a daily basis.
Afternoon - Groups 1, 2, 3: All three groups met up at Loaves and Fishes. This is put on by Catholic Charities, and people from all over the community come and receive a variety of donated groceries. We were able to assist by having some of us form an assembly line that would hand out whatever item they had. And others were able to assist by carrying the box that contained each item has the recipient walked down the line. The people that received these donations were so happy and grateful for us, it put everyone in great moods! There was no complaining about what sorts of food were available or how much we were able to give them; it was just thankfulness.
Group 4 - This team went to Round Table this morning! They helped do laundry, washing towels and bed sheets for this homeless organization. They then had their Urban Exposure. This is an activity that CSM challenges us to engage in. We go down town with an extra packed lunch and find someone who looks like they could benefit from it. Sitting down with him/her, we eat lunch. It's not all that complicated a task, but engaging with homeless people can be intimidating or overwhelming. We ask where they're from, how long they've been in the city, what they like most/least about living here, etc. It's always interesting to hear someone else's story and to be able to offer them something as simple as a bagged lunch. The activity continues with various challenges, kind of like a scavenger hunt list, for us to imagine being homeless, ourselves. Where will we find water? A bathroom? A park? (Is there a city map?) Transportation? All of these are things we don't often need to think through, knowing the exact location of everything we could possibly need to survive, and knowing we have access to it whenever we want. So this is a unique challenge, accurately titled "Urban Exposure."
Group 5 - This team continued its service at the YMCA camp. With emotions comparable to those of Groups 1 and 3, it was their last day with kids they had spent the week with. It's difficult to capture the subtleties of a week spent with kids in a blog, but it's the persistent subtleties that inspire and transform. We hope we've been able to visit this city and persistently serve with joy, care, sincerity and gratitude. The way we are loved by Jesus is similar; it's persistent, steadfast, and yet easily overlooked, not always in plain sight. We're grateful for the staff who serve at these camps full time, able to be persistent in their commitment and care for the youth of Nashville. In the afternoon, this serving group went to Project C.U.R.E., a site visited by some of our other teams earlier in the week. This organization ships donated medical supplies to those who need it all over the world. It's a great organization that really impacts and enhances the lives of people who simply do not have the access to medical supplies and equipment that we do.
All teams are now at dinner, and will be line dancing later tonight! Will certainly be a fun a celebrate way to close the week. Current plan is to depart for Williamsburg around 8am tomorrow morning. If memory serves correctly, it was roughly 12 hours on the road a week ago, so a rough estimate would be to arrive at the Chapel around 9pm tomorrow (we'll drive through a time zone, so we'll lose an hour on the road). Of course, we'll text and update everyone as those plans gain clarity!
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Nashville, Day 4 - July 13, 2016
Group 1:
Group 1 started their day by sharing group devotionals. Each member shared a verse that was meaningful for them and they prayed for the day ahead. From there, they went to the Boys and Girls Club and played more with the kids. From playing basketball to working in the classroom with math tutoring to serving lunch to cleaning up, their service with the kids has been fun, but also formational as they gain a new perspective on city youth. After all that, they ate lunch at Centennial Park, sitting on the steps of the Parthenon replica. They then went to the Second Harvest Food Bank where they helped package over 5,000+ pounds of food, equal to 4,000+ meals! Dinner was served at a Nashville soul food staple, called Swett's. And they also got ice cream at a place called Pied Piper.
Group 2:
Group 2 was able to sleep in a little longer today because they went back to Loaves & Fishes for lunch with the homeless of Nashville. The group was very excited to return and continue building relationships with the men and women they had met a couple days ago at the same place. Upon arrival the team immediately jumped to finish preparations for lunch and then serve lunch to the 103 homeless people that showed up. After serving lunch, everyone went out and sat with the men and women for over an hour as they listened to them share the stories of their life. It was inspiring to watch the group be willing to sacrifice their own comfort to offer not just food but a caring ear and living attitude to this community. After Loaves & Fishes, the group spent the rest of their afternoon writing encouraging notes to the people they had met all week at the serving sites. The CSM staff will deliver them later in the week to all the people they had built relationships during the week.
Group 3:
Group 3 returned to the Magness Potter Boys and Girls Club where they had a guest scientist this morning! So in addition to fun lab experiments, they continued to have a computer, craft, gym, and music rotation. Though it has only been three days at this site, it has been challenging to imagine doing it full-time, but also encouraging to see those who do serve at similar sites day in and day out, loving and disciplining the kids who come there in the hope that they might leave there equipped to serve and help the world. From the club, the team ate lunch outside of Krispy Kreme, which of course led to some donuts and coffee being a part of that lunch. After lunch, the team visited a non-profit called Project C.U.R.E. Put plainly, the purpose of this organization is to ship medical supplies to those who need it. All sorts of donations come in (clean gloves, needles, hospital beds, wheelchairs, etc.) to this warehouse where they are then given a quality assessment before being shipped where they are needed. It was neat to be in the warehouse doing very much behind-the-scene work, knowing that the supplies and equipment we helped move and pack will greatly impact someone who doesn't have the access that we do to modern medical practice. Group Three then ate dinner at Sitar, an Indian restaurant; it was phenomenal.
Group 4:
Group four started off their morning going to a non-profit organization called Project C.U.R.E. Similarly to what Group 3 did in the afternoon, the group sorted though all kinds of donations in a warehouse and prepared them to be shipped around the world to countries who don't have access to the same kind of medical supplies we do. This group, however, focused on packing hospital gowns and lead x-ray vests. The group then ate lunch and after lunch, they learned about human trafficking in Nashville and throughout the country at End Slavery. After learning about it, they went into the community and handed out flyers educating people on the reality that slavery still exist in the country and community that we live in. They ended their night by joining group 3 for dinner at Sitar and going to Centennial Park!
Group 5:
Group 5 went to a shop called Barista Parlor for coffee this morning and then went to the YMCA. There they played basketball with the middle school students before a breakout session. During the week, they have three breakout times. Today, they were able to choose between going to an economic and personal success session or a fitness and nutrition session. At both sessions there were interactive games in addition to the lesson. The former session featured games of teamwork and building trust, while the latter session featured proper technique for static and dynamic stretching, running, and lessons on healthy eating. The team then went to the farmers market for lunch and then joined Group 2 for the rest of their day!
Group 1 started their day by sharing group devotionals. Each member shared a verse that was meaningful for them and they prayed for the day ahead. From there, they went to the Boys and Girls Club and played more with the kids. From playing basketball to working in the classroom with math tutoring to serving lunch to cleaning up, their service with the kids has been fun, but also formational as they gain a new perspective on city youth. After all that, they ate lunch at Centennial Park, sitting on the steps of the Parthenon replica. They then went to the Second Harvest Food Bank where they helped package over 5,000+ pounds of food, equal to 4,000+ meals! Dinner was served at a Nashville soul food staple, called Swett's. And they also got ice cream at a place called Pied Piper.
Group 2:
Group 2 was able to sleep in a little longer today because they went back to Loaves & Fishes for lunch with the homeless of Nashville. The group was very excited to return and continue building relationships with the men and women they had met a couple days ago at the same place. Upon arrival the team immediately jumped to finish preparations for lunch and then serve lunch to the 103 homeless people that showed up. After serving lunch, everyone went out and sat with the men and women for over an hour as they listened to them share the stories of their life. It was inspiring to watch the group be willing to sacrifice their own comfort to offer not just food but a caring ear and living attitude to this community. After Loaves & Fishes, the group spent the rest of their afternoon writing encouraging notes to the people they had met all week at the serving sites. The CSM staff will deliver them later in the week to all the people they had built relationships during the week.
Group 3:
Group 3 returned to the Magness Potter Boys and Girls Club where they had a guest scientist this morning! So in addition to fun lab experiments, they continued to have a computer, craft, gym, and music rotation. Though it has only been three days at this site, it has been challenging to imagine doing it full-time, but also encouraging to see those who do serve at similar sites day in and day out, loving and disciplining the kids who come there in the hope that they might leave there equipped to serve and help the world. From the club, the team ate lunch outside of Krispy Kreme, which of course led to some donuts and coffee being a part of that lunch. After lunch, the team visited a non-profit called Project C.U.R.E. Put plainly, the purpose of this organization is to ship medical supplies to those who need it. All sorts of donations come in (clean gloves, needles, hospital beds, wheelchairs, etc.) to this warehouse where they are then given a quality assessment before being shipped where they are needed. It was neat to be in the warehouse doing very much behind-the-scene work, knowing that the supplies and equipment we helped move and pack will greatly impact someone who doesn't have the access that we do to modern medical practice. Group Three then ate dinner at Sitar, an Indian restaurant; it was phenomenal.
Group 4:
Group four started off their morning going to a non-profit organization called Project C.U.R.E. Similarly to what Group 3 did in the afternoon, the group sorted though all kinds of donations in a warehouse and prepared them to be shipped around the world to countries who don't have access to the same kind of medical supplies we do. This group, however, focused on packing hospital gowns and lead x-ray vests. The group then ate lunch and after lunch, they learned about human trafficking in Nashville and throughout the country at End Slavery. After learning about it, they went into the community and handed out flyers educating people on the reality that slavery still exist in the country and community that we live in. They ended their night by joining group 3 for dinner at Sitar and going to Centennial Park!
Group 5:
Group 5 went to a shop called Barista Parlor for coffee this morning and then went to the YMCA. There they played basketball with the middle school students before a breakout session. During the week, they have three breakout times. Today, they were able to choose between going to an economic and personal success session or a fitness and nutrition session. At both sessions there were interactive games in addition to the lesson. The former session featured games of teamwork and building trust, while the latter session featured proper technique for static and dynamic stretching, running, and lessons on healthy eating. The team then went to the farmers market for lunch and then joined Group 2 for the rest of their day!
