Our Mission Trip volunteers will be leaving July 20th!
Make sure to check back here for updates, pictures, and daily prayer needs!

Our primary prayer requests for this trip:
  1. To be aware of the Holy Spirit's guidance as we serve
  2. Team safety and health
  3. That our team is a positive example amidst teams from all over the US.

Sunday July 20

Day 1: Travel to Asheville. We safely arrived and settled in with our hosts, TEAM Effort. Over 200 people are joining us for the work, and we're all packed in a dorm at University of North Carolina.

Prayer Requests:
Connections with the other teams, for work unity, and with those we are serving.

Monday July 21

Day 2: We keep praising God that someone arranged for our stay at UNC. It offer several blessings, like real showers.
We are in the final group with our hosting organization this summer. That means our work is building on the efforts of those who came before. Our team is among several helping in a mobile home park near the river. Closer to the water, the homes had significant damage or were completely ruined.
 But we're working near the high water mark. The projects look small, but safe front steps and handicap ramps make a big difference for the homeowners to get in and out.
The folks we've spoken to around town are all very grateful that we cared enough to come so far to help.

Prayer Requests:
That we can finish the projects we started, and find other productive ways to help.
That we have opportunities to connect with people in the community and share the love of Christ and the gospel.

Tuesday July 22

Day 3: One project finished today. We completed the deck and stairs begun by the last team, as well as the ramp into the shed. Half of our team worked on this and finished off by praying with the homeowners (on the deck).
The weather cooperated enough to let us keep going.
The other half of our team hopes to finish their first project tomorrow, which includes repairs and upgrades to a handicap ramp and stairs to their front door.

Prayer Requests:
  • Continued health and communication with out team. 
  • Another project that we can complete in the limited time we have.

Wednesday July 23

Day 4: There isn't a lot of obvious destruction left after 10 months, but it's there if you look and ask a few questions.
  • The Walmart was closed until February after because of mud over a foot deep.
  • Stores in the same shopping complex only re-opened this month.
  • The Ace Hardware still isn't open because of flood damage.
  • Small piles of debris dot many neighborhoods.
  • The riverbank collapsed up to the back door of some buildings.
Thank you for all your support and continuing prayer. 
Our second crew finished the repairs and updates on the a handicap access ramp and stairs. We prayed with some of the family members there with a little support from technology for translation.
The first group joined another church to finish some painting.
Please pray for a reasonable our final day of work. We don't know exactly what we'll be working on yet.

Thursday July 24

"A mobile home park looks like a small thing. Most people might overlook it. But this week, we showed them they weren't overlooked; they're important to God." ~Robin Cutler
Day 5: The final work day found us painting a shed. But that was really just God's excuse to let us speak to a homeowner who God's been trying to reach. After what their family has been through, this man's wife and son have been going back to church, but he's been resisting that. Matthew had a long conversation with him that ended up encouraging them both, and they prayed together.
We cleaned up the project sites and finished our part of the ongoing restoration.
While the projects looked small, God used them to start some changes—in the neighborhood and in us.

Please remain in prayer with us for the residents of Swannanoa and Asheville, for their continued rebuilding efforts, and that the seeds planted by the many churches involved in this work will bear fruit.

After the cleanup, we enjoyed a little fun and celebration, as we expect to do tomorrow.

Please also pray for safety as we explore the Asheville area, and for our students to have a heart to take what they've learned back into their normal lives.

Friday July 25

Day 6: Having traveled so far and worked hard each day, we enjoyed a sabbath day exploring the Asheville area.

We couldn't have done this without all of your support and prayers. Thank you!

Prayer Request: Safe travels and wisdom about how to think through our experiences this week.