In our full day on the Norfolk trip, the team ate breakfast at Spring Branch before heading out to Union Mission Ministry. Union Mission is a homeless shelter for men, women, and families who are on the streets or severely impoverished. We dropped off all the donations that the students had given to the shelter, and got to talk with Miss Linda who is the director of Mission. Miss Linda spoke with us about homelessness, teaching some of the causes of homelessness and sharing stories of people she has met in her years serving at Union Mission. The students asked her questions about where the donations we had brought were going and we got to walk the facility and see all the shelters and meet some of the people who will benefit from what we brought. When we were done in the donation center, the team loaded up and headed back to Spring Branch to stay out of the heat and get some lunch. After lunch, we headed to Consulate Health Center, a rehabilitation and nursing care facility where we were able to meet with many of the residents, hearing about their lives and the incredible stories they have to share! We joined them in an afternoon activity of bingo which as always was more intense than our students were ready for, but they learned quickly to take the game as seriously as the residents did and everyone had a blast! Sadly, as the residents had to move on to the next thing on their docket we had to say goodbye. Happily, we headed to the beach for a little fun in the sun and we ended up having dinner at the beach before coming back to Spring Branch for the night. After showers, we had Porch Time where we remembered those times and shared where we saw Jesus, worshiped through song and heard a good word from Tommy. We talked about the idea of being good soil from the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. The discussion continued into small groups about how we can be the path, the rocky soil, have thorns but regardless God continues to give us the opportunity to grow.
We wound down after a long day and are exited to finish well tomorrow when we go to Park Place Child Life Center, have our final porch time and head back up 64. We will keep you updated of our ETA back to the Chapel through the “NorfolkParent” (to 41411) text list. Thank you for your prayers and see you soon!
Friday, July 19, 2019
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Norfolk Day 1 - 7.18.19
Tonight is going to be a shorter post as we did not leave for the Norfolk trip until 4pm. After we left the Chapel, we took the very slow route through the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel until finally arriving at our housing location for this trip, Spring Branch Community Church. We are excited to be staying in their Student Ministry wing with space for us to hang out, share meals, sleep, and have “Porch Time.” For those unfamiliar with this traditional time on Chapel trips, “Porch Time” comes from trips to Nicaragua years ago when the team would debrief the day on the front porch. We have obviously outgrown the porch, but the tradition remains and tonight after dinner the Norfolk team had their very first “Porch Time.” We looked back at our brief trip so far and “Remembered That Time,” sharing funny anecdotes that had already come up on the drive, sitting in traffic, and eating dinner. Next we shared where “I Saw Jesus,” a time where team members can share where they have seen God at work in and through the team so far. We then worshiped through song and heard our first “Porch Time” talk where Nick taught from John 11. He shared that we as a team have been sent here and that we need to take the opportunities to serve this community and to see God at work through the people we encounter as well as each other. After the talk we had small groups and then wound down to get a good night’s sleep before a full day tomorrow!
If you haven’t yet, please text “NorfolkParent” to 41411 to receive updates throughout our trip and also because of the tight turn around times with VBS around the corner, we will show our trip video this Sunday in the SM service which everyone is welcome to come see!
If you haven’t yet, please text “NorfolkParent” to 41411 to receive updates throughout our trip and also because of the tight turn around times with VBS around the corner, we will show our trip video this Sunday in the SM service which everyone is welcome to come see!
Saturday, July 13, 2019
NASH DAY 6 - 7.12.19
For the final time this year, Salutations from Nashville!
As the sunrise broke over our final day in Nashville, we prepared ourselves with a customary moment of quiet reflection. Following this our serving groups departed to our ministry sites where we reluctantly waved goodbye to all our new friends. After some emotional farewells, we capped the day off with our final Porchtime. Porchtime tonight included an extended worship set as well as a talk focusing on the final chapters of Gideon's story.
We look forward to returning home tomorrow, although we will certainly miss Nashville. It has been wonderful to watch God's hands at work in this incredible city.
As the sunrise broke over our final day in Nashville, we prepared ourselves with a customary moment of quiet reflection. Following this our serving groups departed to our ministry sites where we reluctantly waved goodbye to all our new friends. After some emotional farewells, we capped the day off with our final Porchtime. Porchtime tonight included an extended worship set as well as a talk focusing on the final chapters of Gideon's story.
We look forward to returning home tomorrow, although we will certainly miss Nashville. It has been wonderful to watch God's hands at work in this incredible city.
Friday, July 12, 2019
NASH DAY 5 - 7.11.19
Hello again from beautiful Nashville!
We had a marvelous day today!
In keeping with tradition, students opened the morning in prayer and private reflection, worshiping God to prepare for the day ahead. All groups then proceeded to their various mission sites to continue serving the organizations they have been building relationships with throughout the week.
In the afternoon, all of our groups participated in "Urban Exposure," an activity in which we split up into smaller groups of 3-4 and, armed with sandwiches and snacks, prowled the streets of downtown Nashville on a mission to seek out new friends and share a meal with them. With common ground established by food, our students broke the ice and learned about the daily trials and tribulations of the homeless community firsthand.
For dinner we dinned upon tacos with our CSM hosts and the other church groups staying with us, excitedly swapping stories of the incredible people who impacted us far more than we could ever impact them. After food and games, we made a pilgrimage to Las Paletas, a tasty popsicle shop in East Nashville, before retiring back to the housing site for Porchtime. At Porchtime we shared our experiences of seeing God work, before engaging in praise and worship. In our talk we delved into Ephesians 2, and learned about the relationship between faith and works.
After so many incredible experiences, we are positively elated to give everything we have on our final full day tomorrow!
We had a marvelous day today!
In keeping with tradition, students opened the morning in prayer and private reflection, worshiping God to prepare for the day ahead. All groups then proceeded to their various mission sites to continue serving the organizations they have been building relationships with throughout the week.
In the afternoon, all of our groups participated in "Urban Exposure," an activity in which we split up into smaller groups of 3-4 and, armed with sandwiches and snacks, prowled the streets of downtown Nashville on a mission to seek out new friends and share a meal with them. With common ground established by food, our students broke the ice and learned about the daily trials and tribulations of the homeless community firsthand.
For dinner we dinned upon tacos with our CSM hosts and the other church groups staying with us, excitedly swapping stories of the incredible people who impacted us far more than we could ever impact them. After food and games, we made a pilgrimage to Las Paletas, a tasty popsicle shop in East Nashville, before retiring back to the housing site for Porchtime. At Porchtime we shared our experiences of seeing God work, before engaging in praise and worship. In our talk we delved into Ephesians 2, and learned about the relationship between faith and works.
After so many incredible experiences, we are positively elated to give everything we have on our final full day tomorrow!
WV Day 5 - 7.11.19
Today was our last full day here in WV and we were excited to get another full day of serving in before we head home tomorrow morning. For the final time, here's how the WV team spent their day:
Group 1 (the "Zion Zingers") spent their final day of serving in limbo as we were at the mercy of the weather and spent the first hour of our day cleaning up at the camp waiting to head to the work site. When we finally arrived at Miss Retha's, a recent widow who needed help with some yard work. The group spent the rest of their work day weeding, mulching and cleaning up around Miss Retha's. They finished up just as another round of showers came through and headed back to the 4H camp to prep dinner for the community cookout we had tonight.
Group 2 (the "Appalachian Aces") finished their week at Energy Express. It's been a great time with the students there, and a great example of the ministry of presence. It hasn't been as physically draining as some of the other worksites groups have visited, but one of our Porch Time talks emphasized living in the common or mundane moments of life by the power of God. Our mornings here may have felt common at times, but we have no idea how God will grow the seeds sown here in Beckley this summer! After lunch we went on a brief prayer walk. Visiting some familiar sites from our week and a few new ones, we prayed over a day center for senior citizens, a local church, the local Salvation Army, and other local businesses and homes. The tour ended at Grandview Park with a beautiful view of the West Virginia mountains, prompted to pray for the "wild and wonderful" pieces we've encountered this week.
