Mission Serve Blog
Latest Updates from Mission ServeBuckhorn – Thursday
This week has been a little chilly, but that only makes working easier! Cool breezes are nice when you’re sweating on a roof or playing games outside with the Buckhorn Children’s Home students.
As the week comes to an end, everyone has grown closer to friends and God! It has been such a blessing and tomorrow will be as well! Three of the girls from the children’s home have given their life to Jesus and one is getting baptized Friday. God is truly at work here in Buckhorn.
Tomorrow, our squads will finish up the work on their sites with statistics of finishing 2 roofs, 2 side walks, 2 concrete handicap ramps, 18 windows, painting 12 rooms, flooring 15 rooms, and more! As for our ministry sites, two girls are getting baptized in the river on Friday. We are so proud of the construction and ministry sites!
Please continue to pray for our participants as they head out for their last day on worksites. Also, show your love and prayer through ServeMail! Hope you all had a blessed Thursday.
Your Summer Staffers,
Olivia and Jackson
Lancaster – Thursday
Hey, hey, hey! It’s Thursday!
It has been an incredibly productive day in Lancaster. There were reports of several projects, such as wheelchair ramps and roofing jobs, coming to completion. How exciting! Several squads have even combined to help ensure that each of our projects is completed. Even the rather large ones. We are so overwhelmed by how exceptionally hard all of the participants have worked this week. Also, we are super excited to see how much more can be finalized tomorrow.
The weather today was a true blessing. The sun stayed hidden for the majority of the day and temperatures were even in the high sixties for a majority of the morning. The perfect conditions for a busy morning! Participants were also so thrilled to have a visit from Trey Duncan and the rest of our band who arrived at sites with popsicles!
Tonight we experienced an incredible time of reflection during the concert of prayer. Doug Barrett helped us understand that if we continue to allow ourselves to be crippled by the way we think about ourselves, we cannot follow through with what God has called us to. There was time for the participants to pray. Following this prayer, they were able to write a prayer of what they believe God is calling them to on the wall with their church groups. Finally, to end our time together, the church groups prayed together for their communities back home. It is amazing to see God move in the lives of these participants. He is so good!
We are sad that tomorrow is our last day, but hoping that it will be the best day. Please pray that our squads will have opportunities to share the light of Jesus with their homeowners as well as the surrounding neighbors in this community.
Our participants have loved receiving your ServeMail. Tomorrow is the last day to send it! Check out our blog in Lancaster again tomorrow for a full day’s review.
Blessings,
Jack & Alexis
Lancaster – Wednesday
Happy hump day, friends!
It is our half day, here, in Lancaster which means that our participants worked until 12 pm and then returned to the facility to prepare for a free afternoon full of fun! We have experienced several rain showers early on in the day. However, despite these conditions, our squads were dedicated and still managed to make progress on their projects.
Today at Delta’s job site the squad was able to spend some quality time inside of the house with their home owner. She explained that without these students she would not be able to have these necessary repairs on her home. She was overcome with gratitude and expressed that the students were making such an impact in her life. They ended their time by praying over her, and as a result, she cried tears of joy. What an incredible experience!
Due to the rain, several squads were able to spend extended time doing longer devotions and discussions. Additionally, they were able to take time to get to know each other better and some even shared their testimonies.
Around 1 pm our church groups left the facility and were able to go do several exciting activities such working together in an escape room, bouncing around at the trampoline park, and even relaxing while seeing a movie.
Tomorrow morning we start again, bright and early. But in the meantime, be sure to continue sending us lots of ServeMail. Please continue to pray for all of us serving in Lancaster as we press on and continue to work hard!
Your Summer Staffers,
Jack & Alexis
Buckhorn – Wednesday
Hello from Buckhorn Kentucky!
Today was our half work day and half off day. All of our squads went out this morning and worked very hard up until lunch. After lunch they returned to the school to change and head off to have fun!
Some people left to play laser tag, some went to the natural bridge, and others left for the movies. Our participants have really earned their half day and we hope they all have a blast!
Tomorrow the squads will head out for a regular work day. Please remember to keep them in your prayers, as well as the children from the Buckhorn Children’s Home.
Also, continue to show your support through sending ServeMail! Hope you all had a blessed Wednesday.
Your Summer Staffers,
Olivia and Jackson
Lancaster – Tuesday
Hello again from Lancaster!
Today was another hot, yet productive day. We were blessed with a strong breeze in the afternoon which motivated the participants to keep up their hard work. There were also several reports of projects nearing completion.
A participant from Bravo squad reported that their squad ran out of water, luckily a nearby neighbor offered to fill up their water cooler. While doing so they were able to share with the lady why they were working on that house. What a great picture of God’s provision!
Several of our squads also informed us that the Lancaster sheriff showed up at the sites to check in on the projects and ask if there was anything that they needed. We have really enjoyed interacting with the people in this community and getting to shine the light of Christ with each person that we come in contact with.
A reporter from The Lancaster News stopped at one of the job sites today to interview several participants, as well as our local coordinator. They were interested to learn more about what Mission Serve is and what construction projects we were taking on this week. Additionally, the reporter was intrigued to learn why these high schoolers and middle schoolers where willing to give up a week of their summer. It was great hearing their responses!
This evening we heard a fantastic message from Bliss Steele who presented the bold challenge to trust God despite uncertain circumstances. He unpacked Matthew 14 and revealed the capability that Jesus has to overcome the storms in our lives. He finished our time of worship by daring us to step out of the boat, just as Peter did, with faith knowing that He will take care of us.