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Nashville, Day 3 - July 12, 2016
Group 1:
Their day began at the Boys and Girls club! They played soccer, basketball, and a variety of other activities from story time to crafts. Across the street, a dentist was giving out free dental appointments all day. The group was able to take kids to the dentist throughout the morning. It was a cool experience for the students to see how important these things that seem so normal to us really are. Quick story: all of our students were playing basketball with the boys and girls, but a girl named Kami was playing with Carter and they drew some attention; the kids loved when Carter, one of our taller students, would play tough defense, blocking shoots and passes, but the kids got incredibly excited when Kami made a big shot right over Carter. It's been fun to see different ways we can encourage and engage the kids, often by doing things that they love so we can hopefully share what we love (Jesus!). This group then went to the Nashville Farmer's Market for lunch. After lunch, they learned about human trafficking in Nashville and throughout the country at End Slavery. After learning about it, they shared the vision of End Slavery by handing out flyers about sex trafficking to educate people in the neighborhood and hopefully prevent future trafficking. For dinner, this serving group went to a Thai restaurant and everyone loved it.
Group 2:
This group had an eventful day because it is one of the group members birthday, Luke Kincaid! They started off their day at the Center for Refugees and Immigrants of Tennessee. While they were there, they got to work in the garden. They picked weeds, harvested vegetables and prepared the land for the planting that they will do in the future. After lunch, the group joined group one at End Slavery where they got to educate the community on the realities of the slavery that still exists today. They then went to an ice cream parlor down the road where Luke's sister, Hannah surprised him from Chattanooga for his birthday. He was really surprised and the students loved being able to celebrate him today! They ended their day eating dinner at an Indian restaurant, Sitar, with group five.
Group 3:
Their morning was spent at the Magness Potter Boys and Girls Club. Similar to yesterday, they assisted the staff there in engaging kids, playing games, teaching computer, math, and music skills. The word of the week at the club is "caring," so we performed a mini skit to demonstrate a caring friend applying a band aid to someone who had scraped her knee on the ground. It's been fun to be able to return to this site and revisit the kids. Some names were reintroduced, but many are being sealed in the minds of the team as we learn about them and care for them throughout the week. In the afternoon, we were joined by Group 4, and together we visited Catholic Charities, who had recently purchased a new property. It was once was an old school and so it needs to see a fair bit of work to get up and running as a site to support families in the community. We helped move filing cabinets, shred old school documents, dispose of general trash, and clean up and rearrange various rooms. It was a lot of fun. Both serving groups then got ice cream at a local shop, visited a nearby store to buy Luke a surprise birthday cake (he's 30!), and then got dinner at an Istanbul restaurant with delicious rice, lamb and chicken.
Group 4:
This serving group went to Granbery Elementary School this morning and helped move desks, furniture and books into the classrooms in preparation for the new school year. They met with the principal of the school and he gave them his testimony, sharing deeper information about the school and surrounding community and how he has seen Jesus moving and how he hopes Jesus continues to move in an area with a wide wealth gap and a diversity of students. This group then went to lunch at a nearby park and joined Group 3 for the work at the Catholic Charities site, as well as dinner at the Istanbul restaurant!
Group 5:
First thing, this group went to the YMCA and played basketball. This group also got to witness a massive day care Olympics! A variety of day care's gathered this morning to compete in various games and competitions, including basketball relays, dance competitions, sack races, etc. They then went to "Welcome Home Ministries," where they met a man named P.T. who has been running this half-way house for 10 years. This program is for those wrestling with addiction, primarily men suffering with substance abuse, but this is ministry offers a healthy environment to help them quit and enter society with some newfound discipline and stability. While there, the serving group helped clean out the shed that receives a lot of donations of couches, tables, chairs, etc. For dinner, they went to an Indian restaurant, and enjoyed some Sonic for dessert!
Following dinner, all groups returned to the church for Porch Time. "Remember That Time," "I Saw Jesus," worship, and a message, it was great to hear the students reflect on the day, sing praise to God, and listen to Abbey share about incarnational ministry. This idea that God dwells in us and in those around us who believe in Jesus is a powerful one. God wants to use us to serve His kingdom, and He tell us that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Their day began at the Boys and Girls club! They played soccer, basketball, and a variety of other activities from story time to crafts. Across the street, a dentist was giving out free dental appointments all day. The group was able to take kids to the dentist throughout the morning. It was a cool experience for the students to see how important these things that seem so normal to us really are. Quick story: all of our students were playing basketball with the boys and girls, but a girl named Kami was playing with Carter and they drew some attention; the kids loved when Carter, one of our taller students, would play tough defense, blocking shoots and passes, but the kids got incredibly excited when Kami made a big shot right over Carter. It's been fun to see different ways we can encourage and engage the kids, often by doing things that they love so we can hopefully share what we love (Jesus!). This group then went to the Nashville Farmer's Market for lunch. After lunch, they learned about human trafficking in Nashville and throughout the country at End Slavery. After learning about it, they shared the vision of End Slavery by handing out flyers about sex trafficking to educate people in the neighborhood and hopefully prevent future trafficking. For dinner, this serving group went to a Thai restaurant and everyone loved it.
Group 2:
This group had an eventful day because it is one of the group members birthday, Luke Kincaid! They started off their day at the Center for Refugees and Immigrants of Tennessee. While they were there, they got to work in the garden. They picked weeds, harvested vegetables and prepared the land for the planting that they will do in the future. After lunch, the group joined group one at End Slavery where they got to educate the community on the realities of the slavery that still exists today. They then went to an ice cream parlor down the road where Luke's sister, Hannah surprised him from Chattanooga for his birthday. He was really surprised and the students loved being able to celebrate him today! They ended their day eating dinner at an Indian restaurant, Sitar, with group five.
Group 3:
Their morning was spent at the Magness Potter Boys and Girls Club. Similar to yesterday, they assisted the staff there in engaging kids, playing games, teaching computer, math, and music skills. The word of the week at the club is "caring," so we performed a mini skit to demonstrate a caring friend applying a band aid to someone who had scraped her knee on the ground. It's been fun to be able to return to this site and revisit the kids. Some names were reintroduced, but many are being sealed in the minds of the team as we learn about them and care for them throughout the week. In the afternoon, we were joined by Group 4, and together we visited Catholic Charities, who had recently purchased a new property. It was once was an old school and so it needs to see a fair bit of work to get up and running as a site to support families in the community. We helped move filing cabinets, shred old school documents, dispose of general trash, and clean up and rearrange various rooms. It was a lot of fun. Both serving groups then got ice cream at a local shop, visited a nearby store to buy Luke a surprise birthday cake (he's 30!), and then got dinner at an Istanbul restaurant with delicious rice, lamb and chicken.
Group 4:
This serving group went to Granbery Elementary School this morning and helped move desks, furniture and books into the classrooms in preparation for the new school year. They met with the principal of the school and he gave them his testimony, sharing deeper information about the school and surrounding community and how he has seen Jesus moving and how he hopes Jesus continues to move in an area with a wide wealth gap and a diversity of students. This group then went to lunch at a nearby park and joined Group 3 for the work at the Catholic Charities site, as well as dinner at the Istanbul restaurant!
Group 5:
First thing, this group went to the YMCA and played basketball. This group also got to witness a massive day care Olympics! A variety of day care's gathered this morning to compete in various games and competitions, including basketball relays, dance competitions, sack races, etc. They then went to "Welcome Home Ministries," where they met a man named P.T. who has been running this half-way house for 10 years. This program is for those wrestling with addiction, primarily men suffering with substance abuse, but this is ministry offers a healthy environment to help them quit and enter society with some newfound discipline and stability. While there, the serving group helped clean out the shed that receives a lot of donations of couches, tables, chairs, etc. For dinner, they went to an Indian restaurant, and enjoyed some Sonic for dessert!
Following dinner, all groups returned to the church for Porch Time. "Remember That Time," "I Saw Jesus," worship, and a message, it was great to hear the students reflect on the day, sing praise to God, and listen to Abbey share about incarnational ministry. This idea that God dwells in us and in those around us who believe in Jesus is a powerful one. God wants to use us to serve His kingdom, and He tell us that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Monday, July 11, 2016
Nashville, Day 2 - July 11, 2016
Today was our first full day in Nashville and we hit the ground running. Throughout the week, each day will be split into two parts, a morning site and an afternoon site. Our days all started off bright and early with devotionals and breakfast before we headed out. This afternoon, instead of going to one of the serving sites, each group went on a prayer tour around greater Nashville. We heard about different pockets of Nashville's history and events that have shaped the area. It was powerful to hear statistics about the poverty and education. The things we were hearing and the places we were seeing are unlike anything we experience on a day to day basis in Williamsburg. We are grateful to have so much more knowledge about the city we will be serving all week and hope that it allows us to be more grace giving and to understand the people we will be serving more fully.
Serving Group 1:
Serving group one left the church at 9:45 and headed over to Loaves and Fishes, a feeding center that serves the homeless community here in Nashville. The group cleaned the facility, served food and got to interact with the homeless people they were serving. Coming from Williamsburg, we often don't understand homelessness or haven't been exposed to it, but it was cool to the students jump in and get to know the people they were serving as if they were talking to a friend. Havey, a freshman boy in group one, was able to make a strong connection with a man named Kenny over their country lifestyle. They talked about fishing, hunting and eating deer, gator, frog legs and any type of fish you can think of. They then went on the prayer tour and finished their night eating dinner at a Turkish Restaurant.
Serving Group 2:
Serving group two joined serving group one at Loaves and Fishes, helping prepare and serve breakfast in the morning. They met, sat, and talked with the individuals and families that gathered for the meal. The group was challenged by the realities of homelessness, especially when a dad walked in with three daughters under the age of six. They're looking forward to continuing those relationships when they return later in the week. The group ate lunch in a local park, and then went on their prayer tour before eating dinner at a Turkish restaurant.
Serving Group 3:
Serving group three headed out today at 8:30 for our "anchor site," (the site we will be going to every morning) Magness Potter Boys and Girls Club. There, 100 children between the ages of 6 and 14 come each day for a day camp. They have 50 minute rotations of computer skills, gym, music, game room and arts and crafts. Upon arrival, the group got to know the children they would be spending their days with before getting split up into different rotations. The students were able to help the full time staff there keep the kids engaged and involved in the activities the group was doing. They then went on a prayer tour and finished their night eating at a Thai restaurant.
Serving Group 4:
Serving group four started out their morning on the prayer tour. What a great way to start your day off! After their prayer tour, the group ate lunch and headed out to Room at the Inn, a day shelter that provides a place to rest and teaches people life skills that they can use as they look to enter the work place. The group sorted through donations and met a man there who played them a song on the spoons. It was definitely the highlight of their time there. They ended their night going to a park before eating dinner at a Thai restaurant.
