Mission Trip - Day 4

One upside to the last day of the trip was getting to sleep a little later...until 8:30 am! After breakfast, we cleaned the entire upper floor of the guest house. Yes, this includes bathrooms (toilets, showers, sinks, etc.), sweeping, vacuuming, taking out the trash, and making beds! The kids ARE capable of doing these things, and we were proud of the job they did. Once the house was reasonably clean, we put on our church clothes and headed to San Jose Mission to worship at their noon Mariachi Mass.

Fred took the kids on a brief tour of a grist mill located behind the mission. We then waited in a long line for the mass - it's a very popular event for tourists. The mariachi music was amazing, and added a special element to the worship service. Dante and I were extremely moved by the priest's sermon. His sermon text was Matthew 10, which carries the heading "Jesus Sends Out the Twelve" in most Bibles. How ironic...seeing as how we had 12 amazing kids on the trip.

Jesus says in Matthew 9 (directly preceding the sermon text), "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." Another God moment...that quote from Jesus was referenced numerous times by the kids last night during our devotional with regard to their experiences on this trip and why they will continue to serve. It always amazes me how God brings things full circle. God has called these 12 kids to go and make disciples, and their hearts are ready and willing to do just that.

It was a tremendous honor and privilege for Dante, Fred, Jan, and I to take part in this trip with the kids. Yes - there was lots of fun, and yes - we had beds to sleep in and more than one bathroom to share...but God was in our midst, doing a new thing in our hearts and minds. These kids are the future of God's kingdom, and I hope you will join us in encouraging them and praying for them.

Gavin, Bailey, Leah, Rachel, Kristen, Drew, Kathryn, Toni, David, Diane, Dana, and Scott - you are all extraordinary young people, and God WILL use you to change the world. I am grateful to be a small part of your spiritual journey, and I am blessed to call all of you my friends...

Mission Trip - Day 3

I don't know that we could have fit more into today if we had tried! We did get to sleep a little later - until 8:00 am - before beginning our work at the San Antonio Food Bank at 9:00. We worked for 3 hours salvaging and sorting food, and preparing food boxes for families in need. All of the potentially salvageable items are donated by HEB. They arrive in boxes on large pallets, and may have been sitting in warehouses for weeks prior to arriving at the Food Bank. To ensure the safety and quality of the food families receive, all items must be inspected for any kind of contamination before they can be placed in a food box.

We were warned that mice infestation is quite common in these boxes, and for our group this became a reality today! We encountered at least 3 mice, along with a small nest of babies as well. One mouse even hitched a ride on Fred's arm as he carried the box to the trash! The kids will no doubt look forward to telling you about this experience!

Though we will never see those on the receiving end of what we did today, we know that it was important work...God's work...and it made us thankful for the food we have to eat each day. We have told the kids repeatedly during our time here that they are being Jesus to others. One confirmand put it so well today. He said, "Being Jesus to other people feels really good. I just have a sense of peace in my heart and I feel very content." When I asked him why he thought that was, he replied "Because I know God has called me to serve in this time, and in this place." I smiled as tears welled up in my eyes, knowing that God is doing a mighty thing in our hearts this weekend.

After finishing our work we returned to the house for lunch and an hour of rest before donning our spiffy blue t-shirts and heading to Sea World! There were quite a few of the kids who had never experienced Sea World before, and it was fun to see their eyes light up when seeing the animals for the first time. It was quite warm when we arrived - right around 100 degrees - but the heat gradually diminished throughout the day.

We began by visiting the dolphins - some got to touch them! After stopping by the Clydesdales and an indoor aquarium with sharks, stingrays, and other fish, we headed to the rides. The kids chose to do Journey to Atlantis first, where they got thoroughly soaked! A few roller coasters and a log ride later, it was time for a BBQ dinner. We finished our evening with none other than...Shamu!! Dante, Fred, Jan, and I found comfortable seats at the top of the stadium, but the kids were on the bottom row in the splash zone! Shamu got them a few times with his tail, and they got a taste of 52-degree salt water. They even made it onto the "big screen" for everyone to see their smiling faces!

After closing down the park, and a stop at a gift shop for souvenirs, we headed to the parking lot and had our devotional there. We talked about God sightings - where we have seen God in our time here, and what we have learned from the experience. The last question was, "Are you satisfied with what we have done?" We were extremely proud to hear the kids say "No." When asked why, their response was "Because God's work is never done." Amen to that... David closed us in prayer, thanking God for the chance to serve His people.

