I love mission trips. I don’t love the chaotic pace that inevitably precedes them. For us volunteer youth workers, we have to find time around (and sometimes in) our paying gigs to make the arrangements while keeping up with teaching and all the usual chores of life. Thankfully, I was smart enough this year to enlist a couple of other people to help with organization

The-Oh-By-The-Way-Youth-Ministry-Tip-of-the-Day: If there is a travel agent in your congregation, make sure you ask them if they would be willing to help. They have access to wonderful things that might take an average Jane like me hours to find.

If you are looking for somewhere to do some great work, check into the place we are going. When Hurricane Katrina came ashore, her winds and waters all but wiped out the town of Lakeshore (located near Waveland and Bay St. Louis). Nearly three years later, the number of homeless people is increasing and, despite the efforts of ministries like that at Lakeshore Baptist Church with whom we are partnering, there’s a daunting amount of work yet to be done. Check out this video from their pastor, Don Elbourne, and consider joining the work.