SWC Mission Tour - 2011

Ensemble "I Will Follow"

Mission Trip Video #1

Update

Lots has happened since my last post. Our schedule has been non-stop! I'll try and hit the high points.

Wednesday

VBS continued with great gusto. The children from both Rosemont Baptist Church and Northbrook Villas learned about faith and the love of Jesus through bible study, music, crafts and recreation. The theme for this year's VBS is The Big Apple. Our students and adults engaged the children by showing love and exhibiting a real passion for the Lord. The connection between them is so evident.

The second group finished painting the Sharing Ministries Food Pantry to the delight of the entire community. A front page article in the local newspaper fueled excitement among the locals. Many people find it hard to believe that we've come in goodwill and expect nothing in return for our service. They are pleasantly reassured that good people DO exist and that is so much more blessing in giving that in receiving.

We presented a concert at Rosemont Baptist Church for the families that are participating in VBS. Many new families of were in attendance for the concert. Dr. Kim was very encouraged by their presence. It was a wonderful evening of worship.

Thursday

The last day of VBS. We enrolled more children at both sites this year than ever before. The missions offering received was more than ever before. To say that VBS was a success, is a complete understatement.

We spent Thursday afternoon cleaning the church and returning everything to its original state. We also packed out suitcases in preparation for loading later that night.

In the midst of all of the positive and encaging things happening we encountered something that threatened to derail it all. However, the Lord's power and might were displayed and things were restored quickly and without interruption.

The one thing we've been looking forward to the whole trip has been "Main in Motion". A community-wide street festival every Thursday night through June, July & August. Meeting with officials in February were very positive and we had been given open access to anything we wanted to do. The officials described the event to us but nothing could have prepared us for what we experienced. We were told that upwards of 3,000 to 4,000 would be in attendance. They were right!

We invited each child that had attended VBS to be our guest at Main in Motion. We prepared 2,000 hot dogs, 2,000 bags of chips, 2,000 bottles of water and served it all served on 2,000 bright yellow frisbees. The children, under Ms. Laura's direction sang the VBS songs and praised the Lord amongst the huge crowd in attendance. Our students worked by preparing the food, serving the food, working the inflatables, assisting with the VBS children and various other tasks. It was and incredible experience and we praise the Lord for giving us the vision and resources to accomplish what has become the largest single event we've ever produced on a mission trip to date. I found it humorous while chatting with a local when she said "I'm sorry that more people didn't turn out tonight." I responded with bewilderment as to where we put another single person in the midst in the wall-towall crowd!

Friday

Another very early departure! We loaded the bus at 4:45 and headed toward Amarillo, TX. Upon our arrival we would go to the Amarillo Sox baseball game where we sang the National Anthem and cheered on the hometown boys. Unfortunately our support was not enough to put the Sox in the winners bracket.

Saturday

We are currently en route to Spring! We are praying for continued safe travel and for us to be able to maintain our schedule.

Day 5

Tuesday proved to be a very productive day. The VBS's are running very smoothly and we are seeing new faces every day. The Lord has been gracious and allowed us to see some

fruits of our labors. Last year many relationships were formed. We are seeing that those relationships have stood the test of time and distance. Many of the children from Montrose have waited all year for us to return. We saw a mother that came to know the Lord last year, now leading a ladies Bible study. Children that came to know the Lord last year, telling us how different their lives are. We hear citizens of the community say "you guys were here last year!" It's not often that the Lord allows us to see things like that. We feel our job is simply to plant the seed and allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

We continued painting the Sharing Ministries Food Pantry building yesterday. We have made significant progress and feel sure that the project will be completed this afternoon.

Last night (Tuesday) we went to Valley Manor Nursing Facility to present a concert. We have never done anything like that before. The students were a little anxious about what to expect. The residents were simply wonderful. Before we sang the students greeted the residents and what a joy it was to see their faces light up as they began to interact. The residents loved seeing the students and loved talking to them.

It was requested that a small group do a mini-concert for the residents that live in the Memory Care unit. These are folks that have Alzheimer's or dementia. About 12 students and adults went to the unit and shared with the residents there. The students were a bit apprehensive at first but quickly warmed up and began connecting with the people. We sang a few songs and left with wet eyes.

The trip has been so good thus far. I am constantly amazed by our students. They work hard, and do so with joy. I have been privileged to watch many of them grow to become mature young adults through the years. It is such a blessing to see the Lord grow them and use them for His Kingdom.

Thanks for your continued prayer support. We feel them!

Until then,

Buck

Day 4

Tonight will be a short post. However, tomorrow I will be posting several pictures and possibly our first video.

VBS began today at Rosemont Baptist Church and Northbrook Villas. Rosemont had 9o in enrollment, not counting SBC kids and adults. (On the first day last year we had 73 on the first day.) Northbrook Villa's had 63 in enrollment today, not counting SBC kids & adults. (On the first day there last year we had 18!) Needless to say it was a very successful first day of VBS.

