Basin Project 2012: Wednesday in Davenport

THE SUN IS BACK!!!! After a Western Washington-esq Tuesday, we had a beautiful Wednesday here in Davenport filled with a sun and pleasant 70 degrees weather.

VBS attracted a few more kids today, and we finally got to play an outdoor game, kick ball which thrilled the kids. There are a few children that may have professional kickball careers ahead of them. As Heather and Sarah teach the songs to the young kids, my mind often floats back to when I first learned them from Mrs. Rendle years and years ago. After finishing VBS, the students split into two service projects. One was finishing the painting inside the church here, while the other was working on a gazebo at the local hospital. There, we scrapped old paint off the gazebo and then put a layer of primer on the structure. Mark Manso did a project of his own and did some work on Pastor Ted’s electrical system.

After an afternoon of work, we made the half hour trek out to Porcupine Bay, a hangout for the locals. There we met with some Davenport youth, our mission trip team from nearby Harrington, and some of the Harrington youth. At the bay, which is on the shores of Lake Roosevelt, we met for some swimming, barbequing, and some catching up between friends. It was great to hear stories from the other group. The more you talk, the more you realize that the last three days have felt like three months. A Davenport native named Chaz, who is currently at Portland Bible College, shared his testimony and focused on not going through the motions in our walks with the Lord. The night ended with a few hours of Volleyball. Pastor Ted is a volleyball coach, and he brought his portable volleyball kit out to the park to show us how it’s done. After some awe-inspiring plays, and some laugh-causing horrible plays, Chari and Diane made us pack up and go home. If it wasn’t for their insistence, we would probably still be in the moonlight playing volleyball.

Chaz (red shirt) sharing with Harrington and Davenport teams

That’s pretty much our day, but I wanted to quickly talk about the “Davenport Culture.” Every mission trip team develops their own rituals, games, jokes, etc, so I thought that I would share a few of ours.

1). Slapball. Slapball is a game developed by us boys here, but loved by everyone who has come in contact with it. In a nutshell, the point of the game is to slap a stress ball from person to person in the air without it touching the ground. If it touches the ground as a result of your mistake, you take a point. If you accumulate three points, then you lose. The last man without three points wins.

2.) Mafia. Another game that we play. It is a pretty common game, and most of you are pretty familiar with it I’m guessing. The easiest way to explain it quickly is to call it a less complicated and time consuming version of the board game risk. We get pretty into it, and is the source of non-stop laughter.

3.) Chari forgetting her camera. Yesterday at work, Chari forgot to pick up her camera, but Mark found it and instituted a rule we have at our C-group. Instead of just giving it back, the group got to decide on something she would have to do to get it back. We decided to make her make pancakes for breakfast one day. She hasn’t done it yet, but we won’t let her get out of it. J

I can hear everyone yelling downstairs from Mafia, and I want to join them. Over and out from Davenport.

-Joel

This is Mark and I would like to add a few things about the students, our's and Davenport's
First and foremost, each and everyone of our students are to be commended. They have embraced this mission trip, be it in VBS with the skits, music, story telling, games, crafts or being a class leader or a Service Project or Youth Outreach, they are each giving it their all. As I am taking pictures and listening to everyone, my heart is warmed by what I see and hear. Our students are also bonding very well as a group, their support of each other is very evident and sincere. Then there's the laughter, I don't think they ever stop laughing and it's very infectious to us all.

Team bonding

We are continually encouraged by the local Davenport and Harrington students (many Harrington students attend the Davenport functions and vice versa) As Joel mentions above, the local students have gone through some pretty rough things and are able to stay true to or discover their faith in Christ. More than a few times our students have commented on much they enjoy hearing their talks. I believe it gives our students more courage to share their stories.
I do want to talk about the kids attending VBS and how they are bonding and becoming comfortable with our students. Although everyone is tired, today was by far our most energetic day. Music was especially spirited and if volume and enthusiasm are a barometer, everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. We continue to come up with new "Little Green Frog" variations. I can't wait to try our newest one, the Cookie Monster.
I am reminded each year as I attend a mission trip of how rewarding and far reaching the impacts can be. Growth is evident in each student which in turn strengthens and encourages me and definitely gives me hope.