5 Days, 16 hours

That's what the countdown clock tells us is left before we head off to Mississippi.

The latest news is that there are 3 projects we will be working on. One is definitely putting in sheet rock at the Yellow House but the other two I'm not certain about.

Our fundraising has been going well but we aren't afraid to take more donations! We know that things happen and we will be running to the hardware store for supplies throughout the week. Having extra funds to pay for those little things (like nails!) is always helpful.

One church member asked about leaving Christmas gifts for the homeowners. We talked about Captain John and how we had left him a ham the last time we were in Pearlington. She thought that was a great idea and is donating towards a ham as a Christmas gift.

What we really need is to be covered in prayer. From the early morning drive to the airport, to the flights, to the drive into Mississippi and back and forth to Pearlington, to the work we do, to the conversations we have with homeowners, to the conversations we have with each other, to the return flights and all the things that happen in-between, we need prayer.

The names of our team members are listed to the right (one is on there twice cuz they have an alias). Take a moment, read one of those names and pray for that person. Ask God to meet them on the trip, to guide their actions, to guard their hearts, to speak through them, to give them the rest they need, to give them joy in the work, you can come up with more but that's just a start.

AND PLEASE, don't be afraid to leave comments on this blog! The encouragement we receive from those comments keeps us going through the tough moments of the week. We read through them every night at our team meeting and look forward to the connection to home while going where God has called us to go!

It's the little things...

that make me happy! Like airfare for $294 round trip! I LOVE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES! Two free checked bags makes me even happier!

Ellen, Jeff and I are going for sure!

And it begins...

We have begun the planning process for trip #10 to Pearlington. We'll be going December 16-24. Things are coming together, piece by piece but the big piece remains...will the jobs be ready when we get there?

Time to pray!

EDITED TO ADD:
Blessing #1 just occured. The homeowner of the rental houses that we stay in, just knocked off about $250 from our rent for the week. Can't recommend vrbo.com enough to people! Thanks Chuck!

Questionable Future

There are some things that I've trying really hard to not face. The future of the Mississippi trips is one of them. A few weeks ago my brother and sister-in-law started talking about Christmas and the thought ran through my head, "Well, I'll probably be in Mississippi." And then I caught myself. I might not.

I've started the conversation with Ben about another trip. There are a couple of small jobs, but nothing to take a big group to do. In fact, a group 8 would probably be searching for things to do halfway through.

What does this mean? It means that it's time to pray for a couple of things. #1 is discernment and wisdom. #2 is for the electrician that's supposed to be wiring Tom's house to get in there soon and get it going. If that work gets done, then sheet rock can be put up and we've been guaranteed that job.

So start praying folks!

10 days

In 10 days a team will leave for Mississippi. I've heard from Ben and there is plenty o' work to do. The thing that we are running up against is a lack of funds to buy supplies. We'll take it one day, one job at a time and figure it out!

In the next 10 days we would appreciate your prayers as we prepare mentally and physically for the upcoming trip. Those going on this journey are Debbie, Jonathan, Michelle, Joe, Sammy, Kanda, Harold and Brittany. We are excited, eager and looking forward our time in Pearlington. Thanks for praying for our journey!

I spent a few hours at the beauty salon today. It felt good to just sit and relax for a while. As I was there (it was a longer appointment, sometimes a girl just needs a little help) I made a list of all that I would like to accomplish in the next week before heading to Mississippi. It's a long list. Some things are pretty important, other things aren't so much...I started to write down "wrap Christmas presents" and then realized I could just bring my presents to church on Sunday morning and have them wrapped for me! I almost did a happy dance right there in the beauty salon. YES! The team will be wrapping gifts on Sunday morning starting at 8:45am and ending whenever the last gift is wrapped. They will be there the following Sunday as well, December 20th. Donations gladly accepted.

My friend and hairstylist donated part of today's fee to my trip as well. One of the first things she asked was "what do you need". What I said? Prayer. Money is helpful, prayer is really the thing. I know she's good for that one! Prayer sponsors and financial sponsors are what make this trip run smoothly. God bless y'all!

Speaking of finances our thermometer keeps creeping up...here's the end of the week rundown:

7 people have their trip completely paid for.
5 people are within $200 of goal.
4 others have between $201-400 to go.
3 team members need over $400.

In our PayPal Challenge Ralphie/Jeffy is still in the lead with 16 donations...Ellen is in 2nd with 5, Debbie hangs in with 2 and the Waltons are at 1. There's still time to enter the race!

By the way, KPIG fans are awesome!!!!! We've had donations come in from Indiana, Connecticut, Virginia, Alabama, Oregon and all over CA from KPIG fans...so very cool. Thanks for supporting Ralphie and the team!

And just a reminder for our team, our final meeting and team commissioning is on Sunday. Commissioning is at 9am and 11:15am, team meeting at 10:30am (I'm pretty sure it will be in the fellowship hall...just an FYI). Hopefully your t-shirts will be here as well!

Challenge update!

