news-record.com

Even though we were worried at the beginning of the week about how much we could get done on our mission trip to the Golden Isles in Georgia, our young people had rewarding experiences with the projects they worked on — and ended the week with a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

It was an emotional, spiritual, exciting, exhausting, rewarding and uplifting week.

The theme for the week was “Pray As You Go,” and each night counselors shared devotions about each of these words, instructing us on the last night to go out into the world and serve others as Jesus did.

We stayed at the Morningstar Youth Estate Center in Brunswick, Ga., which is a children’s home serving those with severe situations including neglect and abuse. We worked at the estate doing grounds work, cleaning classrooms and playing games with the residents. We also primed, painted and put down tile flooring for a home.

We ended the week’s events with the washing of each others’ feet and spending time at the cross.

Here’s what the young people remembered:

“On this trip, God opened my eyes to a new skill I was unaware I had. I laid tile for the first time and enjoyed it! I worked very hard in the heat, but knowing that this work was serving others for a good cause enabled me to work harder. Serving others and helping mankind gives me great joy. I am grateful to God and Beck’s Reformed for allowing me to fulfill God’s Great Commission.”

— Chloe Newsome, eighth grade

“I loved this mission trip. It was a great chance to spread God’s love. The house we worked at was in a condition that I could not live in. This mission trip has shown me the way God works. Our leaders were really nice and funny, especially Kipperz. I cannot wait until the next one.”

— Taylor Shoaf, seventh grade

“When I walked into the church we were working in I felt so welcomed by all the young children there. They immediately said, 'Hello,’ and asked us to play with them. They asked to braid our hair and to throw a ball around. One little boy sang 'Amazing Grace’ as our blessing for lunch, and it was beautiful. When you are out there working and you look around at what they have and what you have, it makes you think twice about your life and how good you do have it after all. It gives you a great feeling inside after doing all of that work for God, the children and the church. We really are blessed.”

— Emma Comer, eleventh grade

“Generosity is a quality I didn’t know existed until I went on the youth mission trip. Sure I had heard of it in

books and at school, but I had never experienced it — that is until I met the staff at the Team Effort mission camp. The five leaders were no older than 20, yet they gave up eight weeks of their summer. The leaders took us to our work site and helped complete the job. No matter how hot it was or how tiring the job became, they never gave up.

I believe that God was there the whole time watching over us and just maybe he was

smiling at the generosity of the leaders at the mission camp.”

— Laura Bryant,seventh grade

“I learned about the many privileges I have that others don’t, what other kids don’t have and what I need to cherish in my life. I am so thankful for all the wonderful things I have. The music was more in depth about God and I really enjoyed that, too.”

— Samantha Burkhart, eighth grade