Mission Trip 2011 - June 19-25

2011 SUMMER MISSION TRIP Mission Trip 2011 has come to a close and has left its fingerprint on the hearts and minds of those who participated in this week. As those of you who were at the youth services on June 26 heard, this was a mission trip that many attended somewhat reluctantly.

The idea of traveling just 40 miles north, working with older children instead of little kids, and having a building project that was less grandiose than the fellowship hall we built last year combined into some apprehension for our teens. Despite the lack of initial enthusiasm, thirty teens and ten adults headed to Denton where they would experience a week that was nothing like they expected.

Summer Extravaganza (aka Day Camp) was the place where many of our hearts were touched. The children that call the Nelson Center home rotated through five different classes throughout the day led by two of our teens and an adult mentor.

SCRAPBOOK class gave each child a book and a place to record their future. They talked to them about how special they were and helped them to create pages that were unique like them. They celebrated who they were and what their future held. Each day had a different theme for the pages. Some of the most special moments were in the sitting around and working time!

SPORTS taught these young men and women how to have fun with recreation and how to be good sports. Some of their favorite games were Pilo Polo and Bean Bag Dodgeball. The sports team also brought “school shirts” for each of the residents and day time staff members. Nelson Center colors are green and silver and the mascot is the eagle. Their shirt is forest green with silver letters – the LSS logo of a cross with arrows going out from it on the pocket and then an eagle with the Isaiah 40:31 verse superimposed over it on the back.

SEWING class allowed each young person (and some staff members) to make a bear. The kids got to select their own material and learn how to do some basic stitching to help their leaders put it together. Bible verses were weaved into the lessons to remind the kids that they are “fearfully and wonderfully made”. The last night the sewing team allowed the Calvary team to pray for a bear and sew up its last seams. On Friday, the residents clung to their finished bears as they got friends to sign them.

COOKING class met in the cafeteria and each day the kids got to come in and make some type of snack. They were able to be creative and many days made enough to share so the counselors were able to reinforce that important life skill as well. While the cuisine of the day was cooking, the children and teens were able to play games like “I am Special” with their counselors.

BIBLE CRAFTS was the final rotation and was a place where we talked about God and various scripture and tied them into a craft. One of the favorite crafts, among the Nelson Center kids and their staff, was making tye dye shirts. Seeing them all drying in the breeze, with their vibrant colors was a reminder of how beautiful and unique we each are. Of course each day ended with everyone together singing songs and praising God.
When the Summer Extravaganza team was not working directly with kids, they were redoing the Chapel. They turned the chapel into a place that was welcoming and inviting for these kids! They also talked to them about how important our “chapel” call Calvary is, and encouraged them to experience that for themselves.

On Thursday afternoon the COOKING team fired up the hot grill and cooked enough hot dogs for all of the children of the Nelson Center, all of the staff of the Nelson Center and all of our team from Calvary. It was a fun time for everyone to gather and enjoy a meal together! Again, we were an example of serving as the residents saw the labor of love.

The BUILDING team had the task of putting up 8ft pickets on the fence to help with both privacy and safety. While the purpose was functional, the outcome was a space that looked less like a residential treatment facility and more like a backyard. In addition, they built a covered gazebo by the pool so that the children who call the Nelson Center home would feel a little bit more like they were at a home as they had a place to relax and cool off after they were in the pool. It is a beautiful shaded place. The most important thing, however, that was built by the building team is not one that we can take a picture of and show you. Our building team helped build a spirit of serving in the children of the Nelson Center and helped build a work ethic through their example. The work site was off limits to the kids and staff during the week, but as the kids passed down one hallway that was all windows, they would stop and watch. They would see these “big boys” working in the heat, creating something beautiful for them. The example they set was priceless.
Working directly with the children of the Nelson Center was a definite highlight of the week, so building team members were allowed to sign up and get a class that they could go into each day and help with. This was a great time for them to interact and meet the kids for whom they were building a gazebo and fence.

As Sierra said in her homily, this is the first time that she has ever returned from a mission trip feeling unsatisfied. Her feelings were not because of what we did, but because there is so much more to do! We have a group of teens trying to figure out “now what?”

Now what do we do with those fingerprints of the Nelson Center children on our hearts and minds? Watch for more details as our Calvary teens wrestle with this question…

Statement of Our Faith