Local Missions Blog
Thursday, March 30
Today, Local Missions had an amazing opportunity to serve at Goshen Valley Boys Ranch—a ministry that provides a home for young men in the foster care system. Not only were the students able to pray over the ranch and the boys, but they were also able to serve through accomplishing various tasks around the ranch.
We split off into various groups with team leaders and got busy working! Our “Demo Crew” was in charge of ripping up flooring and cleaning out one housing unit for a future renovation ,while our “Digging Crew” got to work digging a drainage trench around a building. Meanwhile, we had a “Landscape Crew” that worked towards demolishing and replacing a walkway, a “Pyrotechnics Crew” that helped burn some unwanted brush, and a “Moving Crew” that helped transfer furniture between buildings.
Today was mentally and physically exhausting, and many left with blisters on their hands. Ultimately, though, students had the opportunity to pour into a cause that benefitted children in need; they truly projected a servant’s heart and never gave up on the projects at hand!
Wednesday, March 29Elizabeth Ernst, Upper School English
In Local Missions today, students and teachers split into two groups to serve multiple locations in the community. One group stayed on campus at NCCS to minister to K3, K4, and JK5 students and assist them in painting birdhouses. This messy artistic moment provided plenty of opportunities for our high school students to talk to the younger children about Jesus and the purpose of a service-driven heart.
Another group traveled to Books for Africa to serve. The students worked with this ministry to sort, stack, and pack books to send to schools across various countries in Africa. The books ranged from children’s leisurely reads all the way up to collegiate textbooks.
The students learned that we are able to serve people all over the world from right here in Cobb County! To end the day, Local Missions enjoyed some quality team-building time at Adventure Air in Kennesaw where they jumped, hooped, and flipped through the afternoon!
Tuesday, March 28
by Rebecca Deel, Upper School English
On Tuesday, the Local Missions team joined up with Seven Bridges Ministry to make bags of food to hand out to anyone needing a meal. A representative from Seven Bridges opened our time in prayer and then talked to the students about their ministry and how it began.
Then, the Seven Bridges leaders organized our students into groups to make sandwiches and hot dogs and to pack those in plastic grocery bags with water and other snacks. The students loaded over 100 bags into Seven Bridges's van, and our two mini busses and the large school bus, all full of students, headed to Atlanta.
We walked through neighborhoods and under bridges and offered anyone we saw a meal and then prayed with them. Our students were amazing; they would ask for the name of each person and ask if there were any specific prayer needs....they were bold and courageous and kind. In this act of trying to be a blessing to others, we also found ourselves receiving the blessing--SO many people who needed food and asked for prayer, turned around and prayed for us...and some even sang a song of blessing over us!
When asked what their needs were, Seven Bridges asked for grocery bags and hygiene items. The parents of our student team also went above and beyond, sending in bags of hygiene items and grocery bags! We were so excited to deliver these to Seven Bridges. Many thanks to our parents and students!!!
We closed our day at a nearby park, reflecting on what we learned and how this experience changed us. The students closed us in prayer. It was such a good day! To God be the glory!!
Monday, March 27Elizabeth Ernst, Upper School English
After beginning the day with devotion and prayer, Local Missions traveled to Riverstone Church to load up a U-haul and then headed to Glory Haus to serve with The Hope Box. The students assisted in building structures and clothing racks for a consignment sale that will benefit mothers in need.
In addition, many took it upon themselves to write uplifting letters of encouragement to children in the foster care system. Ultimately, the students wanted to remind the children that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and that we all have the promise of home in heaven.
Local Missions closed out the day of service with a reflection on the way God worked in their lives and a prayer for the week ahead.
