Day 7 (Saturday) - We're Home! And it's raining...

This is Quinn, finishing out the 2012 Gloversville Mission Trip blog. It's a bittersweet ending but one that comes inevitably.

After our all-nighter last night (shout-out to Dyon and Aaron Cobb who really did make it all night!),

Aaron and Dyon, practicing their dart skills

we were all exhausted this morning when we awoke at around 3:45am and prepared the house to leave. We cleaned everything up as my dad shouted "1 MINUTE" every five minutes (as if we were leaving in one minute -- this was never true).

My dad, his usual, goofy self

Donn and Cyndie and Brekyn and Asher were ALL there to see us off, and amidst hugs and final dashes inside and getting settled in the car, we departed Gloversville at 5:09am headed for Charlotte.

Needless to say, the ride back was much quieter. As we trekked through the foggy mountains of New York and Pennsylvania, there were periods when everyone but the drivers were fast asleep. As we gradually awoke through the day, we began to talk and joke and reflect quietly. We thought back on the trip. Those of us who went on the 2011 trip compared the two, noticing the similarities and differences, the strengths and weaknesses of each trip. We remembered last night when we shared deeply and cried and bonded even tighter as a group. We remembered the music outreach (especially Jeff, Aaron C., Stephen, Peyton, and Tyler), bringing people in and entertaining them with the way we worshipped.

Jeff, Tyler, and Stephen jammin' for the Lord!

We remembered the block party on Tuesday night, how glad everyone was to have some food and something to DO in a city where nothing happens. We remembered Aaron B.'s moving testimony on Wednesday night.

Aaron B. at the lake. Vega Gear has gone national!

We remembered deep talks amongst ourselves. We remembered last night as we stayed up all night, hearing Kirk laugh hysterically and uncontrollably as he was ruthlessly tickled by Aaron C., among others. We remembered watching in confusion as Dyon couldn't stop laughing his high laugh and then in even more confusion as Dyon tried to make his laugh lower.

Have you ever seen anyone happier?

We remembered watching Jkru ask us at least 30 times, "Have you seen the movie Parent Trap?" as he lay half-asleep on the floor.

Jkru and Peyton reppin that G-ville apparel

And more than remembering, we look forward. This whole summer, I didn't really have to look forward. I could always hide behind the next trip and immerse myself in preparation for that trip – first Vacation Bible School, then the Senior High mission trip to Atlanta, then Rainbow Express Camp, then my Grandma's house, then the youth choir tour, then this, the 2012 Gloversville Trip.

Now that it's over, I have no more trips to hide behind. I must – we must – face the real world. Those of us who are seniors (and Jeff) must face the real world of leaving home, leaving all of our friends and stepping into an unfamiliar environment where professing our faith isn't exactly encouraged. The youngsters (Peyton, Steven D., and Aaron C.) must continue on here, without all of their closest, older friends as we leave. As some of us are two, some of us three weeks away from leaving, it is a reality. It's kind of scary, yes. But living and SERVING CHRIST with my best friends for a week has made it a little bit less so. 

One last story and then I'll be done. Right as we pulled into our church tonight (in record time -- a little over 13 hours!), it began to rain. At first, it was short, quick droplets. But quickly (and right as were were unloading all the luggage) the tiny droplets morphed into a torrential downpour. We rushed around, throwing bags into cars and saying quick good-byes which scarcely represented what we were really feeling. And in a matter of 10 minutes, every member of the 2012 Gloversville Team was gone. Just like that.

As we drove home, my dad commented on the rain, saying how it has brought our trip full-circle. Indeed, I really believe God sent rain at exactly the right times this week.

God sent rain twice on Monday. In the morning was a downpour, which forced my outreach team into a gazebo and initiated a beautiful conversation that was the start of a week-long relationship with some of Gloversville's homeless. In the evening was a lighter mist, as we did the prayer walk. It was just enough to cool us off and gave the feeling of a cleansing of the city as we showered it with prayer.

