SMO Toronto 2012

Day 1:

Kristin Exley assisting with the assembly line coordination

This was a truly action packed day from the moment we got into the vans to drive to our work sites.Our students have been divided into 5 groups in partnership with the other 3 church groups who are serving here. We have one group of students working at Booth Industries. Booth Industries is a facility where adults with various mental disabilities work on an assembly line to accomplish various tasks. Our students have come alongside these individuals to assist them in the assembly line work, provide great conversation, but as Lauren Wiles stated in her review of the day, "This really makes you value and cherish the amazing gifts and abilities God has blessed us with to not take them for granted". The other students with her being Alex Guy, Kristin Exley and Joshua Kovaly (group lead by Starr Tucker-Nibbs) agreed that it was tough work being there but there is power with God knowing the blessing He give us everything we have.

Group 2 was lead by Big Joe Luciana. They had a start to morning where they left for Booth Industries to assist Starr's group until lunch time. Right after lunch, they headed to the beach. I know you all just thought they went there to swim and have fun. They did have fun. They cleaned up the shore which was filled with garbage. In the United States we recycle, but here they have taken waste management to next level. The students and leaders working at the shore were able to recycle you normal plastic, glass, and paper product. Also, any food they found became part of the compost they would use to help the environment. This way there is minimal waste that goes out.

This is a small picture of the park they cleaned up

Group 3 is lead by Gary Gazica. Gary is part of a very creative and energetic groups working at the Kids Club here at the church. This kids club is run by one of the Youth Workers staff. There about 20 kids that range from ages 4-11. The group is responsible for teaching a lesson, creating a craft, and having a story time. At the end of the club, the group plays a game with the kids. Everyone in this group works extremely well with these children. The last day this group is serving, Thursday, this group is planning a family B-B-Q. They are planning a lot of games, food, and a lot of interactive activities. This job is not as easy as it would sound. The students working in this group are growing a good relationship with these kids and it's amazing to see God work through them. (Pictures soon to come)

Group 4 is lead by Audrey Luciana and Joseph Oliver. Our group is working with a Chinese Baptist church group from Toronto Canada to serve in soup kitchen. Scott Mission was the name of the place we are serving. The mission serves food to homeless men and women in the community throughout the week. They serve anywhere from 100 to 200 meals a day for lunch. They have a very unique staff is solely dedicated to prayer, ministry and the Word of God. They more unique for the amazing diversity in their staffing. Their staff consists of Christians from Peru, Egypt, Iran, Sri Lanka, India, Greece, the Philippines, and more. They worked so well with our students and made the environment so warm and loving. A place you would never see the ethnic background but true work our God in what was being done.

Group 5 was lead by Jan Davis. She has been working alongside a church group from 2 hours north of Toronto to assist people at a women's shelter. Major Judy (Salvation Army Administator) showed such passion for women in need. She gave Jan's group a true understanding of what it meant to serve. It was not about the needs being met but the heart of each individual seeking love, care and compassion for what they were going though. The day did not consist of much hard work, but the visions of what God was doing left and imprint of what God is going in the lives of women in need.

The night ended with a trip to a great big park for fun and fellowship with some of the other groups. Relationships are being built within our students with other church groups that normally take days to occur. Barriers have been taken down and connects are developing. Our students are hungry for what God has for them. It showed in our time of worship. But the topic for the night was worship. Worship of God is essential to our growth with God. In the eyes and heart of these students, they are willing to make that sacrifice to worship anywhere. But they are always willing to show what it means to worship.

SMO Toronto 2012

Good morning,

After the cruise up interstate 79, a short time on I-90 with a great 45 minute wait at the border crossing, we arrived here safely at 3:30pm. The YouthWorks staff had shown us amazing love, support and encouragement for our drive up and passion our team had to serve. After we unloaded our bags of luggage and bedding, we explored the neighborhood and the park close by to see what Toronto had to offer. It wasn't long before the boys were throwing a frisbee in the park and climbing...I don't know why boys always want to climb trees. The girls quietly in their circle talk about boys and maybe there will be a cute one here on the trip from another church. These two things with the students here never cease to amaze me and make me smile and laugh a bit. But that was soon resolved when the other churches arrive not long after we did and the boys stopped climbing trees to take a look at the new arrivals and the girls froze to stare. At the moment, I let them know, we are here for a week, not for a lifetime. DON'T get too comfortable!!!  From the moment forward in the night time orientation, the focus was put to the student by the YouthWorks staff of  what each student expected to gain from this trip and what they had already seen God doing. The responses of our students to want to see God move, be his hand and feet, to serve God and those less fortunate was a impressionable and heart-warming for what God was already speaking to our students. The verse for the week is Matthew 12:28-31 with each day having a focus on worship, prayer, sacrifice, purity, obedience and service. We ended the night with a church group time centered on who and what you are doing missions for. What has brought you to do the mission trip to Toronto? Why are you doing the work that you are doing? To who(m) are you doing the work? We gave each student time to truly reflect on on these types of questions. Some students journal, some prayed, some read scripture, and some thought it through to make sure is where they felt they needed to be for reassurance. OUR STUDENTS, YOUR STUDENTS/CHILDREN are hungry to do the work of the Lord. 

