2021 Summer Mission TripWe are excited to share the details of 2021 Youth Mission Trip. After much prayer, Westminster Youth are going to Little Rock, Arkansas to share God's love and learn about the history of Civil Rights Movements in the United States.
DateSunday, July 11 - Saturday, July 17
WhoThis year, we are inviting High School Class of 2021 - 2025 (current grades 8th - 12th) & College class of 2024 (current Freshmen)
|
Daily Update
Sunday, July 11
Our mission trip has begun! On the road, we still find ways to have fun.
Even on the bus, there is an IT committee working to address the AV (Audio/Visual - aka movie on the bus) issues.
In between the movies - we catch up on our needed rest or play cards!
We are already in Arkansas!
Even on the bus, there is an IT committee working to address the AV (Audio/Visual - aka movie on the bus) issues.
In between the movies - we catch up on our needed rest or play cards!
We are already in Arkansas!
|
Snacks for the trip are very important.
We started snacking 5 minutes into our trip (when we were on Lawrence Ave.) Thanks Julie!!!! |
Monday, July 12
We are having an incredible time at Ferncliff. We feel blessed and at peace in God's creation.
We are working hard - and finding ways to also play hard.
Mission Team divided into three teams to tackle three projects at Ferncliff during the mornings:
1) Demolishing parts of a barn and fixing them
2) Using creativity to build a re-use garden
3) Putting in a new deck for mission house
In the afternoon, we worked at DAC (Disaster Assistance Center), making hygiene kits.
Evening time, had fellowship and devotions together at the Tabernacle.
Thank you for all your prayers and support to get us here!
We are working hard - and finding ways to also play hard.
Mission Team divided into three teams to tackle three projects at Ferncliff during the mornings:
1) Demolishing parts of a barn and fixing them
2) Using creativity to build a re-use garden
3) Putting in a new deck for mission house
In the afternoon, we worked at DAC (Disaster Assistance Center), making hygiene kits.
Evening time, had fellowship and devotions together at the Tabernacle.
Thank you for all your prayers and support to get us here!
Tuesday, July 13
Today, our youth did a fantastic job of running two-work day.
In the morning, we continued our Ferncliff projects, where we made significant improvements and addition to our work from yesterday. We are on our pace to finish the task in 4 days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday).
In the afternoon, we visited Little Rock's Women & Children First (WCF) shelter, where they provide housing for women and children who have experienced violence in their homes. They provide support and advocacy as well as the needed daily amenities - food, shelter, and housing. They also provide a 45-day program for grief, to transition, and to assist them toward their independence if they so choose.
We served WCF community by giving the shelter a proper deep cleaning with much sweat equity from our group. We hope that our efforts will make a difference on the "least of these" and the vulnerable to feel safer and hopeful by staying at a cleaner place and to know that God's love knows no bounds.
When we came back to Ferncliff after a full day, we relaxed by resting or going to the pool for a game of water polo style basketball game. We wrapped the evening with our group devotional followed by smores by campfire.
Thank you for your prayers. We are all very much enjoying our time in AR, sharing the love of God and Westminster, building stronger relationships, and re-centering our lives in God by retreating in God's creation. We ask for prayers of strength from the Lord to finish the week strong and to keep us safe!
In the morning, we continued our Ferncliff projects, where we made significant improvements and addition to our work from yesterday. We are on our pace to finish the task in 4 days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday).
In the afternoon, we visited Little Rock's Women & Children First (WCF) shelter, where they provide housing for women and children who have experienced violence in their homes. They provide support and advocacy as well as the needed daily amenities - food, shelter, and housing. They also provide a 45-day program for grief, to transition, and to assist them toward their independence if they so choose.
We served WCF community by giving the shelter a proper deep cleaning with much sweat equity from our group. We hope that our efforts will make a difference on the "least of these" and the vulnerable to feel safer and hopeful by staying at a cleaner place and to know that God's love knows no bounds.
When we came back to Ferncliff after a full day, we relaxed by resting or going to the pool for a game of water polo style basketball game. We wrapped the evening with our group devotional followed by smores by campfire.
Thank you for your prayers. We are all very much enjoying our time in AR, sharing the love of God and Westminster, building stronger relationships, and re-centering our lives in God by retreating in God's creation. We ask for prayers of strength from the Lord to finish the week strong and to keep us safe!
Wednesday, July 14
Our "rest" day that wasn't... (and it is already Wednesday!)
Today, we started the day off by having the quickest bite to eat and getting on the bus to Hot Springs, AR.
There, we went to Hot Springs National Park where we were led by a Park Ranger for a hike.
