STEM Intl -- Minneapolis, Minnesota Mission Trip

Friday -- September 19th, 2008

Our mission trip to Minneapolis, MN began this evening @ 5:30 pm as we all met @ First Baptist in Elgin to head out. The group included Nick, Meg, Dennis, Bethany, Jeff, Kami, Shane, Bob, Dodd, Mary, Melinda, Jennifer, Jane, and Chris.

Heading out with Van loads of sleeping bags, cookies (thanks Mary for the Snickerdoodles) and BIG smiles, we took off to pick up a few of our group members (Bethany and Jane) at their homes on the way to Minneapolis...beginning our journey.

After a few rest stops and a quick meal at Chiptole and Cold Stone in Rochester, we made our way on...sharing testimonies, stories, and fellowship to pass along the time until we reached our destination. Arriving in Minneapolis @ Faith Baptist we were welcomed by our STEM leader Ryan and we unloaded into the church. After a quick tour of the facilties we met in the library for a debriefing and some milk and cookies....YUMMMM!!

Looks like a FULL scheudle for tomorrow and we are all anxious to see how the Lord will use us here. Comfort zones will be stretched, hands will get dirty. BUT GOD will get all the GLORY!!


Saturday -- September 20th, 2008

First full day of our mission trip in Minneapolis. Waking up to some coffee and an awesome worship time together with prayer and songs (our singing was a mix-tape of hyms and worship music :) led by Shane and anyone who could remember the 3rd verse)

Two groups of us were made to serve @ the Marie Sandvick shelter and The Source Ministry. After a great breakfast @ Maria's -- we headed off to serve. My group was with the shelter and serving Mary Beth and her team. Ryan (the STEM leader) and I helped serve some guys and gals outside the shelter some cookies, doughnuts, sandwiches and muffins while Mary beth stepped up to assign many of the people to trucks and cars taking them off to odd jobs and such for work. She did have to turn some of the guys and gals away but made sure to encourage them and tell them to keep coming for work and she would "Remember their faces..."

Ryan and I replaced a few lightbulbs, while the girls in my group (Bethany, Melinda, Kami, Jennifer) worked in the kitchen cooking food and cleaning. Jane and Meg worked in the basement sorting and organizing hygeine products and toys. We did have a group of youth come in to help serve the children at the shelter and they played games with them and did crafts. Alot of odd jobs for Ryan and I to do for Mary Beth. melinda and Jennifer had fun opening some really mangled pudding canisters and Kami helped cook up some meals for the Sunday night service.

The guys and Mary...went onto the Source Ministry to help them with various tasks. Stuffing envelopes for a bulk mailing, helping Opal (an 80 year old lady living by herself) by sealing her floor and painting her spindles, and the Joshua House some more painting "the right color green" and other tasks that Peter, Jeff and Gary (the Source Ministry team had for us)

We had our lunch at the Source Ministry house and watched a video about the homeless population and situation in Minneapolis. SubWay...and boy was I hungry....Nick had an SOTC while the rest of us requested various styles of sandwich love...

Next destination -- Mike with SALT Ministries. We met at his house and he presented us some background on the mission field we worked with -- a Somalian ministry. He was very apssionate about his ministry and about showing us and helping us understand how we might minister to the Somali population that has moved into the Postville area, only a few miles from our church.

After meeting and learning about SALT, and trying to keep Dennis from falling asleep, we left and headed over to meet up with Street Level Ministries at First Covenant Church iacross from the Dome in minn. they were going to tell us more about the street evangelism assignment and what we would be doing the rest of the evening.

Utilizing the wonderful binders made and supplied to us by Alison (another STEM leader)...what a great job she did on those binders...giving us exact directions from location to location, that was an awesome resource to have.

SO...after a small battle with the parking meter, we found the netrance to the chruch and met up with a few members of the Street Level Ministry team Chad and Highland(er) :)

Brief introductions led into our time for food and fellowship, some entertainment by Chris (me) re-enacting "Westside Story" battles between rival street level and 'opposing' but firendly other evangelism teams. Kami and I went off to throw a football in the church gym to get rid of the Mountain Dew energy and a little fun too!

Returning to the group, we began to yalk about what types of things we would be doing/facing with the street ministry. The different location in which we might be teamed to go and speak/minister. And hearts (mine) began to race and I realized the time was drawing near.