It was another good day spent doing God's work and enjoying His creation. The bonding that has taken place among the kids is amazing. They were already close, but when you live together for 3 days you truly become family. We will attend a Mariachi Mass tomorrow at noon at San Jose Mission, and depart for home around 2:00 pm!

Mission Trip - Day 2

We had a full day of work and fun! We began our day at 7:00 am with breakfast...and everyone was out of bed after the first wake-up call!!

Dante and I took a group to work at Manna (Meals Available for the Nutritional Needs of All), a soup kitchen run by First Baptist Church. Scott, Dana, Toni, and Gavin met Miss Winnie, who has been the manager for 26 years. She is close to 80 years old, but as fit and tough as ever! She kept them quite busy from 8:00-12:00. They began by preparing some of the food and setting up tables and chairs. We had a brief devotional time with the other volunteers/staff before the meal - it was truly a meaningful time spiritually for all of us. Gavin blessed us with an amazing prayer...that we would be the hands and heart of Jesus to all we met. From 9:30-11:30, the kids and I served a midmorning meal to 220+ people while Dante helped with cleaning tables and helping people find seats in the crowded room. After cleaning everything up, we came back to our guest house. Dante and I were extremely proud of the kids. They were polite, enthusiatic, and truly shared the hope and love of Christ with those we served.

Fred and Jan took a group to the San Antonio Food Bank. David, Drew, Kathryn, Leah, Rachel, Kristen, Diane, and Bailey did various tasks from 8:00-12:00. They began by packing 2,037 lunches that will go to children who participate in the free/reduced lunches through the public schools. Now that school is out for the summer, these lunches provide kids all over San Antonio with a vital meal each day. They also disinfected and cleaned 150 ice chests used to ship the lunches to their locations. After completing the lunches, they salvaged 1,000 pounds of food donated by HEB that would have normally been discarded. The salvaged food was then used to prepare 50 boxes that will be given to other food pantries across San Antonio. Fred and Jan were so impressed with how hard the kids worked. Their work will truly make a difference in the lives of children and families in need of help.

After eating lunch at the house and an afternoon of rest, we had a great devotional time together. We shared the highlights of our experiences today, and what our resposibilities are as Christians with regard to the poor and homeless. We talked about how those who are less fortunate truly represent Jesus among us, just as we represent Jesus when we help them. And we should treat them with the love and respect that they deserve as children of God. We all came away from our experiences today with a new appreciation for our families, homes, food, and possessions. Toni closed our devotional time in prayer, acknowledging that God has called us to serve in this place, and thanking Him for that opportunity.

We had a fun dinner tonight at Alamo Cafe, complete with lots of homemade tortillas! The kids are getting a taste of authentic Mexican food after our two dinners so far! After dinner, we were off to the Alamo and Riverwalk. Several of the kids have never been to San Antonio, and it was a fun moment to see their eyes light up when seeing the Alamo for the first time. We walked the entire length of the Riverwalk, stopping at the Rivercenter Mall and at an ice cream shop! It was good exercise, and allowed the kids to experience the culture of San Antonio.

We will get to sleep in a bit tomorrow - our day will begin at 8:00 am instead of 7:00! We will all work together at the San Antonio Food Bank, then head to Sea World for the remainder of the day!

Mission Trip - Day 1

We arrived in San Antonio safely about 4:30 this afternoon! It was a long day for all of us, but filled with many good things! The ride down was fairly painless - we had our caravan down to a science with the rented minivan and SUVs! We stopped for lunch in Waco, and made one more stop outside of Austin for gas and snacks. :)

Our guest house is a great place to stay, and everyone has settled into their rooms. We had a brief orientation this afternoon, then it was off to El Mercado for shopping and dinner! The kids found many "treasures" they just couldn't live without while perusing the shops. Dante used his amazing charm to secure us a table for 16 at Mi Tierra, one of the most popular restaurants in SA! We're still not sure how he made his way to the front of the line... :)

We had a great devotional time together tonight. We spent over an hour affirming one another and building one another up, as Jesus calls us to do. We discussed the importance of doing the same this weekend with those we will serve, knowing that we may be a small glimmer of hope and love in their lives.

We start our day at 7:00 am tomorrow. One group is going to Manna - a soup kitchen downtown - to feed the homeless, and the other group will go to San Antonio Food Bank to prepare hundreds of boxed lunches for low-income children. We will have more fun activities tomorrow night!