What was described as an easy hike was absolutely challenging, but we were surrounded by God's creation.
We learned about Hot Springs as we climbed Hot Springs Mountain together, the history of how the hot spring water were used as medicinal purposes, how it brought socio-economical disparities, and the role the government played to preserve/safeguard this resources as well as attempts at balancing the fair usage of this natural resource to all.
The group went up the mountain tower to get a grand view of the Hot Springs and surrounding area. The view is surreal!
Some chose to climb the tower (306 steps each way) and some chose to go up via elevator.
Wrapped up our visit at Hot Springs by visiting and exploring the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center and Museum, which is one of the bathhouses on Bathhouse Row. There, we saw and touched how people were utilizing the hot springs for healing purposes, as well as the history of what Ranger was telling us during the hike.
Once we got back safely to Ferncliff, we took much needed break, had an experience at The Purple Cow Restaurant, devotional time and rest to prepare for the day ahead.
Tiring day, yet so rewarding in other ways, knowing that God's creation allows to taken in the beauty of God through our eyes, to bring healing in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspect of one's self.
Thank you for taking the journey with us via spirit, holding us in prayer, and supporting us to be here. We are going back home changed. As we have brought the spirit of Westminster to every place we have been, we look forward to bringing back many blessings we have encountered along the way.
Today, we started the day off by having the quickest bite to eat and getting on the bus to Hot Springs, AR.
There, we went to Hot Springs National Park where we were led by a Park Ranger for a hike.
What was described as an easy hike was absolutely challenging, but we were surrounded by God's creation.
We learned about Hot Springs as we climbed Hot Springs Mountain together, the history of how the hot spring water were used as medicinal purposes, how it brought socio-economical disparities, and the role the government played to preserve/safeguard this resources as well as attempts at balancing the fair usage of this natural resource to all.
The group went up the mountain tower to get a grand view of the Hot Springs and surrounding area. The view is surreal!
Some chose to climb the tower (306 steps each way) and some chose to go up via elevator.
Wrapped up our visit at Hot Springs by visiting and exploring the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center and Museum, which is one of the bathhouses on Bathhouse Row. There, we saw and touched how people were utilizing the hot springs for healing purposes, as well as the history of what Ranger was telling us during the hike.
Once we got back safely to Ferncliff, we took much needed break, had an experience at The Purple Cow Restaurant, devotional time and rest to prepare for the day ahead.
Tiring day, yet so rewarding in other ways, knowing that God's creation allows to taken in the beauty of God through our eyes, to bring healing in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspect of one's self.
Thank you for taking the journey with us via spirit, holding us in prayer, and supporting us to be here. We are going back home changed. As we have brought the spirit of Westminster to every place we have been, we look forward to bringing back many blessings we have encountered along the way.
Thursday, July 15
We are rolling full steam ahead!
Today was another packed day for the mission team, as we gave our best effort to make complete a big chunk of our projects done due to possible rain tomorrow, followed by volunteering at the Arkansas Food Bank, couple hours of fun at the pond, devotions, bombardments, and still needing to finish writing our journals & care cards.
Each group made a significant changes to their projects. We can all see a vast difference and beginning to get a glimpse of what our final project would look like!
During this year's mission trip, at every corner, there has been a sweet surprise from God to experience in a way that was not expected. Arkansas Food Bank was not what we were expecting: it was a great facility (the best one any members of the mission team's experience at a food bank) with great people, met few other volunteers, and helped serve the community where 42 million pounds of the food is served each year.
Today was also a last day we had access to Ferncliff's activities in the evening, and we were on a pond having a great time.
Today was another packed day for the mission team, as we gave our best effort to make complete a big chunk of our projects done due to possible rain tomorrow, followed by volunteering at the Arkansas Food Bank, couple hours of fun at the pond, devotions, bombardments, and still needing to finish writing our journals & care cards.
Each group made a significant changes to their projects. We can all see a vast difference and beginning to get a glimpse of what our final project would look like!
During this year's mission trip, at every corner, there has been a sweet surprise from God to experience in a way that was not expected. Arkansas Food Bank was not what we were expecting: it was a great facility (the best one any members of the mission team's experience at a food bank) with great people, met few other volunteers, and helped serve the community where 42 million pounds of the food is served each year.
Today was also a last day we had access to Ferncliff's activities in the evening, and we were on a pond having a great time.
We concluded our evening with devotions and lifting up our first-time mission team members as well as those leaving for college during bombardments: an emotional night with so much to be grateful about. We look forward to tomorrow's group of people whom we will pour our love, too.
