Rocky Mountain Mission Trip, Last day in Colorado and overall recap

This photo captures the emotions of week for the group who traveled to Colorado.  It was a wonderful week filled with the accomplishments of new relationships and friendships built, work completed for the YMCA of the Rockies and most importantly, a spiritual growth for all who attended. 

Every mission trip is different.  Different personalities, different facilities to stay in, different projects.  This project was more different than the rest.  We had beds to sleep in, food prepared for us and wonderful activities planned to fill in the gaps.  And while that sounds heavenly, it presents a new challenge to all of us as one of our primary objectives is to provide opportunities for relationships between the youth to grow.  Left to themselves, they would hang out with with their friends from home and many would not make new friends.  As I said in an earlier blog, working together opens the door for those relationships to build.  Somehow sacrificing with rough sleeping conditions and eating accommodations deepen those bonds.  But despite the "comfort",  bonds grew and seeds to friendships were planted.

Friday was a free day for everyone.  The primary activities for the day were the high ropes course and hiking.  I went with a group who hiked up 9 Mile Mountain.  It was a wonderful, sunny morning.  We hiked through flowers, trees, rivers... it was a spectacular way to start the day.  Jim Olson led our group up the trail.  Jim is one of the primary mission trip organizers.  He is from Macomb and serves the role of assigning tasks for the day and developing the schedule.  It's a thankless job as many would rather be "somewhere else" than where they are assigned.  Jim has a gift for making sure everyone is happy doing their jobs, even if there aren't.  :)

Jim is also a master trail blazer!  He loves to lead us, whether it is to one of the projects we are finishing or up a mountain.  I love spending time with him, his son Eric and his daughter Rachel.  They reflect our overall mission of creating opportunities for our youth to grow closer to God.  It's in their eyes and in their spirit. 

This photo is Jim and Rachel Olson at the top of 9 Mile Mountain. 

I spent Friday afternoon with my 4 amigos, Philip, Sam, Wes and Cordell.  We had decided to pass on the high ropes course, largely because Sam has a leg injury from baseball, I didn't want to risk injuring my back, and Cordell just didn't feel comfortable with the whole concept.  Most of our students and adults took on the challenge of high ropes and had a great experience.  It truly tested many and reminded many of our favorite scripture, Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  There was a leap of faith and a wonderful team building ladder.  High ropes courses are wonderful for helping people overcome their fears together.  And this was a great addition to our trip.

Another group took the "hard hike" up Stone Mountain and scaled it's 5 peaks.  Each of them reported it as being a magical trek through nature.  Jim McClary led this event, and many of us joked Jim would want to "set a new record for speed to the top."  He reported to me later he had "set the record."  Jim is a wonderful pastor, who has helped me and many others grow in our faith and in our relationships with God.  But, he is someone who likes to win!  And I had this vision his trail blazing would be at a bit faster pace than our trip up the mountain.

Friday evening was reserved for the "take away" worship.  Spending the week working and growing in faith is always rewarding, but sometimes it's hard for everyone to transition into what to do next.  I've been to many sales conventions with inspirational speakers who plant seeds on "how to be better in life."  Then I get home and forget a lot of what I learned, or don't know how to take the first or next step.  I'm sure many have had the same experience.  This happens with mission trips as well.  It's my hope we build strong relationships between the youth, so that when they get back and stumble, they have someone to call or someone to lean on so they can continue to grow in their faith and use the tools we have provided.

Derrick Johnson led the final worship setting.  We were in an area on the complex carved out for fireside worship.  Log seating, with a fire pit in front looking our over a background of the sun setting on the Rocky Mountains.  Not a bad back drop if I say so myself.  Now it's pretty hard to pull a fast one on our mission trip leaders, Scott, Jim and Jim, but Derrick did just that.  His message was about compassion, and the importance of having compassion for your friends, your family and even for people you don't know as you walk through life.  And before he got too far along in the message, he asked Jim, Jim and Scott to come to the front of the gathering and asked the other 48 of us to take out the lyrics he had prepared.  The group, led by Rachel, Katie, Ben and few others sang "Thank You", a wonderful tribute to these men who work so hard to bring us all closer to the Lord.  Here is just a snippet of the lyrics that capture the spirit.

You used to teach my Sunday School
When I was only eight
And every week you would say a prayer
Before the class would start
And one day when you said that prayer
I asked Jesus in my heart

Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave

It was a wonderful tribute to 3 amazing men.  And there wasn't a dry eye in the group.