Group 3 (the "Rocky Rangers") weren't able to make it to Ms Jean's due to the rain but had a wonderful time at Harper Mills Retirement home. The group spent all morning in the garden where they grow vegetables for the residents. We tied tomato plants, painted boxes/frames, pulled weeds, and put up wire for the cucumber and squash plants to climb. The girls were super energetic and eager to finish their last day of service strong. After lunch, they worked through the rain to finish the fencing. The rest of the day was spent connecting with the residents. We watched funny animal videos, played uno, checkers, and most importantly had great conversations. It's been encouraging to see this group serve together while growing in both relationship with each other and in their faith.
Group 4 (the "Himalayan Homies") had the opportunity to serve at the School of Harmony today. This old school building offers music lessons to less fortunate children in the local area and rents office spaces to small non-profit organizations. We had the opportunity to paint the front stairs of the building. This gave the school a fresh and more appealing appearance. It was so amazing to watch the girls sit out in the heat all day while painting and yet not complain even once. They are really embracing the idea of acting as the hands and feet of Jesus. While some girls painted, other girls pulled weeds surrounding the building. Again, their positive attitudes about performing less desirable tasks is inspiring! Upon finishing these outdoor tasks, we were afforded the opportunity to go inside the School of Harmony and speak to some of the great people who work there. We met a man who shared his story of being a color-blind animator for television commercials.
Group 5 ( the "Pyrenees Pals") spent their last day with the kids from the Heart of God church camp. Today they did a repeat of Tuesdays activities and took more kids back to WVU Tech Gymnasium, where they spent hours playing games with the kids. It has been such a blessing seeing our students connect and grow in relationship with kids and members of the Beckley community. While it is never fun saying goodbye to those who we have built relationships with, we know we have made lasting friendships and even more so, developed a community that we will always be welcomed in.
The whole West Virginia team reconvened at Heart of God Church to have a community cookout with some of the residents of Beckley that we have served and come to know throughout our time here. It was fun to see them once more before coming back to the camp for our final Porch Time. At final Porch Time Nick finished the study on Gideon that we had began all the way back at our first training meeting in May. We looked at Judges 8 and talked about how as we transition back to Williamsburg we need to surrender any idols we are holding on to, show steadfast love, and embrace a discipline of remembrance. We have had an incredible time here in West Virginia, but are excited to come home and tell you all about it! We will text when we hit the road in the morning and update ETA's as we drive, so if you're not on the text list yet you can join by texting "WVPARENT" to 41411. See you soon and thank you all again for your prayers and support this week!
Group 1 (the "Zion Zingers") spent their final day of serving in limbo as we were at the mercy of the weather and spent the first hour of our day cleaning up at the camp waiting to head to the work site. When we finally arrived at Miss Retha's, a recent widow who needed help with some yard work. The group spent the rest of their work day weeding, mulching and cleaning up around Miss Retha's. They finished up just as another round of showers came through and headed back to the 4H camp to prep dinner for the community cookout we had tonight.
Group 2 (the "Appalachian Aces") finished their week at Energy Express. It's been a great time with the students there, and a great example of the ministry of presence. It hasn't been as physically draining as some of the other worksites groups have visited, but one of our Porch Time talks emphasized living in the common or mundane moments of life by the power of God. Our mornings here may have felt common at times, but we have no idea how God will grow the seeds sown here in Beckley this summer! After lunch we went on a brief prayer walk. Visiting some familiar sites from our week and a few new ones, we prayed over a day center for senior citizens, a local church, the local Salvation Army, and other local businesses and homes. The tour ended at Grandview Park with a beautiful view of the West Virginia mountains, prompted to pray for the "wild and wonderful" pieces we've encountered this week.
Group 3 (the "Rocky Rangers") weren't able to make it to Ms Jean's due to the rain but had a wonderful time at Harper Mills Retirement home. The group spent all morning in the garden where they grow vegetables for the residents. We tied tomato plants, painted boxes/frames, pulled weeds, and put up wire for the cucumber and squash plants to climb. The girls were super energetic and eager to finish their last day of service strong. After lunch, they worked through the rain to finish the fencing. The rest of the day was spent connecting with the residents. We watched funny animal videos, played uno, checkers, and most importantly had great conversations. It's been encouraging to see this group serve together while growing in both relationship with each other and in their faith.
Group 4 (the "Himalayan Homies") had the opportunity to serve at the School of Harmony today. This old school building offers music lessons to less fortunate children in the local area and rents office spaces to small non-profit organizations. We had the opportunity to paint the front stairs of the building. This gave the school a fresh and more appealing appearance. It was so amazing to watch the girls sit out in the heat all day while painting and yet not complain even once. They are really embracing the idea of acting as the hands and feet of Jesus. While some girls painted, other girls pulled weeds surrounding the building. Again, their positive attitudes about performing less desirable tasks is inspiring! Upon finishing these outdoor tasks, we were afforded the opportunity to go inside the School of Harmony and speak to some of the great people who work there. We met a man who shared his story of being a color-blind animator for television commercials.
Group 5 ( the "Pyrenees Pals") spent their last day with the kids from the Heart of God church camp. Today they did a repeat of Tuesdays activities and took more kids back to WVU Tech Gymnasium, where they spent hours playing games with the kids. It has been such a blessing seeing our students connect and grow in relationship with kids and members of the Beckley community. While it is never fun saying goodbye to those who we have built relationships with, we know we have made lasting friendships and even more so, developed a community that we will always be welcomed in.
The whole West Virginia team reconvened at Heart of God Church to have a community cookout with some of the residents of Beckley that we have served and come to know throughout our time here. It was fun to see them once more before coming back to the camp for our final Porch Time. At final Porch Time Nick finished the study on Gideon that we had began all the way back at our first training meeting in May. We looked at Judges 8 and talked about how as we transition back to Williamsburg we need to surrender any idols we are holding on to, show steadfast love, and embrace a discipline of remembrance. We have had an incredible time here in West Virginia, but are excited to come home and tell you all about it! We will text when we hit the road in the morning and update ETA's as we drive, so if you're not on the text list yet you can join by texting "WVPARENT" to 41411. See you soon and thank you all again for your prayers and support this week!
Thursday, July 11, 2019
NASH DAY 4 - 7.10.19
Hello again from Nashville!
Our Wednesday opened with our usual personal quiet time to reflect and process the trip as well as Scripture and prayer.
Afterwards, groups went out to serve in their service projects, continuing to build relationships with kids at the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls Club and Project Transformation (a community-oriented summer day camp for children and youth from low-income neighborhoods). One group had the opportunity to visit Loaves and Fishes, a soup kitchen for people experiencing homelessness.
In the afternoon, some of our groups served at Halfway House, a ministry for people recovering from addiction, as well as N.I.C.E., the aforementioned ministry for serving new immigrants and refugees.
Last night we had our night off where we went downtown to the famous Wild Horse Saloon, a 3-story music restaurant and music venue in the heart of Nashville. Students bonded with each other’s groups, enjoyed food and attempted to learn line dancing! After our trip downtown we capped off the night with an extended worship session, finishing with prayer and reflection. It is incredible to watch God move in and through all of our students!
Thanks to all the parents that were able to come to the prayer meeting. Please continue to pray for us as we serve Nashville.
WV Day 4 - 7.10.19
The team had another wonderful day here in Beckley, WV! Here are some of the exciting sites our teams had the privilege to serve at:
Group 1 (the "Zion Zingers") were at a new work site today where they got to serve a couple named Mary and Mike Williams, who are older and aren't able to keep up with some of the greater needs of their house. The group spent the day getting to know the couple while power washing their house, cleaning up their back yard, and filling in a large hole with gravel in their driveway. While the work was fulfilling and Group 1 has been handling the workload this week with incredible joy, the true highlight of the day was getting to talk and get to know Mike and Mary. They were so thankful and sincere for our presence there and our group was soaking up the stories and wisdom that they shared.
Group 2 (the "Appalachian Aces") was back at Energy Express reading, writing, playing and serving both the children and the faculty on site. It's clear the students at Beckley Elementary are connecting with the team, calling us their "new best friends" while exchanging secret handshakes. It has also been so fun to encourage them and their imaginations in creative writing exercises and prompted art paintings. After lunch we went to Mr. Charles' house to help paint a couple of his bedrooms. God has sustained an incredible enthusiasm in this group all week, with willing hands to serve and joyful hearts in their labor.