Serving Group 5:
Serving group five headed out bright and early and headed out to their anchor site, the YMCA, where they were able to play with 50-60 middle school kids that go there each day. Today they helped coordinate a big kickball tournament! They also played a lot of basketball and other games to keep the kids engaged. They went to a park for lunch and ran through a nearby fountain, and they also celebrated their CSM leader's birthday! Her name is Bethany, and they took her to get ice cream. After that they piled back into the van for their prayer tour, and finished their evening eating Thai.
After dinner, all groups returned to the church housing site for Porch Time. We reflected on moments throughout the day, with our "Remember That Time" segment. We shared moments throughout the day where we saw Jesus in our team, CSM staff, and Nashville citizens. We sang songs to God reminding us of God's peace, everlasting love, fulfillment, and holiness. And Luke Kincaid shared a passage from Luke 10, where Jesus sends out people on a trip of their own, and how Jesus instructed them to leave everything behind when they left. The consistency, and sometimes the monotony of our lives can dull us to what's happening. Luke talked about distractions, things that are difficult to let go of when we leave home, but how ultimately we get to experience a deeper joy when our identity and lives are lived obediently in serving Jesus and those around us. Small groups discuss obstacles in leaving things behind, surprises in what we've experienced so far, and what joy we've already experienced. We're excited for some time together tonight before we get some rest to split up again tomorrow and go to our various sites!
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Nashville, Day 1 - July 10, 2016
We had a great day of travel to Nashville with beautiful weather and opportunities to begin the relationships in our separate vans that will continue throughout the week. Each van constitutes a serving group throughout our week in Nashville. The vans go to different locations each day and so it is important for each van to know each other and develop trusting relationships. It has been great to watch students and leaders begin to create an identity in their vans that will carry the through the week as they serve together.
After arriving at our housing site, Eastland Baptist Church, we ate dinner and then were introduced to our Center for Student Missions host leaders for the week. These leaders have committed their entire summer to serve groups like ours that come in each week. We split up into our serving groups so that each group could get to know their particular host and then we took a tour of our housing site to get acclimated to our surroundings. After our tour, we unpacked our gear, washed up, and got ready for bed. Our first night here is just meant to be very relaxed so that we can be fully rested for our first day of service at all of the different service locations the groups will go to.
We are excited to share what our team experiences every day throughout this week and so check back every day to read about all of our adventures. We will update the blog every evening to keep you updated.
After arriving at our housing site, Eastland Baptist Church, we ate dinner and then were introduced to our Center for Student Missions host leaders for the week. These leaders have committed their entire summer to serve groups like ours that come in each week. We split up into our serving groups so that each group could get to know their particular host and then we took a tour of our housing site to get acclimated to our surroundings. After our tour, we unpacked our gear, washed up, and got ready for bed. Our first night here is just meant to be very relaxed so that we can be fully rested for our first day of service at all of the different service locations the groups will go to.
We are excited to share what our team experiences every day throughout this week and so check back every day to read about all of our adventures. We will update the blog every evening to keep you updated.
Friday, July 8, 2016
North Carolina Day #5 - 7.8.16
Our final full day here in North Carolina began with a great breakfast at ReCreation and then we headed right out to the work site to spend a full day finishing the project. Much to our dismay, when we arrived, we found the septic trenches that we had worked all week filled with mud and about 4 inches of water. However, even Mother Nature couldn't stop the attempts of our kids to finish the project that we came here to complete and help this family that we have come to love. After spending much of the morning bailing water out of the ditches, our team grabbed their shovels and got to work perfecting the walls and depths for these septic trenches. After spending the day split between putting the new shingles on the roof and crafting our three trenches, we were a little disheartened when we had to leave and only about 80% of the pipes had been placed and recovered.
We said our goodbyes to John, Zachary, and Austin and headed back to ReCreation to clean up and have dinner. After dinner we had a time of worship in the traditional ReCreation way, (lots of dancing and singing and shouting) and were entertained by a short highlight video that the staff had put together with pictures from throughout the week. We transitioned from that into our final porch time where we had special visitors that came to join us. John and Zachary had come to join us for our time of worship and to hear Nick speak on Jacob, the character we had look at in our pre-trip meetings. We talked about how Jacob had had an encounter with God, face to face and that he had left this encounter with a "limp" or something that he carried with him and yet, he was distracted from where God had called him to go.
We concluded that fear is a powerful motive in causing us to put anything besides God on the throne of our lives, and after the message, students had an opportunity to reflect on an assignment they had worked on prior to the trip. They wrote on a card some of the fears and uncertainty in their lives, and slowly, one by one, they made their way to a small fire to symbolically burn those fears and doubts. In closing, we all sang "No Longer Slaves," reinforcing again that we are not slaves to fear, but are children of God. Small groups continued the discussion of Jacob's story and his encounter with God in Genesis.
Just as when Jacob wrestled with God, our students had a chance to wrestle physically and emotionally with the strenuous task of digging these trenches. John, the homeowner we had helped all week, during our final porch time ended our night with wise words of encouragement for our students, "Don't feel as though you failed because you didn't finish the work, but know that you showed me what the true blessing of God is." We hope that after wrestling this week, God's blessing is made clear in our lives.
We are sad to leave, but excited at the prospect of carrying God's blessings with us as we head back to Williamsburg tomorrow!
We said our goodbyes to John, Zachary, and Austin and headed back to ReCreation to clean up and have dinner. After dinner we had a time of worship in the traditional ReCreation way, (lots of dancing and singing and shouting) and were entertained by a short highlight video that the staff had put together with pictures from throughout the week. We transitioned from that into our final porch time where we had special visitors that came to join us. John and Zachary had come to join us for our time of worship and to hear Nick speak on Jacob, the character we had look at in our pre-trip meetings. We talked about how Jacob had had an encounter with God, face to face and that he had left this encounter with a "limp" or something that he carried with him and yet, he was distracted from where God had called him to go.
We concluded that fear is a powerful motive in causing us to put anything besides God on the throne of our lives, and after the message, students had an opportunity to reflect on an assignment they had worked on prior to the trip. They wrote on a card some of the fears and uncertainty in their lives, and slowly, one by one, they made their way to a small fire to symbolically burn those fears and doubts. In closing, we all sang "No Longer Slaves," reinforcing again that we are not slaves to fear, but are children of God. Small groups continued the discussion of Jacob's story and his encounter with God in Genesis.
Just as when Jacob wrestled with God, our students had a chance to wrestle physically and emotionally with the strenuous task of digging these trenches. John, the homeowner we had helped all week, during our final porch time ended our night with wise words of encouragement for our students, "Don't feel as though you failed because you didn't finish the work, but know that you showed me what the true blessing of God is." We hope that after wrestling this week, God's blessing is made clear in our lives.
We are sad to leave, but excited at the prospect of carrying God's blessings with us as we head back to Williamsburg tomorrow!
Nashville Trip Final Details
Hey Nashville Team,
I can't believe we leave for Nashville in just two days! Just a few things to remember as Sunday quickly approaches:
1) We will be meeting at chapel at 7:45 am ON SUNDAY. We will be packing up the trailer and rolling out as soon as possible. Please try to get to Chapel by 7:45 so we can get on the road, we have a long journey ahead of us.
2) For any last minute packers like myself, here is the packing list for Nashville. Please remember to pack a pair of long pants and closed toed shoes, some serving sites require them. Ladies, unfortunately, they have had some issues with leggings so far this summer so all serving sites and the housing sites have banned them. It will be a blistering 90 degrees when we are there so you will probably want to wear shorts most of the time anyway.
Nashville Packing List
Also, you might want to pack a western outfit for our free night....
3) It is a long drive so feel free to pack some snacks. We will keep them in the kitchen once we get there so please label your things either before you leave or upon arrival at our housing site.
4) We will be stopping for lunch on the way up as well as on the way home. Feel free to pack a lunch or bring money for food!
Can't wait to be in Nashville with you guys! Please text Abbey Sams (757.903.6292) with any questions!
I can't believe we leave for Nashville in just two days! Just a few things to remember as Sunday quickly approaches:
1) We will be meeting at chapel at 7:45 am ON SUNDAY. We will be packing up the trailer and rolling out as soon as possible. Please try to get to Chapel by 7:45 so we can get on the road, we have a long journey ahead of us.
2) For any last minute packers like myself, here is the packing list for Nashville. Please remember to pack a pair of long pants and closed toed shoes, some serving sites require them. Ladies, unfortunately, they have had some issues with leggings so far this summer so all serving sites and the housing sites have banned them. It will be a blistering 90 degrees when we are there so you will probably want to wear shorts most of the time anyway.
Nashville Packing List
Also, you might want to pack a western outfit for our free night....
3) It is a long drive so feel free to pack some snacks. We will keep them in the kitchen once we get there so please label your things either before you leave or upon arrival at our housing site.
4) We will be stopping for lunch on the way up as well as on the way home. Feel free to pack a lunch or bring money for food!
Can't wait to be in Nashville with you guys! Please text Abbey Sams (757.903.6292) with any questions!
Thursday, July 7, 2016
North Carolina Day #4 - 7.7.16
After a great day off yesterday, the North Carolina team woke up, had breakfast and worshiped with the staff at ReCreation. We heard another morning message from the head of ReCreation, on service, where we looked at the passage where Jesus washed the disciples feet. We were encouraged to look for opportunities to serve throughout the day, not only through digging, but also serving our teammates and others that we come into contact with. We then headed to the work site to continue our work on the septic trenches and replacing the roof. In a truly "only God" moment, the rains that were foretasted to come mid-day did not come until we had packed up and loaded the buses at the end of the day, allowing us to make great progress on the trenches. We headed back to ReCreation to clean up and had dinner. After dinner we shared in an ice cream sundae bar with the other group that is staying at ReCreation in an attempt to serve the staff here that has been serving us all week. We then began our nightly porch time where we recounted our day through "Remember that time" and "I saw Jesus" and we also joined our voices together to worship the God that we have been experiencing first hand here in North Carolina. Madeline Duke gave the talk tonight about serving and our attitudes behind that service. She spoke from Mathew 25 where Jesus tells the disciples that when they have served the least of these then they have served Him. We continued the discussion on this idea in small groups where we looked at what serving could look like not only in our time left in North Carolina, but as we come home to Williamsburg as well. We are excited, but also a little sad for our last day at the work site tomorrow, where we seek to serve John and his family by finishing their roof and septic system. Thank you all for your prayers! We look forward to see how God will continue to show up during the rest of our time here!
