Howdy,
Another month gone so quickly, I have officially been in the states for 4 months and working with CMTS for a little over 3 months! There is a lot to catch up on so clear up the next half hour because I have a lot to type.
Work Projects
Over the last month I have been involved in several work projects such as, putting new siding on the warehouse, demolition in the basement, putting up pallet racking, and sorting out the clothing trailer. All of these have been fun and fulfilling but maybe the most out of all was our pallet racking job. Justin, Kai, Aiden, Chris, and I went out to Easton three times in the last three weeks to help another warehouse with a big need. This warehouse is run by just one person and sends out about 50,000 boxes to Operation Christmas Child every year! Previously they had almost no pallet racking and all of the supplies were left on pallets on the floor, but after three visits there is roughly 148 feet of usable pallet racking! Being able to bless someone who blesses so many others was a great experience and I look forward to working with them again!
Work Group
On May 2nd we had a work group come in from Salem Christian School to help sort out clothing. There was a group of 10, 8 students and 2 adults. It was a blessing to get to know and work with them for the morning. In total the group sorted around 60 bags of clothing! Afterwards we all had lunch together and I was able to give them a tour of our gym and the mechanic shop! Everyone had a great time and I was glad to be involved with such a fun group. During this work group I was inspired and realized the need to sort and clean up the clothing trailer. So, over the last week or two since this work group when I have the time I have been sorting through any of our unsorted clothing in the trailer and putting it in its designated spot. This is another project I feel blessed to work on because of how many people will be positively impacted for the kingdom through these clothes. If any of you have clothing you no longer need or grew out of we would be happy to receive and then donate it!
Community Life
Maybe the best aspect of living and working with CMTS is the community. Whether it is working together, eating lunch together, or being together after work, it is always encouraging to be around the people here. April 18th, one of our maintenance guys, Mike Miller and his wife Lisa Miller, took the students and me to Lansford to see some old coal mines and then out to eat. I have on more than one occasion walked into the Smith’s apartment and just hung out on their couch stealing food. The community Bible studies, going to the movies, and even just living in the same area or building as people provides good conversation and comradery. A great aspect of this is having people pour into you while you can be pouring into others.
Hiking Trip
May 8th and 9th a group of guys from the mission (Justin, Nolan, the students, and I) went up the Appalachian trail to camp out for a night. We started hiking Thursday morning around 10:30 and had a campsite picked out and set up by 2:30. The hike was great, more of that community life and talking about the blood of Jesus! Once we set up camp, we went for a swim in a freezing cold reservoir, the kind of cold that gives you brain freeze. We had a fire going, made some great food all night until about 10. Everything was going great, and that’s where the fun really began.
Three of us (Caleb, Isaac, and I) were in my 4 person tent and the others had set up hammocks. Right as we were all going to bed Nolan’s hammock broke, so he ended up in the tent with us. Of course we had picked the rockiest spot to set up our tent so once we all found the “most comfortable” way to sleep we slept off and on through the night until about 6-6:30. When I woke up, I heard Justin and Nolan talking and apparently Justin ended up on the ground in the middle of the night trying to avoid the rain because the tarps we had set up ended up leaking on his hammock! Once we are all awake closer to about 7, we start packing up and getting ready for the wet and cold hike we have ahead of us. Around 8 am we are all ready and start hiking out. The first 45 minutes were not too bad. We warmed up because we were moving and we had tree cover from the rain. Then the last 25 minutes came. The last downhill stretch and all the water had been pooling and falling down, basically creating a creek on the trail. I started stepping through puddles underestimating how deep it went until I felt water in my socks because it had gone high enough to get into the tongue of my boot and down into my feet. All in all once we got back to the van we all agreed that it was a great trip and I plan to do it again!
Prayer Requests
I believe prayer in my life is more important than finances or anything else you can give, Here are a few things you could be praying over for this next month
- North and South Carolina family trip
- Walk with God
- Discernment
- Finances
- The Staff retreat
- Students graduation
Personal Life
There is a lot going on and coming up in my personal life, most of which I am looking forward to. I have been doing a bit of fishing this week which I am hoping will continue into the summer, Cooking is going much better and the results have proven it. I will be going to North and South Carolina on Memorial Day Weekend after graduation to see some family. I am getting baptized May 16th (which as I write this is tomorrow). I’m still managing health insurance stuff, possible counseling schools, and there’s probably stuff I am forgetting! I am feeling growth from being here at CMTS and more confirmation that this is where God wants me. Thank you all for supporting me and giving me the ability and privilege of working for God!