Group 3 (the "Rocky Rangers") got the opportunity to serve at Ms. Jean's house! She had the kindest heart and welcomed us into her home with open arms. During the morning, the group teamed up to complete various tasks: made beds, organized rooms, took out trash, dusted, and vacuumed. We also finished up the sanding of her back deck that Group 2 had been working on the past few days. Throughout the day, we were able to hear her story and see God at work in her life through the difficulties and pain. She truly modeled what trusting in His faithfulness looks like. After lunch, the team tackled staining the deck. With rain in the forecast for the following day, the girls wanted to finish no matter how long it would take. They joyfully worked 2 hours after our scheduled time to make sure it was finished. It was so encouraging to see their willingness to serve and sacrifice their shower and free time! We can't wait to return to her house tomorrow!
Group 4 ( the "Himalayan Homies") spent the day at Harper Mills nursing home interacting with the residents! The group walked up and down the halls stopping by bedrooms saying hi and listening to all of the wonderful stories the residents had to offer. After participating in the morning exercise the girls then spread out with some sitting in the dining room chatting it up, some helping residents get to and from their rooms, and some sitting in the hair salon as different people sat down to get a new hairstyle for the day. After lunch, everyone met back up in the dining room to watch the afternoon movie and then shortly after played in 4 exciting rounds of Bingo where the girls helped the residents win prizes!
Group 5 (the "Pyrenees Pals") were at the same camp they have been at all week. Today, they took around 80 kids to see Despicable Me 3. Following the movie, they headed back to the Heart of God church to serve lunch to the kids. The group is super excited to return tomorrow and continue building relationships with the kids there. It has been inspiring to watch the group grow both in their relationships with one another and with the Lord.
All of the groups met back at the 4H camp after their service projects for a few hours of free time and dinner. Great conversation occurred at the dinner table before it was time to depart for a worship night at the Heart of God church. An incredibly lively and moving service followed. The congregation was moving and clapping to the songs and encouraged the kids to pour their hearts into the worship. Afterwards, we came back to our housing site for porch time. We heard a talk from Tommy as we studied the parable of the sower from Mathhew 13 about the kind of "soil" we have in our hearts so Jesus can plant the best seed. Closing the day with good small group time and fellowship, our team is prepared for a packed and fun final day of service here in Beckley, West Virginia!
Group 1 (the "Zion Zingers") were at a new work site today where they got to serve a couple named Mary and Mike Williams, who are older and aren't able to keep up with some of the greater needs of their house. The group spent the day getting to know the couple while power washing their house, cleaning up their back yard, and filling in a large hole with gravel in their driveway. While the work was fulfilling and Group 1 has been handling the workload this week with incredible joy, the true highlight of the day was getting to talk and get to know Mike and Mary. They were so thankful and sincere for our presence there and our group was soaking up the stories and wisdom that they shared.
Group 2 (the "Appalachian Aces") was back at Energy Express reading, writing, playing and serving both the children and the faculty on site. It's clear the students at Beckley Elementary are connecting with the team, calling us their "new best friends" while exchanging secret handshakes. It has also been so fun to encourage them and their imaginations in creative writing exercises and prompted art paintings. After lunch we went to Mr. Charles' house to help paint a couple of his bedrooms. God has sustained an incredible enthusiasm in this group all week, with willing hands to serve and joyful hearts in their labor.
Group 3 (the "Rocky Rangers") got the opportunity to serve at Ms. Jean's house! She had the kindest heart and welcomed us into her home with open arms. During the morning, the group teamed up to complete various tasks: made beds, organized rooms, took out trash, dusted, and vacuumed. We also finished up the sanding of her back deck that Group 2 had been working on the past few days. Throughout the day, we were able to hear her story and see God at work in her life through the difficulties and pain. She truly modeled what trusting in His faithfulness looks like. After lunch, the team tackled staining the deck. With rain in the forecast for the following day, the girls wanted to finish no matter how long it would take. They joyfully worked 2 hours after our scheduled time to make sure it was finished. It was so encouraging to see their willingness to serve and sacrifice their shower and free time! We can't wait to return to her house tomorrow!
Group 4 ( the "Himalayan Homies") spent the day at Harper Mills nursing home interacting with the residents! The group walked up and down the halls stopping by bedrooms saying hi and listening to all of the wonderful stories the residents had to offer. After participating in the morning exercise the girls then spread out with some sitting in the dining room chatting it up, some helping residents get to and from their rooms, and some sitting in the hair salon as different people sat down to get a new hairstyle for the day. After lunch, everyone met back up in the dining room to watch the afternoon movie and then shortly after played in 4 exciting rounds of Bingo where the girls helped the residents win prizes!
Group 5 (the "Pyrenees Pals") were at the same camp they have been at all week. Today, they took around 80 kids to see Despicable Me 3. Following the movie, they headed back to the Heart of God church to serve lunch to the kids. The group is super excited to return tomorrow and continue building relationships with the kids there. It has been inspiring to watch the group grow both in their relationships with one another and with the Lord.
All of the groups met back at the 4H camp after their service projects for a few hours of free time and dinner. Great conversation occurred at the dinner table before it was time to depart for a worship night at the Heart of God church. An incredibly lively and moving service followed. The congregation was moving and clapping to the songs and encouraged the kids to pour their hearts into the worship. Afterwards, we came back to our housing site for porch time. We heard a talk from Tommy as we studied the parable of the sower from Mathhew 13 about the kind of "soil" we have in our hearts so Jesus can plant the best seed. Closing the day with good small group time and fellowship, our team is prepared for a packed and fun final day of service here in Beckley, West Virginia!
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
NASH DAY 3 - 7.9.19
Our second day in Nashville proved fruitful, as our serving groups opened the morning with daily devotions, before continuing to morning sites. We served again at Project Transformation, the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls clubs, and the Giving Gardens, continuing our ministry to these communities.
In the afternoon, some of our serving groups helped at N.I.C.E., while the rest served at Project C.U.R.E., a non-profit dedicated to distributing medical supplies to impoverished communities around the globe. At Project C.U.R.E. we processed donations, sorting and classifying thousands of pieces of medical equipment.
In this evening's Porchtime, we shared some of our individual experiences with the groups, followed by a time of worship. Our talk focused on Ephesian's 3, in which we explored the importance of being rooted and grounded in Christ's love. We expanded upon this concept further, examining how Christ's love can be drawn upon as a source of strength in our weakness.
Our time in Nashville continues splendidly, and we look forward to seeing how Christ's love continues to manifest this week.
Reminder that tonight (Wednesday 7.10.19) at 7pm in the SM Worship Room at the Chapel we have our parent prayer meeting for our trip and the Nashville trip!
In the afternoon, some of our serving groups helped at N.I.C.E., while the rest served at Project C.U.R.E., a non-profit dedicated to distributing medical supplies to impoverished communities around the globe. At Project C.U.R.E. we processed donations, sorting and classifying thousands of pieces of medical equipment.
In this evening's Porchtime, we shared some of our individual experiences with the groups, followed by a time of worship. Our talk focused on Ephesian's 3, in which we explored the importance of being rooted and grounded in Christ's love. We expanded upon this concept further, examining how Christ's love can be drawn upon as a source of strength in our weakness.
Our time in Nashville continues splendidly, and we look forward to seeing how Christ's love continues to manifest this week.
Reminder that tonight (Wednesday 7.10.19) at 7pm in the SM Worship Room at the Chapel we have our parent prayer meeting for our trip and the Nashville trip!
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
WV Day #3 - 7.9.19
We had another incredible day serving here in West Virginia! In the interest of focusing on the groups and the service that was done today we will jump right into the recaps!
Group 1 (the "Zion Zingers") went to a new serving site, The Beckley Dream Center, which is a food pantry where they collect donations to hand out to those affected by natural disasters and who fall on hard times in the area. The group showed up expecting to help paint the lobby, but was directed to the warehouse upon arrival and asked to help pack food boxes...and pack them they did! By the end of their serving time today, Group 1 had packed (and this is specific because they would be upset if I rounded down) 809 BOXES, which filled up 16 pallets! Throughout the whole day it was incredible to see how they turned their laborious task into fun and laughter while still completing above and beyond what was expected of them. After finishing up at the Dream Center, the Group 1 headed back to the 4H center to meet up with the rest of the team.
