Short term Mission Trips: Week two is well under way, and I am in the Root Cellar writing this as the newest youth mission trip team walks by the window, completely covered in mud. I do not know why they are currently caked in mud, but they all look happy.

We on the Portland team have been extremely thankful for last’s week group. They taught us a lot and we became a part of their group.

This week’s group is different, and we can only be thankful for the new opportunity. This mission trip team is from Connecticut, and there are 12 adults chaperoning 25 high school kids, which is quite the transition for us from a group of thirteen total people.

This group has been around the block before, there resume is impressive as this same group of kids and adults have done a mission trip every summer for years, including trips to Louisiana and Kentucky, but this trip is a little different for them. Usually they have one common goal, and that was usually centered on a building project. Here in Portland, we have really tried to stress to them the importance of the kids and the relationships here. The work done here is important, but is second fiddle to the Root Cellar and the people in the community.

This group has adjusted well; this is a different type of stress for them. It has been good to see these guys tired after hours of piggyback rides. They are used to being exhausted by physical labor, rather than screaming (delightful) children.

I am very thankful for their flexibility. Please pray for good weather tomorrow, as the entire group, 40 of us and hopefully 40 plus kids, will head to the beach for beach day. It will be a good time to connect and hangout with the kids.

Please pray that the Kid’s Club develops relationships and that this group can see the fruit of their newfound “labor.”

*Interesting in participating in a short term mission trip? Check out our website at www.ExperienceMission.org for upcoming Summer 2010 mission trips.

Christian Mission Trips: Week one of our short term mission trips is in the books, and what a crazy week that it was. We on the Experience Mission team were blessed beyond words by the youth mission trip team that came this week from New York. We felt a part of their team and they really understood the goal of The Root Cellar and got to see the hearts of the people that work here everyday.

We spent their last evening under a gazebo on the water and reflected on the week. One of their ladies led us in worship and we poured over accounts of scripture that were on our hearts that last night. It was a very fitting way to end the week, and they were rightfully exhausted. Many of their days began at 5:30 or 6 and went until 10 or 11.

The group had been doing a series on Ruth that I thought I would share with everyone. Everyday they read a chapter in the morning for devotionals and at night they would bring their thoughts and questions up with the group. The advantage to having only one group here this week was that we were able to join them after our evening service. Ruth was such a great example of being in a foreign land and trusting in the Lord and being blessed. The group used her example as a springboard for how they should act and treat all of the refugees that are a part of this community. What a blessing.

They left early in the morning, and then the three of us fell back to sleep and have spent the day rebooting for next week.

Please be praying for next week, the group will be three times as large, and the weather report is not good. We are trying not to look at the forecast and put the weather in God’s hands, but it is hard sometimes. Pray for health as well, two out of three of us got it this week, and hopefully Cori will be spared.

Mainly, pray that the kids will respond to a new group. It could be hard for them to meet new people every week, pray that this transition happens smoothly.

God Bless,
Portland Team

Check out www.ExperienceMission.org for information about upcoming Summer 2010 mission trips.