Tennessee Youth Mission Trip 2011

June  29, 2011

Parker P.

Today was the last full work day for mission trip.  Phillip changed our work groups for today and put me with Mrs. Little.  I was indifferent to the group I was put in, however I felt that my size would better taken advantage of if I was to be moving logs rather than working with little kids.  The work group I had today was amazing however, and I fully enjoyed working with refugee children from around the world.  The experience was eye opening and I wish I could do it again tomorrow.  My favorite part of the actual tutoring experience was being able to let the kids strum my guitar while I held down chords for them to play, so they actually got to play a song the first time they touched a guitar.  This week I had the pleasure of leading worship.  I have never led worship on mission trip before, and it was an eye opening experience for me.  It took a lot more work than I thought it would.  I ended up spending about 2 hours or so each day making sure each member of our enormous and confusing acoustic guitar orchestra was on the same page.  The end result wasn’t very good by any means, but it’s not about the sound, it’s about the emotion that the songs and lyrics bring out.  Each of our guitar players put in considerable effort through the whole week and I appreciate their work ethic so much, learning the new things from other guitar players is always one of my favorite things on mission trip.  I wish I could end every night with a 25 minute worship session, but because I can’t do that at home, my guitar will remind me every night.  This has definitely been the best mission trip for me so far, and I can’t wait for next year.   

Jessica T.

Today was the best day ever! I was with the group that worked in a community garden, which is just like the church’s. The site that the garden is at was a house but was destroyed by the flood and then the city bought it for the community college and hands-on-Nashville. The garden grounds were used for dumping old cement on and so there were tons of rocks we had to dig out before we could put the plants in the ground. The job was really tiring today but my group pulled out, and made the best of the work we had to do today. I saw God in every person at my work site because no matter what, God was working through them to make the job site fun. After we went to see the apartment complex that was being turned into a community center to help families in need, this just showed me that no matter how bad something is there is always God working through it to make it better. This mission trip has definitely been a new experience and I treasured every moment of it knowing that next year holds a lot of decisions for me.

Ryan H.

I went to downtown Nashville today, and reached out to the homeless community. I wrote four pages in my journal, due to how great the experience was, but I’m just going to summarize it because it’s late and I want to go to sleep. I learned today that all of the homeless people had faith in God, and it was a main part of their living. Churches helped them by providing food and other things. There were a lot of amazing people I met, but one really stuck out to me. His name was George, and he led a Bible School Class. He told us a riddle, which was: What were four things that Jesus never saw, and what was one thing that God never saw? The answer, which was very different from what I was thinking, was: Jesus never saw a situation that he couldn’t change, a man he didn’t love, a disease he couldn’t cure, and a sickness he couldn’t heal, and God never saw a substitute for the blood of his son. There were many other cool people I met, and it was pretty awesome.

Tyler D.

We had cereal for breakfast. And this is the BEST DAY EVER J. I was in Phillip’s and Wendy’s work group today. Luke was with me too.  We got to clear brush from people’s curbs and I got to use a chainsaw a lot! We worked with another group from Connecticut.  They were all nice and worked really hard.  We had sandwiches for lunch and Phillip bought us all Gatorade.  In the afternoon, we kept clearing brush off the streets.  I could see that we were really making a difference.  At one point, near the end of the work day, Phillip saved a butterfly out of our van and put him back where he needed to be.  Once we got back to the church , we had BBQ for dinner from a local place.  I will go ahead and say that it outdid the sloppy joes I made yesterday.  After dinner, I got to hang out some more and then go to worship.  Last night in Tennessee!

June 28, 2011

Brennen T.

Today I went to the National Ministry Center and was put into contact with fellow Christian children whose families had immigrated to America to escape the horrors of their homeland. What we thought was going to be a few hours of filing, actually turned into a half hour of addressing envelopes and spending the rest of the time interacting with the children. In the morning, the center had a preschool program that introduced me to an Iraqi boy named Estevan. While playing play dough with him, no easy task I might add, especially if the chairs are a foot off the ground and your legs have no possible way of fitting under the table, the lady in charge of the center filled us in on Estevan’s history. His family was Christian and was not safe staying in Iraq. When they were in the process of coming to America, his mother died of an illness. And now that they are in America, they must take care of their brother who is paralyzed from the neck down. This helped open my eyes to seeing past the boarders of our own country and into others, showing that we need to work as Christians to help our fellow brothers and sisters to live safely in the world, even if it just involves volunteering at a center to help young immigrants function better in a society that is finally safe to live in. Then, after lunch, I was able to help tutor the kids by playing math games with them. I was amazed by how quickly these children learned. With younger students learning to multiply, and older kids leaning about fractions, I realized that God acted through us at the center as he helped his followers live a better life. I am so glad that I ended up there as my worksite.