Boys will be boys

Today was an early morning starting at 6:30am with breakfast prep leading into breakfast. Some students were still wanting to sleep but were great about getting up and preparing for the day. Wonderful breakfast of champions with cereal and fruit with a preparation of brown bag lunches full of sandwiches, fruit, cookies and string cheese!!! So yummy! For some, we did breakfast clean up then building clean up. Chores were not on the list when they woke up this morning but the finished each task with excellence. I am already so proud of what they have done so far in trip and how hungry they are not only for food but the ministry work God has for them here. We are about to head to our work sites. There will be pictures, videos, testimonies, and fun that will come later. Go to run for now!!! God bless and talk to you soon!!!!

Ecuador 2012 in Miami

Just a quick note to say "We are back in Miami, and all flights look to be on time."

Thanks for praying.

P Scott

Ecuador 2012 flight arrangements

Good afternoon friends,

We have had a great day in Quito. We attended an Alliance church, ate super food, play frisbee in the park, strolled in the park, rented bikes, played handball, checked out some Olympics and reconnected with the IncaLink Interns... the students and leaders are having good conversations.

Jim Tunbull did an excellent job jumping over to the airport and following up via phone to confirm all of our arrangements. Here are the details.

We will all travel together Quito to Miami LAN 12:05 am to 5 am

Everyone will travel from Miami to Charlotte 8:15am to 10:20am
     Paul, Chedel and Ryan will travel American Airlines AA3564
        while the rest travel US Air. USAir 1696

Charlotte to Pittsburgh
Paul, Chedel, Ryan and Rebecca will travel US Air 1168      1:15pm - 2:37pm
Everyone else will travel USAIR 1166          11:39am - 1:01pm

So we arrive in 2 groups in Pittsburgh.

Please pass this information on to other parents - thanks

Looking forward to seeing everyone.
Peace,
P Scott

Ecuador July 28, 2012

Hello from Quito, I know, this message should be written from Miami or Charlotte- but the truth of the matter is we did not get on the flight in Quito. we were packed and ready at the Casablanca scheduled to get to the airport at about 10 for the 11:55pm flight. We arrived about 10:14 and said our goodbyes to the great intern group and the bus driver that we had connected with. Well while waiting in the line to get our tickets we were told that the flight was over booked- buy like 48 people and they wanted to shift us by a day. The deal - 5 star hotel, 3 meals, transportation, and re booked together on the same set of flights one day later and either $600 coupon for LAN airline or $300 on a credit card. We discussed it as leaders and with the students and decided to take the deal. The delay in the airport was a little hard as we struggled to find a way to communicate back home - the calling cards given us didn't help us use the phone. We are all safely at a very nice hotel. If you read this please pass the information on to other parents and family of the team. I will post the new arrival time as soon as I have it. Likely early afternoon on Sunday.i pray that this does not mess people up. while we are all very eager to get home and see family this seemed the right decision. Each student will be given an opportunity to call tomorrow. Peace, P Scott

Ecuador 2012 Pictures

the Huaticocha Missions school and the boys dorm

the soccer field around the corner from the school - us playing

getting direction for a work project

clean up at the end of the day

The start of the big project - removing the water

Girl's bringing rocks down for the french drain

the team finishes the project - tons of earth moved.

it rained after we left - everything worked 

Mark's soon to be completed home

a piture of the back of the house where the girls lived

Ecuador 2012 Rachel

Monday, July 23  Rachel

                This morning each of the teams went hard with their work projects. I was on the Bucket Brigade, which means I spent a solid two hours using buckets to bail water out of a ditch. The water was much higher than when another group did the same thing a few days ago because of the massive amounts of rain we got yesterday. The work wasn’t difficult, the only trouble I had was finding solid footing. As we worked we began singing songs. These songs were mostly funny ones that Pastor Scott was making up in a call-and-response fashion. However, one of the interns named Adelle did teach us a new one that only Grant knew. It was called Fill Up My Cup and it was simple and fun to sing. There was both a boys part and a girls part, so everyone got involved. I loved the singing because it was a great way to encourage each other as we poured bucket after bucket of muddy, smelly water into the stream next to the ditch. After we’d cleared most of the water, we moved over to the group next to us who was digging and using the dirt to fill up the large ditch we’d just cleaned out. When we walked over to that group it was awesome to see the massive amounts of progress they’d made that morning. I had been working there two days ago and know personally how much effort it takes to do that job. We were all pouring with sweat not long after joining that group. But when we went in for lunch, it was really incredible to see how much progress we’d made together. Later today we’re going back to Guamani to have VBS and I’m so excited to see the kids again. Yesterday, one of the kids told me they wanted to pray to God and ask for Him to save her, so I really hope I see her again later!