Below is a link to the video of our team we showed at the prayer meeting that was earlier tonight.
NC Team Video
Below is a link to the video of our team we showed at the prayer meeting that was earlier tonight.
NC Team Video
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
North Carolina #3 - 7.6.16
Today was our day off here in Weaverville, but it started the same as the others with an early breakfast and worship at ReCreation. After a brief message from the head of ReCreation continuing the teaching of their summer theme, "Into the Fire", Our team then headed out for our first activity, Sliding Rock! We had a blast sliding down the natural water slide and building even more memories together. After a few hours at Sliding Rock, we ventured down the road a little ways to a picnic area where we enjoyed lunch with a beautiful view. Then we went to "Looking Glass Falls" which is a waterfall with a swimming at it's base and we reveled in the beauty of God's creation as we enjoyed some more quality time together swimming and taking in the scenery. We left the falls and headed into Asheville where we had a chance for some more small group bonding time while also getting the opportunity to learn about some of the conditions of the region and the poverty it faces. With an average monthly household income of $2,000 for a family of four. After necessary bills, they are left with a budget of roughly $100 dollars per month for food. Things that we don't often think about being a problem in America, like making decisions between food or medicine, are very present and much closer to us than we would like to admit. We then headed to May Farms, home of Meagan May who was a summer intern and program assistant in Student Ministry a few years ago. We had dinner and also did our nightly porch time in their barn. Brody Scott spoke tonight about competition verses compassion and how so often in our lives we allow our competitiveness to effect how we treat people and and situations that we face. He compared competition to the example of compassion in John 8 where Jesus said, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone." So often are we quick to call out sin in those around us, and yet are blind to our own. Would we want to be called out or would we want to be shown compassion as the woman was in John 8? After porch time, we drove back to ReCreation and began to mentally prepare to get back to work tomorrow. It was a peaceful and restful day, but we are excited to continue and finish our work project in the next two days!
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
North Carolina Day #2 - 7.5.16
Day 2 here in North Carolina started off with an early morning, delicious breakfast, and a fun-filled worship time at our ReCreation housing site. After worship, the head of ReCreation gave a talk on their theme for the summer, "into the fire" where he encouraged us to allow a spark to catch within us. He also spoke about how the fire isn't always easy, but it is within the fire not just near it that Jesus meets us. With those words in mind, we headed out to our work site for day 2 of digging and roofing. We put in a great morning of work at John's house and ate lunch with the family. As we were beginning our afternoon back in the trenches, we were forced to stop working for the day as a thunderstorm rolled through the area. However, we did not let this get us down as we used this new found free time to our advantage with some great group bonding time (which involved some delicious cookies!) We had a delicious dinner provided for us by the ReCreation staff and then got ready for porch time. After "remember that time" and "I saw Jesus", we joined our voices together to worship through song and then heard the second talk of the trip, given by Jordan Bunn. Jordan spoke on the fact that we are here not only to have a temporary physical impact, but that we have been given an opportunity to make an eternal spiritual impact. She spoke from 2 Corinthians 5:20, where Paul writes about being ambassadors for Christ and what that looks like not only while we are down here in North Carolina, but as we take what God is teaching us on this trip and bring it home. We continued our discussion in small groups and then got ready for bed. We are excited about how God has already shown up in the time we've been down here and are looking forward to where He will turn up next!
Monday, July 4, 2016
North Carolina Day #1 - 7.4.16
Happy 4th! We celebrated our nation today by waking up for an early breakfast and some great worship with the ReCreation staff. After morning worship, we loaded up the buses and vans and headed out for our first day at our work site. Upon arrival, we found out what our main project would be: Roofing and digging a septic tank line for a wonderful family. Once we had split up into two groups (one to start digging the first septic line and the other begin the process of replacing the roof), the family whose house we are working at came out and introduced themselves to us. John and his two sons, Zachary and Austin, came out to tell us how appreciative they were for our willingness to come help them. Not only were they incredibly grateful for us coming to work on their home, they actually came and helped us for most of the day with the digging. We were blessed with the opportunity to not only serve these people, but to work alongside and get to know them as well! It is truly amazing to see how God can work through people. After a full day of roofing and digging, we headed back to ReCreation to shower, have dinner, and have our first "porch time." Porch Time is our nightly program where we have time for remembering the funny things that happened during the day, where we saw Jesus at work, and worship through song. Nick then gave a talk on the idea that we were sent here by God, that it was just by accident. We looked in Genesis 31 at part of the story of Jacob and how he was sent by God, but along the way was distracted. We then looked in Luke 10 where Jesus sent the 72 and how they left things behind in order to avoid distractions. In Small Groups the team discussed more about the idea that we were sent here to North Carolina and where we could find opportunities during our time down here to avoid distractions and seek out opportunities to serve. Finally to fulfill our duty as citizens we went and enjoyed a good ol' American firework show and then went to bed, excited to see God at work and continue to serve down here in Weaverville, North Carolina!
Sunday, July 3, 2016
North Carolina Team has arrived!
We made it to Weaverville! The drive went well and the ReCreation staff was super welcoming to our team. We are heading to bed and preparing to see how God is going to work on our team this week! Thank you for all of your prayers and we will update you here on the blog each night about what we did during each day!
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Landed in San Salvador
The journey home has begun and the team has landed in San Salvador! We will update again when we depart for Washington. Text "nicaparent" to 41411 to get our travel updates to your phone.
Nicaragua Day 8 - June 28, 2016
After a rejuvenating night's sleep we had a delicious breakfast buffet to start our full day at our debrief site, Apoyo Resort. We ate breakfast halfway up the side of the mountain which gave us a gorgeous view of the lagoon while we ate. Following breakfast we split up into our small groups where we had our first small group of the day. During our debrief small groups we return to the character Jacob who we had studied before the trip as a model to help us process our experiences in Nicaragua. Jacob wrestled with God in Genesis 32 and that idea of wrestling has been a great image to describe our own encounters with God because we have all had to wrestle with the realities of poverty and faith. Then we took some time before lunch to be alone with God. We have found that it is important to learn how to not only worship God together in a group, but also by yourself through His Word, the Bible, and nature.
At lunch we all enjoyed a tasty quesadilla and then had the entire afternoon to spend some free time in and around the lagoon. We jumped off the dock, swam, played pool volleyball, kayaked and had a great afternoon together as a team. It has been a beautiful picture of God's community as we all gathered with the same faith having fun together. People have made new friends and the entire team has developed a wonderful spirit of unity that has transcended school and background. After our free time we ate dinner and headed to our final porch time.
Porch time tonight was held overlooking the lagoon, with the stars as clear as could be. Admiring the sky, listening to the water, and feeling the wind, it was a wonderful environment to sing praise and examine God's Word. Luke spoke about the things we try to put in the throne of our lives. Is it popularity? Success in school? Sports? Do we put ourselves in the throne, and do whatever we want whenever we want? Luke asked us three questions: 1) What are we doing? What are sinful choices or behaviors in our lives that are based on what we want, and not what God wants? 2) Where are we building a temple for God when we need to realize God lives in us? We cannot confine him. 3) Who are we? What, or who, is our identity in?
We concluded that fear is a powerful motive in causing us to put anything besides God on the throne of our lives, and after the message, students had an opportunity to reflect on an assignment they had worked on prior to the trip. They wrote on a card some of the fears and uncertainty in their lives, and slowly, one by one, they made their way to a small fire to symbolically burn those fears and doubts. In closing, we all sang "No Longer Slaves," reinforcing again that we not slaves to fear, but are children of God. Small groups are discussing more of Jacob's story and his encounter with God in Genesis. We hope that after wrestling this week, God's blessing is made clear in our lives.
We'll get a few hours of rest before making our way home very early tomorrow morning! Our flight is set to depart Nicaragua at 6:15am on flight TACA 314. We will text you with our travel progress.
At lunch we all enjoyed a tasty quesadilla and then had the entire afternoon to spend some free time in and around the lagoon. We jumped off the dock, swam, played pool volleyball, kayaked and had a great afternoon together as a team. It has been a beautiful picture of God's community as we all gathered with the same faith having fun together. People have made new friends and the entire team has developed a wonderful spirit of unity that has transcended school and background. After our free time we ate dinner and headed to our final porch time.
Porch time tonight was held overlooking the lagoon, with the stars as clear as could be. Admiring the sky, listening to the water, and feeling the wind, it was a wonderful environment to sing praise and examine God's Word. Luke spoke about the things we try to put in the throne of our lives. Is it popularity? Success in school? Sports? Do we put ourselves in the throne, and do whatever we want whenever we want? Luke asked us three questions: 1) What are we doing? What are sinful choices or behaviors in our lives that are based on what we want, and not what God wants? 2) Where are we building a temple for God when we need to realize God lives in us? We cannot confine him. 3) Who are we? What, or who, is our identity in?
We concluded that fear is a powerful motive in causing us to put anything besides God on the throne of our lives, and after the message, students had an opportunity to reflect on an assignment they had worked on prior to the trip. They wrote on a card some of the fears and uncertainty in their lives, and slowly, one by one, they made their way to a small fire to symbolically burn those fears and doubts. In closing, we all sang "No Longer Slaves," reinforcing again that we not slaves to fear, but are children of God. Small groups are discussing more of Jacob's story and his encounter with God in Genesis. We hope that after wrestling this week, God's blessing is made clear in our lives.
We'll get a few hours of rest before making our way home very early tomorrow morning! Our flight is set to depart Nicaragua at 6:15am on flight TACA 314. We will text you with our travel progress.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Nicaragua, Day 7 - June 27, 2016
Today was our final day in Leon. We left the hotel for the last time and headed into the city's square. There, we visited one of their cathedrals and even got access to the roof for an amazing view of the city and surrounding countryside. It was beautiful. After the cathedral, we spent some time at the market. Imagining what grocery shopping might look like here, or how some people make their money, was a neat experience. Vendors are tightly packed together in an open market, selling anything from bananas or rice to t-shirts or hammocks.