Group 2 (the "Appalachian Aces") returned to Energy Express this morning! The group kept a great attitude while assisting with custodial needs at the elementary school and encouraging the students who attend the program in their reading comprehension. Following lunch, the group visited the house of a 96 year old woman who needed her back patio painted. The team immediately got right to work grabbing paint, brushes, and ladders and we completed the project with enough time leftover to return to our worksite from yesterday. The group was eager to get back and see this project through, picking up where they left off by sanding down the deck so it can eventually be stained. It's been wonderful seeing how this group and their leaders are engaging with one another and serving together.
Group 3 (the "Rocky Rangers") returned to the same site as yesterday, School of Harmony. They spent most of the morning painting staircases, hand railings, and walls for Legacy Church, one of the business partners that rent out space there. Afternoon activities included cutting down small trees, organizing donations in the food pantry, and putting together shopping bags used in the pantry. It was a blast serving together and hearing the stories of people in this community.
Group 4 ( the "Himalayan Homies") were sent to a different serving site than yesterday, where they met a woman named Diane in need of help with yard work unable to be done because of recent sustained injuries. Throughout the day the group worked to pick weeds, power wash a deck/surrounding patio area, and spend time with the homeowner. After about three hours of hard work under the hot sun, the girls still did not want a lunch break, but decided to take one to make sure they would have strength to complete the task at hand. At the end of the day, the girls cleaned all of the trash and yard supplies out of Ms. Diane's yard and headed back to the 4H camp to eat dinner with the rest of our team.
Group 5 (the "Pyrenees Pals") returned to Heart of God church where they continued to serve the summer camp for those who are at or below the poverty line. Today we took close to 80 kids to the WVU Tech gymnasium where they played basketball, soccer, and many other games. After spending a couple hours at the gym, the group went back to the church and helped serve lunch to all the kids.
After all five groups returned from the work day, we had some free time to rest before eating dinner and getting ready for our night activity with our Youth Works. Tonight's activity was a little more low key, but everyone was excited and got really into it. We stayed at the camp and had options to play in an ultimate frisbee tournament, play kick ball, or learn some line dancing from one of the YW Staff and we all had a blast! We transitioned from the activities into our second Porch Time where we recounted the fun times and the times we saw God at work throughout the day. Tommy lead us in a time of worship and then Nick gave a talk, looking at John 11 and the story of Lazarus. We looked at the idea that as we continue to serve the rest of our time here in West Virginia, we should be taking stock of how we are actively and joyfully seeking God throughout our days here and how we can continue that when we return to Williamsburg. Thank you all for your prayers as we continue to serve this week.
Reminder that tonight (Wednesday 7.10.19) at 7pm in the SM Worship Room at the Chapel we have our parent prayer meeting for our trip and the Nashville trip!
Group 1 (the "Zion Zingers") went to a new serving site, The Beckley Dream Center, which is a food pantry where they collect donations to hand out to those affected by natural disasters and who fall on hard times in the area. The group showed up expecting to help paint the lobby, but was directed to the warehouse upon arrival and asked to help pack food boxes...and pack them they did! By the end of their serving time today, Group 1 had packed (and this is specific because they would be upset if I rounded down) 809 BOXES, which filled up 16 pallets! Throughout the whole day it was incredible to see how they turned their laborious task into fun and laughter while still completing above and beyond what was expected of them. After finishing up at the Dream Center, the Group 1 headed back to the 4H center to meet up with the rest of the team.
Group 2 (the "Appalachian Aces") returned to Energy Express this morning! The group kept a great attitude while assisting with custodial needs at the elementary school and encouraging the students who attend the program in their reading comprehension. Following lunch, the group visited the house of a 96 year old woman who needed her back patio painted. The team immediately got right to work grabbing paint, brushes, and ladders and we completed the project with enough time leftover to return to our worksite from yesterday. The group was eager to get back and see this project through, picking up where they left off by sanding down the deck so it can eventually be stained. It's been wonderful seeing how this group and their leaders are engaging with one another and serving together.
Group 3 (the "Rocky Rangers") returned to the same site as yesterday, School of Harmony. They spent most of the morning painting staircases, hand railings, and walls for Legacy Church, one of the business partners that rent out space there. Afternoon activities included cutting down small trees, organizing donations in the food pantry, and putting together shopping bags used in the pantry. It was a blast serving together and hearing the stories of people in this community.
Group 4 ( the "Himalayan Homies") were sent to a different serving site than yesterday, where they met a woman named Diane in need of help with yard work unable to be done because of recent sustained injuries. Throughout the day the group worked to pick weeds, power wash a deck/surrounding patio area, and spend time with the homeowner. After about three hours of hard work under the hot sun, the girls still did not want a lunch break, but decided to take one to make sure they would have strength to complete the task at hand. At the end of the day, the girls cleaned all of the trash and yard supplies out of Ms. Diane's yard and headed back to the 4H camp to eat dinner with the rest of our team.
Group 5 (the "Pyrenees Pals") returned to Heart of God church where they continued to serve the summer camp for those who are at or below the poverty line. Today we took close to 80 kids to the WVU Tech gymnasium where they played basketball, soccer, and many other games. After spending a couple hours at the gym, the group went back to the church and helped serve lunch to all the kids.
After all five groups returned from the work day, we had some free time to rest before eating dinner and getting ready for our night activity with our Youth Works. Tonight's activity was a little more low key, but everyone was excited and got really into it. We stayed at the camp and had options to play in an ultimate frisbee tournament, play kick ball, or learn some line dancing from one of the YW Staff and we all had a blast! We transitioned from the activities into our second Porch Time where we recounted the fun times and the times we saw God at work throughout the day. Tommy lead us in a time of worship and then Nick gave a talk, looking at John 11 and the story of Lazarus. We looked at the idea that as we continue to serve the rest of our time here in West Virginia, we should be taking stock of how we are actively and joyfully seeking God throughout our days here and how we can continue that when we return to Williamsburg. Thank you all for your prayers as we continue to serve this week.
Reminder that tonight (Wednesday 7.10.19) at 7pm in the SM Worship Room at the Chapel we have our parent prayer meeting for our trip and the Nashville trip!
Monday, July 8, 2019
WV Day 2 - 7.8.19
Today was our first full day here in Beckley, WV and it did not disappoint! At Youth Works there are some quirky traditions that they have and one of our team's favorite is that team that prepped either breakfast or dinner has to creatively introduce the meal that we are about to consume. The two groups that prepared breakfast and dinner tonight set the bar VERY high for the rest of the week!
Each van has become its own serving group for the week, going to their own serving site during the day. We have asked a leader from each group to provide a recap of their team's day below:
Group 1 (the "Zion Zingers") went to Harper Mills Nursing and Rehabilitation center. At Harper Mills the group split during the morning with half of them painting the raised vegetable patches that some of the residents tend too and the other half of the group helped out the staff during the resident's morning activity. The whole group came together to help the staff serve lunch and had the opportunity to get to meet and talk with a number of the residents. After lunch they worked on building and painting more raised garden beds for the residents to tend too.
Group 2 (the "Appalachian Aces") went to Energy Express, which is a summer reading and nutritional program for children living in West Virginia's rural and low-income communities. Spread out over three classrooms at Beckley Elementary School, the group supported the Americorps Energy Express leaders and encouraged the students through art activities, gym exercise, and a time of one-on-one reading. The group ate lunch at the school, and then departed for a worksite at a local woman's house who needs her porch stain. The team got right to work with masks, goggles, work gloves, sandpaper and brushes to smooth the deck as we hope to see it restored while here! There was a great energy and willingness to serve.
Group 3 (the "Rocky Rangers") went to the School of Harmony, it's a repurposed middle school that began as a place for kids in the community interested in music. They now rent out space to various businesses: a daycare, fitness classes, a local church, an accountant, and also a food pantry that opens every Saturday. The group spent the morning mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming the rooms and hallways. After breaking for lunch, the group unloaded a food shipment, restocked the shelves of the food pantry, and watered plants around the campus. There was tons of energy and willingness to work hard in every task they were given!
