Another pic..

Caleb doing a talent skit in front of the whole group last night...

Pictures from the mission field...

Here's a few pics that have been sent from cell phones...

Blogging

Ken just phoned and said there will be limited if any blogging, due to no internet connection. Please feel free to call any cell phone after 4 pm. The kids will be asked daily if they want to call home.

Everyone is good, but tired!!

Email Us!

We can receive email while we're on the mission trip! We'd love to hear encouraging words from our friends, family, and church supporters while we're gone. The Site Office will print them out and post them on the "Mail Wall" for us to pick up.

1. Go to http://www.groupworkcamps.com/
2. Click on the "eMail A Camper" link in the upper right corner and follow the easy instructions to send a message.

3. Enter the information shown below, who your message is for, and your message.

We won't be able to return email messages, but we'll enjoy getting the words of encouragement.

NASHVILLE 2009

We're gettin' ready for Nashville...lots to pack and do before 6 am! We're praying for our valiant adults who have volunteered to stay at the lock-in tonight - heaven help them! We can't wait to drive 500 miles to stay in a hot church, take outdoor showers under hoses, and eat spaghetti - we remember the motto, "Work nice, be nice!"! Seriously, we are getting EXCITED to serve the LORD! As a PS, Deanna REEKS of awesomeness!

The queen is herreee -> LAUREN! what? WORD.

Tonight is super hero night, and I am stoked. This week has been off the chain! I miss family and home, but I know that going back I will have learned a lot. We made it through emotional night, and I know that it only made our youth group stronger. :D I have met some truly amazing people here, and I am seriously dreading the hard goodbyes. Can't wait to see you.. well next Sunday. :D Love you guys, and miss you Sesamee. :D


Storroo in the houseee[aka, stacefacee]
so tonight is superhero night, and wow, our youth group is totally decked out. I must say we are the craziest youth group here. Last night was the emotional one, and i must say our youth group has come so much closer and all the friends I made here are deffinitly keepers...they deffinitly TRUE friends. I worked with lauren's crew today and it was a lot of fun. i made 3 new frieds from illonois. doing more care cards, since tonight is the last nightttt. cecily, i miss you a TON. i love youuu(:


hay guys!!!!! it's Brianna :)
i had soooooo much fun today!!!! i love my crew soooo much!!! i have so much fun with them!!!!
i'm sad to be leaving my crew but i am glad to come home to North Carolina! :) me and michael have had fun!!! i'm glad he came on the trip this year :) well i got my new job on tuesday and i actually worked for the rest of the week! i helped build a picket fence, weeded a garden and made a garden from digging grass (that was the hottest day this week and i sweated the most that day) today we have "superhero day" where you make up superheros from scratch!!(from what you already brought to camp) and guess what i am!!!! monkey woman!!! im wearing my monkey pajama pants and a pink shirt with a monkey on it that says "SMILE, it confuses people" so any way, that's what's going on :) see ya when we get back home :)
love you,
Brianna :)

Hi guys!
It is Jesse! How is everyone? I don't want to leave but I still want to go home. It is great here. The name of the church is Tabernacle Pres. Church or something like that. Today is dress up like a super hero day and I am Bach Girl!
Sam would love it here.
Well bye, I loveeeeeeeee you!
Jesse M.


Maggie's
hey whats up yall every one here has said i have a very bad southern accent but i dont think so they sound really weird because i am not use to it i really like it though its cool just to hear them talk. but yeah i am having lots of fun and made some really cool friends. one of my good friends i have made is named leslie she is from illinois shes a year younger than me but really cool. i cant wait to get home but at the same time i want to stay. oh my crew leaders r cool too ones a chemist and the other is a professional surgen.okay i have to go but i love u all so much and miss u ALOT. see u tomorrow. LOVE U SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!

MAGGIE *:)




DANIEL

Wat is up my homie gs. first of all im thankful for another great week wit the youth. my group did awesome suprisingly today. also my titanium necklace jacked. i have harry potter over my shoulder.
luv ya mommy, diddy, and steve

ello mates...:] yesterday of course, had to be the SAD DAY so evryone cried....:[.. well i need to make this quick cuz we're playing he spitty majitty water game...OH THE JOY

heyyy yall, its meredith.(:
today was definitely the last day. its pretty sad. this week has been amazing, i really enjoyed it. so uh yeah bye.

