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Mission Trip Reports Trip Reports Home
New York City Metro, US Urban
Youth Group
| Trip Dates: | 7/25/2010 to 7/30/2010 |
| Age Group: | Jr. and Sr. high school students |
| Status: | Completed |
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| Reports for New York City Metro Trip |
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4 Days of Sirens, Quieted by God
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7/28/2010
By: Allison Stivland, HS Senior
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Our Savior's Lutheran Church- Stillwater, Minnesota
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I am from a small town in Minnesota where the crime rate is miniscule. Yet today, I have heard over 10 sirens rushing by my building.
It's because I'm in Newark, New Jersey, where my church, Our Savior's Lutheran, has come for mission work. I knew from the moment we entered the city that this was going to be an adventure - and I would have to step out of my comfort zone. When I started hearing the costant sirens, I have to admit I was a little worried. Our host Ron told us we would get used to them, but I found it a little hard to believe.
But my attitude was changed on my first day of mission work. We were walking through the park, handing out cold waters on a ninety-degree day, socializing with locals and giving our prayers to them. One man, Geronimo, wasn't a Christian, but during our prayer, I looked up and saw him smiling. His face made me realize that even in the midst of sin and personal suffering, God is there for us, no matter what. From that moment on, the trip just got better.
God's voice also came to me the next day, when we went to a nursing home. There I met Trevor, a 45-year-old man about to go into surgery for his impaired vision. He asked me to read from the Bible to give him strength for his surgery. To be able to give a person the word of God, and the strength that comes from those words, was very moving for me. That same day, I realized that the sirens weren't bothering me as much. Even though I could still hear them, I knew that God was there for me and all the people in Newark who were listening for him.
Today, in preparation for a Fun Fest in the park, we passed out flyers to kids playing on the playground. The excitement in their faces said it all! They were totally psyched. It was the cherry on top of my mission work to know that the kids were going to have an experience that they knew was safe and lots of fun.
At first, I was nervous to be in Newark because it was something completely different from my home. But after doing mission work, I realized that God lives everywhere, and protects us no matter how many sirens you can hear around you. I am going to leave here knowing that because of my mission work and World Impact, somebody in Newark is going to sleep a little sounder tonight, living under the hope that God's light brings.
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Hoo-ah! Sock it to the devil!
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7/28/2010
By: Katie Lomax, High School student-grade 12
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Oakdale Emory UMC- Olney, Maryland
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On our AIM trip this week, my youth group put together a day camp for the kids in the neighborhood. "All things are possible with God" was the theme we picked to center our activities around. During song time we introduced the kids to a new song called "If You Love Jesus". The simple, repeating song was a hit and the kids requested it every day. Although the fun hand motions and lyrics were probably why the kids loved it so much, the song contains a deeper meaning that has stuck with me.
At the end of each verse the lyrics say "Hoo-ah sock it to the devil yeah!" complete with punching and kicking motions. I love the fact that my youth group and I are teaching these kids, and ourselves, that we can defeat the devil, Jesus is THE King and we don't need to fear anything. Our faith in God as a mighty and strong god who can do all things is a gift that we need to share with everyone, no matter how young or old. 1 John 5:4 says,"For every child of God deafeats this evil world, ad we achieve this victory through our faith."
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The Art of Listening Prayer - by Seth Barnes
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This interactive devotional is for the person who isn't satisfied with a dry faith. If you're dying to hear God's voice, the good news is that you can! Jesus is the door, and He has opened it up to you.
Don't Miss Out on Hearing God's Voice!
The Art of Listening Prayer |
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