Group 4 (the "Himalayan Homies") went to a local resident's house, Miss Linda, to paint her kitchen and two bedrooms. The girls split up into three groups to tackle this massive project. Before grabbing their brushes the girls all helped each deep clean the kitchen walls and move the furniture around in the bedrooms. As they painted, they took small breaks to talk with Miss Linda and a few of her family members that were around the house to get to know them a little bit better. After eating lunch, together the girls got right back to work putting a second coat of paint on the walls and setting the furniture back how they found it.
Group 5 ( the "Pyrenees Pals") went to the Heart of God Church in the town of Beckley. This church has a summer camp program for kids who are at or below the poverty line. With today being the first day of camp, this group helped rally the local kids by participating in dance competitions and lessons on nutrition. The amazing staff at the church prepares 2 meals a day for the local kids. Our group helped serve the kids food and helped clean up after it was all done. Following lunch, we played outside with the kids and had a great time getting to know them more. We are excited to spend all week with this group and further our relationship with the kids and the church.
In the late afternoon all 5 groups came together and we went to the Beckley Coal Mine Exhibition Museum and had the opportunity to learn more about the history of the city and its relationship with the mine. It was a great experience to get to understand the people we are getting to serve this week. After the museum, we headed back to the 4H camp for dinner and showers.
Finally, we had our first Porch Time of the week. Porch Time is our nightly debrief where we reflect on the day we had and hear how God showed up in our group. We worshiped in song and heard a talk from Nick setting up the week and challenging our team to seek opportunities to leave any distractions they may have behind and seek to live this week out with a heart of service.
Thank you for praying for us as we continue to experience what this trip has to offer and we are excited to see what God has in store for us tomorrow!
Each van has become its own serving group for the week, going to their own serving site during the day. We have asked a leader from each group to provide a recap of their team's day below:
Group 1 (the "Zion Zingers") went to Harper Mills Nursing and Rehabilitation center. At Harper Mills the group split during the morning with half of them painting the raised vegetable patches that some of the residents tend too and the other half of the group helped out the staff during the resident's morning activity. The whole group came together to help the staff serve lunch and had the opportunity to get to meet and talk with a number of the residents. After lunch they worked on building and painting more raised garden beds for the residents to tend too.
Group 2 (the "Appalachian Aces") went to Energy Express, which is a summer reading and nutritional program for children living in West Virginia's rural and low-income communities. Spread out over three classrooms at Beckley Elementary School, the group supported the Americorps Energy Express leaders and encouraged the students through art activities, gym exercise, and a time of one-on-one reading. The group ate lunch at the school, and then departed for a worksite at a local woman's house who needs her porch stain. The team got right to work with masks, goggles, work gloves, sandpaper and brushes to smooth the deck as we hope to see it restored while here! There was a great energy and willingness to serve.
Group 3 (the "Rocky Rangers") went to the School of Harmony, it's a repurposed middle school that began as a place for kids in the community interested in music. They now rent out space to various businesses: a daycare, fitness classes, a local church, an accountant, and also a food pantry that opens every Saturday. The group spent the morning mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming the rooms and hallways. After breaking for lunch, the group unloaded a food shipment, restocked the shelves of the food pantry, and watered plants around the campus. There was tons of energy and willingness to work hard in every task they were given!
Group 4 (the "Himalayan Homies") went to a local resident's house, Miss Linda, to paint her kitchen and two bedrooms. The girls split up into three groups to tackle this massive project. Before grabbing their brushes the girls all helped each deep clean the kitchen walls and move the furniture around in the bedrooms. As they painted, they took small breaks to talk with Miss Linda and a few of her family members that were around the house to get to know them a little bit better. After eating lunch, together the girls got right back to work putting a second coat of paint on the walls and setting the furniture back how they found it.
Group 5 ( the "Pyrenees Pals") went to the Heart of God Church in the town of Beckley. This church has a summer camp program for kids who are at or below the poverty line. With today being the first day of camp, this group helped rally the local kids by participating in dance competitions and lessons on nutrition. The amazing staff at the church prepares 2 meals a day for the local kids. Our group helped serve the kids food and helped clean up after it was all done. Following lunch, we played outside with the kids and had a great time getting to know them more. We are excited to spend all week with this group and further our relationship with the kids and the church.
In the late afternoon all 5 groups came together and we went to the Beckley Coal Mine Exhibition Museum and had the opportunity to learn more about the history of the city and its relationship with the mine. It was a great experience to get to understand the people we are getting to serve this week. After the museum, we headed back to the 4H camp for dinner and showers.
Finally, we had our first Porch Time of the week. Porch Time is our nightly debrief where we reflect on the day we had and hear how God showed up in our group. We worshiped in song and heard a talk from Nick setting up the week and challenging our team to seek opportunities to leave any distractions they may have behind and seek to live this week out with a heart of service.
Thank you for praying for us as we continue to experience what this trip has to offer and we are excited to see what God has in store for us tomorrow!
NASH DAY 2 - 7.8.19
Greetings from Nashville!
On our first full day in the City of Nashville, our team was ecstatic to dive into serving the community! After opening the morning with some personal quiet time of prayer and reflection, our team departed for our ministry sites. We experienced a wide range of ministry opportunities, including serving at the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls Club and Project Transformation, both community-oriented summer day camps for children from low-income neighborhoods.
One of our groups served at the Giving Gardens, providing manual labor picking weeds and cleaning fields. The Giving Garden produces over forty-one thousand pounds of produce annually, distributed amongst twenty-one different local partners who serve food to low-income individuals and families.
On our first full day in the City of Nashville, our team was ecstatic to dive into serving the community! After opening the morning with some personal quiet time of prayer and reflection, our team departed for our ministry sites. We experienced a wide range of ministry opportunities, including serving at the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls Club and Project Transformation, both community-oriented summer day camps for children from low-income neighborhoods.
One of our groups served at the Giving Gardens, providing manual labor picking weeds and cleaning fields. The Giving Garden produces over forty-one thousand pounds of produce annually, distributed amongst twenty-one different local partners who serve food to low-income individuals and families.
Another of our serving groups had the pleasure of assisting at N.I.C.E., a community-based organization dedicated to serving refugees and immigrants through direct social services and educational programs.
After lunch, all of our groups embarked on a tour of Nashville learning and praying over historic sites and various neighborhood landmarks, schools, neighborhoods and ministry partner locations.
CSM staff led our groups in a neighborhood immersion project where students took on the identity of an average family from various different neighborhoods in town. Roles within the family were assigned to each student and collectively, they made decisions about how to provide food for the impromptu family dinner while taking into account the limited resources they had as well as unexpected expenses like buying toilet paper and peanut butter for the home. We then debriefed the experience and discussed some of the causes and remedies of poverty. One of the biggest takeaways for groups was realizing that poverty is not simply a lack of material resources but the result of broken relationships.
We closed out our day with "Porchtime," a nightly program in which we recap both funny moments and moments where we saw Jesus move. After this recap we enjoyed a period of worship before we soaked up our first talk regarding Luke 5.
We closed out our day with "Porchtime," a nightly program in which we recap both funny moments and moments where we saw Jesus move. After this recap we enjoyed a period of worship before we soaked up our first talk regarding Luke 5.
Nashville is off to a great start and we are excited for what tomorrow will hold for our students!
NASH DAY 1 - 7.7.19
We are so excited to have finally arrived and settled into our housing site in Nashville. Today was a long day on the road but we had smooth travel overall. We were really grateful to Cindy and Ken Parkin who opened up their home to us for our halfway stop. Once we arrived at our housing site, we were greeted by cheerful CSM hosts who hopped in our vans, guided us to our first dinner locations and then gave us an orientation to set us up for a great week! Students have settled into their rooms and turned in for the night as we get ready to begin service projects bright and early in the morning. We will be updating the blog every night and sending a parent text each morning to let you know when the blog is up. Stay tuned for breakdowns of where each of our serving groups have been as well as maybe some pictures throughout the week!
Sunday, July 7, 2019
WV Day 1 - 7.7.19
Today was mostly a travel day, so there is not a whole lot to report on. We arrived at our housing site, the Raleigh County 4H camp, unpacked and settled into our cabins for the week. After settling in, we had a delicious dinner made for us by the Youth Works staff in the dining hall. Dinner was followed by a student and leader orientation led by our Youth Works staff members. During the orientation we were prepared for our week ahead and got to meet our Youth works staff members a little bit. The team had some free time before getting ready for bed and the week we have ahead of us! We are excited to serve here in West Virginia and to see where and how God shows up through this team! Thank you for your prayers and we will update the blog at the end of each day and send a link the next morning on our parent text list which you can subscribe to by texting “WVPARENT” to 41411.
