Day Six (Thursday)

I think the pictures above explain a lot about our focus for this trip – prayer. This trip is totally dependent on prayer. It all depends on prayer. We pray with our children on this trip – and are encouraged when we see them focused on prayer with us!
Part of what we are dealing with this year is continuing relationships from last year while building new ones. Our leaders have had to deal with different situations involving these relationships – nasty divorces, absent parents, alcoholic parents, drug usage in the family. What we are learning is how to apply the Gospel to these relationships. What do you say to someone who is struggling with their reality? The best we can ever do is to share the Gospel with them. The story of Joseph is a great avenue to do this. I have taken our youth through the Luke 24 account of Jesus teaching His two disciples that the whole of the Old Testament was pointing to Him … maybe Jesus used the story of Joseph to teach these two about Him! So, we have used that approach this week in our groups and our one on ones … that the story of Joseph is meant to point us to Christ. And, when we are pointed to Christ, then we are pointed to prayer. Christians pray – they pray often for everything. Lord willing, this is one of the lessons the Appalachia children will learn this week … and our team will continue to learn in their own walks.
You also see the pic of our playground crew at work! They finished up this evening after 5 pm ... they got there before 7 am!