From the square, we rode to Verbo Leon for our final opportunity to participate in their feeding center. It was once again a great reminder of how grateful we should be as we watched these kids at the same rice and beans and bread for the fifth time. It has been a challenge all week wrestling with the differences in our lifestyles, but at the same time, it has been motivating and inspiring to continue our support and partnership for the ministry in Leon.
After their lunch, we were able to spend a final hour or so playing tag and soccer with the kids we had built relationships with all week. Many people on our team left sad knowing this may be the last time they see some of these kids for a long time, but we're thankful for the leaders at the church who are accessible and who can care for these kids long after we've left. It's been a life-altering experience for our team this week, and we're excited for you to hear personal stories from our team when we return.
On our way to our debrief site, we had a team lunch at a local restaurant with some of the church leaders. Then we packed up the bus and traveled back through Managua to Apoyo Resort. This resort rests on a lagoon that was formed by an old volcano that is now inactive. We use this resort as "middle ground" for the team to process all that was seen and experienced before returning to the affluence of America. We will use our time here to have multiple small group discussions, worship music, alone time, and some fun as we let our encounters with God shape us for the future.
During our first evening here, the team did not struggle to appreciate the beautiful view of the water. Dinner was served as the sun set and we got settled down before Porch Time. Abbey shared about what we call "the secret of the poor," and how we often choose competition or comparison over compassion. With a challenge to grow in gratitude and generosity, Abbey reflected on the lack of possessions but the strength of relationships between the Nicaraguans. Our desire for more possessions can often distract us from the relational investments God is asking us to make. Small groups met to reflect on the joy they witnessed in those who have so much less, and we got ready for bed. We're excited for a full day at the resort tomorrow, and we'll share more then! Please be praying for our final Porch Time, and that God would solidify the lessons in our hearts and minds that He may be trying to teach us.
From the square, we rode to Verbo Leon for our final opportunity to participate in their feeding center. It was once again a great reminder of how grateful we should be as we watched these kids at the same rice and beans and bread for the fifth time. It has been a challenge all week wrestling with the differences in our lifestyles, but at the same time, it has been motivating and inspiring to continue our support and partnership for the ministry in Leon.
After their lunch, we were able to spend a final hour or so playing tag and soccer with the kids we had built relationships with all week. Many people on our team left sad knowing this may be the last time they see some of these kids for a long time, but we're thankful for the leaders at the church who are accessible and who can care for these kids long after we've left. It's been a life-altering experience for our team this week, and we're excited for you to hear personal stories from our team when we return.
On our way to our debrief site, we had a team lunch at a local restaurant with some of the church leaders. Then we packed up the bus and traveled back through Managua to Apoyo Resort. This resort rests on a lagoon that was formed by an old volcano that is now inactive. We use this resort as "middle ground" for the team to process all that was seen and experienced before returning to the affluence of America. We will use our time here to have multiple small group discussions, worship music, alone time, and some fun as we let our encounters with God shape us for the future.
During our first evening here, the team did not struggle to appreciate the beautiful view of the water. Dinner was served as the sun set and we got settled down before Porch Time. Abbey shared about what we call "the secret of the poor," and how we often choose competition or comparison over compassion. With a challenge to grow in gratitude and generosity, Abbey reflected on the lack of possessions but the strength of relationships between the Nicaraguans. Our desire for more possessions can often distract us from the relational investments God is asking us to make. Small groups met to reflect on the joy they witnessed in those who have so much less, and we got ready for bed. We're excited for a full day at the resort tomorrow, and we'll share more then! Please be praying for our final Porch Time, and that God would solidify the lessons in our hearts and minds that He may be trying to teach us.
Monday, June 27, 2016
Nicaragua, Day 6 - June 26, 2016
Sunday has arrived! A beautiful day to worship, we attended church in both Leon and Posoltega. Arriving in Leon at roughly 9:30am (11:30am your time), it was awesome to imagine Izzy, one of our Student Ministry Summer Interns, getting ready to preach in Williamsburg, and how we were also getting ready to praise Jesus miles and miles away. God is one, and we all got to worship Him, as one, together this morning. The services at each site were very musical and very energetic. With birds chirping in the ceiling, fans blowing beneath them, the keyboard and drums playing music, and the congregation clapping along, it was a different experience than the ones we're used to at the Chapel, but it was awesome to be a participant in how another culture worships Christ. Luke shared Psalm 117, and the idea that all nations will praise the Lord. Despite singing songs like "All Creatures of Our God and King" at home, it's a humbling opportunity to be able to stand alongside people of a different tongue and different nation still praising the Lord.
After church, we had our soccer tournament at Posoltega! It truly was a beautiful day; not often you're playing soccer with a volcano in the background. Some cloud cover and a steady breeze made the afternoon delightful (despite our American team losing both of it's games), and it was clear the teams of Leon and Posoltega were excited to play. One of the Nicaraguan teams was actually sporting some Jamestown Eagle jerseys, which was an encouraging picture of partnership, as they were clearly jerseys donated in years past.
Back at the hotel, we had an extended time of worship this evening. Songs like "Heart Runs" reminded us that everything we want is found in Jesus, that what we want really is Jesus, Himself. "How He Loves" and "How Deep The Father's Love For Us" left an imprint on God's heart for His creation, and "In Christ Alone" and "No Longer Slaves" enforce that we God's children, co-heirs with Christ, and that we stand and live in His power, the power that overcame the grave.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Nicaragua, Day 5 - June 25, 2016
Our Saturday has been full! Today we had two big events in store. First, we wanted to offer our partners in Leon and Posoltega (the leaders, staff and volunteers) a little break from their service to the kids and take them out for a day at the beach! Knowing they work hard, we hoped to encourage them and have some fun playing games and swimming. We played group charades, pictionary, and finished with a nail biter of a relay race. After crowning a champion from the winning team, we had some time to jump in the water. Being in a different country, swimming in an entirely different ocean, it was neat to appreciate God's creation in a new way - His sun, His waves, His shade under His trees. We have access to those things in Virginia, but being joined by a staff who might not go to the beach with the same ease we're afforded, the team enjoyed our time on the shore of the Pacific Ocean.
Our second big event was the Talent Show! Earlier in the week, we had walked through the communities, handing out fliers for a Talent Show that would be held at the church in Leon. Well, tonight was the night for it. Pastor Philippe of Verbo Leon hosted the event, and welcomed everyone who joined us. He prayed for the show, that God would take control of the acts, and he kicked it off with some of our team who had entered the contest. The judges and the crowd sat to observe singing, guitars, keyboards, drums, even hand stands. Our judges eventually determined the winner to be a little girl who had everyone standing and clapping along as she sang.
Pastor Philippe then took a moment to share from the Gospel of John. What struck me was how we had just witnessed a talent show, where people broadcast their joys, and then Philippe shared John 3:16, where we learn that God took His joy, His Son, and gave Him as a gift for us. We were challenged to consider if we would ever die for the person beside us, or our enemy. Able to reflect on the depth of God's sacrifice for us, Philippe asked if anyone wanted to accept Jesus as their Savior, and everyone celebrated with those who came forward! It was a simple invitation, and yet one we sometimes struggle to extend, the invitation to accept Jesus in to lives, that He might transform them.
Returning to the hotel a little later than usual, we ate dinner and quickly prepared for Porch Time. There were some funny moments at the beach that people reflected on, and powerful times that Jesus was seen throughout the day. We sang a few songs reminding us of the idea that our response in every circumstance is praise. And after that time of musical worship, Luke shared about suffering in the world. Why is there suffering? Where is God in the suffering? We learned that we were created in His image (Genesis), but that along the way, we suppressed the truth of God and worshipped other things (Romans), and that our selfishness always leads to suffering. Still, there is hope. God wants to use us, wants to empower us through His Spirit, to offer ourselves as living sacrifices for Him. Living selfless lives, dying to our selves that He might live in us. Small groups discussed what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God, what things we find ourselves tempted to worship besides God, and how we can offer ourselves back to God, who offered Himself for us. Please pray for clarity and understanding, as our team studies what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ!
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Nicaragua, Day 4 - June 24, 2016
Our day began with another great breakfast from the Hotel staff here in Leon as we got ready to head to the two same churches as yesterday. Once again half of our team stayed in Leon and the other half went to Posoltega. Each team got off the bus excited to continue the relationships they had begun the previous days. In both locations our teams first gathered with all of the staff at the churches to discuss the challenges and vision involved in leading a church. It is impressive to see the staff at these churches eager to learn and improve. They truly desire to serve their communities and bring the Gospel to as many kids and families as possible.
After the discussions on leadership, both groups went out into the surrounding community to hand out flyers inviting people to a talent show in Leon tomorrow night. The pastors of these churches hope to use a fun talent show as an opportunity to reach some new members of the community that they would not have normally reached. In addition to the invitations for the talent show, everyone had another opportunity to see the actual living conditions of these families. Most of the buildings are just single story homes made out of cement blocks without any doors and only a few rooms. Oftentimes, there were three generations all living under the same roof which made for tight living conditions in spaces that were already small by any American standard.
Upon returning to the churches, both groups were welcomed by kids that came running excited to see our teams. We have started learning the names of the kids and they have learned our names, so the relationships have become much more personal and meaningful. Our teams helped all of the kids wash their hands and sit down to eat lunch. We ate our own lunches and then prepared for our final VBS lesson of the week on Jacob and Esau. We watched an animated movie that documented the story of Jacob and Esau and then talked about forgiveness. Then, each team had a couple people share stories from their own lives about times in which they either received forgiveness or extended forgiveness to someone. We ended our VBS lesson with some discussion on the topic of forgiveness and then got ready for our celebration with the kids to celebrate their participation in VBS. Our celebrations mainly involved a big piñata filled with candy for the kids to bust open and enjoy. It truly was a celebratory moment for all the work God has been doing over the past few days at these churches.
After both teams re-united, we all headed back to our hotel for the evening. We enjoyed another delicious meal and then got ready for our evening "porch time" gathering. Tonight, Tommy Vereb spoke to us out of Matthew 13 about the parable of the sower. He challenged us not to simply think about what it means to sow seeds in others, but to take seriously the "soil" condition of own hearts. Life is filled with different "rocks", "thorns", and other things that hurt the health of our soil, but until we take seriously the condition of our own hearts then we will never be able to sow healthy seeds in others. Finally, we ended the night with another time in small groups to keep processing all that God is doing and then headed to bed.