It's Stephanie

Hala! Today was the last day. :( We had to say goodbye to all the little kids at the B & G club. It was so sad! One little girl (T'Jayla) actually CRIED because we were leaving! Tonight is Superhero Night. I'm not dressing up though. I had a lot of ideas, but I just didn't feel like doing them. :D I thought about being Dental Woman, Tacky Girl or Lil' Miss Dirty South. Haha! I miss home so much and I can't wait to get back and see everyone!

Hi guys it's becky
I'm going to really honest and say I want to go home. Not that I don't enjoy it here I do but the past two days I havent felt very well and I havent done much at all. But I did try to do all I could even when Ken and Amy told me I needed to take a break. But I've really enjoyed getting to know DJ the woman my crew helped this week. She's a great woman and she really loves God and everyone around her. With what little she has she gives twice as much to the people around her and it's amazing! And I thought I had it bad but really what I've seen this week makes me look over everything I have and really appreciate the simple things some of us take for granted. But this week has been great! Love you guys and miss you all. And last but not least I love you mom even if I don't always show it like I should.
~Becca~

hi it's daniel
yes the soda story is true. just in case michael got the story wrong, or you didn't hear it, let me tell it. i got a natural soda from an amazing guy named Daniel(the name is the best). it got shook up quite alot and then michael knocked it out of my hands. it landed on the floor and busted open and acted just like a sprinkler. it was awesome!! that's about it. im having a great time here. talk to y'all soon(most of the people here are from illionis and maryland, so they make fun of our southern accent)

hi it's Ellie
havin' fun! bein' towel women! got to go! luv you all!
hi mom its michael millen

i actually cried a lot last night anyway like 10 min. ago daniell griffin had a natural made sod and it got shaken up a hole lot and he was walking away and it fell and exploded, that was a blast!

Big Daddy and Miss Kathie reporting as instructed,


We have had a very impactful couple of days. Most of the parents probably know this already, due to the phone calls late into last night. Kathie and my prayers have been answered in that all, and I do mean all, of the youth have been affected through this experience. I can definitely say that God is at work in Indianapolis.

I also want to take a minute to brag. All of the parents should be extremely proud of each of these kids. They are an extrordinary bunch, and they are such a blessing to all of the other youth here. You heard me right, they are spiritural leaders, mentors and examples to most of the other youth at the camp. Praise be to God. We want to thank each of you for raising your kids to be polite, show respect, and love God. Thank you.

I love you all, and can't wait to see you on Friday. Please pray for our safe return.

See ya on the Down Low (What What)

Hi this is michael i'm having a blast at first I thought we were going to work at the church that we sleep in but my group works at a different church that is huge and looks really nice and at first i thought that the church didnt need any help but then we went up stairs and the place needed a new paint job so thats what ive been doing and today we started edging the sidewalk thats been my week



p.s. mom i miss you sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much love ya

its staceyyy!
so this week sucked when we first got here, first of all our first day our crew was stuck working at the chuch instead of our assigned area. Then, when i was doing crew devotions, my crew would NOT listen to me, they would zone off and talk to each other. Then, I was reassigned again today out of the Boys and Girls club and had to go to the Peace Gardens crew site and landscape. But, it got a ton better. I yelled at my crew today to listen to me and devotions are getting better..no worries, i straightened them out. And, I am starting to like my crew a little better, and we are starting to get a long better. I made a lot of friends here, and Im getting closer to the youth group. Laser tag was awesome. Tonight, I volunteered to be in the drama for tonights program and I offered up one of my God sightings today, for me to share tonight. My God sighting is that when we were at the Boys and Girls club, there was this one girl and she was born with one leg. Not only did she have enough courage to talk about it with us, but she is actaully on the cheerleading team at the club. That was very insperational... going to go do care cardsss(: cecily, we still miss you to deathh, i hope your college thing went really good today. i love and miss everyone.


HOLLAAHHOLLAHH it's lauren, but ofcourse. :D
I miss home and all of you guys, but I am having a blast! I am really enjoying the manual labor that I have been working on. It's for a good cause, and I am just LOVING it. My crew and I have already gotten extremely close as well, which will kind of well.. suck when we have to say those dreadful goodbyes. Oh, and lasertag was pretty awesome. I wasn't the greatest, but thats about my only weakness I have ;) We have learned a lot so far about serving, taking risks, and forgiveness (and thats a bigg toughie!) I am kind of anxious about tonight..emotional night. x Oh, and you guys should be extra proud of me, because I danced in front of the whole church and rapped. Double Threat! Haha, Well.. Thats about all, except I miss you so much Cecily and I love you :D!