Today in my email inbox were two more PayPal donations...both for (drumroll please)...Jeffy! Or Ralphie as some others may know him. One was from a KPIG listener in Jeffersonville, Indiana...that's a mighty far reaching station. :) Hello KPIG listeners and thanks for supporting our efforts in Pearlington!

Jeffy is still in the lead with the number of donations received by PayPal...the race continues!

Jeffy/Ralphie--6 PayPal donations
Debbie--1 PayPal donation
Bill---1 PayPal donation

UPDATE:
Just as soon as I hit publish post, Ralphie got another donation...that makes him way out in the lead with 7 PayPal donations! Woo-hoo!

What's your role?

Over the last few years of leading the Mississippi trips, I've become increasingly aware of how a team interacts with each other. When you're spending 7 days together, you get to know some people well...especially if you are rooming with them! Toss in lack of sleep, hard work and lack of personal space at times and, well, things get interesting.

Yesterday, at our team meeting I posed a question to the group that was there. What role are you going to play on our trip? I had been reading from Romans 12:3-5 (NLT): "As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others."

Ah, the truth of that text is astounding. We all have a role, a part to play, a special function and purpose, the question is, do we realize what role that is?

Here are some possibilities:

• The Go-Getter: Someone who will try anything at any time and be the first in line.
• The Sideliner: One who hangs back until everyone has a turn before they find their spot.
• The Cheerleader or Encourager: pretty self-explanatory (though one is a little bit more enthusiastic than the other)
• The Complainer: One who will find something wrong no matter what.
• The Group Activist: the person interested in seeing the group achieve their best, usually seeks to include everyone.
• The Disappearing Artist: Will start a project, then get distracted, start another project, let someone else take over and pretty soon wander away.
• The Battering Ram: One who wants to the see the job done, who takes over jobs that others are doing...usually without knowing that they are taking over.
• The Doers or Flex artists: They do what they are told to do and are flexible. Just tell 'em what you need, they will do it.
• The Observer: Watches the group interact, listens to the discussions, has great words of wisdom but usually needs a little prompting to share that wisdom. Will jump in when they are comfortable, and jump out when they are not.
• The Comedian: Will do whatever they can to help the team laugh...a lot.

There are more roles out there, but the point is this. In order to work as a team, it's important to realize that who we are, how we operate and the roles that we take on impacts the team. There is a balance that can be achieved when we realize who we are, what makes us tick and where we are naturally going to fall into a role...even a role that we don't like.

God's given us a purpose and a goal. God has also given us special roles within the team. As we prepare for Pearlington, I am praying that we, as a team, will take some time to examine who God has made us to be and how we will impact the team.

Lots to report

There are lots of things to report so I'll just list them.

1. Our Jambalaya Dinner brought in $1077 after expenses. Thanks to all who participated, who cooked, served, set-up and cleaned up and ESPECIALLY to those who came out for some good food and good music. See the post below for some pictures of the night.
2. Part of our team last December spent the week at Captain John's property. The goal was to dig out and start putting in piers for the foundation of his house. We left in December with nothing really in the ground but holes dug. When we returned in April the house was framed and wrapped and ready for the interior to be worked on and work we did! Last week I received an email from Ben asking if we were ready to paint and do more interior work. This is the picture from last Tuesday.
3. This is a picture from yesterday. Hurricane Ida, though downgraded to a tropical storm, still brought water into Pearlington. Captain John's house will always receive water because it's right on the bayou, but this is a little more than usual. This picture is the front yard of the Yellow House. And this is one of the side streets. Not as high as it could have been and everyone is safe and sound.
4. For those going to Mississippi we have a team meeting on Sunday at 12:30pm. PLEASE be on time.
   

Okay all you team members...

Our team is now 19 people strong. 8 of us will be in Pearlington December 18-24th, (5 will stick around over Christmas) and 16 of us will be in Pearlington December 26-January 2. I'm excited. We've bought the tickets, checks have been written to pay for those tickets and now comes the real challenge...raising the money!

3 of our team members are doing just that...raising money (well, really 2 of them have been working hard at it, one is at college and who knows what he's been up to lately *ahem* Dougie.) IN a matter of a couple of weeks they have raised almost all their support. Yep, seriously. Their total goal was $2700 and they have less than $450 to go.

The rest of us team members have a long way to go! Start writing those letters, start hitting the pavement! We can do this! (Feeling very much like a cheerleader right now...so does not go along with my image.)

In other news, we have a house! Just working on the 2nd house! Woo-hoo!

Prayer Request of the moment

Airline tickets have been purchased for 17 people. Mini-vans have been reserved. Now it's housing...oh, the housing. We need housing for Mississippi. I've put requests out there and nothing has come back. Both of these houses would hold all 14 people for the 2nd week. I've heard nothing back. It would be awesome to not have to rent two houses for the 2nd week, but I will do it if need be!

The prayer request of the moment is for housing. For the right houses, for the right home owners, for the right places, and that it's all in God's timing, even if it isn't in mine. Thanks for praying with me!

BTW, I'm not asking for help in finding the houses, just asking for prayer.

