This year's trip - Scott Friedrich

This year’s mission trip will be very strange for me. I won’t be going.

When I joined Sara and Julie as a leader of the youth group, I didn’t know either lady at all. My family had only been attending Good Shepherd a short time when Pastor Ted paid us a visit. During the course of our conversation, I told Ted I had enjoyed working with the youth at our previous church. In his usual casual, laid back style, Ted immediately arranged a meeting with Sara, informing her “a warm body wants to help you with the youth, and it’s a guy!”

I vividly remembering that first ‘official meeting’ with Julie and Sara. I really wanted to bring something of value to the group. I boldly proclaimed my two major goals: to help bring more men into youth ministry, and for us to organize real mission trips. We haven’t been very successful bringing more men into this ministry (except, of course, for Ray). But the mission trip idea was, in my opinion, a huge success.

I have witness amazing things in my two trips. Youth stepping up and stepping out of their comfort zones. Doing service with glad hearts and a child-like faith that is so powerful. They have touched many people’s hearts and souls. They have touched mine as well. I have found the time spent on these trips, with our youth, to be amoung the most spiritually enriching of my life.

Now I send my son on this mission trip without me for the first time. Because of the logistics of the number of youth we are sending, only three adult leaders can attend. Sara will obviously be going, as will Julie and both her daughters. Tim is the obvious third choice because of his expertise with social media, allowing him to blog and record the trip.

I will really miss going on this trip. I will miss my son. I will miss being part of this special group. I will miss creating memories that will last a lifetime. But my prayers, and I hope every member of our congregation’s prayers, will be with our missionaries.

I hope you will all join me in supporting this trip with our thoughts, prayers, gifts, and by following our mission team’s trip through this blog.

God Bless you all.

Scott