Check back tomorrow for more stories about our with people from the churches in Leon and Posoltega.
Friday, June 24, 2016
Nicaragua, Day 3 - June 23, 2016
Good evening, family and friends! Day three of our time in Nicaragua has been outstanding. From Hotel San Juan de Leon, we left for our first full day in our respective service sites. Split into two groups, one team returned to Verbo Leon, and one team visited Posoltega.
At both sites, each respective team exchanged greetings with the leaders of the church there. From youth leaders to head cooks to security guards to singers, it was incredibly encouraging to see the church, the body of Christ, working throughout the world. It is motivating to be reminded that we are are all children of God, and that we are united in Jesus Christ. Our leaders shared a little bit of our roles at the Williamsburg Community Chapel and how it was a privilege to be able to visit Nicaragua and worship and serve alongside them.
After a brief devotional, teams toured the community that surrounded the church, gaining a better sense of the daily lives that are led there. Exposure to their homes and their streets really put into perspective a new reality; though we see them at the church or the feeding site, enclosed by people who care for and love them, they live much of their lives in areas that are not as safe or as friendly. It really affirmed the necessity and blessing of the local church, and made us all the more joyful to know that these kids do have a place to go for physical, emotional, and spiritual provision.
Following the tour we assisted in serving lunch before another VBS lesson. Much like yesterday, we helped kids wash their hands, and relayed trays of cups and plates or bowls from the tables to the kitchen and back. In our VBS lesson we shared the story of the prodigal sons, emphasizing that no matter how far we run or how far away we feel from God, He is always there pursuing us, offering forgiveness and love.
Returning to the hotel for dinner, we washed up and settled down and got ready for Porch Time. Abbey shared from her past experiences in Nicaragua, and how surprising it had been for her to come here and see Jesus already alive and active. This idea of incarnational ministry, that Jesus is alive and can be seen in us and in the Nicaraguans, can be a challenging one to grasp. How do we live in Jesus? How does Jesus live in us? Small groups discussed the preconceived notions of how we might be serving the children here, and how our expectations have been challenged. We also discussed what barriers exist that prevent us from seeing Jesus in others on a daily basis. Please be praying for us this week that we can walk faithfully and confidently in Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, and that our eyes would be opened to the work He has already begun here!
At both sites, each respective team exchanged greetings with the leaders of the church there. From youth leaders to head cooks to security guards to singers, it was incredibly encouraging to see the church, the body of Christ, working throughout the world. It is motivating to be reminded that we are are all children of God, and that we are united in Jesus Christ. Our leaders shared a little bit of our roles at the Williamsburg Community Chapel and how it was a privilege to be able to visit Nicaragua and worship and serve alongside them.
After a brief devotional, teams toured the community that surrounded the church, gaining a better sense of the daily lives that are led there. Exposure to their homes and their streets really put into perspective a new reality; though we see them at the church or the feeding site, enclosed by people who care for and love them, they live much of their lives in areas that are not as safe or as friendly. It really affirmed the necessity and blessing of the local church, and made us all the more joyful to know that these kids do have a place to go for physical, emotional, and spiritual provision.
Following the tour we assisted in serving lunch before another VBS lesson. Much like yesterday, we helped kids wash their hands, and relayed trays of cups and plates or bowls from the tables to the kitchen and back. In our VBS lesson we shared the story of the prodigal sons, emphasizing that no matter how far we run or how far away we feel from God, He is always there pursuing us, offering forgiveness and love.
Returning to the hotel for dinner, we washed up and settled down and got ready for Porch Time. Abbey shared from her past experiences in Nicaragua, and how surprising it had been for her to come here and see Jesus already alive and active. This idea of incarnational ministry, that Jesus is alive and can be seen in us and in the Nicaraguans, can be a challenging one to grasp. How do we live in Jesus? How does Jesus live in us? Small groups discussed the preconceived notions of how we might be serving the children here, and how our expectations have been challenged. We also discussed what barriers exist that prevent us from seeing Jesus in others on a daily basis. Please be praying for us this week that we can walk faithfully and confidently in Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, and that our eyes would be opened to the work He has already begun here!
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Nicaragua, Day 2 - June 22, 2016
Hello again! Casa Bernabe gave the team much rest and a welcomed breakfast for the start of our second day here in Nicaragua. We left Casa Bernabe following that meal and visited El Faro's "Mission 14" work site. El Faro is a church that translates to "The Lighthouse," and it supports women in the community who lived in the city trash dump. Mission 14 has a sewing factory that, in addition to sewing clothes, creates art, and crafts jewelry. One of the necklaces available for purchase was even made of recycled paper from the very dump they had escaped! Amazing to see God redeem people and places, and enable them to join in His mission.
From El Faro, we journeyed to the ORPHANetwork Headquarters. We dropped off our donations, and were also able to tour the offices and learn more about what ORPHANetwork does. The Mission of ORPHANetwork is to: 1) Rescue abandoned, abused, and orphaned children, 2) Prevent vulnerable children from becoming abandoned, 3) Create opportunities for new life, and 4) Share Christ with everyone. Operating with two mindsets, "life-saving" and "life-changing," there are orphanages that serve kids in need of physical support, and there are LCI's (Local Church Initiatives) where the hope is to prevent kids from needing the orphanages in the first place. ORPHANetwork approximately supports 163 Life-Saving locations, and 41 Life-Changing locations.
After our tour there, we left for Leon! Upon arriving at the church, Verbo Leon, we assisted in feeding the kids lunch, helping wash hands and serving food. After lunch, a miniature soccer game broke out, laps were ran around the church in fierce games of tag, and children were spun and lifted before a VBS message provided by Luke. He discussed the Two Sons from Matthew 21, and after the scripture was read, we broke up into three groups and some of our team shared a moment in their lives when they were disobedient and why obedience in our faith is important. We played a game of Simon Says to practice obedience and following directions, and then we made crafts with them to help us remember the two sons from the story.
We said "bye" to our new friends after the lesson, and made way to our hotel for the week. Here at Hotel San Juan, we ate a wonderful meal and got ready for our first Porch Time. This is our nightly gathering that features a segment we like to call "Remember That Time," where we recall funny moments throughout the day. It then has a moment we call "I Saw Jesus," where we reflect on where and how we saw Jesus in those we encountered in the day. There was a moment of worship, and Luke spoke on how Jesus sent out the 72, who left all behind to serve and preach the name of Jesus. Our small groups discussed the things and the people we have left behind at home to come here, and how we might be encouraged in our time to meet the needs of those around us. It's been a great day two, and we can't wait for what will surely be a wonderful day three! Stay tuned!
From El Faro, we journeyed to the ORPHANetwork Headquarters. We dropped off our donations, and were also able to tour the offices and learn more about what ORPHANetwork does. The Mission of ORPHANetwork is to: 1) Rescue abandoned, abused, and orphaned children, 2) Prevent vulnerable children from becoming abandoned, 3) Create opportunities for new life, and 4) Share Christ with everyone. Operating with two mindsets, "life-saving" and "life-changing," there are orphanages that serve kids in need of physical support, and there are LCI's (Local Church Initiatives) where the hope is to prevent kids from needing the orphanages in the first place. ORPHANetwork approximately supports 163 Life-Saving locations, and 41 Life-Changing locations.
After our tour there, we left for Leon! Upon arriving at the church, Verbo Leon, we assisted in feeding the kids lunch, helping wash hands and serving food. After lunch, a miniature soccer game broke out, laps were ran around the church in fierce games of tag, and children were spun and lifted before a VBS message provided by Luke. He discussed the Two Sons from Matthew 21, and after the scripture was read, we broke up into three groups and some of our team shared a moment in their lives when they were disobedient and why obedience in our faith is important. We played a game of Simon Says to practice obedience and following directions, and then we made crafts with them to help us remember the two sons from the story.
We said "bye" to our new friends after the lesson, and made way to our hotel for the week. Here at Hotel San Juan, we ate a wonderful meal and got ready for our first Porch Time. This is our nightly gathering that features a segment we like to call "Remember That Time," where we recall funny moments throughout the day. It then has a moment we call "I Saw Jesus," where we reflect on where and how we saw Jesus in those we encountered in the day. There was a moment of worship, and Luke spoke on how Jesus sent out the 72, who left all behind to serve and preach the name of Jesus. Our small groups discussed the things and the people we have left behind at home to come here, and how we might be encouraged in our time to meet the needs of those around us. It's been a great day two, and we can't wait for what will surely be a wonderful day three! Stay tuned!
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Nicaragua, Day 1 - June 21, 2016
Evening, Chapel Family! Though our day here has gained two hours in changing time zones, this may be one of our shorter posts as it was primarily a day of travel! Our team safely arrived in Managua in the afternoon, and we headed out from the airport for Casa Bernabe. The team was excited to be transported in a very decorative school bus that would guide us through our first sights and sounds of the country.
After getting unpacked at Casa Bernabe, our team sat with, talked with, ate with, and danced with the kids who live in this community. We were encouraged to use this opportunity not to practice our Spanish, but to exercise their English. As one who cannot speak Spanish, it was neat to see how God could use who we are, even the differences that could potentially divide us, to serve one another.
In closing the night, the team gathered for a few final announcements and reminders (water, bug spray, hand sanitizer, etc.) to get us ready for tomorrow and the week. We were introduced to our team of translators (Alfred, Jordan, Marlene, and Pedro), and heard some of their stories and how they came to be a part of this trip with us. Time for bed now, though; breakfast will be at 6:45am so we can continue our travels towards Leon!
After getting unpacked at Casa Bernabe, our team sat with, talked with, ate with, and danced with the kids who live in this community. We were encouraged to use this opportunity not to practice our Spanish, but to exercise their English. As one who cannot speak Spanish, it was neat to see how God could use who we are, even the differences that could potentially divide us, to serve one another.
In closing the night, the team gathered for a few final announcements and reminders (water, bug spray, hand sanitizer, etc.) to get us ready for tomorrow and the week. We were introduced to our team of translators (Alfred, Jordan, Marlene, and Pedro), and heard some of their stories and how they came to be a part of this trip with us. Time for bed now, though; breakfast will be at 6:45am so we can continue our travels towards Leon!