Derrick invited 5 of our youth to come up and discuss examples of compassion in their lives.  Vince spoke about a time when a new student from overseas came to his school.  As this young man came from a different culture, the others in the school ignored him or made fun of him.  Vince befriended him instead and they became life long friends.  A great reminder that "different" can open new doors and lead to lasting friendships.   Lexa and Jill talked about friends supporting each other when they lost loved ones.  Cordel talked about the 3 amigos coming and playing cards with him while he was taking his twice daily treatments for cystic fibrosis, Wes talked about his father supporting him after Wes was diagnosed with leukemia at age 3.  It was a moving experience to hear each of these young men and women talk about how even the most simple jester had a lasting impact on their lives. 

And tears were flowing as Derrick talked about how a simple invitation to play a kids game by the "besties" had changed his life forever.  That story resulted in a waterfall of tears that didn't subside until early the next morning.  It was a great reminder how each of us can make a difference in the lives of others every day, just by walking with our head up, a smile in place and an attitude centered on those around us instead of ourselves. 

Early Saturday morning, 4:30 AM to be exact, we packed the vans and headed east.  20 hours of highway, and a chance for each of us to "debrief" on our experiences.  The hugs and tears at our final stop together demonstrated best relationships were truly built.  As adult leaders we pray we are able to plant seeds that will be fertilized and grow throughout the lives of the youths, and in the lives of the other adults as well.  I pray that happened and I'm confident many lives were changed as a result of 6 days in the Rockies.

Rocky Mountain Mission Trip - Work Day/Spirit Walk Recap

I didn't take this photo but stood in about the same spot with a half dozen elks in the meadow.  It's amazing the wildlife you see out here.  For me I've seen moose, bears, elks, deer, foxes, and birds like I've never seen before.  It's just amazing to be so close.

Picture this now.  52 high school students spread out over a mountainside.  The sun is setting and each person is taking a few minutes to grow individually grow closer to God.  It was a moment that gives you chills.  And it was one of the most dramatic moments I have spent on any mission trip.  Last night we took a "Spirit Walk."  In small groups, our mission trippers ascended a mountain path.  Along the way there were 5 rest stops, with a member of our adult group waiting to share insight into communion.  Communion with the church, church family, friends, our families and God were there topics of the insights.  Then the small groups gathered near the top of the trail, spread out individually on tree trunks, fallen logs, or just stood and stared at the mountain in the distance as the sun set on our day.  It's hard to find words to give the scene justice, but trust me, it was a very special moment.

Yesterday was the day to finish our work for the week.  Our fence crew set more than 175 posts on the YMCA entrance.  They stretched every 12 feet, so perhaps that is close to a mile of fence post.  The other half of our fence crew put in the rails and finished nearly half of the posts set. We'll share photos later, but it looks amazing.  The painting crew has finished over 20 staff rooms.  New paint, holes patch and shelves and trim all freshened.  And our "slash crew" has huge piles of logs and brush piled high all over the children's cabins areas.  I can't even imagine how many trees they cleared, certainly over 1000 this week.

The YMCA staff is a bit overwhelmed.  Many people come here to volunteer, but most don't commit 3 solid days of hard work to make the YMCA staff lives better.  Usually volunteers are serving other guests, in the cafeteria, or front desk or in the facilities throughout the grounds.  We came to serve the servants.  Our YMCA staff group assigned to our project brought out a gallon of ice cream, chocolate syrup and cookies to celebrate our work.  It was a great way to end 3 days in the sun!

Most of the YMCA staff are college students, members of Navigators and here to serve the people who come to enjoy and worship at this resort.  Our YMCA staffers told us at the end of the day that they had been on many mission trips themselves, serving others, but they had never been served themselves.  It was very touching.

Mission trips are about building relationships.  And our kids have truly done that.  You start the week with kids that know each other hanging out together.  But slowly though the week, they meet the youth from the other church, and friendships grow.  By last night you couldn't tell which group was from which church as they were so intermixed.

Today is a free day.  We have hikes planned into the mountains, a high ropes course test for everyone, and use of all the great facilities at the complex.  Tonight the YMCA is hosting all of us for an ice cream party and then we will have our own bonfire where we will reflect on the week and give the youth and adults the moving forward challenge.  Hopefully God will give each of us the right words to plant the seeds necessary for the right seeds to be planted.  I won't be posting tomorrow as we leave at 5 AM for home.  Sometime after midnight we should be back in Champaign. 

