Mission Trip!

HELLOOOOOO Dear Readers!!!

How are we all this fine Friday afternoon? How’s your week been? Mine has been grand: Returned from Harrisburg last Friday, immediately cranked out the final doctoral assignments I hadn’t managed to finish before the trip, turned in my last book report Sunday at “midnight” (Monday, 2am), and proceeded to experience the post-mission trip AND post-finals crashes simultaneously, consequently spending 2 days in bed. And now I am on “vacation”! (From school. To be clear, I’m still working.)

Anyhoo, WELCOME BACK TO THE HARRISBURG TEAM!!!! And seeing as WE HAVE NO UPCOMING ANNOUNCEMENTS OR EVENTS, this week will be dedicated to photos documenting the trip!!!

We partnered with YouthWorks for our second year in a row! There were youth groups from Michigan, Maine, and even another Pittsburgh group! Where last year both CAYG-Only teams were set to work painting two houses, THIS year every day was quite different!

CAYG was separated into TWO GROUPS! An all-CAYG group named THE TWIZZLERS, and a CAYG/Michigan group named THE ALMOND JOYS. Halfway through the week we shuffled people around a bit. So WHAT did the groups do?? WELL dear readers, let’s see!

The Twizzlers served lunch at a men’s shelter…

The Almond Joys worked at a local food bank, boxing and distributing food. (Also pictured are the KitKats and Rolos.)

… And had lunch in the Michigan bus because the building didn’t have AC and it was 95 degrees.

The Twizzlers packaged food for a different local food bank.

The Almond Joys worked at a community center’s garden… watering plants, building raised beds, and collecting buckets upon buckets of rocks to line them for better drainage.

The Twizzlers prepared food for a community center. (They ALSO led what I am told was an epic and nearly-violent BINGO tournament at a retirement home!)

The Almond Joys divided and conquered the Salvation Army. Pictured: Gardening. Not pictured: Helping out at the summer camp, and serving lunch.

On Wednesday we enjoyed our afternoon off playing mini golf and eating ice cream.

And each evening all the candy groups gathered together for worship.

Games were played, memories made, and during free time the leaders’ phones were hardly seen.

In fact, we were SO determined to be fully present, we never thought to get a nice photo of the leaders together, and we four were never ACTUALLY standing together for any of the group photos. Fortunately, with modern technology and a photoshopping talent people have described as “creepy and uncanny,” I was able to make something happen! So for any concerned parents:

But seriously, we had a great time working, playing, and growing closer to the youth.

Your sons and daughters are goofy, caring, friendly, helpful, talented, and delightful individuals. We already knew this, but it was great to see it in action over the course of a week.