What We've Learned!

One of my favorite parts of a mission trip is when, at the very end, the team gathers to describe how God has moved in their lives. I always wish parents and the church could hear the amazing things that God has done. As a leader, there is no sweeter time. That was the case again on this trip as we gathered tonight to share. Of course, I cannot do it justice listing them on a blog (this is a weak summary of some powerful testimonies), but at least you might catch a glimpse of what God has taught us!

1. Rachael--learned more patience and how to talk with other people

2. Eric--learned about forgiveness and how to deal with conflict better

3. Adam--learned patience, and everyone on the team better. Also, realized he has taken for

granted his life at home

4. Kevin--learned about selflessness and learning to share and talk with others more

5. Liann--learned how open kids can be and how inquisitive they are about spiritual things

6. Nancy--is learning compassion for others and learning that it takes time to develop

7. Jenna--learned how to live less selfishly and got to know the others better

8. Abbey--learned patience

9. Logan--learned firsthand how God puts people in the right place in the right time to carry

out His work (especially when visiting homes for evangelism)

10. Alicia--learned how to paint, and made some new friends and reestablished some old

friendships

11. Megan--learned that she can accomplish things she didn't think she could do and learned

how not to be shy (particularly with strangers when visiting their houses)

12. Alex--learned patience and how not to judge people by their outward appearance

13. Rob--learned that he needs to unlearn things that he has wrongly learned over the years

14. Ryan S.--learned patience and grew in watching how he talks and sings around others

15. Ryan T.--learned he needs to continue to work on his patience and learned some valuable

leadership skills from the other leaders and students

16. Mollie--learned to face her fears (particularly her fear of heights on ladders!)

17. Lisa--learned again how well a group can care for each other

18. McKenna--learned that she has a lot of really good new friends

19. Brett--learned anew how much people have been disposable to him in the past and to

recommit himself to loving people for God's sake and not his own

Thursday News

Greetings ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, people of all... er... I guess you know where I am going with this. I am Ryan S., and I am writing to update you all back in good o'l Ohio on what happened in Cherokee today.

In the Paintown gymnasium, we spent our last day with the little guys. It was a great day. We played a game of organized soccer, and also a basketball game. We also finished teaching the kids the gospel message through the colored bracelets. At the house worksite, we got the first coat of blue paint on the top part of the house. We are going to put the second coat on tomorrow.

Before the painting portion of the day, we talked about an our theme verse...

" Serve the Lord wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord, not men."

- Ephesians 6:7

You know, as the week is winding down, so is our willingness to serve the Lord, and it gets really hard to think about what he Lord would want instead of ourselves. I had to constantly be on my toes to remind myself to only cater to our Creator, not ourselves. I'm sure others are in the same boat as me as well. So I am asking you to pray for us as a team, especially as this great week draws to close. I mean, we are all going to be hot, sweaty, and are going to be prone to sin. Thanks!

- Ryan S.