God sent rain (well, the threat of it) on Thursday. Gloversville was under a tornado watch and a menacing mass of storm made its way to Gloversville on the radar all day. Because of this threat of rain, Donn made the decision to change the location of the Movie Night Event from Melchoir Park to the Change of 1 storefront. This change brought new faces into C1 and rekindled relationships. This would NOT have happened if the movie was at Melchoir Park.

God's rain in these instances reminds me of a verse which God says in Isaiah 43: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." Notice how God does not say that He will be with us before we are in the waters (of trial, struggle, etc.). No, He promises he will be with us when we pass through these struggles. We must have enough face to dive right in and except him to catch us before we hit bottom. But God won't catch us before we dive in. This verse perfectly symbolizes this trip. We didn't know what were getting into as we left Charlotte 7 days ago. But we went anyway, and God was with us. We didn't know and were confused when God sent the threat of rain on the night of the movie and forced us to move locations, but God blessed the change and blessed our faithfulness to His Will.

As we drove home in the pouring rain today, a complete rainbow appeared as the dark clouds cleared, fuller than I had ever before seen a rainbow. This rainbow is God's promise a) that He won't ever again flood the earth like He did and b) that, as it says in Isaiah, He "will be with [us]."

Stephen posted yesterday our theme song for the week, "Jesus, Friend of Sinners." From that song, we derived the week's mission statement and our constant prayer: "Jesus, break our hearts for what breaks Yours." In the literal rains of this week and in the metaphorical rains of hopelessness and despair and mental illness and poverty, our prayer was answered. And because our hearts were broken, we were more able to understand and empathize with those we met. That is how God was with us this week. And now, our prayer is that God will break our hearts all the time so that we may love people the way Jesus did.

Donn played the following song on Thursday when he told us how the inclement weather would change our plans for the movie night, and its powerful lyrics and worship speak to me even now.

Let It Rain by Jesus Culture

Thank you all for reading this blog. Please be in prayer about the 2013 Gloversville Mission Trip and God's Will for it.

~Quinn

The whole 2012 Gloversville Mission Team outside of the Change of 1 Storefront. From left--
Row 1: Tyler, Aaron C., Quinn, Steven, P.J., Aaron B., Dyon (looking away, of course!), Jon G., Stephen F., Mike G.
Row 2: Peyton, Jkru, Jay, Mike H., Ben, Grant, Phil, Kirk, Jeff, Brenda

Day 6 (Friday) - All for One, and One for All

     Last day on the field! Sour tastes, happy feelings, despairing senses, with a twist of sweet memories.  The proverbial flavor of this last day was very bittersweet; sweet yet sour.  For us seniors, we acknowledge our last AOF event, the ending of a tradition since April 2010.  For the juniors and sophomore, they realize their new season in high school, attempting to establish another generation of AOF, while keeping their faith in a world of less community and a deeper need for His comfort.

    We started the day packing our lunches and heading to C1, like normal.  Once we were there, Donn showed us a tour of the section of the building above C1 that used to be a YWCA.  He showed us how large it was, with a full gym, dining hall, and many 20-30 rooms.  This place could be used for God's kingdom, we just have to pray earnestly about it.  Donn showed us how this new room space could be amazingly used for God's purpose. He then divided labor for us to do into teams again: some for trash and outreach, and some for C1 cleanup and music.  Quinn, Aaron Cobb, Jeff Hall, a 1Gen member (C1 youth group) named Zack and I stayed to help clean up and then to play music.  Zack is an amazing guy, and he was so outgoing and attempted to meet all of us.  Zack came early in the morning at around 10:30am to help out, and he even brought parts of his drumset so he could play music with us!  After cleaning, we played some worship songs, and particularly in "Set a Fire" and "Wonderful Place" we experienced the Holy Spirit together so intimately! It was such a blessing to have a guy like Zack who was a local youth so excited about God and experiencing Him; Gloversville needs future leaders like him.

