Hey everyone! Thank you all so much for all of your prayers and encouragement throughout the entire week! I really, really, really appreciate them!
Well, the week is over.... I had an amazing time and learned so many lessons from God that I would never even have dreamed about. As I look back on the week, I see so many ways that God has worked in my life and used me and the team in others' lives. It has been a HUGE reassurance to me to know that God can and will use me to make an impact on other people. Many of us have decided that this has definitely been the best mission's trip that we have ever been on. It has been hard, but without a doubt the most amazing and wonderful weeks of my life!
Please continue to pray for the people that we helped out this week. Pray for them to continue to wonder why we did what we did and for Who it was that we did it. Pray for other Christians to come into their lives to witness to them and reap what we have been sowing all week, and lead them to Salvation.
This is it! The end of our week....it's really "bitter-sweet" to me, though. I can't wait to come home and tell everyone all of our stories...but I have definitely fallen in love with Texas and the people in it! God has done wonders this week!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Lauren's Blog
Hi mom and dad! I don't think you will have to worry about listening to my stories all night. I will be too tired that I will just wait until Sunday. See you tonight. Or maybe tomorrow morning! :) I love you!
Matt
Hi everyone! This week has been great!! We had so much fun even though it was really hot and we worked hard. We finished the house that we were painting and it looks so much different and better than before we started. It is so cool to be able to help people who need it down here and serve God. Even though we didn't make much of a difference in all of Galveston, we still really touched the people's lives that we did help. I am really sad that the week is over and we have to leave, but I think I am ready to come home, too. See you all later!
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Cumberland's (Friday)
We can't believe it is Friday afternoon!! We have dreamed and prayed and planned this trip for months. Here it is...almost finished! God has once again far exceeded all our hopes and dreams for this team! Our hearts are so full...we don't even know where to begin. This has been one of the most amazing trips yet. This trip was so hard - the heat was oppressive and unbelievable. The team did not do this work on their own strength - it was without a doubt God's strength. It will be a memory of God's provision for these kids to carry with them the rest of their lives!
We have completed many small tasks that include laying ceramic tile; grouting; scrubbing and painting porches, eaves, and all kinds of doors; dragging debris to the street; trimming trees; and the list goes on. But we have prayed that the teens could work on just one project that they could call "their own" as a team and see a transformation. God answered that prayer at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bell. They are elderly (Mr. Bell is 80) and couldn't afford to paint the outside of their house. It was in terrible shape and the entire house needed to be scraped before the paint went on. The team has been working in the heat since Wednesday morning to help these people. They were determined to get it done by today and they did it!! God answered our prayers and gave them this job to see to the finish. The house looks so different and the Bell's were absolutely grateful and praising the Lord for His provision in their lives. God used this team to make a difference for them. Here is the "kicker"...Mr. Bell is a black preacher who told us story after story of his life in the years of segregation. He made history come alive for these kids like I have never heard. The best part is...we were looking for opportunities to tell him about the Lord and he was doing the same for us. When God opened the door for us to witness to him...he ended up telling us how to be sure we can be in Heaven for eternity! What a blessing!! At the end of the job today our team stood in a circle holding hands with the Bells and Mr. Bell prayed for them. Jeff and I weren't there, but we are told that it was an amazing moment. We have many pictures of the before and the after! It's our teams "Most Extreme Home Makeover"!!
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement through this blog. The kids have enjoyed writing and always race to see your comments. They know that you are all at home waiting for them and that "you have their backs". That means so much to all of us. Tonight we are going to eat authentic Texas fajitas and then spend some time riding roller coasters and fun stuff at a boardwalk that is close by. Pray for safety as we pack up and travel home tomorrow. We are hoping to have a few more pictures up later, but not sure if we can pull it off. We'll try though. Love to all!! See you soon!!
We have completed many small tasks that include laying ceramic tile; grouting; scrubbing and painting porches, eaves, and all kinds of doors; dragging debris to the street; trimming trees; and the list goes on. But we have prayed that the teens could work on just one project that they could call "their own" as a team and see a transformation. God answered that prayer at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bell. They are elderly (Mr. Bell is 80) and couldn't afford to paint the outside of their house. It was in terrible shape and the entire house needed to be scraped before the paint went on. The team has been working in the heat since Wednesday morning to help these people. They were determined to get it done by today and they did it!! God answered our prayers and gave them this job to see to the finish. The house looks so different and the Bell's were absolutely grateful and praising the Lord for His provision in their lives. God used this team to make a difference for them. Here is the "kicker"...Mr. Bell is a black preacher who told us story after story of his life in the years of segregation. He made history come alive for these kids like I have never heard. The best part is...we were looking for opportunities to tell him about the Lord and he was doing the same for us. When God opened the door for us to witness to him...he ended up telling us how to be sure we can be in Heaven for eternity! What a blessing!! At the end of the job today our team stood in a circle holding hands with the Bells and Mr. Bell prayed for them. Jeff and I weren't there, but we are told that it was an amazing moment. We have many pictures of the before and the after! It's our teams "Most Extreme Home Makeover"!!
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement through this blog. The kids have enjoyed writing and always race to see your comments. They know that you are all at home waiting for them and that "you have their backs". That means so much to all of us. Tonight we are going to eat authentic Texas fajitas and then spend some time riding roller coasters and fun stuff at a boardwalk that is close by. Pray for safety as we pack up and travel home tomorrow. We are hoping to have a few more pictures up later, but not sure if we can pull it off. We'll try though. Love to all!! See you soon!!
The Sarvey's 2
It's FRIDAY - hard to believe it's here. It seemed like such a long week, but now that the end is here, it's seems to have gone so fast! today we are hoping to finish painting Leonard's house. We want to get started early due to a parade in the town of Galveston. Leonard has told us the history of this parade, it commemorates the end of slavery, which occured right here! It is amazing the stories he has told us of how over his 80 years of life what he has had to endure being a black in a segrated world. We've read about it, but now to hear stories of it from someone who lived it has just been an amazing thing.
Gotta run - we're loading up - pray we can finish this project and for strength to deal with the heat!
David & Peggy :)
Gotta run - we're loading up - pray we can finish this project and for strength to deal with the heat!
David & Peggy :)
Carey's Blog 2
Today is our last day of work - we have made it to the end of the week and tomorrow we are coming home
i will miss the beaches and the people we helped but i will not miss the HEAT :) i am ready to come home. I miss every one there
i will miss the beaches and the people we helped but i will not miss the HEAT :) i am ready to come home. I miss every one there
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Lauren's 4th Blog
Today we finished with the first coat of paint on a house. We are going back tomorrow for the second coat.
My arms are still really burning. We went to the beach this evening, and had our devotions on the beach. Allison and I stayed near the shore and collected sea shells and took pictures. I am going to bed now, because we have to leave the church at 7:30 tomorrow morning!!!
My arms are still really burning. We went to the beach this evening, and had our devotions on the beach. Allison and I stayed near the shore and collected sea shells and took pictures. I am going to bed now, because we have to leave the church at 7:30 tomorrow morning!!!
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