It's all coming together!

Our team has started the process of getting sponsors for the trip in December. It's exciting to see how God works all the details together, though a little stressful at times. Sunday I was positive that things were going to all come together well. I left our meeting feeling good. Monday, I was positive I had made the wrong decisions and wasn't listening to what God wanted at all. Yet, this morning, it seems the decisions were the right ones after all. This following God thing is never easy but the reward is great...seeing lives changed in Pearlington and hearts changed on our team.

So on we go. Airline tickets need to be purchased, houses need to be rented and we have a fundraiser dinner coming up that we need to start advertising! If you are in Felton on November 7th, stop by Felton Presbyterian Church at 6pm for some great southern food and music by some very talented folks in our church!

Dates & Costs

I had the chance to attend the National Youth Workers Convention in LA a week and a half ago. It is one of the highlights of the year, for me, in that for 4 days there are people pouring into my life. The cost of leadership is high and it sometimes can seem that a leader will give and give and give, only to get nothing back from those they are giving to. At the NYWC, I have the opportunity to be refreshed and reminded by others and by God why I am in Youth Ministry to begin with...the youth.

God planted a seed in my mind about the youth that we are hoping to take on the Mississippi Trip this December. The original purpose of the trips was to take youth into an environment that was outside their comfort zone and serve others. Adults have always been an "add-on". That was lost somewhere along the way and we've been working hard to get that back. One of the ways God is directing us (the Youth Ministry Team) to get back to the youth element (yes, we have a lot of young adults going, but less and less high school youth) is give a little more help to the youth. So, we are dropping the price for this trip for High School youth only to $700.

As for the dates of the trip, I'm feeling God leading me to give you the option of December 18-24 or December 26-January 2. I'm 99% sure that these are the official dates. High School youth, your week will be December 26-January 2. The rest of you now have a choice to make. If you have already let me know what week works best for you, great. (Really, I don't need to hear from you again.) If you haven't then it's time to decide. No wishy-washy, it doesn't really matter stuff. Make a decision please and let me know! And yes, there is a two week option for a couple hundred more.

Date, Paypal and Fundraiser

I had hoped to have a final decision on the date of the trip by tomorrow. It's not going to happen for a reason that I won't be sharing. God is definitely in the planning and there is one thing that the decision is hinging on, so please be patient.

There are a couple of factors in the Paypal thing that are delaying putting that button up. Kind of need approval from some people, so, again, be patient.

For those of you working at the fundraiser on Saturday, you will be standing all day, wear appropriate shoes. You will also be cooking food for 1000 people...wear appropriate clothes. My friend who has done this the past couple of years has said that it gets really messy. Find the BBQ area at Harvey West or look for the Dominican Picnic signs and you will find us. That's the best I can do for you...I honestly don't know much more!

Meeting reminder

For those of you thinking about going to Pearlington with FPC in December, this is a reminder. We have a meeting this Sunday, September 20th at 12:30pm in the Youth Room. We've got some important things to talk about. Hope to see you there.

Moving mountains

There are things that I love to do...one of those is plans things. I like to make things happen for people that will make them happy. I think that comes with being a people-pleaser at heart.

The hard part of planning though is attempting to make trips economical for everyone. I am constantly looking at airfare, car rental prices, housing prices, etc. for our trips to Mississippi. It's what I do. Today in my searches I've hit a low spot. Airfare is high. Really high. The places we've stayed in aren't available when we may be going, car rentals are always a nightmare. It's left me wondering, is this trip in December really supposed to happen?

Yesterday I was going through curriculum and ran across a lesson titled "Are Mountain Moving Prayers Possible?". One of the lines jumped out in particular. It said "We pray with wrong motives." We pray with wrong motives. I've been praying for the prices to drop, for the houses to suddenly be available, for the dates to work out the way I want them to...am I creating a mountain? I think it's time to start praying that God be the one in control, for the timing, the housing, the prices all to be in God's hands, for the funding to be in God's hands, for the future of our work in Pearlington to be led by God and God alone.

Today, I'm going to start praying a different prayer with different motives. I'm gonna ask God what God wants and then I'm going to listen. I believe that mountain moving prayers are possible. I know that God can move mountains when God is ready...and I really don't want the mountain to be me.

A question

There is a poll to the right that will close on August 30th. In planning for the next trip we want people's opinions to be heard. If you are wanting to join the team, please cast your vote for the time that you would prefer. It will all be taken into consideration. Thanks!

A little house

This sweet little house was made by one of our past team members, Norm. I may have talked about it here before, but the point behind the house was to make it look like something we would see in Mississippi and to have it be a place that people could put change and donations into for the teams going in the future.

Today we tested it at Vacation Bible School. It works. The kids brought in $26.52. Awesome! That money is going to be converted into a gift card to one of the hardware stores in Mississippi so that we can buy supplies and things needed to rebuild the homes that we will be working on in December.

We got the green light today, so plans are full-steam ahead. The week is still to be determined but we're going! Look for a way to donate here on the blog and more information in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!