Raking For A Reason Tuesday, November 10, 2009

A cup of steamy hot chocolate and some fresh Krispy Kreme donuts were just right to start off the chilly morning of raking leaves. It was our largest group ever, with over 70 young people involved from the Jeffersonville area. 6:45AM came pretty early, but between Brother Joseph and the donuts, there was plenty of stimulation to stir up the youth and get started cleaning up the yards of the local widowed and elders. With six loaded 15 passenger vans and a truck and trailer pulling our supplies, we were off.

First stop, New Albany, IN. It's quite a site to see 70 eager young workers pile out of a train of vans. There were a slew of freshly fallen leaves to rake up, grass that needed trimming, and a little TLC to get our sisters yard back in pristine condition. Nothing that an army of kids can't handle in a few minutes time. It's always a privilege for us to do a service for precious saints of the Lord.

We then made our way to several other houses along our route, piling up bags of crispy leaves, picking up fallen branches, and cleaning off weathered roof-tops and gutters. Along with the work came a great time of fellowship, a lot of play, and plenty of laughs. From stop to stop, Brother Joseph would rile up the youth and get them excited about the task ahead. Who would be the first group to pile out of the vehicles and into the work zone?

When lunchtime arrived, Pizza Hut was slammed with a crew of hungry workers. Needless to say we went through a lot of pizza. We're thankful for buffets!

With full stomachs and rested bodies, we picked up where we left off before lunch. There was still much to be done, so we went right to work. With the changing of the seasons, we only had a short afternoon to finish up the houses in route. We went to the homes of many precious saints, and were blessed with the opportunity to help them, along with the privilege of getting our pictures taken with some of the home owners.

Come mid-afternoon when everyone was starting to slow down, we made a little pit-stop. A precious family had prepared some snacks to rejuvenate the crew. You'd be surprised what some hot chocolate and cookies can do for a young person! It was just enough to finish up the last few houses and head back to VGR. So we thought. But Brother Joseph had a little something different in mind. "How many would like to go see the new YF Lake?" What a question, and what a response. All hands went up, along with a shout of acceptance.

It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon, and a perfect time to see the pretty fall leaves and the striking reflection off the still waters of the lake. While some played a little volleyball, football and frisbee, others enjoyed a calming walk around the perimeter of the lake. The view was priceless, and the time of fellowship out at this new place of retreat for our young people was a wonderful blessing.

We thank the Lord for the wonderful time He gave us together, the opportunity to be a service to His older children, and for a special group of young believers who love the Lord Jesus and this Message.

Below is a testimony of God's healing power after an injury that happened while at the YF Lake.