Sr. High Mission trip

A crew of five First Cong Sr High Youth and two adults spent a week at Camp Courageous near Monticello, IA. Camp Courageous is a non-profit, year-round respite care and recreational facility for individuals of all ages with disabilities. The crew had a busy week building trails, digging trenches, power washing buildings, cleaning, unloading food, and washing windows. The group also had time for some fun activities and community building. Check out a picture display on the church’s Facebook Page at .www.facebook.com/firstcongo Many, many thanks go out to Chris Schoenwetter who served as chaperone, supervisor, and photographer for the trip, making the whole thing possible.

Here are some thoughts from the youth who attended the trip:

On the mission trip I really enjoyed seeing people’s reactions to our hard work. Many of the staff members thanked us for volunteering, and it made me feel like we were doing the right thing. I also enjoyed how, as a group, we worked together to get even the hardest tasks done. – Erin Baumann

This year’s mission trip was a wonderful experience. We worked hard every day at mulching, cleaning, clearing brush and more. I was always exhausted by the end of the day, but it was worth it because you could see how much everyone appreciated it. One of my favorite parts of the trip was eating lunch while one of the campers played songs on the piano. It was great to see how everyone – campers, staff, and volunteers- were having a good time. – Emma Beachy

This week on the mission trip has been an adventure. From getting lost on our way to the camp, digging holes, making trails, going on a slip-and-slide, finding snakes and hornets, eating at the Pizza Ranch, bowling at Legacy Lanes, watching movies, and bonding together as a group. I’ve learned a lot about the others and myself. I’ve learned to try to turn obstacles into possibilities and to be tolerant. It’s been a great week and am most thankful for being able to go. - Kobby Brewoo

Well, the trip this week was an interesting week. We did a lot of stuff. We did a bit of everything like: trail making and tree clipping. It was all fun. Jeff and I did a LOT of powerwashing. It was fun because I also got really wet on a hot day. I also enjoyed the challenge of working with a new appliance. I really enjoyed just working with a group of friends and learning new things about them. – Kristin Foglestad

This week on the mission trip I learned so much about myself as well as the campers. The greatest reward was accomplishing our projects and seeing how much the campers and staff benefited from it. Even though the work was hard, the satisfaction at the end of the day was priceless. One day while I was washing windows, and I was getting pretty tired, I heard someone singing. I looked over to see one camper singing to himself, and he had a gorgeous voice. That was the best gift of all and he reminded me of why I was there. - Samantha Rickner