But I'll try and recap the trip Sunday.  By the way, Derrick, Jim and I will be giving the message on Sunday, discussing all that has been accomplished.  I hope I'm awake for that!  :)  Thank you all for your support, your donations and your prayers.  We all know you are thinking of us and praying for us.  It really makes a difference.

Rocky Mountain Mission Trip - Work Day 3

Yesterday was one of the days when you wake up feeling wonderful and about half way through the day realize you are really tired!  Adrenaline can only take you too far.  Fortunately yesterday was also the day the youth stepped up, committed to get their work done.  One of the things I love is the energy the youth generates.  I know it's surprising as we think of young people as sitting around, listening to IPODs, or playing video games.  But for the most part, this group of youth comes to work.  Long ago trip organizers Jim McClary, Jim Olson and Scott Edwards planted seeds that these trips are about building relationships, serving others with the projects we do and most importantly growing spiritually.  Jim and I were talking last night after a worship bonfire, that one of the things that makes the Savoy/Macomb Missions trips different that others we know about is the bonding and friendships that come from working side by side for 6 or 8 hours a day on a hard project.  Personally it's the best part for me as I have gotten to know some wonderful young people from Macomb and Savoy as well. 

I especially enjoy four young men from Macomb.  Sam, Phillip, Matt and Cordell are as different as any 4 young men can be.  Sam is very athletic, Phillip a huge sports fanatic, especially the Cardinals, Matt is an artist, musician and Cordel is just a smart kid who you love to have around all the time.  Yet they fit together nicely and love to spend time working, talking, playing cards and just having fun.  Left to there own towns and lives, these 4 surely would have never met.  But through the mission trip experiences have been brought together and become "brothers".  They are respectful to all the adults here and try hard to get to know every one of us.  In a way, they help us to feel a part of the "young crowd."  There are about 10 other examples of small groups here with kids that have become life long friends and are a joy to spend time with every day.  And that goes back to building relationships.  It's fun to watch and fun to watch grow over the years as we come back to mission work annually.

As for yesterday's work, we are one day closer to finishing.  It was a beautiful day, the first without mist and fog in the morning.  The temps were perfect and the skies were blue.  I found myself stopping and just looking around more yesterday than any before as each hour the sun hits the mountains slightly differently and you just admire God's handiwork.   Today we finish, whether the job is done or not.  And tomorrow is another free day, with hiking, fishing, shopping and our wrap up services planned. 

We talked last night that we wish we had more than a week a year to spend together.  The mission trip teams have become like family, and our work and spiritual growth is a sort of annual family reunion we cherish in our lives.  In fact I'm sure there are many things we share with each other we don't share with family.  God has chosen to assemble us together and work, learn and grow.  I'm just happy he choose me!

Rocky Mountain Mission Trip Work day 2

This photo gives you an idea of where we are staying.  The YMCA of the Rockies is an amazing facility, mostly used to host youth groups, camps, weddings and family reunions.  The accommodations far exceed our normal fare.  We all have beds!  That's a plus.  And there are bathrooms/showers in each room.  The food is fairly good.  There is a large dining hall that seats about 250 and they must feed over 500 a day.  Great selection at all meals, with lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, plenty of drink choices, but interestingly enough, limited desert choices.  I need my ice cream!  :)

I blogged early this morning and then walked back to the complex.  I found out quickly that one of the young ladies from Macomb, Lexa Mahr (on the right in the photo), had been bitten by a spider and had a large red blotch with a black circle.  They took her to the hospital last night and prescribed some medication for her.  I went and picked it up this morning.  Lexa and a wonderful girl, not one to complain about anything.  And if she had her way the staff would have rubbed some dirt on it and let her "play on."  But she is fine now and worked hard all day clearing brush.

We got deep into our projects yesterday.  One group clearing dead trees near the summer over night camp grounds for kids.  I met a man, Ransom, who is originally from Aurora, at the camp grounds.  He explained to me the open fields surrounding us were covered by pine trees just a few years ago.  Now it looks like a mountain valley covered only by grass.  It's hard to imagine just how much damage this beetle has caused and how much more damage it will do to these mountainsides and valleys.  But at least no one has been hurt, and there hasn't been a forest fire yet.  That is the main reason we are doing this work, to help/prevent a fire from destroying this YMCA complex.

