The Launch of an Adventure

Firstly, a big thanks goes out to everyone who was there at the start of the day at Southeast Christian Church this morning.  It was toasty, humid, and there was quite a bit of waiting.  But amidst the lulls, chaos, and frantic searches, everything came together (and quite well, I might add).

Today we made the 420+ mile trek from Louisville, KY to Atlanta, GA.  As is typically the case with a high school trip, the road was not boring.  Somehow the vans wound up being gender-separated, with the fellas rallied together in one vehicle while the ladies had a safe haven in their own.  While you'd expect the girls van to have been singing all the way down, it was actually the guys who were in chorus with everything from Miley Cirus to Journey.  Other than Trent attempting to rip the driver's-side door off one of the vans and a few steep and windy roads, the traveling went without incident.

When we arrived in Atlanta, some ominous and threatening clouds were looming over the city.  When arriving at Rescue Atlanta, our residence for the week, we were encouraged to quickly unload our van to avoid the impending rain.  Fortunately, the rain held off just long enough for a quick unpacking of belongings and supplies.  We hustled inside for the evening just before the downpour started.  

The entire team had the opportunity to hear from the staff of Rescue Atlanta, Atlanta Youth Project, and the Andrew P. Stewart Center.  In a briefing that lasted a little over an hour, the team was introduced to the history, policies, and expectations for the week.  As well, the group was challenged to not only love people well in the name of Jesus, but to not limit what God can do with the individuals on the team or the team as a whole.  

After an 8-hour journey and the informational meeting, the team was absolutely worn out. We took about an hour to recoup while pizza was being procured for dinner.  After eating, the team rallied up to talk about thoughts, fears, advice, and opportunities for the week ahead.  It was a great time of bonding and learning about how God brought the whole team together.  

To cap off the evening, we felt that it would be good to play together.  So, we dove into a game called Salad Bowl (it's not worth trying to explain.  Just ask someone from the team when we get back).  It brought out the best and worst of the team all at once, and we got some good laughs in before heading to shower and go to bed.

The team is filled with excitement and anticipation of what tomorrow brings.  Please pray that God will open our eyes, break our hearts, and transform lives (both of people on our team and people we encounter).  Thanks for loving, supporting, and praying for our team.  More to come . . .