Maine Report

First, I want to apologize for my tardy update on my last post. All 20 of us arrive safely home from Maine a week ago last Sunday. However, as soon as we got back to Maryland, I found myself with a flu-like virus. I'm just now getting back on my feet.

Overall, we had a fabulous trip! As far as mission projects go, we packed over 600 boxes of food at a food bank, held seven concerts (both choir and handbell groups), painted a house of a police officer, and had some needed down time for fun. We even spent a night in NYC and saw a Broadway play. On Sunday, we worshiped together at Riverside Church in NYC (how fun it was to worship without leading for a change!)

Everyone asked about Maine's weather. . . well come to find out we visited the state during the hottest week of the year! After the first day of a teasing 60 degree temperature, every other days were in the 90s (without air conditioner) in most of the places where we worked. Because of this, one morning while we were between concerts, the pastor we were working with dropped us off at the county's Super Wal-Mart for a "cultural experience" of where the local teens hang out. More importantly, this trip enabled us to stay COOL for an additional 45 minutes. Totally strange, but it worked!

Other personal highlights for me included "parenting boot camp" I experienced because of our music pastor's two preschool children being on the trip with us. Their mom allowed me to help out a lot with the holding, entertaining, etc. The little kids were a lot of fun to be around and were great troopers even with the long days and tons of time in their car seats. (I might just want to have some of my own one day in the upcoming future).

I actually found myself enjoying the experience more than I thought I would. It fit my personality well to be in a small community of ministry for a couple days. I loved the opportunities I had to build stronger relationships, not only with the kids but with the other adults on the journey. I learned a lot about the quirky elements of group members personalities and they mine in the wee hours of the morning and night as we laughed, talked and played together.
After spending eight days with the kids in and around the state of Maine, I can honestly say that our group has come a long way in terms of not only bonding with each other, but catching a fresh vision of the future. I'm now more excited about what the fall will hold for all of us.

Thanks for praying for us while we were away!