Summer was always my favorite time of the year when I was in youth. Aside from being out of school and being less busy, I loved the relationships that were formed during the summer. Those three months were always jammed packed with mission trips, lock-ins, fun outings, snocones, swim parties, sleepovers, and much more. All of these things brought me closer to the friends I already had and created new friendships. I will forever be thankful for those fun summer days and nights.
This summer was no different. I had the privilege of taking 34 middle school students to Katy, TX, where they worked on the homes that were affected by the flood last August. The opportunity to meet the homeowners is always the best part, as they share there stories with the kids and sometimes even work along side them!
I also got to take 22 high school students to Sinton, TX, (near Corpus Christi) where we worked on homes in surrounding areas devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Our work there sometimes felt tedious and small but in the words of our construction manager, Jack Maverick, “We are helping to rebuild not only these families homes, but also rebuild their faith.”
That’s the incredible work of God that we got to be a part of in these two weeks.
I want to thank all of the youth that gave a week of their summer to serve others, the awesome adult chaperones that worked alongside these youth and the whole congregation of FUMC Plano for your prayers and your gifts that make our youth mission trips possible. If you get a chance to talk to some of the youth and adults that went on either of these trips, I promise you will not be disappointed with their stories or how they saw God at work!
CJ Rice
Minister with Youth & Families