Go to our media page for links to pictures for Mission Arlington 2010

Well we finally got to Arlington this morning around 9:30.  We ended up staying in Abilene last night and finally got to our hotel around 11:30 last night.  Then we got up this morning at 5:30 so we could eat breakfast and get on the road so we could be at Mission Arlington at 9:30 this morning to prepare for our apartment complexes.  The most amazing thing is that no one was late.  We got very little sleep last night but all of our students were on time and were great.  I probably did more complaining than anyone.  All of our mission sites went good today.  It was a little rushed this morning because we drove straight in but our students adjusted quickly.  I think God likes playing jokes on me because I was hoping for a cold front but it was the hottest day of the summer so far.  The high was 102 today in Dallas and believe me it felt like 120.  Our students really are amazing though.  Even though they were running on a long day yesterday, little sleep, and very hot weather today, they worked really hard and did a great job.  One of our groups had over 40 kids show up today.  God really is doing some great things through our group and with our group.  It is about 11:30 on Monday night and I am sitting on the side of the pool typing this while a lot of our kids are enjoying a little bit of down time in the pool before another hard days work.  Please continue praying for us.  I'm still hoping for that cold front to blow in!!

Chad

Well day 3 is over.  It's amazing to watch God work everyday.  I have watched the kids we are working with go from mean, wild, crazy, disobedient kids to extremely loving.  I have heard from several people today that it seemed like they were working with different groups.  All the groups today went really well.  Our times went from being punched and kids yelling on Monday to hugs and lots of love today.  It's really fun to watch how fast these kids bond to our teenagers and how fast our teenagers fall in love with them.  I think it's a great picture of God's love.  If we invest in people and truly love them then they can't help but love us back.  That is what has happened this week.

Tomorrow is our last day with the kids.  It's always kind of sad after we spend a week getting to know them and then we have to leave.  My prayer is that each time we have a trip like this our students are able to take a piece back to Lubbock.  We need to learn how to minister to people in Lubbock the same way we do in Arlington.  I think our students this week are learning how to do that.  

On another note I hope I haven't offended any moms.  I have heard from a couple of kids that moms are upset because they wanted to take their kids to see Toy Story 3.  Well I do apologize for that but we went and saw it tonight.  We went to the Studio Movie Grill and watched it.  This is a place where you go to eat but you watch the movie while you're eating.   

This week has been really incredible and it's fun hanging out with our teenagers from IABC.  I see God working in so many of their lives and it's a privilege to team up with them and work along side of them.  We will be home tomorrow!!

Chad