Mission Trip 2024
I joined our local youth group, or Pathfinder club, this past week on their mission trip. This was a local mission trip, local to our state, and not overseas.
Catching Up–Last Year’s Maranatha Mission Trip
https://youtu.be/9jSOOvZSTKY?si=1gGmalKBrfmgHB2_
Last year, our youth group, or Pathfinder club, took a mission trip to this same location. The destination was Indian Creek Camp, one of our church-run youth camps.
Last year, when we arrived, we got the sense that the adults participating in the Maranatha Mission trip thought that our group might be a hindrance to good work. Then the kids jumped in, and by noon of that first day, the camp had changed their opinions of the Pathfinders.
We Knew It, Now They Know
“Those kids can work!”
Yes, they can, thanks to a great motivating leader, and also due to the upbringing of the youth. They just know how to get it done!
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Fast forward to 2024.
This year, the camp director personally invited our club to come help out. If you think the kids, ranging in ages from nine to nineteen, responded, “Nah, we’re good. We don’t much feel like going to work more,” then you’d be a hundred percent wrong.
Overwhelmingly, the group voted in the positive for returning to camp to work. And that means work hard!
(I think the youth actually thrive on this!)
Short Mission Trip
We had two and a half days, that’s it!
So, in order to make that work, everyone jumped in!
Project: Build a wood shed like a Pro Crew.
Our director, Mike, and assistant, Steve, led out and somehow turned a hodgepodge group of skills into a construction crew.
Digging holes, moving boulders, pouring gravel, framing the building, and mixing cement were a few of the tasks from the first day! And that was all before lunch!
Just Keep “em Fed
Great food fueled hungry bodies, energizing them for more work!
The crew shared smiles, laughs, and talents, each one helping another when needed. I could tell that the youth got excited to learn new skills, including cutting metal roofing with a unique “nibbler” tool.
Still Going…
It’s funny how the young people can work hard, yet still have energy to run around in the gym afterwards. Yet another place to exercise teamwork and tact.
D.O.N.E.
Within the first twenty-four hours, that wood shed was up, finished, and solid. NO cutting corners on this job! Those kids learned the correct way to measure, adjust, and get it right.
Uh, Now What?
That was great, but also a little problem–what to do for the next day? While the youth group welcomed a brief respite on the water, they soon answered the summon back to work.
This time, they found a deck to stain. I will say that the Pathfinders were not too shy about their opinions on the safety of said deck railing, or the lack thereof. They did a great job on this project too, but did not enjoy the aspect of “playing clean-up” after another crew abandoned their post.
Some Days A Little Rain Must Come
Next morning, the final day, greeted us with rain and clouds. The pathfinders jumped in to help out on another project, a bathroom build,but quickly found that too many cooks spoil the stew, and too many helpers sometimes sour the pot. 😉
By noon Friday it was time to hit the road! A whirlwind of a mission trip in the books, happy memories, and new talents learned equals a successful project.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Great kids, great leaders, great time!
Great mission trip!
Until next time, Good-bye to the Indian Creek Camp mission trip adventure!
See it on YouTube
Check out more photos (lots) and the timeline progression on our YouTube Channel.
Last Year’s Mission Trip to ICC
You can catch the details about last year’s trip, which was a thousand percent different, on Sarah’s Hearts Home YouTube channel, or on this blog.
Standing in the Gap & Sunday Sunshine Blog Hop 52