     The ripple that we can see stretch across the pond that is this town is so evident and so of God and not us; we have heard of new 1Gen members join within this past week, and they now want to help Donn around C1, some just started a Christian club at their high school, but at the core are accepting Jesus.

     After doing our labor teams were finished, we went back to Cyndie's parents' house (the Gates' house), where we are staying, to clean up to leave for tomorrow.  We then had a surprise dinner with the Truax's at an Italian restaurant which was spectacular.

     Lastly, our team and the Truax's returned to our host house.  We spiritually, mentally, and physically "chilled" there, resting on couches and crashing on mattresses.  Then we started a reflection time based out of Hebrews 10:23-25 "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."  We shared compliments to our family, our fellow brothers and sister.  This lasted probably an hour and a half and was incredibly impactful, reaching everyone deep to the core.  Many of us shed tears as we shared about our new college seasons of life and our temporary geographical separation, but our forever unity in Jesus Christ.  Others shared tears for temporary family separation between the Denny's and the Holmquist's.  The last thing we did altogether was listen to our theme song this week: "Jesus, Friend of Sinners" by Casting Crowns.  You can and should listen to it below, the lyrics are earth-shattering.


     As I type this, I await a full all nighter with my best friends to play "Settlers of Catan" and much other nonsense and fun.  Its all good, we can catch rest on a 15 hour car ride back, no sweat.

    The memories and stories we gained on this trip were never lost, but will and are being used by God for His future Glory and for His coming Kingdom.  O Lord Jesus, make us whole, make us yours forever, for we are yours forever, Amen.   The song "Set a Fire" starts with the lines: "No place I'd rather be, No place I'd rather be, No place I'd rather be, but here in your love, here in your love." That is exactly how we all feel.  We are a body of believers, a family, a church.  Jesus died for the Church, she is his bride.  As Leonard Ravenhill once said, "Is what you're living for worth Christ dying for?" This is our challenge today and for everyday on earth, surrendering to Jesus on our knees with our faces to the ground, acknowledging that Jesus is and always was Lord, and we ARE NOT.  Thanks for your love and support for us.
God bless you all!

P.S. Tyler Lynn we all miss you dearly and hope your wedding is amazing, we all love you brother.  Duncan Tennant, we wish you could have come to this trip, but we understand that it couldn't work.  We love you our brother!

Day 5 - (Thursday) Raisin' the Roof of C1, Movie Night style

     Hey there! I hope this message meets you well! This is Stephen back as the blogger again! Thanks so much for reading and/or praying!