Arrival in Managua
The Nicaragua team has landed in Managua! We will update again once we have arrived at our housing site
Nicaragua here we come!
The Nicaragua team is boarded in El Salvador and ready for take off. We will update once they have landed safely in Managua.
In El Salvador
We have arrived in El Salvador safely and on time. We will update you once we have boarded.
Dulles Arrival
The Nicaragua team has arrived at Dulles airport. The flight is still scheduled to depart at 11:10 a.m.
Nicaragua Departure
The Nicaragua team has left the Chapel and headed to Dulles. We will update the blog again when we reach the airport.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Nashville Meeting #2 (6.3.16)
Thank you to everyone who came out to the missions overnight! It was great to get the team together to continue to prepare for our upcoming trip to Nashville!
In our pre-trip meetings, we are studying Genesis 32, and in our last meeting we left Jacob afraid and uncertain about what was about to happen with his brother Esau. We learned that the man that Jacob entered into a wrestling match with was actually God. In the midst of the chaos and fear that Jacob was experiencing, he was not seeking God; however, God came to him and began this wrestling match when he was alone. As we begin to think about how this story of Jacob relates to our lives, it is apparent that many times when we go searching for God, he has been trying to get our attention for a while. In fact, God is usually the one initiating with us way before we even think about turning to God.
In Williamsburg, it is easy to get distracted by friends, school, sports, etc. and overlook areas where God is pursuing us. As we went into small group time, we challenged the students to think about whether or not they would recognize the presence of God as he initiates to us in Nashville.
Small Group Questions
Nashville Checklist #2
Our next meeting will be WEDNESDAY JUNE 15th from 6:30-8:30 in the Student Ministries Worship Room. Please bring any forms or money you have to turn in to that meeting. We are excited to see how God will show up in the lives of everyone on our team this summer!
In our pre-trip meetings, we are studying Genesis 32, and in our last meeting we left Jacob afraid and uncertain about what was about to happen with his brother Esau. We learned that the man that Jacob entered into a wrestling match with was actually God. In the midst of the chaos and fear that Jacob was experiencing, he was not seeking God; however, God came to him and began this wrestling match when he was alone. As we begin to think about how this story of Jacob relates to our lives, it is apparent that many times when we go searching for God, he has been trying to get our attention for a while. In fact, God is usually the one initiating with us way before we even think about turning to God.
In Williamsburg, it is easy to get distracted by friends, school, sports, etc. and overlook areas where God is pursuing us. As we went into small group time, we challenged the students to think about whether or not they would recognize the presence of God as he initiates to us in Nashville.
Small Group Questions
Nashville Checklist #2
Our next meeting will be WEDNESDAY JUNE 15th from 6:30-8:30 in the Student Ministries Worship Room. Please bring any forms or money you have to turn in to that meeting. We are excited to see how God will show up in the lives of everyone on our team this summer!
Nicaragua Meeting #3 (6.3.16)
Thank you to everyone who came out to the missions overnight! Despite a busy weekend with sports and SAT's, we were excited to get to meet together and continue to prepare for our upcoming trip.
In our pre-trip meetings, we are studying Genesis 32, and in our last meeting we left Jacob afraid and uncertain about what was about to happen with his brother Esau. We learned that the man that Jacob entered into a wrestling match with was actually God. In the midst of the chaos and fear that Jacob was experiencing, he was not seeking God; however, God came to him and began this wrestling match when he was alone. As we begin to think about how this story of Jacob relates to our lives, it is apparent that many times when we go searching for God, he has been trying to get our attention for a while. In fact, God is usually the one initiating with us way before we even think about turning to God.
There will be a lot of situations in Nicaragua where we will have mini wrestling matches with God as we encounter situations and scenes that we aren't used to seeing here in America. As we went into small group time, we challenged the students to think about whether or not they would recognize the presence of God as he initiates to us in Nicaragua.
Small Group Questions
Nicaragua Checklist #3
Our last meeting before we leave for Nicaragua will be TUESDAY JUNE 14th from 6:30-8:30 in room 156. Please bring any money you have collected and any donations that you have, we will be packing our donation bags for a portion of the night.
In our pre-trip meetings, we are studying Genesis 32, and in our last meeting we left Jacob afraid and uncertain about what was about to happen with his brother Esau. We learned that the man that Jacob entered into a wrestling match with was actually God. In the midst of the chaos and fear that Jacob was experiencing, he was not seeking God; however, God came to him and began this wrestling match when he was alone. As we begin to think about how this story of Jacob relates to our lives, it is apparent that many times when we go searching for God, he has been trying to get our attention for a while. In fact, God is usually the one initiating with us way before we even think about turning to God.
There will be a lot of situations in Nicaragua where we will have mini wrestling matches with God as we encounter situations and scenes that we aren't used to seeing here in America. As we went into small group time, we challenged the students to think about whether or not they would recognize the presence of God as he initiates to us in Nicaragua.
Small Group Questions
Nicaragua Checklist #3
Our last meeting before we leave for Nicaragua will be TUESDAY JUNE 14th from 6:30-8:30 in room 156. Please bring any money you have collected and any donations that you have, we will be packing our donation bags for a portion of the night.
Norfolk Meeting #1 (6.3.16)
Thank you to everyone who came for our first official meeting of the 2016 Norfolk Missions Team! The Overnight was a big success and a great first meeting for our youngest team members.
In the meeting time, we started off with a team mixer in order to get everyone on the team a little more comfortable with each other and make sure everyone had an opportunity to meet one another. After this we had the first of our three pre trip talks for our summer character study. Each summer before the mission trips, we study a character of the Bible who had some sort of encounter with God and by studying different characters, our hope is to see just how uniquely God works in people's lives and how He can and will use anyone to further the Kingdom.
This summer we are studying Jacob in Genesis 32. Jacob is an interesting character as he actually wrestled with God. In our first study on Jacob, we looked at some of the back story that got Jacob to the point of wrestling with the Lord. Specifically, how he stole his father's blessing from his brother Esau and how he lived in fear of seeing Esau again and avoided confronting him at all costs. The passage ends by Jacob having a wrestling match with God when he is finally alone and away from his family and messengers. We know that we are going to have moments on this trip when we are going to wrestle with God over something we are seeing or experiencing. But this encounter with God happens when we allow ourselves to get alone. It is sometimes hard or uncomfortable, but it is in these moments that we are able to see what God wants to teach us and change us into the people he wants us to be.
Small Group Questions #1
If you have any questions before our next meeting on TUESDAY JUNE 14th please email Nick at nmercer@wcchapel.org.
Norfolk Parent Reminders
In the meeting time, we started off with a team mixer in order to get everyone on the team a little more comfortable with each other and make sure everyone had an opportunity to meet one another. After this we had the first of our three pre trip talks for our summer character study. Each summer before the mission trips, we study a character of the Bible who had some sort of encounter with God and by studying different characters, our hope is to see just how uniquely God works in people's lives and how He can and will use anyone to further the Kingdom.
This summer we are studying Jacob in Genesis 32. Jacob is an interesting character as he actually wrestled with God. In our first study on Jacob, we looked at some of the back story that got Jacob to the point of wrestling with the Lord. Specifically, how he stole his father's blessing from his brother Esau and how he lived in fear of seeing Esau again and avoided confronting him at all costs. The passage ends by Jacob having a wrestling match with God when he is finally alone and away from his family and messengers. We know that we are going to have moments on this trip when we are going to wrestle with God over something we are seeing or experiencing. But this encounter with God happens when we allow ourselves to get alone. It is sometimes hard or uncomfortable, but it is in these moments that we are able to see what God wants to teach us and change us into the people he wants us to be.
Small Group Questions #1
If you have any questions before our next meeting on TUESDAY JUNE 14th please email Nick at nmercer@wcchapel.org.
Norfolk Parent Reminders
North Carolina Meeting #2 (6.3.16)
Thanks to everyone that came out to our second meeting for the North Carolina Missions Team! The Overnight was a success and we are one step closer to the trip!
In our second meeting we continued our character study of Jacob in Genesis 32. We learned that as Jacob wrestled with "a man" during the night, that he was really wrestling with God. As Jacob struggled with the Lord, his hip was disjointed and yet he did not let go of God. In their small groups, the team talked about what wrestling with God could look like in North Carolina and how we can take our experience with God with us, similar to Jacob always having a reminder of his encounter through his hip. Finally we asked ourselves if we were going to be able to recognize God as he undoubtedly "messed" with us on the trip and discussed some ways to prepare ourselves to recognize him in ways that we haven't before.
Small Group Questions
Meeting #2 Checklist
Just a reminder that the next and last meeting is WEDNESDAY JUNE 15th from 6:30-8:30 and to please bring any and all forms and money to this meeting! We are excited to see how God is going to work in and through our team this summer!
ReCreation Forms
Packing List
In our second meeting we continued our character study of Jacob in Genesis 32. We learned that as Jacob wrestled with "a man" during the night, that he was really wrestling with God. As Jacob struggled with the Lord, his hip was disjointed and yet he did not let go of God. In their small groups, the team talked about what wrestling with God could look like in North Carolina and how we can take our experience with God with us, similar to Jacob always having a reminder of his encounter through his hip. Finally we asked ourselves if we were going to be able to recognize God as he undoubtedly "messed" with us on the trip and discussed some ways to prepare ourselves to recognize him in ways that we haven't before.
Small Group Questions
Meeting #2 Checklist
Just a reminder that the next and last meeting is WEDNESDAY JUNE 15th from 6:30-8:30 and to please bring any and all forms and money to this meeting! We are excited to see how God is going to work in and through our team this summer!
ReCreation Forms
Packing List
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Nashville Meeting #1 (5.11.16)
Thank you to everyone who came out to the first meeting for the 2016 Nashville Mission Trip! The first half of the meeting was for the parents and the second half was for the students.
Here is the information from the parent section of the meeting:
Nash Parent Meeting
We also handed out folders with information that you need as we get closer to our trip:
Meeting #1 Checklist
Support Letter Writing Guide
In the second half of the meeting, we began to look at the character in the bible that we will be studying during all of our pre-trip training meetings, Jacob. We read through Genesis 32:2-24, but before we dug into that passage, we had a look at the background of Jacob and his brother Esau. Jacob was the youngest of two brothers and therefore was not in line to receive his family's inheritance. One night, he tricked his brother into giving away his birth right and then, with the help of his mother, fooled his blind father into believing he was Esau so that he could receive his father's blessing. The last thing we read before we get to the passage we study is Esau saying that he was going to kill his brother Jacob.
