Back from our trip out west.
We spent one week in H-town visiting friends, churches and raising support.
Thanks to all who took the time to meet with us, hear our hearts for missions, and share a meal or coffee.
For those that we missed…we wish we had more time! We hope to catch you next time we’re in town – we’d love to get together.
After our week in Houston, we participated in an AIM mission trip to New Orleans with our old church Windwood Presbyterian.
What a great week!
The group participated in many things.
The team gutted a house, put up a shed, participated in daily prayer walks, VBS, 2 cook outs and visited the lower ninth ward. On Sunday we attended Pastor Browns Church – Ray Avenue Baptist (the Church we partnered with last year).
Connie and I went to support both our friends at AIM and the team from Windwood Church.
Throughout the week we did whatever to help out the AIM project leader Mark Mocilan. This involved everything from running errands to helping him navigate New Orleans We had no plans or real expectations – except that God would show up.
The team was asked to do VBS that lasted 6 hours everyday.
The children ranged from ages 4 to 12 years old.
These kids had a lot of energy and anger. After the first day, I think that everyone who participated, myself included, weren’t sure if we were going to be able to keep up with them.
Each of them challenged us in so many ways.
I remember on the first day leading them in a song one of the youngsters screamed “Boo Boo, you suck!” Not what I had hoped for.
As we went through the week they began to soften up to each of us and we were able to look on these kids with the eyes of Jesus (with compassion). We all fell in love with them.
It is hard to pin point one moment because there were so many.
There was the young boy who was surprised by the fact that we came back everyday.
The two little girls who stole my Bible and then wanted me to read them passages. Everything from passages in Jeremiah speaking of God’s wrath to chapter one of Matthew with the linage of Jesus (they laughed at how I pronounced some of those names).
All the kids dancing and singing the “Banana Song” at the end of the week.
Sitting and reading the Sermon on the Mount with two of the older children and discussing what it really means to turn the other check and how we can apply that to our lives.
A moment that I will never forget is the last day – Connie and I were helping some kids move from downstairs up to the sanctuary of the church.
During this process, Connie was backing up and tripped over one of the children lying on the floor.
She fell really hard landing on her back – on a chair. It knocked the wind out of her.
As Connie was bent over unable to stand, all these little kids were crowding around her and were very concerned.
One of our other leaders (Sarah) came up and said to the kids “let’s pray for Mrs. Connie”.
So right there they gathered around my wife and with their little hands laid on her back the prayed for her healing.
It is a moment that I don’t think that I will soon forget. Connie is fine!
It was like most mission trips from the standpoint that we go to serve and help some people, but what ends up happening is that God touches us through those same people.
To see more stories and pictures from this trip, check out the New Orleans trip report on the AIM web site.
