Hey Family and Friends, This will be the last post on the blog. I really appreciate you following along on our journey and praying for us this week. I really feel like God heard and answered your prayers. God proved himself faithful yet again as He really seemed to show up in the lives of the students. It is too late to have any students post because it is too late tonight which is why you will have to join us in Ehko this Sunday. This Sunday at both campuses we will have a trip recap during our normal Ehko programming. All of you are cordially invited to join us if you would like to hear straight from the students/your kids how God was moving in and through them. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we travel back tomorrow. It has been a very healthy and safe trip (physically and spiritually) so far, and I pray that will continue all the way through arriving back in Green around 5:00. Join me in this prayer. Thanks again. Glory to God!!! Humbly in His Service, Jarrod

Hey Everyone, So far we have had a whole lot of fun. The work has been hard. It has been pretty hot painting in the sun. Even though it is not that exciting working, it is worth it because we get to talk with Janelle and Diane. We get to help them with their house because they can't, but we also get to help them learn about what Christians are like. It was nice to have a fun day yesterday, and I have really enjoyed the free time after work. It is nice to go out in the field, play frisbee and hang out with friends. Overall my favorite part is getting to know Janelle. I will be really sad to leave her. I feel like I have made an awesome friend in Janelle and it is sad to leave her. I got her address so I can keep in touch with her. Hi my mom, dad and sister. I miss you and can't wait to come home even though I am having a lot of fun here. Faith Hello Nation, This week I have become friends with a 99 year old woman named Etta. Etta is very active and is an amazing painter. She is really sweet. We have also all become friends with a dog named Lola. Painting has been enjoyable. God's creation is amazing. It is cool driving through the mountains and seeing His creation. This mission trip is cool because we get to meet the people we are impacting. It is cool to see the joy on their faces as they see that people care for them enough to work on their house. The worship time is a blast. I really like the high energy. I have also liked building closer bonds with the girls on the trip. Shout out to my mother and father- I love you and miss you and I will see you soon. Mikayla Martin Hey Everyone, I met Etta yesterday. It was really cool to meet her. It was cool meeting someone who wasn't afraid to die. She even talked about it like she knew it was coming. It was also really neat to talk to Diane because she started to open up a little. Janelle has been so appreciative of us being there. She is hilarious talking with us and wanting us to see all her drawings. It made me realize that they helped us almost as much as we helped them. They have helped us see that we are way more fortunate than we realize and that God has blessed us all in different ways. Some are blessed with material things, some with family, some with talents, and some with getting to know God. By the end of this trip, I know the team and the people we have helped will all have a positive outcome from this trip. I love you sissy and miss you. Love, Paris Hello Families, What a privilege to work with and spend time with your kids! They are getting to experience so many wonderful things. From some "jumping" worship in the morning, to a personal challenge by the ReCreation team, to helping several ladies in need (even having the opportunity to wash Janelle's feet and share how much Christ loves her), to devotions and sharing times in small groups. They are working as a team, and learning to love each other well along the way! Keep praying for them to see glimpses of Christ and for hearts that seek after Him. By the way - they are all experienced painters now, ready to help out at home this summer! Much love, Michelle (Katie's Mom)

Hello People, Today we went to Fun Depot where we played video games, laser tag, go karts and many other exciting things. We also went to a waterfall where the water was freezing cold. We also went to the sliding rock. The water was really cold there also. I am really tired after the long day of using energy, running around and swimming. We also went to Pizza Hut. It was delicious. Some people at 5 pieces of pizza. Love you mom and dad and sisters Elizabeth, Lindy and Chelsea. <3 Mikayla Veness Hello People reading this, The trip has been fun. I like working. Even though the weather has been rainy, it got better. Today was fun swimming in the creek. It was really cold but you got used to it. It was hard to see the rocks because the water was dark. I was surprised but I like riding in the van. I normally don't like riding in cars because it is boring, but this is fun. I really like the CD's we made. I like being with all my friends and the worship in the morning. I like the dancing and jumping. I miss you mom and dad!!! - written by Shelby D Hello hope your day has been well, Today was fun. The sliding rock was really fun. The go karts were really fun because they were fast. The trip is going very well. Tomorrow we will be painting and working, and we are hoping to have a safe trip home. We are almost done painting Janelle's house and Diane's house is done being primed. Hello mom, dad and sister. Autumn Hiya, We have been painting for the last two days. It was really messy. Kaylee got stung by a bee. We have been learning to give our hearts to God and not let our hearts be silent. The messages have really been making sense to me. I never really thought about that. Today we went on the sliding rock. Today was fun and different. It is a one chance thing to get to see waterfalls and go on a sliding rock. The team has been really funny. Some people were sniffing pepper at Pizza Hut tonight. Hi Keith, Eddy and JT. I hope you had fun at Camp Carl. Christina Williams

