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!
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