Also during tonight’s service an invitation was extended to give an offering. This summer, Mission Serve is giving to the Lord by continuing to fund projects to provide relief in Puerto Rico. We are excited to see how God blesses this generosity.
We are almost half way through the week, and our participants have loved hearing from you! Please continue to send more ServeMail to your friends and family.
It has been so incredible seeing God move in the lives of our participants as well as those within this local community. We look forward to sharing more with you tomorrow!
Stay cool out there!
Jack and Alexis
Buckhorn – Tuesday
Happy Tuesday from Buckhorn, KY!
Today, our squads went out for their second work day on sites. Our construction sites made a lot of progress on sidewalks, ramps, roofs, and more! On ministry sites, some students did crafts with the low functioning Autism guys, some went fishing with the high functioning Autism boys, and the others played on a slip-n-slide at the girls’ home. It was a very productive and fun day!
Tonight we had our concert of prayer. It was a very moving service in which the boys and girls that we are working with joined us. It was such an amazing experience to share with them. God has shown us that He really is God of all and that we are brothers and sisters in Christ. The service was great and His presence was undeniable!
After a long day and night our students are ready for bed! We know that they could handle working a whole day tomorrow, but they are lucky enough to have a half day off tomorrow! They will head off and work till noon and then spend their afternoon off with their youth groups!
Please continue to keep our students in your prayers for the remainder of the week. Also, don’t forget to send them ServeMail to show your support! Hope you all had a blessed Tuesday.
Your Summer Staffers,
Olivia and Jackson
Buckhorn – Monday
Hello from Buckhorn Kentucky!
This morning we had our Great Sendoff and sending our squads out for their first day on sites. Everyone was excited as Project Coordinator Steve and Construction Coordinator Lance escorted the church vans out on their motorcycles! It was an exciting morning that set the tone for the entire day.
All of our squads had warm and sunny days on their worksite. We had perfect weather! We have squads working so hard on ministry sites, windows, roofs, indoors, concrete, and more. In return for their hard work, our awesome cook crew provided a steak dinner.
Lastly, to end the perfect start to our work week, the children from the Buckhorn Children’s Home joined us for worship and Pastor Steve preached a powerful message. He talked about trusting the person daring you to be who you are supposed to be. Jesus is the one that we should fully trust and is the one who will catch us every time he tells us to jump.
Tuesday, our squads will complete another hard work day. We will also have our Concert of Prayer. We are praying for clear skies and brave hearts tomorrow.
Please keep our squads and the students within the Buckhorn Children’s Home in your prayers. Also, don’t forget to show your support by sending participants ServeMail! Hope you all had as blessed of a day as we did.
Your Summer Staffers,
Olivia and Jackson
Lancaster – Monday
It’s Monday, fun day in Lancaster!
All of our squads were up early and ready for work! We began construction at eight different job sites. We also avoided the rain for most of the day with only brief showers in the afternoon before departing from the work sites. It was a busy day and each of our squads made big strides in the completion of their projects.
A member of the Delta squad reported that several of the neighboring homeowners saw the Mission Serve Labor Provided By sign and came over to visit with everyone on site. It was a great opportunity to not only highlight the mission behind Mission Serve, but also to shine the light of Jesus within the community.
Tonight during our worship service, Doug Barrett read from John 13. He then displayed a flawless representation of Jesus’ love for us and how he eliminates sin from each of our lives by washing the feet of one of the participants. Doug ended his message by challenging us to serve one another in love as a result of the love that Jesus has extended to us. It was truly a moving time.
After service and church group devotions, the participants enjoyed spending free time playing basketball in the gym, hanging out with friends, and visiting the Mission Serve Promo Table.
We look forward to sharing the details of another spectacular day, tomorrow. But in the meantime, be sure to send ServeMail to your friends and family.
Blessings,
Alexis & Jack
Buckhorn – Sunday
Happy Sunday from Buckhorn Kentucky!
This morning all of our students visited local churches with their squads. We are so appreciative to these local churches for hosting and feeding everyone today. We are truly blessed.
After service our last two churches arrived safely. We are so happy that everyone is finally here!
Tonight, Pastor Steve dared everyone to not be so driven to be first, but be driven to be last. He pulled his message from Jesus’s words of “the first shall be last and the last shall be first.” Steve says, once we understand this concept we will finally be free from sin. It was a very meaningful message for our students to breakdown within their youth group devotions.
Tomorrow our squads will head out for their first day on projects. They are truly so excited to make new friends through Buckhorn Children’s Home and get to work!
Please keep our students in your prayers this week. Also, don’t forget to show your support through sending ServeMail!
Hope you all had a blessed day.
Your Summer Staffers,
Olivia and Jackson
Lancaster – Sunday
Hello Lancaster!
It is day one and our project is already off to a great start. Participants arrived from four different churches ranging from Ohio, Maryland, South Carolina, and Georgia this afternoon. They were all eager to get inside and hear of what the week would entail. They settled into their rooms and made preparations for the busy week ahead.
Shortly after arrival, we dove straight in and played several games at the opening celebration. The participants were able to see new faces and start making friends right away! Following dinner, our speaker, Doug Barrett, presented the overarching challenge for the week: to share our faith with those we meet. The participants were overwhelmed with excitement upon meeting their squad members and learning which construction projects they will be assigned. Several participants took on the challenge of being a Chaplain, Break Master, Reporter, Medic, or Safety Inspector for their squad.
We are thrilled to begin work on the job sites early tomorrow morning and to see what all God is going to do this week in Lancaster, SC! Please be sure to remember to pray over our project this week and also to send your participants ServeMail! Check back tomorrow for another fun-filled update on the action here in Lancaster!
In Christ,
Alexis and Jack
