Imagine . . . Jesus Loves Pirates!
Imagine a total of 32 teens and 8 adults giving a week of their time to travel 8 hours to rural North Carolina to do housing renovation work and run a kids “kamp”, or live in a local church and do major reconstruction on a home of someone in need in Kennett Square, and you will know that the impossible is possible through the Spirit! This summer the Youth Group at Advent sponsored not one, but two “God Squads” that went on mission work trips. The teens participating were: Catie Bilinski (NC), Brooke Cauffman (KS), DJ Carlino (NC), Louisa Diffey (NC), Austin Girardot (KS), Megan Harris (KS), Kaitlin Hennes (KS), Andrew Hollinger (NC), Jack Hollinger (NC), Alex Keller (NC), Duncan Keller (KS), Jared LaFave (NC), Michael Molinari (KS), Christine Mercner (NC), Jamie Moran (NC), Julie Moran (NC), Pete Olson (NC), Nate Payne (KS), Christy Scaggs (KS), Cate Schmittle (NC), Katy Rose Schroeder (NC), Daly Simpson (NC; KS), Ali Smith (NC), Lindsey Smith (NC), Jackie Thaeder (NC), Ned Ullrich (KS), and Scott Wushensky(NC).
Swan Quarter, NC was the site of the first trip in June themed “Imagine”. Work included renovation of homes hit by two hurricanes in under 6 months. Even 6 years later the damage was still evident in this county where many residents live at or under the poverty level. The stories of survivors made a huge impression on our teens as did the children in a “Kids Kamp” they ran.
Kennett Square was the site of the Good Neighbors “Jesus Loves Pirates” work trip in July. Advent’s team replaced windows, rehabbed a kitchen, replaced ceilings, painted and landscaped a home on Cypress Street. The hard work on both trips was met with enthusiasm as our teens persevered through temps over 90 degrees to meet deadlines. New friends were made and God was praised as the teens faith was deepened through bible study and worship revealing that we are all one in Christ Jesus.
Many thanks go to the angels who helped us. Alex Verget and Deb Schmittle co-led the Swan Quarter trip with Jan Schroeder; RJ Scaggs, Collette Scaggs, Doug Keller and Rich Ullrich co-led the Kennett Square trip; Dick Morton, Colleen Simpson and Gigi Hennes assisted; Bruce McNew donated the cost of the vans; and June Sitko, Patsy Keller and Suzanne Ullrich surprised the teens with yummy snacks.
