MS Norfolk Trip Day #2 - 7.25.14

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

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

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

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

 

MS Norfolk Trip Day #1 - 7.24.14

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

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

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

Final Norfolk Meeting - 7.15.14

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

Small Group Questions

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

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

Packing List

SERVING DAY 5 (NASHVILLE TEAM)

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

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

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

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

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

NC Mission Trip Day #6 - 7.11.14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SERVING DAY 4 (NASVHILLE TEAM)

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

Serving Group 1:

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

Serving Group 2:

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

Serving Group 3:

Group 3 started their day off at the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls club once again. Both the group and the kids at the center have really enjoyed starting their days together this week. Throughout the week, Group 3 has exhibited an amazing amount of flexibility during their service, and today was no exception. Kick ball, pool, ping-pong, computer games, dance offs and X Box kept everyone busy. Our group also humbly and joyfully volunteered for the dirtier jobs of cleaning bathrooms and mopping the gym floor.  After lunch, Group 3 left Andrew Jackson and went to End Slavery Tennessee, where they heard a message on modern day slavery that goes on in the United States, specifically right here in Nashville. Group 3 then went to a local neighborhood to help the End Slavery Tennessee organization spread awareness by hanging door tags and talking to people about what is going on.  End Slavery Tennessee’s mission is to empower people through raising awareness, and so our kids participated in carrying this out.  The hope is that it contributes to stopping human trafficking altogether.

Group 3 also finished the day with “Beat the Heat,” which involved the simple act of walking around downtown and handing out ice-cold water. It was fun to find people working in the heat of the day, the homeless, and others in downtown Nashville who were all refreshed by what the group had to offer. After dinner at Sitar Indian Cuisine with Group 1, Group 3 closed with porch time and small group discussions.

Serving Group 4:

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

Serving Group 5:

Group 5 had the opportunity to go to Lexington Garden this morning. The team helped re-stake parts of the garden, as well as put up new stakes on many plants. Your children also watered the entire garden, cleaned up all the extra materials, took out the trash, and sorted them into different categories/areas (wire/metal fencing, wood, bamboo, plastic, etc.).  Several of the boys in the group were able to help a resident build and put up a fence to border the garden. The team’s final task this morning was to pick up debris piles around the apartment complex using wheel barrows. It was certainly a morning filled with lots of manual labor, and the team was committed 100% to the tasks at hand. There was another missions team at Lexington Gardens today (this group was from Austin, Texas), and it was neat to see the students sharing jobs and space with other teens who are also committed to living out their faith. Everyone collaborated well, and it was good to see such a huge impact in such a small space.

After lunch, Group 5 again returned to the N.I.C.E. camp for refugee children, which was the same place the group visited on Tuesday afternoon. Since our team had already established relationships with the kids from N.I.C.E earlier in the week, the group found the children more willing to open up. Not only that, but our students also found that their familiarity helped them understand their roles better, which then allowed them to engage in even more effective ways with the kids. The afternoon at N.I.C.E ended with an exciting game of soccer outside in the beautiful weather. For dinner, Group 5 headed to Swett’s for some southern soul food!

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

After Porch Time, everyone went to their separate small groups to continue the great conversation before bed.

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

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

NC Mission Trip Day #5 - 7.10.14

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

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

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