Mission Trip '09

We got back Saturday from a wonderful mission trip to Crossville, Tennessee. We had 21 of us total and we spent three days doing work with different ministries. There were many memorable times both good and bad. I will not forget getting lost in St. Louis on the way down for 2 hours because of road closures. I will also remember Jamison locking me in the trailer and two of our vehicles being broken into and stuff stolen including 4 Bibles. Not ll of the trip was bad, there were good times as well. The devotions and talks with my small groups were wonderful. Seeing the youth reading their Bibles in free time was something I did not expect. Also supporting the ministries of different groups was a blessing.Specifically we helped House of Hope, which is a home that assists children involved in drug abuse. Not that they use drugs, but their parents use drugs and therefore mistreat or neglect their children. The stories we heard of how children were treated and seeing pictures of homes they were taken from would break any one's heart.We also served Bread of Life ministries which supports adults recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. It is also a homeless shelter for Crossville.Overall, I was excited about the ministries this community had to serve those in need. To be honest it can be difficult for someone to easily get assistance in Williamsburg. There are some resources, but they are not always easy to find. My hope is that as a community we can become aware of the needs of people in Williamsburg and Iowa County and bring together our efforts to serve those people. Crossville has done a good job of churches working together to create ministries to serve those in need. I hope we can do the same to care for those among us who need God's grace and love to show up in their lives.