Hi its daniel.
im havin a great time here but cant wait to get home. im currently workin at a church. my group would be great if they listened. so last night i had a blast playin laser tag. again i cant wait to get home and see all of yall. love ya


Hi Kaitlin
I am having a lot of fun.Last night we went to laser tag it was cool.Today I went to the Boys and Girls club for half a day and then we went to do some yard work at this lady`s house.It rained a little bit just for a litte while.Tommrow we are going to go back to the lady`s house all day.It has been a lot of fun.

MAGGIES
Dear brooke,
hey gurl i havent got ur email yet so yeah. i have had alot of fun and cant wait to finish shareing it all with u.
Dear family,
i have missed u all so very much but i have had a blast here in indinapollis the ride was tireing but the sights of it was awesome u have to see west virgina we had a blast going through tunnels ow we went through virgina west virgina ohio and indinana oh yeah see u all soon love u bye.


Hey everyone! Kathie here, and I'm having a blast at the old church I'm helping to paint. We were able to play basketball with the kids camp they have there today - we all had fun! David was a lifesaver today. Someone tried to steal our cooler, but he caught up with the guy and talked him into giving it back. I'm so proud of him! We also got a spur-of-the-moment info session about the pipe organ they have at the church - very cool! Gotta run - session is starting!

BIG DADDY IN THE HOUSE!!!

WE ARE ALL HAVING A GREAT TIME. I HAVE FOUND MY REASON TO BE HERE AND HIS NAME IS DOUG. WE ARE DEFFINITELY CROSSING SPIRITUAL PATHS AT THE RIGHT TIME, AND IT IS AMAZING SEEING GOD AT WORK HERE.

LASER TAG WAS AWESOME, AND YES I DID DOMINATE.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO TONIGHT, AND I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE EVERY ONE WHEN WE GET HOME.

LOVE YA,

KEN

hey its sirena.

HEY ALL I MISS YOU SOOOO MUCHHHH!!!
well the trip hasbeen so awsome its not even funny. Ive been doing alot, helping clean the "peace house" and digging alot at the other person house and its been so fun with Amy and she awsome.

~~sirena~~ LOVE YOU!

Deanna is okay!

Hello CCC family & other fellow North Carolinians,

I'm writing a quick note letting everyone know I'm good. Actually I'm having a blast here & We can't wait to get home & tell everyone how GOD is moving here in everyone & everything. I promise you all would not recognize most of us. I forgot how much I love to serve & give. Yes I did just type that, see you already don't know who I am now. Mostly all the parents of the youth should be really really really PROUD of your teens. We have the best group. These kids are so awesome. I pray that my two kiddos can grow up to be a lot like them. I would be so thrilled. Take care & we will see you Sunday.

Working in HIM,
Deanna Ragan

SMB BABY!

HI!!!! As you can probably already tell, I am feeling so much more like my normal self than on Monday when I blogged last. I must admit, Monday really wasn't all that fun, but I am having fun now!! At first, the kids at the Boys' and Girls' Club were really stand-off-ish (not sure how to break that word down...lol). They glared at us from across the room and stuff. Tuesday, most of them were really friendly, and today, they were all totally open and sweet. There are about four little girls who are my favorites: Shania (but you say it shuhn-EYE-uh), T'Jayla, Mecayla, and Fantasia. It took me FOREVER to get to where I can remember their names! :) Shania is hilarious. She has an attitude. It's so funny! I honestly don't know why I love her so much, though. She's sort of a brat, and usually, I cannot STAND brats, but she's different. She talks so funny! She talks like a...a...I don't know exactly, but you know the snap-your-fingers-in-an-arc-above-your-head voice and how you move your head and stuff? It's like that.

I was really homesick yesterday morning, and a little bit this afternoon, but I'm better now. I am having a good time, but, seriously, I MISS YOU MOMMA AND DADDY AND SARAH!! I really never knew how much y'all meant to me, and if I get nothing but knowing that out of this trip (which I know I'll get a lot more than just that), it'll be worth it.

Well, I better go. Tonight is the emotional night. LOL! I love you all back home soooooo much and I can't wait to tell you all this stuff in person. There's no way I can say it all with a computer. Love you!! TTYL! (Talk To You Later for all the im-speak illiterates out there :))

~ME

Hi...this is Jesse M.

Hi!,
I MISS YOU GUYS! Love you! I have had the best time in my life. I love it here! I don't want to leave! :) But I do want to come home. Sorry mom I forgot to get the church name. But the guy played the organ ( I can't spell!) today and it was sooooooo pretty! The lowest key of it was like a earthquake, I wish you could hear it! I wish Sam was here, he would LOVE IT! Well bye!