As we are wrapping up with our services (tomorrow morning is the last time), we are grateful for those who have made this trip possible this year. We hope that this year's mission trip not only mended our relationships but made them much stronger; that we have broken away from our old habits and started anew. Thank you to our families: both our immediate and spiritual. Could not have made this possible without you.
As we are wrapping up with our services (tomorrow morning is the last time), we are grateful for those who have made this trip possible this year. We hope that this year's mission trip not only mended our relationships but made them much stronger; that we have broken away from our old habits and started anew. Thank you to our families: both our immediate and spiritual. Could not have made this possible without you.
Friday, July 16
TGIF!
This week has been a blessing, and we are grateful for God's faithfulness.
We headed to our worksites to complete our projects in the morning. We had a shorter morning work times but we were able to complete our tasks. We were amazed at what we pulled off through great team effort in only four days.
Immediately after our work was complete, we loaded our bus to head over to the Central High School in Little Rock. We took few moments to take in the history of the desegregation and integration as we went through the visitor center. Led by Ranger Brian, we walked through the halls of the school, learning about hardships that the Little Rock 9 faced: not just during the days of media coverage and how they were ushered in by the soldiers, as the famous pictures and depictions of the events that are written in history books, but the battles that each of the 10 students (not 9) faced to overcome hate, violence, and neglect they had received during their experience at Central High over the years.
Then we loaded our bus once again and headed for Clinton Library and Museum. We went through the exhibits, sat in the chairs of a replica of the White House Cabinet room, and saw a replica of an oval office. Following a quick self-tour of the Clinton Library, we ate dinner at various restaurants at the Little Rock River Market.
For our final devotional, we walked through the stone labyrinth that were laid by the school shooting survivors who came for a camp to grieve at Ferncliff. Remembering our own challenges over the COVID times, things that we are grateful for, things that we wanted to lift up, things that we could not control, we prayerfully and purposefully laid them down as we walked through. Afterwards, we finished our night with second round of bombardments, pouring our love to our first-time/college-bound members.
Each day of the week, God was faithful. Each of us encountered and experience God in our own ways, and were blessed by the each participant of the mission trip. Thank you everyone for your prayers, support, and love that made this possible.
This week has been a blessing, and we are grateful for God's faithfulness.
We headed to our worksites to complete our projects in the morning. We had a shorter morning work times but we were able to complete our tasks. We were amazed at what we pulled off through great team effort in only four days.
Immediately after our work was complete, we loaded our bus to head over to the Central High School in Little Rock. We took few moments to take in the history of the desegregation and integration as we went through the visitor center. Led by Ranger Brian, we walked through the halls of the school, learning about hardships that the Little Rock 9 faced: not just during the days of media coverage and how they were ushered in by the soldiers, as the famous pictures and depictions of the events that are written in history books, but the battles that each of the 10 students (not 9) faced to overcome hate, violence, and neglect they had received during their experience at Central High over the years.
Then we loaded our bus once again and headed for Clinton Library and Museum. We went through the exhibits, sat in the chairs of a replica of the White House Cabinet room, and saw a replica of an oval office. Following a quick self-tour of the Clinton Library, we ate dinner at various restaurants at the Little Rock River Market.
For our final devotional, we walked through the stone labyrinth that were laid by the school shooting survivors who came for a camp to grieve at Ferncliff. Remembering our own challenges over the COVID times, things that we are grateful for, things that we wanted to lift up, things that we could not control, we prayerfully and purposefully laid them down as we walked through. Afterwards, we finished our night with second round of bombardments, pouring our love to our first-time/college-bound members.
Each day of the week, God was faithful. Each of us encountered and experience God in our own ways, and were blessed by the each participant of the mission trip. Thank you everyone for your prayers, support, and love that made this possible.
Saturday, July 17
After a quick breakfast, we packed our bus and left Ferncliff, which was a great home base for the week.
We headed for the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN. We spent about 2.5 hours going through the museum, learning a lot about social injustices and how it is relevant to our current political dynamics.
Afterwards, we walked and had lunch at the famous Beale Street in Memphis. Everywhere we took opportunities to have fun, and this was no exception.
We headed for the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, TN. We spent about 2.5 hours going through the museum, learning a lot about social injustices and how it is relevant to our current political dynamics.
Afterwards, we walked and had lunch at the famous Beale Street in Memphis. Everywhere we took opportunities to have fun, and this was no exception.
We were very tired on the way home. But we also had a great time together.
Thank you for allowing us to have a great week!
Thank you for allowing us to have a great week!