Getting ready

Here I am. Late at night getting ready for another Mission trip. To be perfectly honest - yes, it is lots of work; but I'm really getting pretty excited to go. I love the time with the youth. Love designated time each day specifically scheduled to read scripture and do devotions. Why in the world do I allow myself to forget to carve out that time when I'm home? The trip will be in Nebraska this year. I know it doesn't seem as glamorous and exciting when we don't go far away to somewhere new and different - but I think at least some of the kids are going to be surprised at how different the landscape in Nebraska is from one end of the state to the other. We'll be doing good things for God, having special reserved time with him and with each other. I think we often get more out of the trips than the bit of work we provide for others. That's why we use the term doing mission with. Rather than doing mission for. We are blessed and given just as much as those we go to serve. So, what to expect from us? We will leave the church after service on Sunday. (please come to send us off with a blessing!). We'll drive to Kearney first. Due to budget constraints - we won't be renting vans. We'll be driving in a caravan of cars. We'll do some camping too. Each morning we'll get up, get ready, have breakfast and then devotion time. The daily devotion will be posted on the blog each day so you can virtual mission with us. We will be serving at a homeless shelter on Monday and Tuesday. Then Tuesday, after work, we'll pack up and travel down the road to North Platte. We will serve at another shelter and we'll work to repair a greenhouse that grows food to provide fresh vegetables for both the shelter and food pantry. We plan to be in North Platte on Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday after work, we'll pack up and travel to ogallala. We will camp and spend our fun day at lake mcconaughey on the beach swimming and fishing. Saturday we will travel home. Our two seniors this year - Tyler and Maddy have both decided to go into some form of ministry. Maddy wrote the devotions book and designed our t-shirts as a senior project. Both Tyler and Maddy will get a chance to lead the group in large group discussions. Then, we also have musical youth - Charlotte and Spencer. They will have an opportunity to lead us in some songs. There are several who are unable to go this year. We will miss them and all their contributions to our team. Several of them will be holding down the fort and taking care of things back here in Omaha I'm so happy that we have a mom who is willing to come with her youth for a couple days when they have school obligations that keep them from attending the whole week. We invite anyone who wants to join us on any part of our trek across Nebraska Special thanks to the wonderful Pursel brothers who volunteered to serve as our male chaperones and saved the trip! Also a huge thanks to Tami who tracked them down and used her awesome powers of persuasion to convince them to help out. Tami you are so very greatly appreciated!