This afternoon we went to Sharing Ministries, a food distribution ministry in Montrose. We scraped, primed and put a single coat of paint on the exterior and part of the interior. It was hard work and the students did a great job! The folks at Sharing Ministries were so impressed with the spirit and attitudes of our students. They were also amazed that they would give up and entire week of their summer to come and do work for people they've never even met! To illustrate this, a total stranger drove by and inquired what we were doing. One of our students explained that we were on a Mission Trip and he reached in his wallet and gave them some money right there on the spot. We happily gave the money to the food pantry.

Tomorrow we will divide in half. One half will continue painting and the the half will go river rafting. Then on Wednesday we'll all switch.

Thank you for the continued prayers. Keep 'em coming!

Until then,

Buck

Whew! What a day!

The day began bright and early. We joined together with Rosemont Baptist Church for worship this morning. Our students led in the worship service and the presence of the Lord was obvious and predominant. Dr. Kim's sermon regarding miracles was excellent and timely for our trip.

After a delicious lunch of homemade chalupas, we began setting up and getting things ready and organized for the beginning of VBS tomorrow. Students were going over Bible lessons, organizing craft projects, learning song motions and making sure all the recreation equipment was ready for tomorrow's VBS children.

Late in the afternoon we loaded the bus and went to Northbrook Mobile Home Park where we hosted a VBS Kick-off Block Party. The students led the children in games, made sno-cones, popcorn, cotton candy and presented a concert to the residents of the park. Many of the children that attended VBS last year were waiting for us as we exited the bus. The smiles on their faces were enough to melt our hearts. They were singing songs from last year's VBS and some of them brought some of the small gifts they had been given by students last year as remembrance's. Many of the children's parents came and it was a wonderful way to start the week.

As we made our way back to the church we had the blessing of assisting the new associate pastor's family by unloading their moving trucks! This was something that we've never done before. Tim & Lori and their children Micheala and Rowen are moving to Montrose from Edmond, OK. They will serve alongside Dr. Bearden to spread God's love to the people of Montrose. We unloaded 2 moving trucks and a u-haul trailer. You haven't lived until you carried a refrigerator and piano downstairs to the basement! Just sayin'...

Tomorrow VBS will be in full swing at Rosemont Baptist Church and at Northbrook Villas. Tomorrow afternoon we will be doing a community service project with the Montrose Community Food Pantry.

Thanks so much for the prayers. We are thankful for each one of them.

Until then,

Buck

Saturday has been a great day! We were able to maintain our schedule very well today. Many times we are able to do so for a single day, but it's rare that we're able to do so for 2 consecutive travel days. A great driver (Rex Brown), beautiful weather and a bus load of incredible students and adults is a great combination for making the impossible, possible. The students have been awesome. Their attitudes and dispositions have been wonderful and have made the trip thus far very enjoyable.

Today was seriously, all travel. Aside from 2 pit stops, and 1 lunch stop, we pressed onward. We arrived in Montrose around 5:30 PM. Got everyone checked in and walked over to Rosemont Baptist Church for a delicious lasagna dinner. Got the equipment unloaded and set up, made a Walmart run and got back to the hotel in time for everyone to be able to get a good nights sleep. We have a big day tomorrow and need for everyone to be on top of their game!

Since today was just a travel day I'm posting a few scenic pics I took along the way today.

Pray for us tomorrow as we lead worship at Rosemont Baptist Church and host a VBS Kick-off Block Party at Northbrook Mobile Home Park.

Day 1

Day one began very early and ended very late. The day went very smoothly and without interruption. We thank the Lord for His watch care over us as we traveled and managed to stay on schedule.

We departed SBC at 5:00 AM and pulled into Wichita Falls around 11:15 AM for a quick lunch. After lunch we were back on the road and arrived in Amarillo at 4:00 PM, right on schedule! After freshening up quickly and getting room assignments we were back on the bus for a short 30 minute trip to the Palo Duro Canyon.

Once at the canyon we set up for a pre-show concert and enjoyed a fabulous steak dinner prepared by the world famous Big Texan. We were blessed for the second year in a row to be able to present a pre-show concert to the guests as they were arriving to see the outdoor musical presentation of "Texas".

Our students were simply amazing. This was probably one of the best "first concerts" we've ever done while on Mission Tour. Following the concert we were bombarded by people commenting on "those wonderful young people". Their lives, their faces and their voices were used as living testimonies to Jesus Christ and his immeasurable love. We enjoyed the presentation very much and were finally back at the hotel around 11:30 PM.

A very quick night, a delicious breakfast and a very cool morning set the stage for a great day 2. Yesterday we traveled 586 miles from Spring to Amarillo and today we will travel 564 miles from Amarillo to Montrose. We know that the Lord is with us and know that He will use us to His glory in many ways, some we're not even aware of. Please continue to lift us up as we travel and as we minister in Jesus' name.