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Costa Rica Day 8 - 6.25.19
We had an amazing day here at our debrief site! We had our second debrief small group this morning followed by some quiet time. Taking time to connect with the Lord one on one is something that is not incorporated enough in our daily lives and allowing the team to take the opportunity to process what they have experienced on this trip has been a very helpful activity. Following our small group and quiet time, we ate lunch and then had some free time where the team was able to spend some time on the beach jumping waves, surfing, playing volleyball, and exploring nearby shops.
After a great day of experiencing the beautiful beach of Costa Rica, the team gathered for our final porch time. This is our final moment for the kids to analyze how they can use what they have learned and seen here in Costa Rica back in Williamsburg. Luke re-visited the story of Gideon that we studied prior to our trip in the pre-trip meeting to close out our study on him. In Judges 8 we read that after God's great victory through Gideon the Israelites sadly resorted back to their former ways and worshipping other Gods. They forgot all that God had done for them and resorted back to trusting in their own strength. Luke talked about how our natural tendency as humans is to choose selfish motivations rather than constantly depending on God and listening to His will for our lives. Our hope and prayer is that as we re-enter our normal lives back in Williamsburg lives that we would be able to heed the warning of Judges 8 and look to constantly depend on God's strength in our lives. Luke introduced the phrase "LiveWEAK" to remember and encapsulate this need for dependency on God. Throughout our week in Costa Rica we have spent time everyday in worship, service, and small group discussions to help remind us of our need for God's presence in our lives. Please join us as we continue to embrace the truth underlying 2 Corinthians 12:10 which says, "when I am weak, then I am strong."
We have truly had a blessed trip and we look forward to sharing more stories when we see you all in Williamsburg.
After a great day of experiencing the beautiful beach of Costa Rica, the team gathered for our final porch time. This is our final moment for the kids to analyze how they can use what they have learned and seen here in Costa Rica back in Williamsburg. Luke re-visited the story of Gideon that we studied prior to our trip in the pre-trip meeting to close out our study on him. In Judges 8 we read that after God's great victory through Gideon the Israelites sadly resorted back to their former ways and worshipping other Gods. They forgot all that God had done for them and resorted back to trusting in their own strength. Luke talked about how our natural tendency as humans is to choose selfish motivations rather than constantly depending on God and listening to His will for our lives. Our hope and prayer is that as we re-enter our normal lives back in Williamsburg lives that we would be able to heed the warning of Judges 8 and look to constantly depend on God's strength in our lives. Luke introduced the phrase "LiveWEAK" to remember and encapsulate this need for dependency on God. Throughout our week in Costa Rica we have spent time everyday in worship, service, and small group discussions to help remind us of our need for God's presence in our lives. Please join us as we continue to embrace the truth underlying 2 Corinthians 12:10 which says, "when I am weak, then I am strong."
We have truly had a blessed trip and we look forward to sharing more stories when we see you all in Williamsburg.
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Costa Rica Day 7 - 6.24.19
For those who missed the parent prayer meeting on Sunday. Here is a link to the video we showed form our team: Costa Rica Team Video
We were sad to leave our site this morning, but also very excited to head over to our debrief site! We cleaned out our rooms, packed up the bus, and drove to a nearby city called Sarchi, where we saw the world's largest ox cart. We also stopped at a souvenir shop where we all picked up Costa Rican souvenirs for both ourselves, and families (get excited for some gifts, parents!). From there, we stopped at a restaurant with a buffet for lunch. Our next stop was at a bridge over a river, where we got to watch many large American crocodiles. The largest we saw was possibly close to 15'!
We were sad to leave our site this morning, but also very excited to head over to our debrief site! We cleaned out our rooms, packed up the bus, and drove to a nearby city called Sarchi, where we saw the world's largest ox cart. We also stopped at a souvenir shop where we all picked up Costa Rican souvenirs for both ourselves, and families (get excited for some gifts, parents!). From there, we stopped at a restaurant with a buffet for lunch. Our next stop was at a bridge over a river, where we got to watch many large American crocodiles. The largest we saw was possibly close to 15'!
The ox cart
Crocodiles!
Store in Sarchi
At around 3:30, we arrived at our debrief site in Jaco. The purpose of having this time is for students to be able to process what they have experienced in the past week. During this time, we will have 3 final small groups, where students can share what they have learned. We have found that it can be difficult to go directly from the poverty of Costa Rica into affluent America and so please be praying for God to seal in the lessons we have learned throughout the week during our time here. After getting split up into our rooms the team spent a little time jumping waves or relaxing in the pool. We then got to eat dinner together at an outdoor food center in the local downtown area. We returned to our debrief site afterwards, and while we did not have porch time, we did split off into small groups to discuss what we had learned from the past week of serving. In our small groups we are returning to the character of Gideon who we studied before the trip and re-visiting some of the questions we answered in our pre-trip meetings. It is really neat to see how God has used the story of Gideon to setup and guide our own encounters with God down here in Costa Rica. Tomorrow, we will have more small group and reflection time, as well as a little more time to enjoy the Costa Rican beach!
Monday, June 24, 2019
Costa Rica Day 6 - 6.23.19
¡Hola! It was a beautiful Sunday morning here in Costa Rica. We got to attend an amazing church service, where we witnessed the joy and happiness of believers from the surrounding community. Some of the students had the opportunity to attend Sunday school with the children, while others attended the almost 3 hour long service. In Sunday school, the kids colored and played Bible games. After church, we organized and set up all the donations which included the 47 bags we brought from Williamsburg. Once it was organized, the doors were opened for the Costa Ricans to come in and choose whatever they liked. It was beautiful to see the joy in everyone's faces as they found things that they needed. It looked like the kids were opening up presents on Christmas morning as they found new outfits and shoes. They were so grateful to everyone who donated!
After lunch, we divided into 4 groups to visit houses in La Radial, the same place where we had done our work projects earlier in the week. We saw kids we had been interacting with all week in their own homes, and it was an emotional experience as we talked to their families and prayed over them. Afterwards, we said our final goodbyes and headed back to our housing site. We enjoyed our last dinner with our hosts and also celebrated a birthday with cake (happy birthday, Sherrieff!). We finished off the night with our second-to-last porch time and some great time in small groups. Tomorrow, we are heading out to our debrief site in Jaco. We are excited to see more of Costa Rica!
After lunch, we divided into 4 groups to visit houses in La Radial, the same place where we had done our work projects earlier in the week. We saw kids we had been interacting with all week in their own homes, and it was an emotional experience as we talked to their families and prayed over them. Afterwards, we said our final goodbyes and headed back to our housing site. We enjoyed our last dinner with our hosts and also celebrated a birthday with cake (happy birthday, Sherrieff!). We finished off the night with our second-to-last porch time and some great time in small groups. Tomorrow, we are heading out to our debrief site in Jaco. We are excited to see more of Costa Rica!
Sunday, June 23, 2019
Costa Rica Day 5 - 6.22.19
We had another great day here in Costa Rica! It started off with arroz con pollo and eggs with grilled hot dogs. We headed back to the carnival field for a fútbol (soccer) tournament. We set up three fields -- a practice field and two for girls and guys to compete in. The turn out was good and it was fun see everyone enjoy playing even if it was their first time. The boys had some tough competition as soccer is a huge sport here, but they were awesome sports and worked hard. After a hot day in the sun, it was nice to cool off with a pool party for the community kids. We served lots of pizza and juice. The kids loved splashing around as it was a real treat for them. Some don't even own swim suits. We ended the event with a dance party and learned some Costa Rican dance moves. On the way back to our site, we stopped at a local cathedral and saw wild parakeets. After the tour, we had spaghetti and salad for dinner. The usual porch time continued with reflecting on the day and worship. One of the leaders on the trip, Christie Geiling, gave a wonderful talk on the myth of the poor and encouraged us to think about what we are filling our lives with. The night ended with some sweet small group time. The students continue to have high energy and spend intentional time in fellowship. Tomorrow we will attend church in the morning, set up a thrift store with the clothing donations, and serve food to the community of La Radial.
