- 2011 Mission Trip (Pictures below!)-
( con't ... )
Thanks again for supporting the Mission Team of 2011. We are already looking ahead to 2012 (breath Kerry) and excited about the ideas we have in mind. Pray for our safe travels back and we will see you all soon.
Love and prayers to all,
Mission Team 2011
Day 4 - Unto These Hills was wonderful and very educational. This is an outdoor drama that is part of our package with TEAM effort. It illustrates the plight of the Cherokee nation and how they came to settle in the mountains of western North Carolina. After watching this program on Wednesday evening, it gave us an understanding of why we are not welcomed with open arms. The Cherokee man is strong and unwavering in his beliefs and his ancestory. It is unusual for our group not to have a connection with the home owners that we work for/with. This time might be a first.
Started with rain, which unfortunately slowed our work day down. We waited for most of it to pass before working on completing our pressure washing assignment. To fill time yesterday afternoon, we gave a house a bath - literally - pictures don't lie. We hope on our final day we can paint.
We all are excited that our work here is almost completed and that in two days we will be home. Continue to pray for us and the families we work for. Pray for this culture who views us so poorly. And pray for our safe return home
With Christ's peace,
Mission Team 2011
Day 3 - We returned to our assigned post, with bible in hand, ready to start a wonderful day with our new friend, Bones. Unfortunately, Bones was not at home. We left him his bible and an array of post-it notes to share our favorite passages. We pray Bones is safe and ok. We ask that you too pray for Bones and that he finds the relationship with Christ that he so desperately is looking for.
Today was a day of odds and ends. We are continuing to work on decks. Between power washing and bleach, these things are cleaner than my kitchen. We had an opportunity to work and get to know other groups that are with TEAMeffort this week. We are having fun - last night - Monday- we had a cook out by a river. The kids had fun playing and walking on the rock beds that form the floor of these water environments. We spoke about John the Baptist and how he probably brought many people to God in an environment such as that (minus the Bar-bque).
Our day ended with a rain shower. With rain comes an uncertainty about what tomorrow will bring. We will keep you posted
Prayers coming your way to all....
Missions Team 2011
DAY 2 - We are loving working back in the mountains. The temps are great and we really don't feel the heat until after lunch. On the job sites we are working on pressure washing 2 story decks and then cleaning them with bleach to kill mold and mildew. The physical work might not be too taxing, but our group was definately called into action spiritually when a resident wanted us to talk to some "lost souls".
We have been pondering why we are here? What is God's plan for us? What we realized yesterday was that maybe we don't have a game plan for every day, but each day God gives us opportunities to reach out and share His message of love and forgiveness...
We met a young man yesterday, Brandon (aka Bones) who recently got out of prison. He invited Kelsey to go into his home and talk to him and his friends. She, Jessie, Bradin and myself invited him to come out and we spent at least 30 minutes listening to him share how mad at the world he is. Bones has a lot of frustrations, but by the end of the conversation we saw hope in his eyes. Today Bones is joining us for devotion and lunch. We also are giving him a Bible filled with post-it notes that we turn to in times of frustration and need. We pray we have made a difference.
We again thank you for the opportunity and the eye opening experiences that make us thankful for our families, our homes and our community that loves each of us.
Sincerely,
Mission Team 2011
Day 1
I can't believe this is our 3rd Mission Trip. As you can tell the mountains this time of year are beautiful. Our drive was very quick, even with Skip & Shirley Smith's RV. You would have thought Extreme Home Makeover had arrived on the scene and to watch peoples reactions when 8 youth and 2 adults game out the door was entertaining.
We have a great group of leaders with TEAM effort this year. We even have the opportunity to work with our team leader Gus from last year. They have a new group working in this program, but each one has a lot of energy and passion to do God's work. We are so honored to be able to be His hands, feet and voice again this year.
We found out this evening we will be working on the Cherokee reservation.
We are excited about the opportunity and the learning experience that we have been given, but at the same time humbled that we will be working side by side with a culture who feels they have been wronged by my ancestors. Hopefully we together can build a future on trust and respect for each other.
So far we have had fun, at points a little too much, but that’s what makes our kids GREAT. Drew had so much fun she thought she would get a jump on her chores. Hope we will save this for the work site in the next coming days.
We thank the congregation for allowing us this wonderful opportunity. Your support means so much to each of us. We are praying for our church family and hoping as you read this you know God is with us and has great plans for each of us this week.
In Christ's peace,
Mission Trip 2011
- 2010 KIC (Kids In Christ) -
- 2010-2011 KIC (Kids In Christ) -
- 2010 Mission Trip Blog Posting -
At the begining I didn't really know anybody too well. I had a lot more fun this trip than last year's because there was a lot more people and more work to do for the people that do not have as much as we do.
