The Des Moines Christian School Team jumped right into their first day in Abaco by doing work on an ongoing Many Hands project and meeting up with youth group kids!
This was the first morning in Abaco. Waking up to warm weather on the beach was something that we had not fully expected. Even though we all came from the same school we haven’t had the opportunity to spend a lot of time together as a group. Today we got up not really knowing what was in store. We knew the work we were going to be doing but we didn’t know how it would impact us. We did work at the Saunders home.
Listening to Mrs. Saunders’ story impacted us for the better and motivated us to work even harder. Helping Mr. Larry and Ms. Nicole was extremely fulfilling. The challenges of Hurricane Dorian were immense but these peoples’ faith was stronger, proven by their resolve. There was a lot of work to be done. We sanded, primed, painted, and moved dirt in the backyard. We connected with the family and their daughter, Larriell, helped us paint. We gained a new friend and new community by running errands with the family. After completing the day’s work, we felt fulfilled by what we had accomplished. Even though we only completed a small portion of this house we took great pride in the work we accomplished for the day. Ms Nicole was so appreciative of the work we had done. It lifted our spirits. Our connection was almost immediate with the Saunders family.
Later today, we met a youth leadership group from G2 (Growth Groups). They were all about our age. We loved getting to know each other and sharing our stories. We played many games and ate together. After hearing people’s testimonies we felt even closer to them because we started getting to know each other more deeply. We made many connections that we didn’t expect and wished we had more time with the group. The group that we met tonight had lively personalities that filled the room with smiles and laughter. It was hard to see them go, but we made lifelong memories together.
Overall, today was such a great experience and a good start to the trip. After day 1, we can already feel a closer connection between all of us. We can’t even imagine how many more amazing memories we could make with one another and the community that we are in. We are so excited for the rest of the week and what God has in store for us.
— Ava, Abby, Naomi, and Grace
