A Week of Serving

Tony took our youth group [those who were able to go--many of the youth were unable to make it] on a missions trip a couple of weeks ago. Here is a picture of the whole group.

I was sad to have to miss the trip, but so thankful to have Hannah Beth to stay at home with.

The group drove 20 straight hours down to North Carolina to serve alongside 3 different ministries: homeless, elderly, and orphans.

My sister Natalie went in my place as the female chaperone :)

The group spent a couple days working hard in a rescue mission thrift store, sorting through and organizing all the donations that the mission receives; they then use the proceeds to provide meals and housing for the homeless.

Some fun activities -- hiking & Chick-Fil-A

The group sweated and braved the heat, doing various jobs at a boarding school (where orphans and unprivileged children attend) such as cleaning gutters.

Here is the missions team working at a Christian Village for the elderly, washing their vehicles and gathering up shingles.

Mowing lawns...

Gardening... (my sister on the right)

The girls on the team



Natalie and Tony's grandma, who lives in the area and visited with the team a couple of times.



The group also served by helping a lady from our previous church move into a new house.

Tony and one of the other male leaders, Gerald

From what I hear, there was a whole lot of fun mixed in with all that hard work! They ended the week by relaxing at a pool party at the home of some of our good friends, Nick and Pam.

And then some MORE Chick-Fil-A (can you tell it's one of my husband's favorites and he really misses it now that we've moved?!)....

A meal at Golden Corral...

and a day at the beautiful Wrightsville Beach (a few had never seen the ocean before!)

The missions team was able to spend lots of time with Gary and Melinda, the pastor and his wife of our previous church in NC. Their church partnered with our youth group for the week and the girls stayed in their home. They are such giving, hospitable, godly people. 

Some of the group on the way home...they left NC Sunday morning at about 7:30 am EST and arrived back in IA at around 12:30 am Monday CST. The missions trip was such a great success--the Lord answered so many prayers and even the simplest of logistics went so very well-- I'm so proud of how hard they worked! A great learning experience and opportunity to serve for everyone involved -- leaders and youth alike.     "...Whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."  (1 Peter 4:11)

While Tony was in the area, he was able to take some time to go to the cemetery and check on Alethia Joy's gravestone. I was thankful that he was able to do that, and I'm looking forward to being back in NC this summer to see many friends, family, and to also visit the resting place of our little Alli.