Regan C.

Today we picked up brush, which is a whole lot of tree branches. It was a lot of work, but all worth it. The piles started out pretty small then gradually grew larger and larger further down the road. We used chainsaws and clippers to cut down the bigger branches. Using a chainsaw was difficult for me; it was heavy and vibrated so much that my hands turned red. I’m glad I learned how to use a chainsaw, but it was a difficult thing to learn. We eventually came to a pile that had a huge tree truck that caused the saws to stop working. It took us forever to chop it down, pick it up, load it in the trucks, and unload the trucks. We finally got rid of that huge pile and it was fun doing it. I’m glad I got to help pick up brush from peoples yards and I’m sure they really appreciate it.

Jessica M.

Today my group was suppose to prepare for a community garden, but because of a brutal rain storm last night we were not able to. Instead we went to an apartment complex that looked like it hadn’t been used in years. For a while we chipped paint off the walls and picked up brush around it. Later we turned that brush into woodchips. We also used eight pound sledge hammers to tear down door frames and doors, so much FUN!!!! After lunch we took the woodchips we made piled them into the back of a truck and transported them to a house. We spread the woodchips alongside the house, which made it look much nicer. So that is pretty much what my amazing day in Tennessee was like. I plan to come back next year.

Austin R.

Today our group joined Jessica Martin’s group until lunch.  The apartment complex we went to used to house illegal acts but had gotten bought out so it can be renovated and changed into a great place to be. One of the renovator’s ideas was to have a garden on the roof that residents could plant whatever they wanted in.  Another idea for the complex was to have a giant room in the complex with a massive table so that the residents could have community meals together and become one giant family.  While we were together we split up into many groups. Everyone scraped paint off walls so that a mixture of materials could be put onto a wall. Those materials will be able to be shaped and basically be a potential mural of all of the future residents.  After a little bit, people were split up into individual tasks. Mine was to carry a large amount of brush to a wood chipper so it could be broken down. After lunch our two groups split up and went our separate ways. My group went to a garden that people could pay ten dollars a year to have about a 4x15 or so plot to grow plants and vegetables to eat or give away. There we ripped weeds out of the individual plots so that it would not just look nicer but help the plants inside the plots. Then we spread straw to help mulch the garden. We also planted tomatoes and various flowers in plots. It was a great experience seeing all of these people try so hard to make a low income community more beautiful.

Will D.

Today the group I was in had to pick up brush and take it to a dumpster. We tried to do this yesterday, but found it was tough to do without tools, so we got tools and did it today. It was pretty long work, because we had to cut all the wood into manageable pieces which was fun because we got to use chainsaws, hacksaws and hedge clippers. Before breaking for lunch we had filled up a whole dumpster with brush, during our break one of the leaders of the beautification committee told us that we were only cleaning up brush on the sides of the road and not the brush in median because the brush in the median was dumped illegally, and that we needed to let them know what they were doing was wrong. After our break the second dumpster had arrived and we spent the rest of the day loading it with all of our gathered brush. It was a very laboring day but at the same time very rewarding knowing that we were doing a lot for the community.

Kiefer D.

Today, my group and I volunteered at a Homestore for Habitat for Humanity. My half of the group did inventory for one location while the other group had all of the physical labor. They built a kitchen, got to break a lot of stuff, and got very sweaty. Keith stopped at a cemetery, a place that sold four-wheelers, and an old truck on the side of the road with a bunch of old truck cabs on the back, all due to Keith’s ability to turn a frown upside down. I’m sure you will all see the pictures from each posted on either facebook or the church website. So what can I take away from today? Life is fun with Keith in the van, and it is possible for six people to inventory an entire store in four and a half hours; especially when doing it for God. I can’t wait for tomorrow!

Rachel M.

