Youth Ministry

Michigan Mission Trip Was Wonderful

One of the best things I’ve done in a long time was our week-long senior high mission trip to Benton Harbor, Michigan. We worked on new homes being built by Habitat for Humanity. What a wonderful experience!

The work was great; the weather was gorgeous; the beach was wonderful; God is good and our senior highs and advisors are a truly delightful group to be with (though they do tease me mercilessly). I was richly blessed!

Eleven of us went and worked with youth groups from Ann Arbor and Sawyer, MI, St. Louis and the great city of Milwaukee! It was great to get acquainted with brothers and sisters in Christ from far-flung places, and to be reminded that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. We were also inspired by many local Benton Harbor residents who feel a strong commitment to their struggling community.

Our little community of eleven had our own joys and struggles. I saw once again how a trip like this builds group unity, gets people who are very different to work out their (mostly small) conflicts in love and find the importance of mutual acceptance. Our senior highs have an amazing group and a willingness to work things out in Christ’s love. We all need that kind of mutual support and accountability to be the kind of Christians we’re called to be, and it was great to see our youth living it out and learning from it. (We could all learn from their example.)

Our Director of Youth Ministry, Debbie Adams, once again did a great job planning and leading the trip! So many things went really smoothly because of her forethought and hard work. Hooray and big thanks to her for a great week for all of us, and one that made a difference for the people of Benton Harbor!

Scott