JESSE! * Hugs and Kisses ( to all the animals too!)*

Hi it's Ellie!
Things are still fun up here! I am getting a little tired....but it's not too bad. I'm still hangin' with some todders.....and enjoying every minute! I've met some really awesome kids that I wish I wouldn't have to leave:( I'm making some friends that are older! Please pray for me because I'm devotion leader for my crew and that's a little nerve racking....but they tell me I'm doin' well. Anyways I've got to go......I love you all...keep smilin'!

It Kuhristen....
haha WOW O WOW O WOW!! Me and kathy and daniel and daniel and david and jesse and micheal...i think thats it, any ways we're working in a HUGE CHURCH and i call it "the castle" cuz like...WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!!! its cooooollll!! I miss you all muches and muches and muches...today will be EMOTIONAL so don't call me when i cry. YUMMMMM STARBUCKS IS PRETTY goood:] wow this is getting long so im gonna stop...:] no haha i was jking im gonna go on and on and on and ONNN!!! JKJKJK:] peace out childrennn:P



It's dinner time. More blogs later!

FREE NIGHT

Hello to all,

Tonight is our free night out so, we will not be doing individual postings. We are going to play Laser Tag instead.

Everyone is doing great. We are tired, silly, Working Nice and did I say tired. But we are having a great time. I will let you all in on a secret that you can ask your kids about when they get home. Last night they washed someone's feet and had their feet washed.

Anyway, they are all waiting outside to go play, so I guess I'd better go. Peace Out, and we'll catch you all tomorrow.

Ken

lovin' out loud!

I am having an awesome time! My crew consists of Daniel B, David, Kristen, Jesse, and Cory and Jacob from IL. We've been painting the attic space of this church which is one of the coolest church I've seen. It was built in the 1920's in French Gothic style. They were the first church in the US to start a sports ministry, so they have basketball courts, and football, baseball, and soccer fields (each floor of the church is 35,000 square feet). The governor of IN goes to this church, if that helps with the mental picture! We're working with another crew converting the attic to an office (after cleaning tomorrow, we get to move furniture!). I miss all of you, but serving here is life-changing!

It's Stephanie--finally

Helloooo! It's ME! We're having a fun time here in Indianapolis. Ellie and Mrs. Deanna are in my crew. There are also two other girls named Dani and Jenn. We are working at the Boys' and Girls' club here. It was pretty fun. The club is in an area of town that's a little bit run-down. It's kind of sad. :( But we're having fun playing with the kids!! There are two girls who are soooo adorable! And there are tons of games to play and stuff. My sandwich got stale though so that was sad. Lol! Well, I'll talk to you l8r! (Oh, btw that means later for all y'all non-im-speak people out there! :D)

7/28/08 Monday- Monday

Ken "Big Daddy" Barrett

Today was our first full day at the camp, and after some much needed sleep we were able to "Get Down and He Lifts Me Up". That's right, the theme song is the same this year as last. The crew that I am serving with is working with Global Peace. This goup is in the business of going into underpriviledged ( drugs and prostitution) neighborhoods and restoring peace and beatification to the area. It is a wonderful organization, and Linda (the leader) is an awesome lady. I look forward to a life-changing experience, and please be aware that those kids you dropped off on Saturday night might be a little different when you pick them up.

Everyone is doing great, atleast that's what they are telling me. We hope to get a great night sleep, and be ready to serve our crew's and the people of this community. Please continue to pray for us, and we will try to be diligent in our blogging.

Later,
Ken



Amy:

Hi everyone! Wow, we were busy today! Becky and Sirenna are in my crew and we are having a great time. We are assigned to Global Peace Industries which is an organization that provides food (per peace gardens) and helps communties take pride in their neighborhoods. With this being the last week of the Group Workcamps, this week is focused on helping the leaders of the organization with their homes and areas that they use to facilitate their operations from. Three crews are working for Global Peace Industries and the director is awesome! I was VERY dirty when we got back today and the shower felt GREAT. Some of us will be digging tomorrow so we should sleep good!

I am excited to be here and looking forward to the rest of the week and seeing what God has in store. We have already seen him at work today!

Amy :)

hey guys its meredith(:
uh the first day was rough, but things are pretty cool now. i found a starbucks! :D and uh, we dont get enough sleep. but they have good food. and im working for this peace gardens things. im pretty much planting stuff. and uh mom, will you please go turn my phone off, cause jamie has the cord thing. thankss. i love you guys.


