Youth Mission 2011

Mission Trip Musings

by David Hay

It’s still summer and school has just started, but I find myself thinking back to the most challenging and rewarding part of my summer vacation, the week I spent on the mission trip to Camp Courageous, Monticello, Iowa with our youth and several adult volunteers.

 Those of you who were in church the Sunday we returned heard many powerful stories from our youth about the challenging task of working in the hot sun and the rewarding task of befriending and working with physically and intellectually disabled campers. I have never been prouder to be a member of this church than during that week in Iowa.

 We arrived knowing we had physical labor to do, but we also wanted to offer ourselves to the campers any way we could. We learned that, by necessity, camp days are highly structured, and our chances to interact with them seemed to be only at meal times. Also, since the camp was not church-affiliated, we could not offer Bible study to the campers.

 Like true disciples, these limitations did not deter us. Under Tammy Jacobi’s inspired direction, the youth put on two lunchtime playlets--a brief sketch showing a Bible-based good way to treat people, followed by a current song the campers knew. We offered evening Bible study and snacks to the counselors, and some joined us after a long day.

 Thanks to Tom Severs’ inspiring words and Tammy’s diplomacy, we got more involved with the campers, eating with them and getting to know them better. We also were able to help with evening programs, and I know camp staff appreciated our helping hands. By week’s end, we were deeply connected to the campers, more than just a work detail. 

 All of us on the mission trip appreciated your prayers and good wishes. The wristbands we wore all week reminded us of how blessed we were to have such support from you. We truly lived out the lyrics of the old song “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.”