Chad and Highland answered and asked some questions to and for us...maybe to ease our anxiety and anxiousness to begin our assignment. We "role played" scenarios with a partner which posed a challenge to do even with people we knew. Meg was punished and was put with me as her partner, but I was encouraged by Meg's faithfulness of prayer that God would prepare our hearts and mouths and by her willingness to be obedient to God's call on her (and us) to spread the good news!

More members of the the Street level team began to arrive as we continued to draw out information from our "guides" regarding ways to approach and discuss the gospel to these people groups. And even through many silent moments of uncertainty we were able to find comfort in knowing the Holy Spirit would guide our mouths, our words, so that He would receive the glory, the honor, and we would humbly proase Him for providing all that we would require to serve as the vessel for His message to be brought from Iowa to Minnesota.

1 John 1:5 "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. "

I left with Sterling and Fevin along with Nick, Melinda and Highland(er) as our group left the church and headed to the University of Minnesota campus. Immediatley I began to try and find ways to connect to my new freinds, although I could tell my personlaity was much different than theirs (as most people for that matter), but we did have Jesus as our common ground.

Our group circled up to pray for our night out on campus, and within minutes a few students walked past us. Sterling asked one young lady with a broken foot in a rather loud voice as she walked past us, "Do you know where you are going?" I could see her face was showing her lack of interest in responding...he again shouted, "Do you know where you are going when you DIE?" and I was also worried by his approach to beginning the conversation, which caused me to pray for God to show me how He wanted me to approach the individuals He had prepared to place in my path. Nick walked by me and patted me on the backside as if to say, "God Bless you brother, your heading out with this one..." :)

The night was completly amazing. The Lord provided a cool evening that helped comfort me as we walked and talked to people. My inetent is to atcually go back to my card in my bioble and specifically write individual thoughts about what God might do in thier lives and thank/prasie Him for placing these people in my path. I also hope that this blog allows our group to polace their thoughts and experiences here for others to read and experience too, so that everyone's perspective has a chance to be heard.

I am placing below Jane's repsonse I received in an e-mail, and I hope veryone places something here for us to read and recall since we all certainly had different experiences and feelings about what God did in our lives and hearts that great weekend.

I wanted to go on the Mpls trip but was reluctant to sign up. I'm a do-er not a be-er and I wanted to first know what I was getting into. I need not have worried. It was a most worthwhile weekend that got me out of my eat-work-sleep rut into an awareness of how much of God's work there is to do out there. (Also, the food was fabulous!} Probably the thing that struck me was the power of one when that one person is willing to be used by God. Most of the groups we worked with were only one person with a small staff. Though the going has to be extraordinarily rough, most of them had that "contened Christian" glow about them. That tough tootsie Mary Beth proves that God can work mightily thorugh anyone, Everyone was most gracious in sharing about their work. Their videoes were exceptionally well done--stirring and thought-provoking. Michael Meterer's passion made his presentation especially moving. For Street Level, Beth and I went with Chad, the blond guy who headed up our training, to the Somalia Mart. Walking through the kiosks wasn't real condusive to talking at any deep level to the women even though they were quite friendly. The men out on the sidewalks had no reluctance to talking about spiritual things. I was struck by their preparedness to engage in apolgetics discussions. They presented what to them are "facts" without being argumentative. They would meet any our our counterpoints with "That's lovely," and just forge on to another point rather than be confrontative. They were most generous--offering us tea, a Qu'ran, and a DVD and book about Islam. Several times they mentioned to come back after we'd joined their "beautiful religion". I left very convicted of my own unpreparedness to defend my faith and my lack of knowledge of other beliefs. I also realized it has to be lots easier to evangelize to non believers than those with derply engrained beliefs no matter how strange those creeds seem to us. I would recommend that our church send a group yearly to Mpls. Anyone from early teens to the just-still-mobile would benefit from such a tirp. I agree that prayer walks around campuses and towns would e good. Perhaps we could do service project day in other places besides Elgin such as Upper Iowa or Postville. Maybe we need to keep coresponding with Lisa in Nebraska or someone at some of the ministries we helped. I'm all for another night like our NEpalese night. We need to continue to pray and fast about direction for an international trip. Linking up with a group STEM is sending would be wise. Best of all I enjoyed getting to know the others who went on the trip. Our church is blessed with such commintted, fun people. Upon returning I saw there was a lit tikki torch on each side of the front steps to our house. Doug comes to the door and says, "Big Chief welcome home his missionary." What a fun ending to a great weekend.