     We had maybe the most dragging morning today, probably due to the full day of adventure yesterday.   But that's okay, because today was amazing! The morning started very early at 5:30am for Brenda Denny and Kirk Denny as they drove Tyler Lynn to the airport for him to attend his cousin's wedding in Shelby, North Carolina. We started the day going to Change of 1 Ministry, where Donn assigned us different tasks for the day.  Today was the day for a movie night outside at Melchoir park, but since rain was forecasted for tonight, we changed the location to inside of Change of 1.  Before we went to do our jobs for the day, Ben Icard shared his very moving, real, and inspirational testimony of his tough and long life without Christ and his new amazing and transforming life with Jesus. Ben's testimony touched me and definitely many others without a doubt.
     Donn assigned many of us to go out and clean up trash around the city and talk to people, and even possibly invite people to the movie night.  Jeff Hall, Quinn, Aaron Cobb, and I stayed right outside of C1 during that time to play music (sadly without Tyler) to attract attention to C1.  We played some songs such as "How Great is Our God", "Set a Fire", "How He Loves" and some fun jazz songs, since Jeff  plays tenor saxophone.  The music pulled many people towards C1, and countless people rolled down their windows, waving and smiling as they drove by.  We even offered free pizza to those walking by during our music playing.  
      We felt a little shaky about having the movie night at C1 as a sudden change that day, even though Donn placed a notice about it in the newspaper.  Despite our attempts to tell people about the location change and invite more people, the fliers for handed out earlier in the week said the movie night would be at Melchoir Park.  I was part of a team that was deployed to Melchoir park at around 6:15 before the 7:00 movie to tell people about the change.  We stayed there, throwing the frisbee, for about 45 minutes.  To our amazement, no one was there for the movie.  When we came back to C1, we realized this really was a blessing.  Donn said that he would get another free movie service by the movie screening company since we couldn't do it at the park, and we got to have the original movie night at C1 anyway.  So we got an extra future music night, and we didn't miss anyone or inconvenience anyone about the wrong location.
       Later, we reorganized the C1 rooms to become a "movie theater".  After setting up a makeshift projector and projector screen that Donn has and 40ish chairs, we were ready.  When 6:45 rolled around, we seated almost all 40ish seats, and we were in awe!  We watched the movie "Soulsurfer", which was based on the true story of a Hawaiin surfer Bethany Hamilton, who competed in the USA Pro-finals surfing competition after losing her arm to a shark.  The movie was inspirational and obviously moved us in the room.  After the movie, Cyndie, Donn's wife, told us that an older man who went to church with her when she was about five years old, met her at the movie night and was asking Cyndie where to find a good church.  He said that he only knew to come to C1 that night because he saw something in the paper about it.  This was definitely confirmation to us that God used and planned this location change for His Glory and Purpose.  We have also grown much closer to the 1Gen Youth and they to us.  Donn has shared with us about their encouragement and maturity by seeing us here, and how God is moving in their lives and Donn's ministry.  God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. God is awakening a generation for His Name, and if we keep submitting to Him and surrendering, we can be and have already been apart of that change through our efforts here.  This trip will hopefully encourage and inspire us to be used by God and follow our calling for our Lord in the entirety of our lives on earth.   
God Bless You All
~Stephen Fitch!         

Day 4 (Wednesday) - Re-energizing, Re-connecting, Re-newing, Re-al Awesome

Hello, blog-readers! I hope this post finds you well (and probably asleep).

Quinn's writing the blog tonight, and he's very excited to do so.

We got up bright and early this morning and rushed out the door and took an hour-long drive to Speculator, a lake in the Adirondacks. We went up there with a few purposes:

1) to relax and recharge our energy to close out the last few days in an ENERGETIC way.
2) to eat great, home-cooked food
3) to really connect with the 1Gen youth program, which is the youth group that Donn started up in Gloversville

In my (slightly biased) opinion, I would say we accomplished all three.

Cyndie's parents (the Gates) opened up their house on the lake and all the amenities that came with the house. Tyler Lynn and I embarked on a sailboat journey, and I was greatly relieved when we didn't capsize the boat. Dyon Vega and John Kruszka, both "expert" sailors, were not so lucky. They capsized the sailboat and catapulted out along with it. After that ordeal and being stuck out in the middle of the lake, they finally returned about two hours after setting out. In this story is a lesson for all of us: when John and Dyon were out on the lake, they were totally at the mercy of the wind and, in a broader sense, God. I think that they knew this. They were patient and calm even when their boat was halfway under the water and they were stuck without wind in the middle of the lake. No amount of panic or worry could have helped their situation, and so they didn't do either. Their situation reminds me of Jesus' words in Matthew 6: "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to his life?" NO! We cannot. I often fall pray to worry -- even on this trip. But it really does nothing but add to my stress level and detract from my ability to serve like Jesus did.

Donn took a bunch of us kids out on a speedboat with the expressed goal of throwing us off. I don't think anyone managed to stay on for an extended period of time. Grant Harris in particular recounted his stories of being thrown from the intertube.

Some of the counselors - Brenda and Mike H. - and Stephen F. relaxed by engaging in heated games of euchre, while others, like Mike Godsey and Jay Cobb and Ben Icard got to chat with Donn's in-laws, including 92-year-old great-grandfather nickamed "Bop."