On our first day, Sunday, we had a five hour drive to Myrtle Beach in my mom's car. Everyone was trying to go to sleep in a traffic jam. After we go to the camp we saw our room and our bunk beds. and I said I wanted the top bunk because it was cool at night and cold in the morning.
On the second day, Monday, was horrible because of the heat. I wasn't used to it and there was lots of drama and everyone was so tired.
All this week I did my best to try to get Mr. James house back so he can live in his new home again. I was glad that we got the ceiling painted but I thought I could do so much more. I helped with other jobs from different sites - there were 3 different houses we worked on. We helped Mr. Luke, Mr. James, Ms. Emma and Ms. Josephine out.
On Thursday, Team Effort had the final worship and everyone started crying because we got so close and we didn't want to leave. We wanted to do more for that neighborhood. I think every house/trailer needed something to be worked on. I really wish we could do more.
I just want you to keep Mr. James in your prayers because his brother passed away.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth "Izzy" Kerr
The End has come, but we want to stay longer...
Do you remember going on summer vacation and your little ones making the statement "Mommie, we want to stay longer!" Well my friends, there are 22 of us who feel the same way. We have worked hard and most of our projects were completed, but we see how much more work is needed here and we want to stay and finish. We know it is a large request, but can you send MONEY...
All kidding aside, we have had a great week. We have made great friends among ourselves and other groups. We have worked extremely hard and accomplished a great deal. We have made a lasting impression on this community as they have on us. But most importantly, the people that met us I truly felt could feel Christ moving with us. Our youth have been rebuilt by allowing God to change them from the inside out. To end our final Chapel last night, we went to the beach and had a prayer service. By the end I am not sure if there was more salt water in the ocean or at our feet. It was very moving and I am blessed to have been there to witness this.
Elizabeth "Izzy" Kerr will write our final blog to bring us home. Continue to pray for and with us.
We miss everyone and should be home Saturday around 2:00p.
Peace,
Amy
Day 4 – Wed, July 28
The Dog Days of Summer have really taken a toll on us. We were greeted first thing this morning with humidity and high heat. But after we adjusted to the temperatures, the day progressed beautifully. We completed Ruth Kerr's landscaping project. Kerry Kerr's back porch is a work of art and will outlast any hurricane. Lisa Duff's front entrance is 85% completed - they just need to give it one more coat of paint. Melissa Clodfelter's painting has progressed nicely and due to other obligations, she turned this responsibility over to Kelsey Evans (who prays she will do Ms. Melissa proud). Rich Tincher's swing set is almost completed and my back porch is getting its steps and will be ready for a backyard barbeque.
We have enjoyed our time working and playing together. Lunch was great. We have learned so much about each other and our Father who continues to bless us. Worship has been great and tonight we were treated to fireworks. Other than a couple of blisters and splinters, we are healthy, happy and still energized to be Christ's servants. The youth now have a motto that they want to live by: We are not on a Mission Trip — we are on a Mission Way of Life. We invite you to carry this motto with you as well.
Worship One - Serve everyone!
Peace to all,
Amy
Day 3 – Tuesday, July 27
We changed things up today. We changed our work crews around so kids had the chance to work on different jobs and with different people. And with some people, change did not come easy, but by the end of the day the work was completed and we all had fun stories to share. We have made friends with the local bug community. They have made their homes on our legs and arms!
We miss home, our beds and home-cooking, but our passion and desire to serve God will outweigh our own needs.
Keep us in your prayers as we keep you in ours.
Peace,
Amy
Day 2 - Monday, July 26th
Today was our first day on the jobsite and this year, unlike last, we are working on 4 different projects. Kerry took a group and worked on a back porch, while Ruth took another group to work on replacing a front porch and landscaping. Lisa took a group to make a swing set, Melissa took the paint crew to work on a major job, and I took a group to build a deck. We had a hot but very productive day. On the way back to camp, Melissa's little Miata had a flat tire (I guess four wheelin' was not a smart idea). Our automotive woes are continuing from last year. The evening ended with a massive storm that showed God's strength. Through it all we feel blessed.
Talk to you tomorrow - Peace,
Amy
Day 1 – Sunday, July 25
We made it! The drive was great. We saw “Pedro’s South of the Border” (a rest stop and roadside attraction on Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 301 – 501 concurrency near Dillon, South Carolina, so named because it is just "south of the border" of the U.S. state of North Carolina), did a little four wheelin' (even Melissa’s Miata), and after 4.5 hours we made it to Myrtle Beach. Beach traffic coming into the beach communities slowed us down for about 30 minutes. We have already met groups from Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Carolina. The excitement in our group is very high and we are ready to serve God and his flock in any way we can.
All of us want to thank our family at First Presbyterian for the opportunity to once again go out into the Mission field and be God's messengers. It gives us such a wonderful feeling that we have your support, love and prayers carrying us through this week.
Peace,
Amy
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