New York City...

This past week Jason was with several of our highschool students in New York City on a missions trip. They left last Friday and spent a week jam-packed with ministry, fellowship, silliness, NY pizza, and spiritual growth. These teens left as giddy, carefree youth and came home...somber, eternity-minded, disciplemakers.

Throughout the week they led a VBS outreach for over 2000 inner-city kids, served meals at homeless shelters, prayer walks around Central Park, spent around 20 hours traveling on the subway, and the last night they served dinner at an AIDs residency. They learned how to look past the outward appearance, step out of their comfort zone, and share their Jesus with others.

Jason...in China Town

They left Charlotte with many different expectations of the trip...and apprehensions of what might be ahead. But these students willingly surrendered their fears and their insecurities and became open vessels to the Lord. And He used these students to reach out to lonely, broken, poverty-stricken, abandoned, hopeless people of New York.

On Sunday, each of the members of the team shared with the youth group about their experience. Out of twelve students...over half of them broke down in tears about the condition of the people in New York. They implored their fellow students to make the most of every opportunity God has given them in their own backyard. This is one spring break they are unlikely to forget!!!

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring Good News,

who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings,

who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion,

"Your God reigns!"

Isaiah 52:7