Service Saturday Update

It was amazing to watch how the larger OverFlow group pulled together in a few short weeks to make the event happen. Thanks to everyone who prayed, donated financially, donated items, helped with logistics and served on Saturday. Our best guess is that we served 200 meals and 125 ice creams. I think we touched several people's lives with the generosity - through the free items, the food, and the conversations. A big thank you goes out to everyone for playing an important part.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Service Saturday Bounce House

What would our day be like without this big thing in the center of the park. Thanks so much to the bounce house guy for the deal of the day, for the person who paid for this item, for Jeff loaning his truck to transport and for Kelly taking her time to pick it up and return it. A big thank you to all those who helped keep the kids organized and safe while they bounced. Amy, Julie and others: your service was just as important as all the rest. Thanks for letting me sneak in there for a few minutes too :)

Saturday Services

Nick, your willingness to serve amazes. I truly appreciate that you work to build up and encourage others. Your willingness to do the dirty work is definitely noticed. Thanks for being Mr Fix-it and for taking care of so many small details.

Dodd and Mary, you jumped right in to help serve the community. You guys are truly brothers and sisters. You have been a wonderful addition to our church family as well. We appreciate that you guys seek to help others be financially free. Thanks for taking time out of your schedule to serve others in the Valley community.

Bob, I love seeing the pictures of you tuning up bikes. It looks like you're having a ton of fun. We are so glad that you can participate and do double duty with Service Saturday. Thank you for finding ways to serve others around you, even if your station location meant you weren't right in the middle of all the fun. Thanks also to the J.D. shop for letting you bring along hte service truck to make your job easier.

Dr. Ryan, what a fun and creative way to serve the community. We truly appreciate your willingness to take care of the animals in our communities, even if they're stuffed ones! I loved the added bonus of the patient that was hooked up to the monitor, you are so creative. Your efforts didn't go un-noticed. Thanks for taking care of some of the small details so that I could be free to deal with other things.

Shane, we greatly appreciate how you bless so many with your musical talents and interests. It was fun to see that you even did a lap harp, those things are so cool. Thanks for helping young people that also have musical interests in our communities. Thanks to LivingStone for letting us borrow the sound equipment to use for the day, it was a hit!

Service Saturday Painting Project

Vanessa, you jumped right in and helped the kids with the painting project. How precious it was to watch them paint and see the end results (including the toes of a few little boys). Vanessa, Heidi and Melinda, I thank you for your flexibility and helping out with this project.

Service Saturday Car Wash

Luke, Thanks so much for taking charge of the details of the car wash. You guys were rockin' and rollin' all day. Luke, Lauren, Kelly and ____ (person whose name I don't know...sorry) I know that numbers aren't so important but I would be curious to know how many you got to serve by washing their cars. What amazed me is that you guys were perfectly content with your "service" and continued throughout the day with smiles on your faces. Thanks for all your hard work!

Service Saturday Items

Cassie, Melinda, Kristen: thanks so much for taking over the free items tables. You ladies were amazing at organizing and helping out with the free clothes and other free items. I really appreciate your smiles and energy on Saturday. Melinda, I hope you got your voice back!
Thanks also to everyone who made the free items available. We had lots and lots to give away and I'm sure it truly blessed multiple members of the surrounding communities.

Service Saturday Food

Rhett, my old friend. Thanks so much for spear heading the details of the food. I greatly appreciate your willingness to pitch in and help, even after I was crabby towards you. As you can see from a few pictures, the food was enjoyed by many. Thanks also to DeWayne and Chris for your servant hearts and helping out in the "kitchen" area. You guys rock!

Little Servants

I have long understood that children learn by our example, not just what we say. These pictures are a perfect picture of that very thing. As we seek to serve others, the children (and other adults around us) are seeing that example and in turn might learn to serve others as well. Thanks for the help boys!

Other Fun Photos from Service Saturday

Great Grandpa Paul with Baby Noah

Meg with her little guy, Noah.

Julie Larson visits with Ross James. Ross is an amazing guy and such a blessing. I love that he greets me every Sunday with a smile on his face. What a service he provides every week!

Tamara and her little girl, Bethany

Julie and Amy ready for sign ups at the bounce house. Notice the pop... I think they were preparing for an extra boost of energy.

Hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa for the day; Scott eats a hot dog and Bethany waits for her turn to be fed.

The little drummer boys. They were too stinkin cute to watch. What entertainment they provided. Trevin did double duty with a drum and a flute like instrument.