Sunday, August 19, 2012

East Hill


Saturday,
    We woke up this morning and got ready for the day. At 7:30, Liz and Gail left to go get supplies for ice cream sundaes. Our team wanted to bless the kids and staff with a treat and Ryan’s mom had given extra money to do this. While they were gone, the team had devotions with great worship led by Ashley Huff, Tiffany, Stephen and Connor. After worship, Zack led the devotion time. He talked about why people are atheists or why they don’t choose God and he made some really profound statements. Liz and Gail got back just in time to participate in a S.O.A.P. process (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer). This is a form of Bible reading and journaling. We read from Isaiah 40: 25-31. Once everyone read it and heard what God was saying, we all shared what we received from the Lord. It was amazing how many received similar things for the group for the day.
    After devotions, we had a breakfast of pancakes fruit, milk and juice. Everyone loved them.
   Once breakfast was over, it was time for activities with all the teens. We had canvas journals for them to decorate and then we took them through the S.O.A.P. process. It was amazing to see how each teen decorated their journals. The kids are all so talented. Our kids all decorated them also. It was a great time with just the teens. At noon, we went up to the community room and performed our “Mask” drama for the kids. We had testimonies from three of our team members. This was totally a Holy Spirit led event since we had not planned to have people give testimonies. A teen from EV asked one of our leaders why we had it so good. She had said she wanted to go to the US because her life would be better. She thought we had perfects lives and we didn’t have the past hurts that they experienced. Our team’s testimonies were so powerful and you couldn’t hear a pin drop while they were being given.  Afterwards some kids asked for specific prayer and even shared their stories with some of the leaders.  They blessed us by praying for us and we continued our visiting outside. 
    We had a fabulous dinner and then we were able to play with the kids a short while more before we had a time to debrief with Ale, our EV group coordinator. When the team had to say their last good-byes the tears were then flowing from everyone. It is so hard to say good-bye to these precious kids. Our youth made such connections with all of them. I have had every one of our youth say they can’t wait till the next trip. 
    As the leader of this team, I can’t express enough how proud I am of all of our youth and leaders. They have all blessed me so much with their willingness to participate above and beyond my expectations. I am so blessed personally by this team. East Hill, you can be proud of our youth. 
 
Sunday,
Everyone is packed and ready to go…sort of. Physically they ready, emotionally they could never be ready.  Please pray for safe travel today as they make their way home

 

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