My group spent our day picking up brush along roadsides in suburban Tennessee. And Mom… I used a chain saw.  And yes, I’m fine. Better than fine really. It was hard work for sure, but even more significant to me than the feeling of a job well-done was a moment I had in a seemingly insignificant van ride to lunch after shuttling brush to the dumpster. It is a longer and more difficult story than I can explain. In a nut shell, I experienced a quietly overwhelming culmination of simple events in my life into one great feeling. I guess you could call it an epiphany. The words of a song I have known for years and a joke in passing somehow turned into and explanation of the harmony of belief and reality. It’s unfortunate because I can’t really tell you exactly how I came to this point, only that I did. But that somehow this seemed to be proof that all the things in my life had happened for a reason, and that I was where I need to be. Or maybe even more simply it was the opposite; this was proof that all of the things that had happened in my life were of little consequence and, in a glittering instant, this was permission from God to just be: to just be present where I am in life, and, by loving, to bring a little of God’s ultimate perfection into each moment. I’m not trying to make it more than what it was or is… but I think it’s grace. Serendipity, coincidence, or prevenient grace: I’m not sure which, or if there’s even a word for what I’m trying to describe, but the subtly overwhelming emotion that struck me today is more than real- It may be all that matters. 

June 27, 2011

Bailey T.

An Ebenezer is a stone of promise. My Ebenezer is Tyler Dawson. Today, I felt lonely and out of place…it wasn’t anyone’s fault, it just happened. When he came and asked me what’s wrong, everything was spilled out. He helped me through my troubles, like the coming week about my grandfather, and now I feel that all the pressure is lifted. I am happy to have him around.

Anne F.

This morning I woke up to the loud noise of an air horn, not the best way to wake up a bunch of teenagers but it seemed to work. I stumbled out of bed and sat down with my team to eat breakfast. None of us really knew what to expect from the day ahead of us, but we were optimistic. When we got to the work site that morning we just kind of wandered around and tried to figure out what was going on. After a few games of Red Rover we started asking questions…”Where are the tools?” then came trivia games and long conversations with team mates. After lunch we decided to just pick up trash! It might have been hot and a little smelly, but God had a reason and God put us to work, which I am very thankful for.

Trevor P.

Jia

Family

Whether it be your true family, your church family, or friends close enough to be family, family is needed to have a healthy relationship with god the FATHER, and this base relationship helps us help people everywhere whether it be picking up trash, or helping find tools for everyone to use. The base for this is family.

Devon H.

This morning was a bright and early start to a day that none of us expected to have. We made our way down to the streets that needed brush cleared. A few groups stayed behind while the others went to go pick up the tools to clear the brush. A few minutes turned into a few hours, and we found ourselves learning patience and how to entertain ourselves with Frisbee golf and charades. The groups with the tools finally came back, so we had lunch and got ready to get our instructions. We soon realized that we had no truck to load the brush onto. After another change of plans, our patience and flexibility were put to the test. Each group took a different stretch of a three-mile road in the neighborhood we were cleaning up, and we picked up trash. Everyone got a trash bag, and we just started walking. It didn’t seem like we were getting much picked up, but when we finished we had filled so many bags. This morning in our devotional Philip asked us to think about a few questions. One was, “What, oh God, do you want me to see today?” and the second was, “What do you want Jesus to do for you?” My answer to the second question was that I wanted to have my eyes opened to people and opportunities I miss on a daily basis, not just on mission trip. When we were in devotional he asked us to think about what we felt God was trying to show us today. I began to realize that just by picking up trash God was fulfilling what I had asked. I had asked to be opened to more people and opportunities, and I realized that by picking up trash I got to know some of my teammates better. I found myself walking and talking with people that I usually don’t talk to all the time. We didn’t talk about anything deep, but we just carried on different conversations. I plan to continue looking for those offered opportunities tomorrow and every day.

June 26, 2011

McLaine

The church service moved me to tears this morning.  The message was even when we are in a rut and we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel there will always be a way out.  At the service this couple we met named Cierra and Aaron were going to a new church because Cierra got a youth ministers job at another church. I barely knew Cierra but I felt moved enough to give her the key we were handed the night before. The key meant a chance to open the door to new opportunities.  I am ready to do God’s work this week. 

Abby

This morning, we went to Center Point’s church service. This service was a learning experience for me. Our group filled up about half of the sanctuary, and everyone was welcoming. The first thing we did was everyone got up and gave everyone hugs and said “I’m glad you’re here.” As we were singing, there was a full band, lively music, and everyone was up, laughing and having a good time. As we were singing, there was this guy dancing and get everyone into the music. Seeing everyone laughing, dancing, and having a good time in a very relaxed environment was a very great experience.