Another group painted the staff quarters.  I didn't make it to that project, but was told they finished 3 of 10 rooms yesterday.  Our group is building a fence from the administration building to the main road.  Post holes have been dug, and we are skinning the bottom two feet of 6 foot logs, tarring the part we skin, then putting the logs in the post holes, leveling them, filling in the holes and finally attaching rails.  We got about 100 posts in yesterday and about 50 feet of railing done.  We put in more poles then they expected us to do all week!  So they are getting more post holes dug today we hope.  It's hard work, but the temperature is 75 degrees and the scenery is amazing of course.  The only downside is that since we are 9000 ft in the air the sun is brighter and burns the skin a little faster.  We will be applying more sun screen today as there were some burns, including me!  :)

Last night we attended a Navigators meeting.  There are about 100 members of Navigators here for the summer.  For those that don't know, Navigators is an International collegiate Christian outreach program.  We have a large chapter at the UI so I"m familiar with there work.  I think I understand they commit 12 weeks in the summer and work and worship here.  Sounds like a great summer job!  The service had great music with a contemporary praise band, a young pastor who talked about how God is the God of everyone in our world, not just Americans, and talked about how Christianity is a bit like eating at a buffet table.  We all pick and choose how we worship, serve and grow, and choosing the "right entree" defines our spiritual growth.  Then he said that mission work is sort of like the dessert bar, where the selections are many but the service is satisfying.  Sort of like an ice cream sundae bar. 

There were three gentleman from the Japan Navigators who talked about the aftermath of the tsunami, earthquake and nuclear power tragedy.  All had family and friends injured, displaced or that died in the tragedy.  But the one positive thing was that the government had embraced the mission work of the groups and as a result, the body of Christ is more united in Japan.  I didn't realize that less than 1% of Japan is Christian.  And that 84% of the pastors in Japan are over the age of 50.  A staggering statistic when you contemplate the potential growth for the Japanese.

The service was wonderful, but honestly our group was a bit tired from our days work, a shorter service would have been appreciated.

Today, more work.  Then tonight we are going to a worship bonfire.  The temperature at night drops to about 47 degrees.  Hopefully it won't be raining.  Like Hawaii, there is almost daily afternoon rain here.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send me an email.  toddsalen@gmail.com

Good bye for now

Rocky Mountain Mission Trip - Work day 1

Today we roll up our sleeves and go to work.  We are doing three basic projects this week, putting in a fence on the entry drive from the highway, painting rooms for the YMCA staff and clearing wood from the pine trees that have died as a result of the beetles.  Pastor Jim McClary is in charge of the pine tree slashing, Derrick Johnson is heading up the fence building and Scott Edwards is the paint leader.  Jim and Scott have been organizing mission trips for over 8 years.  They have been friends for 38 years.  Jim is the Pastor at Savoy Methodist Church and Scott is a member of the Wesley Methodist Church in Macomb.  It's hard to imagine how many young lives the two of them have changed as a result of their planning and organizing mission trips.  I have been involved in 6 of them, and all of them have been remarkable in both the work that has been accomplished and the spiritual growth of the youth and the adults.  We are truly blessed to have them both as our leaders.  Hard to imagine I'm sure that when they met as 12 year olds back in Quincy that God had a plan for them that would continue to play out 38 years later.

Our youth is doing terrific so far.  Yesterday was a fun day, a chance to get acclimated to the elevation.  We are at 8700 ft here at the YMCA and I can feel it for sure.   Most of the group went on a horseback ride into the mountains in the morning.  The afternoon was spent either hiking, or playing on these amazing facilities the YMCA provides.  I went on the hike.  About 3 miles with a elevation change of about 500 feet.  That's a good beginner's hike.  In the middle of the trail was a beautiful waterfall.  I'll post some photos when I get back as I forgot to bring my camera download connection.  Trust me, it was beautiful. 

It rained about halfway into the walk.  Hard!  And we all got soaked.  But no one complained.  I know many of you might say, "why would you want to spend your vacation with 45 high school students?"  The answer is, because this are really special kids.  One of the real joys in working on mission trips is meeting these idealistic young men and women, listening to them, and sharing insights into some of the problems they may be facing in their lives. 

I believe most of the problems facing our youth today could be solved if adults took the time to really listen to them.  These kids have some amazing stories to tell.

