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The Cherokee Experience: NLC takes first team on mission trip by: Christy Segre-Lewis
We weren’t that far away from home. Only 10 hours by car…But, it felt like a different world. It started when we noticed the reception “bars” slowly disappearing on the cell phone. Then, we saw our last Wal-Mart…What would the week hold? Well, we were about to find out.
Sunday began our week in the most unusual church service that I have ever attended. I can’t do it justice in trying to explain…even as I was sitting there, I just knew that I should have recorded some parts of the experience. I didn’t, so you will have to go…Ask Dave for directions.
Cherokee is a beautiful place. The Great Smoky Mountains rising all around were green and fresh with the smell of summer. Rain punctuated the week to cool us down and remind us of God’s refreshment of his creation. Oh, how He was refreshing all of us in that week! We would find that God brought us here so that we might find our rest in Him. It is amazing how working hard for God will make you sleep well and feel less stressed by the world!
We did so many different things in the week, that we never got bored! Everything – from clearing land, “plumbing,” playground maintenance, new cabin construction and the ever popular cleaning of the communal bathrooms…we did it all! Our team worked together seamlessly and in harmony the entire week. Praise God! Each team member got to use their gifts and abilities from running a weed wacker and swinging a hammer to engaging our new Indian friend, Tiney, in conversation about her family and her life.
I am very thankful for the great time of fellowship that we had together as a team. With great “excursions” like searching for rocks in the river, attending the outdoor drama “Unto These Hills,” and the very necessary Dairy Queen run…we enjoyed each other as friends. With the morning studies and reflective “debrief” sessions in the evenings…we got to know each other as family.
All in all, we went to serve the people of Cherokee. In doing so, we all recognized that God had us there to display His grace to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, and ultimately – He showed His grace to us.
There is no greater thrill then experiencing God’s graces in serving others. This was NLC’s first mission trip and will certainly not be it’s last. Would you pray, asking God to show you how he might have you participate in the future? For questions about future mission trips, contact Dave Koerner.
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