Chandler & Colin

Today, the third day of the FUMC Hurst adventures, we awoke to the sound of raindrops falling peacefully on the METAL roof.  We then went to church at Center Point Nazarene Church of Nashville, TN.  The church goers were very welcoming and were glad we came.  Following church my group, group 3, was assigned to hook up the shower trailer…in the rain.  Thanks to some great labeling by Trey Moore we were able to assemble the parts in a timely matter.  Thanks to some great woodmanship shown by Monty Ramey, we were also able to construct a staircase at the front of the trailer which made it easier to access the showers. 

Caroline P.

Wow. That’s all I have to say. That is one of the smallest congregations I have ever seen. There was a grand total of maybe twenty people including the worship band there. Excluding us. We more than quadrupled the total. By a lot. Anyway, I have never seen so much love concentrated into one room. The service was a totally new kind of experience for me. Our normal church is more traditional, and their service was more like youth group. At the beginning, there was a “meet-and-greet” sort of thing where everyone got to know each other. That was where I first experienced it. The entire congregation was strangers, but were the most welcoming people I have ever met. I was actually hugged by someone I had known for a total of two seconds. That was really new. It really reminded me of when I first started coming to Sunday School in 2^nd Grade. I personally think it should serve as a model for our church and youth group. Totally radical welcome. Anyway, it happened to be two of the minister’s last Sunday at this church. And as an Evangelical church, we laid hands on them. Ironically, they were going to serve as youth ministers, so it was special that they were getting sent off by young people. I could feel the warmth and power of the 70+ people praying for the continued success of this couple. It was one of the most powerful things I (and I’m sure this youth group) has ever done. Tears came to my eyes when I realized how much these people really loved this couple of ministers. God truly touched my heart today.

June 25, 2011

Emma W.

I am a wonderer and I am a wanderer. I am both, especially because I am in the youngest grade on mission trip. I wonder and marvel at the works and the words that God has created through us. I am also a wanderer because sometimes I don’t know where to go or what to do; I am lost at times. I believe that at one time or another in this world, everybody wanders. Nobody just gets to breeze through life without any hardships—even Jesus had hardships and he was God’s son! I do have role models on mission trip; there are definitely people (mostly adults) that I look up to, people that I know are trustworthy, kind and experienced in the kind of mission work that we will be doing this week. I strongly believe that every person in this world has a wanderer inside of them and a wonderer. It is up to each individual person, however, to decided which personality shines through more; if it will be the wonderer or the wanderer who breaks through.

Cameron D.

Dear God,

                It is easy to say what we should do but it is hard to do the right thing. Help everyone here to be actors upon the word of God, not just speakers. As we begin to work tomorrow, may we remember that you are in us and that it needs to show, for we are yours. Help us not to go around and get out of work, but to take it head on and get the job done. Remind us not to wander around, but to wonder on things and to want to accept.

                Amen.

Jorden M.

Wonderer or Wanderer: Morning Reflection: For me the difference is that to be a wonderer, you want to know what know what’s out there. A wanderer is someone who expects everything to come to them.  I think, and hope, that I am a wonderer.  I want to try new things and meet new people. I hope that by doing this, I will be someone’s role model.  For me, my role model has been Tyler Dawson. He is always out there helping others and I want to be like that. So in some ways, I’m also a wanderer.

Luke L.

John Wesley’s Covenant Prayer empowers us as humans to understand and demonstrate the Lord’s work to our full potential. Living this prayer every day, would conform us into the creatures God sees us to be. If more and more people demonstrated this it would create a little patch of heaven on earth.  Concluding, the Lord could then come closer and closer to being pleased with his works.

On our trip we are challenged to take on the opportunity, and strive to do the best to succeed at it. This Prayer cannot be fully succeeded, but with the strength of many focused on one goal, a sign of hope appears that a difference can be made.

June 24, 2011

Austin S.

 Today was just another long travel day.  Being stuck in a van for 10+ hours isn't how I'd like to spend my days, but at least I had friends to make it better.   We did get to have a fun time when we got to the church, playing ultimate frisbee and watching a select basketball  game.  Worship was just as amazing as its ever been, always my favorite part.  The prayer we learned today to me meant that now I am in Gods hands.  He may bring me down or build me up on this trip.  But whatever he may do, I will still praise him for giving me the chance to help people that need it.

Matt G.

• Concurrently, I am yours,
• Therefore, I am no longer valid to my intentions,
• But furthermore, I am to follow your callings.
• I no longer fathum what you do to me,
• I yield to you with no holding back.
• For the Holy Trinity is my employer along with my apprentice.
• Let this contract be judged and ratified in heaven.
• Amen.