Middle School Mission Trip to Mesa, AZ

Elevate, the youth group for 6th, 7th and 8th graders at our church is emphasizing service to others this year.  So far, they've served a meal at Mary's Kitchen, packed Boxes of Love with supplies for Thanksgiving meals and went caroling to several of the older members' homes at Christmas Time among other things. On the 2nd thru 5th of this month, Janice and Kyleigh went along on their first mission trip.

This is what their leader posted on Facebook when they returned.

Amazing weekend taking 36 middle school students and 15 adults to Mesa, AZ to do a serving weekend. It was truly a ministry highlight. On Friday, my city kids did fantastic working at the barn at Sunshine Acres Children's Home cleaning up after animals and moving hay. We took a tour of this amazing 120 acre property with 7 homes, which house 70 children who might otherwise not have a home. Saturday morning they worked in thrift shops and visited nursing homes. Saturday afternoon was fun exploring Goldfield Ghost Town panning for gold, zip-lining and touring the mine tunnel. Our last service project was a personal favorite, packaging food at Feed My Starving Children. Thanks to my good friend Celeste Koski at St. Luke Lutheran church for helping make this dream a reality and for housing us. Praise God we arrived home today tired but fulfilled.

The Whole Group Getting Ready to Leave

The 6th Grade Van - Kyleigh's in the back

Sorting Incoming Items at a Thrift Shop

More at the Thrift Shop

The Group at the Nursing Home

At Goldfield Ghost Town

More at the Ghost Town

Packing Food for Feed My Starving Children

Both Janice and Kyleigh came home exhausted, but both had fun.  Janice said there's another trip being planned for 2022 and Kyleigh's already said she'll go.