Cyndie's mom cooked up some "haystacks" - essentially rice topped with chili and other vegetables - for dinner, and we all ate our fill and then some. She provided scrumptious ginger bread for dessert.

But the most important and meaningful aspect of the day was hanging out and getting to know the youth from 1Gen, who were also up at the lake.Jon Godsey spent a long time with and was very intentional about talking to the youth from 1Gen. Peyton's relationship with the girls of the 1Gen youth is unique. Since she is the only girl in our group, the girls from 1Gen respect her and wanted to hang out with her at the lake. She spent some time with and encouraged them, which meant more to the girls than she or any of us knows.

The culmination of the night was a bonfire. We started with a time of worship and singing, teaching some of the 1Gen youth songs like "I Like Bananas," "Light the Fire," "Mighty to Save," and "Set a Fire." Aaron Barber shared the touching and raw story of his life before a crowd of at least 40 -- the first time he had ever done so. With deep emotion, he recounted how he lost any father figure in his life and found it again with God. After his sharing was a time of open sharing and reflection. Many of the AOF guys talked and encouraged Aaron and those in 1Gen. We heard some of the 1Gen youth share about how they felt called to ministry and how they were trying to start Christian groups in their schools here. That may seem easy to us Bible-belters, but up here, any Christian group in a school like that encounters inherent persecution. We in AOF are blessed to have heard these awesome examples of the Christian community in Gloversville and shared our encouragement with the youth and will continue to share our prayers.

On last year's mission trip, this day at the lake provided a huge boost to the 1Gen youth program and gave them renewed motivation. My prayer is that the same thing happened this year, and that 1Gen will continue to grow and prosper. Donn and Cyndie are certainly doing God's work by reaching out to and bringing in the youth of Gloversville, for they CAN change the descent of this town.

We came back very late tonight, exhausted physically but renewed mentally and spiritually. We are READY to take on two more awesome days here in the community of Gloversville, New York.

One final thought, in the form of a Kirk Denny quote: "[Upon our return to the house for the night] Phillip Daniels was so tired that he literally fell asleep fully-clothed seconds after arriving back at the house."

I think this is a good thing.

God bless you all!

Day 3 (Tuesday) - Neighborhood Bloc Party was a hit!

       Party time! Yesterday and today our team handed out fliers for events this week: a Bloc Party at Wendall Park, and a Movie night for the movie "Soulsurfer" at Melchoir Park.  We attempted to handout 150 fliers, telling our local neighbors here in Gloversville about the Bloc Party.  To finish our distribution of fliers this morning, Jeff Hall, Tyler Lynn, Aaron Cobb and I played music to draw attention under a gazebo near C1.  Jeff was playing Saxophone (he is amazing), Tyler played guitar, Aaron played a french african box drum called a cajon, and I was played a french african drum called a Djembe.  Subsequently, Kirk Denny setup a slackline, which an elastic tight rope, in between two poles to walk on.  Phil Daniels enjoyed slacklining for the first time today.  We then walked and struck up conversation with random locals surrounding our gazebo after playing music and hanging out.

         After being exhausted from that, our team relaxed at C1, playing pool, ping pong, etc with each other or local teens or adults.Then we ate lunch, and started planning for our Bloc Party today which was from 5:30-8:00.  Donn gave us specific jobs, and after shopping for some supplies and gathering others, we headed to setup for the Bloc Party, which consisted of a cook out, slacklining, face painting, a bounce house and hanging out.  Quinn Holmquist noticed the simple and awe-striking joy that children have, when he saw a child in the bounce house (or moon bounce) claim that she "broke her bone" even though she was fine and laughing excitedly.  Tyler Lynn and Kirk Denny did an amazing job facepainting for the whole two and a half hours.  Everyone in our team fulfilled their own niche perfectly as God had used us to man the different things going on at the Bloc Party.  