Reminder that there is a prayer meeting for the Costa Rica team this morning (Sunday, 23rd) at the Chapel between services in room 123 from 10:30-10:45. We'll also be showing a short check-in video from the team!
Reminder that there is a prayer meeting for the Costa Rica team this morning (Sunday, 23rd) at the Chapel between services in room 123 from 10:30-10:45. We'll also be showing a short check-in video from the team!
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Costa Rica Day 4 - 6.21.19
Good morning, parents! The day started off with ham & cheese breakfast sandwiches as we headed to set up for Carnival Day. Energy and enthusiasm were high as our team welcomed over 200 kids from the La Radial community. We had two large inflatables and various games set up --- face painting, corn hole toss, wiffle ball, water balloons, ring toss, and many more. To nobody's surprise, there were pick-up soccer games running throughout the day. The kid's favorite part was definitely the tons of candy we handed out as prizes. Each wave of kids finished off the carnival with a hot dog and chip lunch. During our lunch break, we headed up the mountain to see the ruins of a historical unfinished monument on a dormant volcano. It gave us an incredible view of the valley and city below.
After another great session at the carnival, we packed up to see some more of the city. With some time to spare, we toured the Iglesia de la Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes also know as the heavy metal church. It is entirely made of metal sheets and is the center of the town of Grecia. It accidentally arrived in Costa Rica but was supposed to be in Greece, therefore the name of the town is Grecia (Greek in Spanish).
The day wasn't complete without some local ice cream which everyone loved after a long day in the sun. We closed out the evening with an arroz con pollo and frijoles dinner back at the site. We ended the night with our usual porch time and small groups. Luke talked on suffering, sacrifice and selflessness. We all had great small group time to reflect on the day. We are resting and eager to spend time with the kids once again at tomorrow's soccer game and pool party.
After another great session at the carnival, we packed up to see some more of the city. With some time to spare, we toured the Iglesia de la Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes also know as the heavy metal church. It is entirely made of metal sheets and is the center of the town of Grecia. It accidentally arrived in Costa Rica but was supposed to be in Greece, therefore the name of the town is Grecia (Greek in Spanish).
The day wasn't complete without some local ice cream which everyone loved after a long day in the sun. We closed out the evening with an arroz con pollo and frijoles dinner back at the site. We ended the night with our usual porch time and small groups. Luke talked on suffering, sacrifice and selflessness. We all had great small group time to reflect on the day. We are resting and eager to spend time with the kids once again at tomorrow's soccer game and pool party.
Friday, June 21, 2019
Costa Rica Day 3 - 6.20.19
After a pancake and fresh fruit breakfast, the groups headed back to La Radial to finish the work projects and the community church for painting. We had 4 four hours to finish as much as we could and the students worked hard and efficiently. One group worked on a ramp to replace an unsafe walkway made of logs. This allowed for safer access for the residents. Another group made concrete by hand and delivered it to the various projects. Other groups cemented stairs and built hand rails making the stairs safer and less slick when wet.
We left for lunch at the church and had pork chops, mashed potatoes, and pineapple. For the afternoon, we finished the rest of the Jonah story. We made crosses with beads and pipe cleaners with the community children. Afterwards, we set up an olympic style competition. The games varied from relay races, tug of war, egg race, etc. The the students led four different teams and surprisingly came out as a four way tie. After we said our good-byes, we headed to the Strong Mission site for fish tacos. The students were able to buy hand painted pictures and support a local artist. During porch time, Luke spoke from the Gospel of Luke about leaving our comfort zones and the purpose of why we are here. After some small group time, we finished out the night with some sweet sweet fellowship. Tomorrow we will host a carnival for about 200 kids in the community. We are excited to see what tomorrow holds!
We left for lunch at the church and had pork chops, mashed potatoes, and pineapple. For the afternoon, we finished the rest of the Jonah story. We made crosses with beads and pipe cleaners with the community children. Afterwards, we set up an olympic style competition. The games varied from relay races, tug of war, egg race, etc. The the students led four different teams and surprisingly came out as a four way tie. After we said our good-byes, we headed to the Strong Mission site for fish tacos. The students were able to buy hand painted pictures and support a local artist. During porch time, Luke spoke from the Gospel of Luke about leaving our comfort zones and the purpose of why we are here. After some small group time, we finished out the night with some sweet sweet fellowship. Tomorrow we will host a carnival for about 200 kids in the community. We are excited to see what tomorrow holds!
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Costa Rica Day 2 - 6.19.19
It was awesome to finally have the whole team together for our first full day of service! We started the day off with a traditional Costa Rican breakfast: eggs with ham, rice and beans, and bread. After a short quiet time, we headed off to serve in the community of La Radial. We split off into two groups, one painting in the church and the other constructing stairs and hand rails in the housing community. Even with a new environment, the students worked extremely hard sanding, mixing concrete, digging holes, painting, etc. We stopped for lunch at the church and set up for the afternoon activities with the children in the community. Our lunch consisted of a pork sandwich, pineapple, coleslaw, and potato chips. We did a short lesson on Jonah and the Whale along with a student skit. We did a craft activity, creating a whale out of supplies. The guys played soccer with the Costa Rican boys while the girls painted nails, made bracelets, and did their hair. The students mingled and connected with the kids. They did well engaging even with the language difference. After a long day we headed back to our housing site and enjoyed Costa Rican fried chicken. During our porch time, Vinny gave a brief lesson on God's disciplinarian and reckless love for us. It was encouraging for all the students as they make the most of our time here and look for opportunities to show this community God's love. We are eager to continue our work projects tomorrow in La Radial and host an olympics game for the kids.
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Costa Rica Day 1 - 6.18.19
For half of our group our journey to Costa Rica began at 12:30am as we set out from the Chapel up to Baltimore. Group 1 traveled from Baltimore down to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and then finished up in San Jose, Costa Rica just in time for a lunch of rice and chicken (arroz y pollo). After lunch Group 1 went to a local church in a community called La Radial where we will be serving throughout the week. We met Pastor Dennis and learned about how the church building used to be a bar that was abandoned and eventually taken over to become a church. The church particularly reaches out to the surrounding La Radial community through worship services and providing for the tangible needs of the community when possible. La Radial is slum built in between a main highway and flowing ravine. It is a series of tin and wood shacks crammed together and built a couple stories high on the hill. Due to the poor construction and lack of adequate maintenance about 3-4 houses get swept away during a heavy flooding of the ravine. Our team is going to be helping with a couple building projects along with getting to know the kids of the community through some vbs lessons at the church and fun games. It is going to be a great week of service bringing new hope and energy to this community through the local church!
Group 2 left Williamsburg a lot later and so spent all of their day traveling to Costa Rica. They traveled from Baltimore to Houston and then after a tight layover in Houston landed safely in Costa Rica. Due to their later arrival in Costa Rica, Group 2 just ate some food, got settled at our housing site, reconnected with the rest of the team, and then went to bed with everyone else.
Everyone is eager to get the work projects underway and meet the kids of La Radial. Check back tomorrow for updates on our first full day of service here in Costa Rica.
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Costa Rica Meeting 6.11.19
Donation bags are packed and we are excited for departure on Tuesday. Just a couple quick things in case you missed them last night. Below is the updated itineraries for both groups. Group 1 has the same flight and is planning to meet at the Chapel at 11:45pm on Monday, June 17th so that we can leave around 12:30 to get up to the Baltimore airport. Group 2 has a later flight and is planning to meet at the Chapel at 7am on Tuesday, June 18th in order to leave by 7:30am to get up to the Baltimore airport.
Flight Itinerarys
Please don’t hesitate to text Luke or Isaac if you have any itinerary questions or if you are unsure which group you are in. Also, below is the packing list if you don’t have one.
Packing List
Finally, don’t forget that we are going to pray for the Costa Rica team in our SM service this Sunday so please try to come to church so that we can be prayed for as a team.
Flight Itinerarys
Please don’t hesitate to text Luke or Isaac if you have any itinerary questions or if you are unsure which group you are in. Also, below is the packing list if you don’t have one.