Then, 20 years later in Genesis 32, Jacob is traveling and sends his messengers before him to tell his brother Esau of all he has in order to earn favor with his brother. In our lives, we tend to act like Jacob does in this moment. There are many places we try to elevate ourselves, to make ourselves look good to our peers, families, coaches, etc. We want to seem important so we try and control the way people view us.
When Jacob's messengers return, they tell him that his brother Esau is coming for him with four hundred men and Jacob begins to panic. He screwed up his relationship with Esau when he stole his birth right and he thinks that he is still going to be mad at him. When we are faced with conflict or fear in our lives how do we respond? Do we run away or fail to engage? It is in these moments that God is showing us that there is a something in our life that he wants to work on. We can't run away from these things that we are afraid of when we are preparing for the trip because God is already showing us areas in our life that he wants to grow us.
The passage ends by Jacob having a wrestling match with God when he is finally alone and away from his family and messengers. We know that we are going to have moments on this trip when we are going to wrestle with God over something we are seeing or experiencing. But this encounter with God happens when we allow ourselves to get alone. There are so many benefits to going on these trips as a group and ways this group will impact you on the trip but will you allow yourself to get away and have alone time? It's sometimes hard or uncomfortable but it is in these moments that we are able to see what God wants to teach us and change us into the people he wants us to be.
Meeting #1 Small Group Questions
Here is the information from the parent section of the meeting:
Nash Parent Meeting
We also handed out folders with information that you need as we get closer to our trip:
Meeting #1 Checklist
Support Letter Writing Guide
In the second half of the meeting, we began to look at the character in the bible that we will be studying during all of our pre-trip training meetings, Jacob. We read through Genesis 32:2-24, but before we dug into that passage, we had a look at the background of Jacob and his brother Esau. Jacob was the youngest of two brothers and therefore was not in line to receive his family's inheritance. One night, he tricked his brother into giving away his birth right and then, with the help of his mother, fooled his blind father into believing he was Esau so that he could receive his father's blessing. The last thing we read before we get to the passage we study is Esau saying that he was going to kill his brother Jacob.
Then, 20 years later in Genesis 32, Jacob is traveling and sends his messengers before him to tell his brother Esau of all he has in order to earn favor with his brother. In our lives, we tend to act like Jacob does in this moment. There are many places we try to elevate ourselves, to make ourselves look good to our peers, families, coaches, etc. We want to seem important so we try and control the way people view us.
When Jacob's messengers return, they tell him that his brother Esau is coming for him with four hundred men and Jacob begins to panic. He screwed up his relationship with Esau when he stole his birth right and he thinks that he is still going to be mad at him. When we are faced with conflict or fear in our lives how do we respond? Do we run away or fail to engage? It is in these moments that God is showing us that there is a something in our life that he wants to work on. We can't run away from these things that we are afraid of when we are preparing for the trip because God is already showing us areas in our life that he wants to grow us.
The passage ends by Jacob having a wrestling match with God when he is finally alone and away from his family and messengers. We know that we are going to have moments on this trip when we are going to wrestle with God over something we are seeing or experiencing. But this encounter with God happens when we allow ourselves to get alone. There are so many benefits to going on these trips as a group and ways this group will impact you on the trip but will you allow yourself to get away and have alone time? It's sometimes hard or uncomfortable but it is in these moments that we are able to see what God wants to teach us and change us into the people he wants us to be.
Meeting #1 Small Group Questions
Our next meeting is the Missions Overnight June 3rd at 6:30 pm until 11:30 am on June 4th.
Contact Luke Kincaid at lkincaid@wcchapel.org or Abbey Sams at asams@wcchapel.org if you have any further questions.
North Carolina Meeting #1 (5.11.16)
Thank you to everyone who came out to our first meeting for the 2016 North Carolina Missions Team! The first half of the meeting was for the parents where we looked at some of the details for the trip and handed out packets with forms and information about the next two team meetings.
Here is the parent meeting powerpoint:
Parent Meeting Info
And the information that was handed out in the folders:
Meeting #1 Checklist
ReCreation Forms
Support Letter Writing Guide
Packing List
The second half of the meeting was for the students. We began to look at the character in the bible that we will be studying during all of our pre-trip training meetings, Jacob. Before we dug into our passage, we had a look at the background of Jacob and his brother Esau. Jacob was the youngest of the two brothers and was not entitled to receive his family's inheritance. One night, he tricked his brother into giving away his birth right and then, with the help of his mother, fooled his blind father into believing he was Esau so that he could receive his father's blessing. The last thing we read before we get to the passage we study is Esau saying that he wanted to kill Jacob.
We pick up the story about 20 years later in Genesis 32:3-24. This is the first time that Jacob will be encountering Esau since he had stolen the blessing and Jacob tries everything he can think of to try and appease Esau's anger, but goes about it in the wrong way. In our lives, we tend to act like Jacob does in this moment. There are many places we try to elevate ourselves, to make ourselves look good to our peers, families, coaches, etc. We want to seem important so we try and control the way people view us. Jacob surrounds himself with his family and friends, takes everything he has left, and attempts to flee. But we cannot flee from God.
The passage ends by Jacob having a wrestling match with God when he is finally alone and away from his family and messengers. We know that we are going to have moments on this trip when we are going to wrestle with God over something we are seeing or experiencing. But this encounter with God happens when we allow ourselves to get alone. It is sometimes hard or uncomfortable, but it is in these moments that we are able to see what God wants to teach us and change us into the people he wants us to be.
Here is the parent meeting powerpoint:
Parent Meeting Info
And the information that was handed out in the folders:
Meeting #1 Checklist
ReCreation Forms
Support Letter Writing Guide
Packing List
The second half of the meeting was for the students. We began to look at the character in the bible that we will be studying during all of our pre-trip training meetings, Jacob. Before we dug into our passage, we had a look at the background of Jacob and his brother Esau. Jacob was the youngest of the two brothers and was not entitled to receive his family's inheritance. One night, he tricked his brother into giving away his birth right and then, with the help of his mother, fooled his blind father into believing he was Esau so that he could receive his father's blessing. The last thing we read before we get to the passage we study is Esau saying that he wanted to kill Jacob.
We pick up the story about 20 years later in Genesis 32:3-24. This is the first time that Jacob will be encountering Esau since he had stolen the blessing and Jacob tries everything he can think of to try and appease Esau's anger, but goes about it in the wrong way. In our lives, we tend to act like Jacob does in this moment. There are many places we try to elevate ourselves, to make ourselves look good to our peers, families, coaches, etc. We want to seem important so we try and control the way people view us. Jacob surrounds himself with his family and friends, takes everything he has left, and attempts to flee. But we cannot flee from God.
The passage ends by Jacob having a wrestling match with God when he is finally alone and away from his family and messengers. We know that we are going to have moments on this trip when we are going to wrestle with God over something we are seeing or experiencing. But this encounter with God happens when we allow ourselves to get alone. It is sometimes hard or uncomfortable, but it is in these moments that we are able to see what God wants to teach us and change us into the people he wants us to be.
Our next meeting is the Missions Overnight which starts June 3rd at 6:30 and goes until 11:30 the next morning, June 4th. Can't wait to see everyone then!
If you need anything or have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to Nick: nmercer@wcchapel.org
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Nicaragua Meeting #2 (5.10.16)
At last night's meeting, we began to look at the character in the bible that we will be studying during all of our pre-trip training meetings, Jacob. We read through Genesis 32:2-24, but before we dug into that passage, we had a look at the background of Jacob and his brother Esau. Jacob was the youngest of two brothers and therefore was not in line to receive his family's inheritance. One night, he tricked his brother into giving away his birth right and then, with the help of his mother, fooled his blind father into believing he was Esau so that he could receive his father's blessing. The last thing we read before we get to the passage we study is Esau saying that he was going to kill his brother Jacob.
Then, 20 years later in Genesis 32, Jacob is traveling and sends his messengers before him to tell his brother Esau of all he has in order to earn favor with his brother. In our lives, we tend to act like Jacob does in this moment. There are many places we try to elevate ourselves, to make ourselves look good to our peers, families, coaches, etc. We want to seem important so we try and control the way people view us.
When Jacob's messengers return, they tell him that his brother Esau is coming for him with four hundred men and Jacob begins to panic. He screwed up his relationship with Esau when he stole his birth right and he thinks that he is still going to be mad at him. When we are faced with conflict or fear in our lives how do we respond? Do we run away or fail to engage? It is in these moments that God is showing us that there is a something in our life that he wants to work on. We can't run away from these things that we are afraid of when we are preparing for the trip because God is already showing us areas in our life that he wants to grow us.
The passage ends by Jacob having a wrestling match with God when he is finally alone and away from his family and messengers. We know that we are going to have moments on this trip when we are going to wrestle with God over something we are seeing or experiencing. But this encounter with God happens when we allow ourselves to get alone. There are so many benefits to going on these trips as a group and ways this group will impact you on the trip but will you allow yourself to get away and have alone time? It's sometimes hard or uncomfortable but it is in these moments that we are able to see what God wants to teach us and change us into the people he wants us to be.
Our next meeting is the Missions Overnight June 3rd at 6:30 pm until 11:30 am on June 4th.
Bring any remaining forms you have to turn in (ONET form, copy of passport, parental consent form) and any money you have received to the overnight.
ONET Consent Form
Parental Consent Form
Meeting #2 Checklist
Meeting #2 Small Group Questions
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Nicaragua Parent Meeting.4.12.16
Here are all the forms and PowerPoint slides from our parent meeting. Contact Luke Kincaid at lkincaid@wcchapel.org or Abbey Sams at asams@wcchapel.org if you have any further questions.
Meeting Checklist
Support Letter Instructions
ONET Missions Manual
ONET Consent Form
Chapel Consent Form
Slides from Meeting
Meeting Checklist
Support Letter Instructions
ONET Missions Manual
ONET Consent Form
Chapel Consent Form
Slides from Meeting
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