        While serving food and talking to the locals, we discovered much grief and sorrow, with many young parents of three or four struggling to get by.  But the inspirational piece was a lady I met in line today.  After getting her burger she told me, "This is the biggest meal I've had in months." I asked her why, and she responded with a joyful and warming smile, " I have a terminal illness, but the Lord is always Good." We have seen a light in this community, the Light of our Lord Jesus.  Our job here and everywhere is to learn about this Light and to spread it.

Tyler Lynn facepainting

John Kruszka helping a child at the Bounce House

Donn Truax speaking at the Bloc Party

Day 2 (Monday) - Reppin' our Faith hard in G-ville... #C1Swag

           Today was a great day! After waking up, packing our lunches and watching Jeff Hall eat his cinnamon chex (A group event), we departed on a journey as Donn Truax led us to the Change of 1 Ministry building.  It is very impressive and definitely being filled with and used by God. Donn later guided us through the jungles of the G-Ville streets. He educated us on the communities struggles and issues surrounding three main parks: Waddell Park, Boulevard Elementary playground, and Melchoir Park. At each of these three parks we prayed for the people and area around it for God to awake them for His Name. Donn fondly remembers Duncan Tennant (a youth member who wanted to go on this trip) who came to Gloversville last year mention the abrupt division between the other parks and Melchoir Park.   As we discovered, this town was once very wealthy because of its leather industry, even reaching the third richest county in New York State, but is now the poorest. We learned that schools are constantly filled with gossip about who got high, drunk or pregnant, and here, seeing sixteen year old girls pushing their toddler(s) in strollers is "normal". We learned that domestic abuse is common and that the kids have nothing to do, so they resort to dealing or doing drugs in abandon houses or playgrounds, promiscuity, etc.  We realized that the family unit, the basic foundation of human civilization, is very distorted if not mostly absent here, with countless missing fathers, runaway kids, and . And the result? Kids are being raised without motivation, without support, but mostly, without hope.   We then contemplated why these divisions are in our world, why are all relationships broken, why are we broken?  The answer is something that we will attempt to share on this trip, but something that a lifetime will still not even start to comprehend: We are sinful, and the solution is Jesus Christ. Donn's heart in his ministry is this concept that we can't change everyone for Christ, but we can Change the World for One.  As we have seen this area, it is easy to realize that Change of 1 Ministry and the people of God here are the light.  Although hundreds of boats could be lost at sea in a storm, it only takes one lighthouse to help them see the direction they need to go in- that is C1 in Gloversville.  Despite all the current economy decay, employment decay, drug use increase, pregnancy increase, etc, C1 glows and welcomes people in with the Name of Jesus as a safe place. C1 has a sign out front which says, "Check your status at the door," meaning: It doesn't matter what your race or socioeconomic background is, or what is in your past.  At C1, we realize we are all on the same exact foundation: we were made in the Image of God, giving us all equal dignity and worth.

            

           As we first pulled up to the C1 building this morning, Tyler Lynn's friend from last year, Frank, was waiting for him at the curb of C1.  When some from our group approached Frank, all he responded with was,"Where is Tyler?" It is truly amazing the impact that the relationships from last year, such as this one, has made.  Jeff Hall talked with and encouraged a new acquaintance, Dave, who was doubting God and had many questions.  I realized today that although this city is amazingly humbling in its dire depravity, but there is something peculiar about it. Even in a place as seemingly dark as here, hope is here and is universal, because God is omnipresent. I met a local rising senior in high school named Zack on our prayer walk (where we prayed with C1 people around the community) who told me of his dreams to be a local band teacher or sports coach so he could make a positive change for God here.  He led our group's prayer walk with enthusiasm and yet sorrow, reminiscing on the towns deep devastation but yet the hope in God. A local C1 youth girl named Bethanne told me of her recent car accident which led to serious chest and back surgery.  Today was her first day out of her back brace, and she laughed at how happy she was in her flexibility now.  Wow, am I proverbially living in the ball pit at Chuck-E-Cheese.  We are being slowly humbled at how, what we consider suffering, is nothing compared to the circumstances here and elsewhere.  Ultimately, that leads us all to the foot of the Cross. Only He can be our foundation and our salvation.  Praise be to the God who is forever Holy and Good! Amen  

P.s. Pictures will be coming tomorrow!