Packing List
Finally, don’t forget that we are going to pray for the Costa Rica team in our SM service this Sunday so please try to come to church so that we can be prayed for as a team.
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Costa Rica Meeting 5.31.19
Our trip is almost here and for those of you who missed some of the Missions Team Night last Friday then here are some of the final details you need to know.
All clothing donations need to be brought by our final team meeting on June 11th from 6:30-8:30pm in the SM Worship Room. We will be packing all of the donations to bring down with us during this final meeting.
Also, please bring as much of the money you have collected as possible to our final meeting.
Our trip is quickly approaching and we are getting very excited for all that God has in store for us down in Costa Rica!
All clothing donations need to be brought by our final team meeting on June 11th from 6:30-8:30pm in the SM Worship Room. We will be packing all of the donations to bring down with us during this final meeting.
Also, please bring as much of the money you have collected as possible to our final meeting.
Our trip is quickly approaching and we are getting very excited for all that God has in store for us down in Costa Rica!
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Nashville Parent Meeting 5.8.19
Thanks to everyone who came out to our Nashville Parent meeting and first student meeting! We covered a lot of info in the parent portion so if you need to revisit anything or you couldn't make it to the meeting the slides and handouts are linked below:
During the student portion of the meeting, we had our first pre-trip training on the character that we are studying this summer, Gideon, from Judges 6. We will be studying his story and encounters with God as preparation for our own experiences this summer!
Our next meeting will be the Mission Teams Night on Friday, May 31st from 4:30-11pm. This will serve as our second pre-trip meeting and will have the second Gideon teaching as well as a team building game that we hope will help unify the team as we prepare to head to Nashville this July. If you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to email Luke (lkincaid@wcchapel.org).
Due to Isaac's transition out of the meeting last night, there was a piece of information that was miscommunicated. Students ARE allowed to bring cell phones on the trip, but will ONLY be allowed to use them during the van ride from Williamsburg to Nashville and the van ride returning home. We will be collecting them once we arrive and locking them up for the week. If you need to contact your student on the trip, you can call Isaac at 570-223-3214.
Nashville Team Commitments 2019
Nashville Team Checklist
Packing List
Support Letter Instructions
Parental Consent Form
Nashville Team Checklist
Packing List
Support Letter Instructions
Parental Consent Form
During the student portion of the meeting, we had our first pre-trip training on the character that we are studying this summer, Gideon, from Judges 6. We will be studying his story and encounters with God as preparation for our own experiences this summer!
Our next meeting will be the Mission Teams Night on Friday, May 31st from 4:30-11pm. This will serve as our second pre-trip meeting and will have the second Gideon teaching as well as a team building game that we hope will help unify the team as we prepare to head to Nashville this July. If you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to email Luke (lkincaid@wcchapel.org).
Due to Isaac's transition out of the meeting last night, there was a piece of information that was miscommunicated. Students ARE allowed to bring cell phones on the trip, but will ONLY be allowed to use them during the van ride from Williamsburg to Nashville and the van ride returning home. We will be collecting them once we arrive and locking them up for the week. If you need to contact your student on the trip, you can call Isaac at 570-223-3214.
West Virginia Parent Meeting 5.8.19
Thanks to everyone who came out to our West Virginia Parent meeting and the first meeting for the students on this trip! We covered a lot of info in the parent portion of the meeting and if you need to revisit anything or you couldn't make it to the meeting the slides and handouts are linked below:
WV Parent Meeting Slides
Meeting #1 Checklist
Youth Works Forms
WV Support Letter Writing Instructions
In the student portion of the meeting, we had our first pre-trip training on the character that we are studying this summer, Gideon from Judges 6. We will be studying his story and encounters with God as preparation for our own experiences this summer!
Our next meeting will be the Mission Teams Night on Friday, May 31st from 4:30-11pm. This will serve as our second pre-trip meeting and will have the second Gideon teaching as well as a team building game that we hope will help unify the team as we prepare to head to West Virginia this July. If you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to email Nick (nmercer@wcchapel.org).
WV Parent Meeting Slides
Meeting #1 Checklist
Youth Works Forms
WV Support Letter Writing Instructions
In the student portion of the meeting, we had our first pre-trip training on the character that we are studying this summer, Gideon from Judges 6. We will be studying his story and encounters with God as preparation for our own experiences this summer!
Our next meeting will be the Mission Teams Night on Friday, May 31st from 4:30-11pm. This will serve as our second pre-trip meeting and will have the second Gideon teaching as well as a team building game that we hope will help unify the team as we prepare to head to West Virginia this July. If you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to email Nick (nmercer@wcchapel.org).
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Costa Rica Meeting #2 - 5.7.19
We had a great meeting as we did some team building and began our study of Gideon from the book of Judges. We are going to use Gideon’s encounter with God in Judges 6-8 as a model to help us prepare our hearts and minds for all that God wants to teach us and show us down in Costa Rica. We handed out another checklist to keep everyone on the same page about forms and deadlines. If you need a new copy of it then just click the link below.
Meeting Checklist
Also, if you have not turned in a completed Medical Consent Form then please click the link below and turn one in as soon as you can.
Medical Consent Form
Also, don’t hesitate to email Luke Kincaid at lkincaid@wcchapel.org with any further questions.
Meeting Checklist
Also, if you have not turned in a completed Medical Consent Form then please click the link below and turn one in as soon as you can.
Medical Consent Form
Also, don’t hesitate to email Luke Kincaid at lkincaid@wcchapel.org with any further questions.
Norfolk Parent Meeting 5.7.19
Thanks to everyone who came out to our Norfolk Parent meeting and the first meeting for the students on this trip! We covered a lot of info in the parent portion of the meeting and if you need to revisit anything or you couldn't make it to the meeting the slides and handouts are linked below:
Meeting #1 Checklist
Packing List
Norfolk General Schedule
In the student portion of the meeting, we had our first pre-trip training on the character that we are studying this summer, Gideon from Judges 6. We will be studying his story and encounters with God as preparation for our own experiences this summer on our trip
Our next meeting will be the Mission Teams Night on Friday, May 31st from 4:30-11pm. This will serve as our second pre-trip meeting and will have the second Gideon teaching as well as a team building game that we hope will help unify the team as we prepare to head to Norfolk this July. If you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to email Nick (nmercer@wcchapel.org).
Meeting #1 Checklist
Packing List
Norfolk General Schedule
In the student portion of the meeting, we had our first pre-trip training on the character that we are studying this summer, Gideon from Judges 6. We will be studying his story and encounters with God as preparation for our own experiences this summer on our trip
Our next meeting will be the Mission Teams Night on Friday, May 31st from 4:30-11pm. This will serve as our second pre-trip meeting and will have the second Gideon teaching as well as a team building game that we hope will help unify the team as we prepare to head to Norfolk this July. If you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to email Nick (nmercer@wcchapel.org).
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Costa Rica Parent Meeting 4.9.19
Here are the slides we reviewed at the Parent Meeting if you missed the meeting or just wanted to look up something we talked about.
Parent Meeting Slides
In addition the the information in the slides we handed out folders that included a packing list, support letter writing instructions, meeting checklist, and WCC parental consent form. If you missed the meeting or lost one of the forms then here are links to them.
Packing List
Support Letter Instructions
Meeting Checklist
WCC Parental Consent Form
Also, if you have not gotten on our Costa Rica text lists to receive reminders then please do that by texting COSTAPARENT to 41411 or COSTASTUDENT to 41411.
Finally, don’t forget to check your passport to make sure it is not expired. Costa Rica does require your passport to be valid for six months beyond the date of our trip which means if your passport expires anytime in 2019 then you should get it renewed.
Parent Meeting Slides
In addition the the information in the slides we handed out folders that included a packing list, support letter writing instructions, meeting checklist, and WCC parental consent form. If you missed the meeting or lost one of the forms then here are links to them.
Packing List
Support Letter Instructions
Meeting Checklist
WCC Parental Consent Form
Also, if you have not gotten on our Costa Rica text lists to receive reminders then please do that by texting COSTAPARENT to 41411 or COSTASTUDENT to 41411.
Finally, don’t forget to check your passport to make sure it is not expired. Costa Rica does require your passport to be valid for six months beyond the date of our trip which means if your passport expires anytime in 2019 then you should get it renewed.
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