God provided a beautiful and restful day for the NC Mission Team! Because the organization we work with, ReCreation Experiences, always has the work groups take Wednesdays off, we took the opportunity to explore the surrounding area, serve a local retirement home, and enjoy the beautiful views of the North Carolina mountains.
First, a recap of last night's activities. Porch time again went very well. The students have been attentive during the talks and have participated well during worship and small group time. God continues to make connections between students and their leaders during structured activities and free time.
This morning began as usual, with an early wake-up call, a solid breakfast, and a time of worship. After the worship, our group headed out to a local park to enjoy the morning and play capture the flag. After a few rounds, it was time to head over to the Brian Center, a retirement community located near downtown Weaverville. The students broke up into smaller groups and spent some time visiting with the residents, sharing stories, and re-filling bird feeders. Both the residents and the students were truly blessed by the experience.
After our visits, we ate lunch at the picnic tables outside and spent a little "Time Alone with God" (TAG), before again loading the buses and heading to our afternoon location. The team headed down the road a bit to Brevard, North Carolina to enjoy the fun of Sliding Rock, a natural water slide (with lifeguards, of course!) found off the side of the Blue Ridge Parkway. After a few runs down the slide into some pretty chilly water, the team went a few miles down the mountain to Looking Glass Falls where a few brave souls waded in the cold water, while the rest of the group marveled at their bravery and the beauty around us.
After the Falls, we took pizza up to an overlook spot on the Blue Ridge Parkway to enjoy a gorgeous view of the mountains. While at the overlook site, we sang a few worship songs and had our Porch Time talk with our most beautiful background yet. After the talk, the team loaded up the buses and headed back to ReCreation headquarters for showers, small group time, and some free time before bed (lights out in 15 minutes!!). It's been a full day, and the students are excited to continue work on the septic systems tomorrow. We are almost finished with all the ditches and are hoping to install the pipes/tanks tomorrow. Please continue to pray for safety in travels and on the work site. We truly believe your prayers have made a big impact on our experience!
