Alamosa 2007 ~ Report 4 ~ Wednesday Night

Wednesday~ June 20th ~ 8pm ~

I spoke with Kaylene this afternoon and things are going well in Alamosa ...

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Here's her report:
Yesterday and Today have been very busy and fun-filled days and evenings :)

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Today the teams switched projects so that the

VBS team doing kids club changed to the service projects

and the Service Project teams changed to VBS.

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The three service projects include cleaning and painting a home, cleaning and organizing in a thrift store, and spending time with long-term patients at a hospital. Kaylene's team of 10 was part of the thrift store brigade and the operators said our team was the hardest working team of the whole year that they have had in there ... Kaylene said she was so proud of how hard-working and helpful the students are being.

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At VBS, the teams are having fun doing games, skits, singing Christian songs, reading, and sharing scriptures.

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Kaylene again emphasized how wonderful the kids are from the other youth groups, and how friendly, loving, and very well behaved they are which has provided great modeling to our youth and really blessed their hearts. I shared with Kaylene how important to me, as a parent, it is that our youth group provide an environment that (of course!) supports fun and relational interaction AND ALSO does so in an environment where respectfulness and kindness are expected / required. I am so pleased by her report of how respectful our youth are being and the appropriate mindset they have relative to the value of their service to the Lord and the people of Alamosa. And yes, they are having a lot of fun, too!

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Kaylene also shared that the evening times have been very special.

The hot springs on Monday were really fun, and on Tuesday, youth works did a "poverty simulation" that really impacted the kids with the issues that are faced by those living in poverty. They broke again into small groups by gender (which seems to help them focus more :) and the youth shared in very open and vulnerable ways as to what they were learning and they were asking great probing questions. I'm excited to witness the growth in our youth over this week and to see the changes and deepening of hearts that will come about.

As a prayer request, please pray for one of the Grace Chapel boys on the team who is struggling a bit with homesickness and tiredness. I am touched by the spiritual heart of this boy and am excited about what God is doing in his life through the uncomfortableness and stretch that this mission adventure has provided to him in his journey of faith.
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Kaylene reports that the rest of our group is doing very well. Trey has been engaging and funny and very hard-working and brought much joy to others on the team and in the community of Alamosa. Reminds me of his "idol" serving in Kenya right now!

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Please also continue your prayers for the people to whom our teams are ministering to ~ that this not be a simple time of fun and service but that they would be impacted eternally for Christ's sake and that we would be able to share the joy of their salvation together in heaven.

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Much love,

Sherrie