Lessons Learned

Officially Day One of our Mission trip began with a task that set my heart a-twitter (organizing a walk-in pantry) and ended with little ones barely able to climb into bed. In the middle, we had more fun than anyone can predict when you're trying to figure out what it means to be a "Missionary."

This (see photos right) is an example of a team building exercise. The Floor Crew was tasked to climb aboard a 2 foot square platform and sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat before falling. Creatively, they decided to put our two Kitchen Crew Standbys (Miss. Ann and Miss. Judy) in the center with their arms wrapped tightly around each other. Then, Trevor and Joe lifted Katie and Dria to their shoulders and darn, if they didn't actually do it! Of course, it was the fastest Row, Row, Row Your Boat rendition in the history of the song, but that's not really the point, now is it?

And this (see photo below) is an example of what happens when the bossy ones don't shut up!
The day was full of team building and learning to listen. We learned the value of planning and then the necessity of re-evaluating those plans.


We learned how to make beignets for 50 and that 70 cups of flour can make a real, real thick batter. Lily-Kate and Jessica learned how much fun it was to get their hands dirty (literally).

In the end, we learned that best laid plans tend to go astray ;

that God's plan is always better (and sometimes more fun) than what we can think up on our own ;

And that the seeds we plant this week will be harvested for many, many months to come. We hope that our love spread here will resound in the hearts of all that come to visit and that more than just carrots (being planted by Judy at right) get tilled up on this soil.

Tomorrow, we work.


Becky Jordan
Blogging for CRCSBFPCMT
(Cherokee Retreat Center Spring Break First Presbyterian Church Mission Trip).