Day 1 (Sunday) - Gloversville, Here We Are!

Hey, my name is Stephen Fitch, and I am the youth blogger here on the trip. It will be my pleasure, privilege, and duty to write a blog post nightly to update you on our struggles, lessons, revelations, daily events, and maybe even comedic fun bits. I wish I could inform all of you on every event that occurs, but unfortunately, I will merely attempt to summarize the day's stories to the best of my ability.

After a somewhat tiring, yet funny, quick, yet enjoyable, and crammed, yet fun 13 hour van trip from Matthews, North Carolina to Gloversville, New York, we have arrived. Gloversville, here we come!

Tyler Lynn particularly enjoyed using the Walkie-Talkie device as a medium for comedy- Tisk Tisk Tyler. Tyler evened hollered over at Grant Harris' van, asking Peyton Holmquist to wake him up to tell him a joke about bean sauce. He told jokes (pshhh, when doesn't he) and Dyon Vega commented on how there were "trees on the left" (this was the truth the whole trip). Phillip Daniels, Aaron Cobb, Aaron Barber, others and I threw some frisbee at our early lunch at about 10:30.  The mountains, which we followed almost the whole way here, were very beautiful.  Once we reached about Virginia, we saw many farms and cows in our periphery, to which the guys made many cow jokes (Tyler mostly).  Aaron Cobb and I recited some lines from Crush, the "surfer-dude" sea turtle from "Finding Nemo." Kirk Denny jumped in front of a seemingly familiar van at a gas station stop with a big smile, just to recognize the silhouette of a full family with their dog (funny times).  Jeff Hall and I fondly reminisced about the Atlanta Mission senior high Mission Trip on our van ride.  I was very punctual this morning, pulling into the church parking lot 30 minutes after 5:00am due to an alarm clock issue. Quinn Holmquist retorted in our van, "I'm third into New York" as he stretched his foot out toward the driver's seat when we passed the border into New York. Steven Denny is excitingly checking out the antique books in the bookshelf next to this computer such as: The Scarlet Letter, and The Origin of Species. Our last stop before reaching Donn's Inlaws' house (Our host house) was Wendy's, where we met our beloved Donn Truax. Now, as I pick my brain to come up with this clunky summary (sorry!), over a score of eager and loving teammates swarm around me as I type this with food, supplies, fixing an air matress, and of course: Tyler Lynn playing piano and guitar in the other room.   

Our theme verse for this week is: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

We picked this verse because it shows God's desire for us to look after and love those in need. The crucial perspective shift we need to understand on this trip is that we, just like those we will attempt to seek out, are constantly in dire need of more love, peace, hope and comfort from Jesus Christ also.  We (or at least I) tend to have a connotation that need is material or hunger based, but we will learn that the most widespread and deep need is that of Love.  The Living God created all of us to have faith, worship, and desire a god.  The question on this trip for ourselves and others we meet is who are we worshipping, who is our God, and what is our faith based on.  As we all discover those answers, the Holy Spirit will teach us some of what it really means to "look after orphans and widows" and to "keep oneself from being polluted by the world." 

We would ask you to continue to pray for all of our personal relationships with Jesus Christ firstly, and that it will allow each of us to be of one communal mind to serve and learn from our community. Pray also for us to be Spirit Filled and to become one with Our Creator, and that He would move in our community and friends we meet here.

Team Gloversville, at Dark O'Clock AM Sunday Morning, Day 1

Here we go again!

We are less than 7 hours from departing for our second mission trip to Gloversville. And it's crazy. But SOOO exciting.

Since last July, many things have changed. Most of us guys know where we are going to college. Many of us know what we are going to study in college. We have gained members in AOF and we have lost a few.