Bonjour, For the past few days we have had many fun experiences in the van and painting houses, but the best of all is helping Janelle and her mother Etta. It felt good to serve people that are in need. It sounds cheesy, but it makes me happy helping them. Another good part is the van rides with all the singing and screaming. I feel bad for our van driver Linda. We have given her many headaches, but she still says it is fun. I really liked devotions today. We were talking about our experiences in life and finding verses that go along with it. This has been the funnest time of my life (I know that sounds cheesy to). See you soon, Madie (the greeting was for Melise) Hello, I have had a lot of fun this week painting and helping people. I have enjoyed the devotions with the girls. I feel like I am getting closer with God and the girls. I enjoy getting to talk about God with the girls in my group. I also like the worship in the morning. It is fun with all the singing and the jumping. The van rides are a lot of fun. Every time we pass a cow in the van we all chant "COW COW COW". I have really liked the theme of "a clean heart". I can struggle with that. I feel like I can be obnoxious, annoying or mean sometimes. I struggle with believing that I have a clean heart. Hearing that I am perfect in God has really helped me. It helps me to just be myself, and not feel like I am not good enough for God. I don't have to look at other girls and wander why I can't be more like them. I am starting to realize that I am good enough for God. Hi mom and Dad! Kylie :) Hello, I don't really know what to say. We have done a lot of painting so far. We are getting really messy and dirty but still having a lot of fun. I like hanging out with my friends. I like giving to people things that I have that they don't. I can't wait for tomorrow for fun day. I like the free time that we get. We get to play basketball and frisbee. It is fun hanging out with the rest of the guys we are rooming with. I like the morning sessions. I like getting to connect with God like that and getting to know God. I hope you guys are having fun in your air conditioning. Noah Pritchard

Hello, The ministry trip so far has been great. We are working on Janelle and Diane's house. We starting by priming the house. It is great to see how the group is bonding and becoming friends. I love knowing that what we are doing is making a difference in people's lives and influencing them. We are all working very hard and making tons of progress. Sincerely, Jadon PS I Love You MOM!!!!!!!!!!!! ps they are ROOTbeers Goodbye (just kidding HI all readers), Today we primed two houses. The trip has been good so far. I have been getting a lot of sleep. I fell asleep before the lights went out. It is really cool to know how much what we are doing means to the people. It is cool doing something for someone that they can't do themselves. I was nervous a little going this far away from home at first, but it has been pretty good having some of my best friends here. It is nice that I can just be myself here and not feel judged. Sometimes at school I can feel like I am being judged. HI mom! Leslie (aka Colby Jack) Hello, The trip has been fun even though we have not done that much yet. The worship time is fun in the morning. It is really involved with all the jumping and other things. You really feel like you can just be yourself and get into it. We met Janelle and Etta and that was really fun. Helping paint the houses was fun. It is really fun working with other people. It really feels different when you are working with a group to help someone. During our devotional time, we actually stayed on topic. We read a Psalm together that talked about straying from God. We started talking about the things we are grateful for and talked about the stuff that can distract us from God. We talked about how peoples lives are getting messed up because they take advantage of what they have and they aren't grateful. It really reminded us to be grateful for what we have. Sincerely, Lauren Smith

Travel Day

Greetings from Weaverville, NC!!! All is well here. We made it safe and sound to Recreation. The drive down was mostly uneventful other then the girls van getting a hold of a bunch of fake mustaches. The whole team seems to be in good spirits. I can speak confidently for the guys that they are in good spirits because as I right this all the guys are deep into a head/hand stand contest. Thanks for your prayers for our team as we travelled for most of the day today. I don't take it for granted that the Lord was watching over us as we traveled today. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We are going to be working on the house of two sisters that live next door to each other (please pray for Janelle and Diane that they are blessed by us serving them this week. We will also be helping out there mother who lives down the street. PS the mom turns 100 on December 12th. Her secret to a long life has been drinking lots of Mountain Dew). I should be able to get pics and students to write for tomorrow's blog. Keep praying that God moves in and through us this week Jarrod

Welcome Family and Friends!!! Even though you may not be joining us physically on this trip, we know that your prayers will always be with us. Thank you for joining us on this journey. I hope this blog helps you stay connected to what we are doing. I also hope that this helps keep us daily in your prayers.