One of our young men had leukemia at age 3.  He is a strong, athletic young man.  And yet he lives with the possibility it could come back at any time.  He lives each day fully.  A lesson for us all.  Most of these kids come from strong families.  They have been given the support they needed by wonderful parents, many of them whom I know.  But some are from broken families that struggle daily just to pay the bills.  Just the fact they are here is a sign the parents want to build a strong foundation for these kids to build their lives on.

The Snow Mountain Ranch has been around for over 100 years.  It started as a YMCA camp and has transformed into a retreat/convention facility.  The staff here spends all of their time providing young people a facility to learn and grow their spirituality.  It's a bit funny they aren't used to groups coming to serve them.  They are in the service business, yet having someone serve them is new.  I'm told we are the first group to come and dedicate themselves to serving the YMCA.  We are in effect, serving the servants. 

Yesterday I bumped into Bill and Cinny Green.  Many of you know them from their years building and managing GT's Western Bowl in Champaign.  Cinny told me they come here annually and help organize for the youth groups that come here in the summers.  They spend 12 weeks a year as YMCA staff helping these groups enjoy the facility.  That was fun to see them and I had no idea they were here.  Our friendship goes back over 20 years.  Amazing how God brings you together with friends, even 1000 miles from home!

So it's time to get this day started.  It's a little overcast this morning and the weather is a brisk 50 degrees.  It should heat up to about 75 later today.  Today we begin the work of serving the YMCA.  But the best work of all is reaching out to the youth and adults who are here with us and beginning the work of sharing the great message of Jesus with each of them.  Pray for us!

Rocky Mountain High! Traveling with 51 members of Savoy and Macomb Methodist Church to Colorado

So here were are!  Is this better than the mission trips we have taken to Mexico and Dulac, Lousiana?  I think so!  This is my 6th Mission trip with this group.  We have about 45 high school students from the Champaign and Macomb areas and we are planning to do some work for the Snow Mountain YMCA this week.  The Rocky Mountains are struggling with a beetle that is literally eating the pine trees.  There are hundreds of acres of dead trees in the mountains, a real forest fire hazard.  We are volunteering for the YMCA Convention center complex clearing the dead wood, painting some of their staff rooms and building a fence on the complex.  It's a lot of work, but the scenery makes it all worthwhile.  And of course they are all terrific kids.

It took us two days to get here.  We traveled in a caravan of about 5 cars and vans, loaded to the gills with suitcases and the "necessaries".  We had a few problems, first the running board for our van broke off "halfway."  Getting the other half off the van was a challenge, but our noble driver, Derrick Johnson, managed.  We stopped in Lexington Nebraska night one.  A little Day's Inn served as our rest stop.  There were plenty of Arby's, McDonalds and of course a Wal Mart where we could reload.  Who knew you had to reload after just 10 hours of driving :) .  But we got that done.  We met the group from Macomb in Lexington and our caravan grew to near capacity.  Next morning...."Head for the Mountains." 

Now the van I was in had 13 people and was pulling a full trailer.  I believe that the weight load was good for a straight road, but the mountains....no way.
We decided to go a little out of the way and drive through the Rocky Mountain National Park.  Like all National Parks, Rocky Mountain is wonderful.  We saw some amazing landscapes, mountains, rivers and even a few live moose, elks, and a bear.  What an amazing experience!  And then, it was time to come down the mountain........

We got around the Alpine Valley look out center and started downhill.  Our van didn't stop at all the "photo sites" so we were about an hour ahead of the rest of the group.  As we came down our brakes started to fail.  Well, we pulled over quickly and tried to flag down help.  No one stopped, and an hour or so later the rest of the group caught us.  We shifted the trailer to another van and redistributed most of the kids to other cars and vans.  And Derrick and I said a short prayer and started the rest of the way down.  Of course I'm writing this so we made it!  :)
God was watching over us for sure. 

I love mission trips.  I love the work we do and the people we help.  Most of all I love the relationships we build with the kids looking for answers and the adults who always go through a change in spirit as well.  When I went on my first trip I thought I was some Knight riding in on a white stallion to help those in need.  I have discovered again and again the people we help are more noble than I, and that God uses each of us as he wishes. 

This week I'll update you on our progress.  Today is a free day and we are adjusting to the altitude.  Already the kids have gone horse back riding, and there is a hike, canoeing, basketball and even square dancing still to come tonight.  Tomorrow we go to work.  But the truth is, God's work started before we even got into our vans in Savoy.  Stay tuned!