But one thing has not changed: All of us have continued to seek and more deeply understand our relationship with Christ and what that means practically. In AOF's (the name of our Bible study -- it stands for Adventure of Faith) study of Acts, we have learned about the very first community of believers, who "were together and had everything in common" and who lived out the life of Christ by "selling their possessions and goods" and "[giving] to anyone as he had need" (Acts 2:44-45). We saw the radical example of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, who, as he was dying, cried out "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60). Just like Jesus did, he submitted to persecution and even asked forgiveness upon his murderers. We learned about the apostle Phillip, and how he obeyed the Spirit's call – "Go to that chariot" – without question, leading to the baptism and conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch.

Now we have a chance to live out Jesus' life just like the first believers did. We have a second chance to go to Gloversville. We have a chance to let the Spirit lead us as we talk to and learn from those who live in Gloversville. 

And the coolest thing is this: we get to live out Christ's life TOGETHER as a Bible study, as friends, as family. For just like Jesus says in the verse on the back of our AOF t-shirts, "where two or three come together in My Name, there I am with them." We are certainly gathering and serving in Jesus' Name on this trip, so I know he will be there with us.

A little history and background on Gloversville and this trip:

In the '40s and '50s, Gloversville thrived. The glove industry made most of the residents rich and comfortable. But when leather gloves fell out of favor, Gloversville seemingly fell off the map. Unemployment ran rampant, addictions became commonplace, and homelessness was not uncommon. This decline continues even today, with boarded-up factories hanging over lonely streets and dilapidated houses falling apart at the seams. And even more importantly and more scarily: Gloversville has become more and more spiritually lifeless. 

But there is hope in Gloversville. And much of that hope stems from God working through a man named Donn Truax (pictured below). Donn is a former youth pastor at my church. He and I got to be really close, as we knew each other in some of my most formative years -- 7th through 9th grade. Around my freshman year, Donn felt a calling to go back up to Gloversville (his hometown as a child) and start a ministry there. So, with just that calling and his wife and (at the time) three young children, Donn picked up from his comfortable life here and moved into the unknown, following only the voice of God.

Since then, Donn has started a ministry in Gloversville called Change of 1 Ministry (Change of 1's Website, logo pictured below), and it has grown ever since.

Meanwhile, God had been working in my life in parallel ways to Donn's. My sophomore year, I felt a call to start an all-teenage-guys' Bible study. I delayed, scared, for a while until I finally acted and started the Bible study, which came to be known as AOF (Adventure of Faith). As Donn's ministry in Gloversville grew, so did AOF. We started with just 7 members and now have over 20 regular members.

Then, my path with Donn intersected in a HUGE way. He and I had talked, almost jokingly and definitely tentatively, about me coming up and visiting his ministry. But that talk had never come to fruition before last summer. With Donn and my family's encouragement and another call from God, I committed to leading a mission team to Gloversville, made up of the guys in AOF. With TONS of help and leadership and experience from my dad and Donn and others, and TONS of prayer, the 2011 Gloversville Mission Trip happened. The team is pictured below.

And now, in less than 12 hours, we will awake and prepare to do it again! And this time, instead of 12 mission team members (8 youth and 4 adults), we will have 20 MISSION TEAM MEMBERS! God has blessed the trip HUGELY to allow so many to participate. There are 15 teenagers (14 guys from AOF and my sister) and 5 adults (two of whom have never before been on a mission trip)! 

I have been on a lot of mission trips, but there's one huge difference with this one: we are going back to the same place! So, we get to continue relationships we made last year, grow in them, and become even closer. I am very excited about that.

We will have nightly blog updates during the trip, so keep checking back. This will be our primary means of communication.

So now, I ask you to pray.

Pray that we drive safely tomorrow, and that the drivers are consistently aware and alert. Pray that the drive brings our team closer together so that we may serve more effectively.

Throughout the week, pray that Christ leads us in our words and actions so that we may make Him known as clear as we can. We appreciate your prayers deeply.

Thank you all for your support. May God bless you this week.

Keep checking back!

~Quinn