"I don't want to leave," she said.

Now, that's not an unusual thing for a 16-year old to say. Except that what

she didn't want to leave is rather unusual.

Many of our local churches and particularly church youth groups did "the

mission trip thing" this summer. And for those of you who went on a

mission trip, whether to Atlanta or Asia, you know the complete joy and blessing

you received.

Isn't it amazing that the more you sweat, the more you work, the more you

sacrifice, the more you give of yourself to others, the more you give up

to in order to be in relationship with someone whom you hardly know, the

more your life is much more about someone else and far less about you ...

the MORE blessed and fulfilled you really are?! Awesome!

That's what a mission trip is all about! And when we go to people more unlike

us culturally in places quite different from our own little world, in the

Name of The Savior of us all, we get bound together in a way that's almost

hard to explain, but so wonderful to experience! The old hymn writer had

it right:

"Blest be the tie that binds

Our hearts in Christian love;

The fellowship of kindred minds

Is like to that above."

I was privileged to go with the Sr. High Youth from our church to Appalachia

for a week-long mission trip. We trekked up to Logan, W.V., to work among

some magnificent but far less fortunate people than ourselves.

Let me say this "theologically:" God does NOT sit in heaven and "punish" people

with tragedy and disaster. Those are results of our "fallen world." BUT

God DOES care for and love people hurt by tragedy and disaster, and God provides

HIS hands, feet, arms, and heart to help those who are victims.

That's all to say that God didn't make a flood rage down through the hollow,

surging mud and muck into the modest riverside homes of hard-working people,

SO THAT we could have a "great mission trip". BUT when we arrived

in Logan in the first week of June, the people there were reeling from this

flood, one of the worst in the nation left behind by the Memorial Day weekend

rains.

Coincidence that we were there? Absolutely not! Somehow God knew back in

January when we "booked" this trip that the hands, feet, arms,

shovels, and hearts of our youth would be HIS for these people who needed

help so much!

Our group was divided into two teams. One team of our youth and adult advisors

provided a daily "Kids' Club" for local children, many from families

who were direct flood victims; others were simply less fortunate kids looking

for a glimmer of hope and a chance at being loved. Our other team went up

the hollow each day to shovel mud and muck, clean basements and crawlspaces,

but mainly to be "little Christs" to the scared and nearly-distraught

people. They worked side-by-side with the National Guard and Red Cross, who

spoke so highly of their work and great attitude.

After knocking on the door of one house one day to offer any help needed,

this one particular "little old lady" told our group that just

that morning she had gone to God in prayer and told Him she was growing hopeless

and asked God to "send some help." Just after that, our knock was

upon her door. Coincidence? Absolutely not! God had sent us in direct response

to her cry!

That's what a mission trip is all about!

"I don't want to leave," she said. Now, that's not an unusual

thing for a 16-year old to say. Except that what she was leaving was shoveling

mud and muck, all day long, in the hot sun, amidst a horrendous smell, with

a body already over-tired and over-worked. But she had gotten to know the

disabled woman who had no one else to help her, and a tearful hug and heart-deep

prayer made these two unlikely sisters in the Family of God.

Now that's what a mission trip is all about!

Those of you who went on a mission trip this summer or at any time, please

continue to tell your stories. And please continue to live out your "mission

trip" everyday. We know this is the best life in the whole world!

Amen to that!