Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Mission Trip Bound

Do you have those feelings something is going to go majorly wrong. I've been battling them for a few days. Every time I start working on things for our mission trip I have an overwhelming feeling this is not going to be a good year. The more consuming these thoughts come the more I am turning my eyes to heaven. Please be praying for our team. We leave Saturday for Philippi WV. This is a World Vision short term project. Did you know World Vision is more than just sponsoring children?

Until 5 years ago when the churches started doing these mission trips I didn't realize there are people in the US living is such conditions. Oh I knew of flood, hurricane and tornado areas but these people lived like this for year. There is an area called Chestnut Ridge or "The Ridge". The people on "The Ridge" most don't have jobs. The businesses are not close by so it is really cheaper for them to not work and be on welfare. The cost of transportation is just to high. The life style is so different then one would exspect. It is nothing unusual for a child in VBS (vacation bible school) to say her sister is also her aunt. Most children come to VBS hungry because they don't get breakfast. I rich family will have 2 meals a day it seems. We provide granola bars in the AM and then we have lunch with the children before they go home. We also provide transportation for the children to attend. On the last day of VBS last year we provided the children with 2 pairs of sneakers (their current size and one size larger) and 6 pairs of socks thanks to a large donation from the Nazareth Rotatory club. Most of these children never had a pair of socks and some didn't even know what socks were! This is life in the USA not another country.

We are leaving Saturday to service for another week on "The Ridge". This year crayola is making a donation to the children along with other churches who will be supplying book bags and school supplies. In Philippi children must provide all their own materials for school right down to paper and pencils. The school just don't have the money to buy these things so it falls on the parents.

I hope to be able to blog each evening about the days events and post pictures. So come back each day and join our journey as you read my blogs. We have a team for VBS, construction, adult literacy and auto mechanic. We are know as the "Lehigh Valley Group" as we have about 56 people from 3 churches going. I know for a fact the children look forward to our coming every year. When they see us they run to us hug us and say I remember you. It is a great joy to service.

1 comment:

Talk..to..Grams said...

Whoa! and this is in the US not some far away country. You are doing a good work and may God really bless you and your group as you go to this place to minister. You will make a difference. hugs Grams