CSBC Youth Trip Mission Arlington Day 6

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We also had another soul saved today. Justin Mitchell had this one. I am so glad that we were able to come on back to the church tonight. Today has been an emotional roller coaster for most of us all today. The day started out VERY early for West and myself. We got up at 330 this am so that I could carry him to the airport. WE DID NOT GET LOST!!! So rest peaceful tonight West Garner is back in Covington County!!!! Sorry West. I got back to the church with still enough time to get 55 minutes more of sleep before going to start our day.
We got everyone up and ready to go. We headed out to go to morning worship and while traveling down the road Holt yells out “THE MUFFLER IS DRAGGIN PULL OVER!! MR PAUL PULL OVER ITS DRAGGING”. Well let me tell you how the road is we are staying on it is a 4 lane that is reduced to 2 lane because of construction and there are curbs and walkways on both sides. There was nowhere to pull over. I told him I can’t pull over right now and he starts the whole process of telling me the muffler is dragging along with like 20 other people. We finally were able to pull into an apartment complex and guess what the muffler was dragging the ground. It had broken loose earlier in the week, West and Brad had “fixed”. Apparently the dips, grand canyons, rail road tracks and other such objects that cause a vehicle to bounce was stronger than W&B automotives fixes were used too. So we just took it the rest of the way off and put it in the trailer. It was a sight to be going down the road with the muffler of the bus riding in the aisle of the bus!! Oh well West said that it is not a church trip if something don’t breakdown. That was about the most excitement the day held. There were some other laughs but not worthy of putting on here. We don’t need to pass on everything that has happened on this trip. I will amend that statement I just got a very rude eye opening experience. Let me start back at the beginning of the week. The boy’s restroom was a complete disaster. So we had a long talk with the boys bout what was accepted and what was not accepted in a restroom. So Connie Wheat decided to play a trick on me. She covered a toilet seat with saran wrap put toilet paper and chocolate brownie crumbled up all over the seat. Then she got Brad involved so he would tell me to go check the boys bathroom out we have another problem. So I did and I am sure there is a video of it, thanks in part to Terry Lightsey. So brad and I decided to bring the boys in for a “conference” about bathroom behavior, well I had it going really good, when the plot thickens, Scotty wanted to get involved. So when ever body was in the restroom I saw Scotty. I said “Scotty let me show you what your boys are doing!” It was awesome to see his face. I had to add this, because I broke the rest of my ribs on this one.
The stats for our services today were this West 23 and 38. Scotty 4 and 10. Brad 10 and 20. We were all so excited about these numbers.
Now I am going to tell the rest of the story. We were all a little apprehensive about today being the last day. So we got to our first location and had the service, and we had a large number for this complex. We have gotten a little attach to these kids. I just want to tell you, if you could see these youth work with these kids it will move you so much. This trip has been so spiritual and so full of blessings it is just remarkable, to see God work the way we has this week. We finished our service and I went to crank the van and the ac up because it was HOT today. I was waiting on the bus for the kids and they all started coming up and were all red faced and teary eyed. As they came on the bus we just hugged and they went and sat down. It was such an emotional day. We rode in silence all the way back for lunch. I have talked about our second service several days, so I was trying to prepare myself so I could be composed for the kids. Well let me just tell you this THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. I cried right along with the kids when we left. We came over here open hearted praying for miracle and that we could do God’s work and he would use us to be a blessing on these kids we were coming to work with. I think we were the ones who received the blessings. These kids have taught us or showed us rather that there are things that we take for granted that some people do not. There was a little girl who had never tasted skittles, or the ones who did not know about different colored tooth brushes, but things we think we can’t live without, these kids do not have nor or they affected. They are just happy. They showed us so much love. When we pulled up today the kids were standing by the road jumping up and down waiting on us. I can’t tell you how this made us feel. Just think we thought we were coming to help, and we were the ones who got helped!! As we were pulling away the kids asked if we could call Brother West on speaker phone so we could all talk to him, so we did. I am so proud to see the relationship that the pastor of our church has with the people of it.
I would now like to thank the lady who has been our team mama, Rena Banks. Rena has gone beyond the call of duty to take care of us. She has been such a wonderful blessing for us on this trip. She has also been the ear when we had a question. Rena has also made about 20 gallons of tea, she makes it every night and every morning so we have plenty of tea to drink.
I would also like to say a BIG thank you to Terry, Helen and Connie. They have prepared the meals for us to eat; gone to Wal-mart, and made sure everybody had everything they needed. We have had some wonderful meals this week. This had been a great group of Adults to go off with. Brad has been another key member he has iced down drinks till he is blue in the face. He always had the coolers loaded down and iced every day when we got ready to go. I just want these people to know that we all appreciate everything that they have done to make this trip so wonderful.
I know that I have told all about our group and the things we have witnessed and been blessed to be a part of. I wish I could tell about all the groups but you just have to be there to see it and feel it. I have just touched the surface every night with the stories that we will bring back to tell. I know that they all have something special to tell about when we get back home. I hope you all enjoy hearing about them as much as we have enjoyed them.
The first night we were here you could hear the kids tossing and turning on these air mattresses last night it was complete silence so I guess we are finally wearing them down. I hope we can get the natives down early tonight because this guy is TIRED!!! Tomorrow we are taking the kids to Six Flags and I can make you one promise I AM NOT RIDING NONE OF THEM RIDES!!!!
Please continue to remember us in prayer for safe travels home. We are all looking forward to coming home and seeing everybody, but it is going to be hard to leave these kids that we have been working with. Some of the kids do not want to leave, and everyone wants to come back and do it again next year.

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