Guess who!!!! It's Becca!
Ok so let me tell you that I've taken a big step out of my comfort zone this year and alot of people have noticed. Last year in my crew I was the organizer which is pretty much really simple but this year i volunteered to be the devotion leader! And on top of that Amy and Sirena told me that before I came I only talked when spoken to but when we got here that I'm talking alotand weel I can talk alot. The lady that we are helping her name is DJ and she is sooooo sweet! But yea.....let me say this one more thing and I'l be done. I MISS YOU CECILY BUNCHES!!!!!!!!


Yeahhh.... It's Lauren. Be excited. :D
Hey YA'LL. So, I survived the first day of weeding, moving heavvyy wood, and dealing with all spiders in the history of the world. I've had a lot of fun so far, and I am looking forwared to the rest of the days ahead. I miss you so much Cecily, and for the record the carrides just weren't the same. (: I love all you guys and miss you bunches! oh, and outdoor showers...suck

It's Staceyyy
Kaitlin and I were so absolutely blessed and were put in the same crew(: yayy. but anyways, we were asigned to go to the Boys and Girl club. I was really excited, I wanted to go there really bad. but anyways, I volunteered to be the devotional leader of my crew. My crew is small, only 6 girls. Me, Kaitlin, our leader Deb, and three 12 year olds named Hannah, Kelly, and Michelle. Lauren and I have already taught our "water game" from the lock-in with some of the people here(: I miss Cecily a lot, but we did make up a north carolina song to remind us of the rap from last year. I love you all and miss yall.

Hi Its Sirena,
its was so fun today and i dontno what to write....the trip up was fun and everyone was sleeping.my crew is helping clean up around thehouse and stuff :).

Go me, Go me, it's my birthday. Seriously, it is,
Hi it's daniel. im just chilling and thinking about my bed. im tired. oh well it was fun today. camp's alright. we have to do breakfast tomorrow so we have to get up really early. talk to you tomorrow if i can stay asl...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

hi it's Kaitlin
I am in a crew with Stacey and three other girls that are 12 years old. It was fun today we stayed at the church and deep cleaned.We pulled some weeds.I am really tired .

Hi it's Ellie!
We are havin' tons of great, good, christian fellowship and fun! And I am personally haveing an absolute blast. I love almost everything, right down to the showers! Ms.Deanna, Stephanie and I are in the same crew. Ms.Deanna says hi by the way. Anyways I'm havin' fun and trying to make new friends. I'm workin' at the boys and girls club and hangin' with some toddlers and thats great too! Well got to go, luv you all!

Hi everyone, it's Brianna!!!!!
i am having a blast this year! our cross this year is still the best one BY FAR!!!! me and maggie are in the same crew!!!! the rest of the people in our group are from the same youth group b/c they have like 33 people in their youth group including adults and we have two leaders in our crew that go to work during the day and there's only five youth. me and maggie are actually the oldest ones in our crew!!!! the rest of them are all thirteen, except for of course the adults, but i don't know how old they are :) anyway..... our job is called Save the Youth where we were SUPPOSED to watch over kids from 10 to 16 but instead we had to clean for half of the day and then after lunch we got to play fooseball and pool and lift wieghts and play basket ball, volley ball and wall ball AND we got to play in their awesome computer lab and watch youtube video mainly about dry ice and pools :) lol!!! but when we got back and checked in with the red shirt people they told us that we would get a different job for the rest of the week :( i liked this job :) well that's pretty much it :) now it's maggie's turn!!!! bye mom and dad and who ever else is reading this :)

Hi this is MAGGIE,
hey this is me i miss u all so much!!! anyways i will be fine so DONT WORRY MOM i am doing great and i love the out door showers it really wakes u up lol well i alot of people have to type so ttyl LOVE U ALL SO MUCH DO NOT WORRY ITS GREAT! BYE.........................

Hi!,
This is Jesse! I have had a great time so far! We are working at a church ( my crew) and it is HUGE! (Mom you would love it!) And w have a lot of fun of exploring. I stained some wood...it wasn't easy! Well good bye! Love you sooooo much!

Bye,
Jesse :)


Everyone may not have blogged yet but it is dinner time so whoever hasn't yet will later!! Amy

Monday Morning

Good morning all! We are up and ready to head out to our work sites. We are excited and ready for the week. We don't have time to blog right now so we will blog later!!!

We're up!

Well, at least 2 of us are up and ready to go. WE NEED COFFEE!!!!!! Pray for safe travel - those Yankee drivers can be pretty crazy!