With the trip over and the dust settled, Craig made some notes about the team.
On behalf of the team members, thanks once again Craig. Great job!
As I reflect back on this year’s Katrina Gulf Coast Relief Team experience, I thank God for his faithfulness and care over our entire team. I was truly impressed at the way God took 21 guys and formed one cohesive unit. During pre-trip planning meetings, we focused more on building team unity via small groups and less on logistics. I know God honored our planning because we were fully prepared to do the work required, and then some. On our last night in Mississippi, the Lord gave me a verse that sums up the collective attitude of our team:
Matthew 5:16:
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Through seemingly routine acts of helpfulness, kindness, and plain old hard work, our team lived out this verse and I’m certain that it caused others to praise God.
Here are some thoughts from fellow team members further supporting this:
1. “Each of our site managers made comments that they had never seen a group with this much camaraderie and mutual support. We received a note from the kitchen staff at the site we stayed at (SUMA) thanking us for continually cleaning the dining area. I bring this up not to sound boastful about our accomplishments, but as several of the guys said, we were just being ourselves, doing what we do at home. ‘This is who we are,’ one of the guys humbly said.”
2. One joyful moment was when I was with my small group and we were gladly interrupted by a man who just wanted to talk. Before he left, James So, Jeff Leung, Eric Jue and I got to pray for healing to his back and for him in general. We were all blessed to have prayed for him.
3. This “band of brothers” accomplished a great deal in only one week. We made a lasting impression (a good one!) on our supervisor Brad and his two assistants, Curt and Vic, as well as two others that worked together with us (Al and Dick from Rochester, NY). Seeds of faith were planted and in the end, we DID make a difference for the Kingdom of God. When I first signed up for this I didn’t really see how signing up to build houses could be considered a missions trip (it should have been considered a service), but after seeing what happened, this truly was a missions trip with “building homes” as inroad of introducing the gospel to those we came in contact with. And it wasn’t really difficult. All we had to do was to live out our lives as Christians and the individual lights of our group came together to become one big unavoidable light for all to see.
I praise God for each man’s humility, sacrifice and commitment to others. What a rich experience it was to serve the Lord with this team. I’m proud of the work they accomplished and the difference they made for the kingdom of God. Men of Evergreen SGV, is God are challenging you to join us next year?