For the frst time since the onset of covid-19 two years ago, my wife Sue and I were able to take my middle school jugglers on a four day ministry trip.  This year, like most recently, we went to Vermont, but there was a lot that was different.  First of all, we stayed in a new base church.  Instead of settling up camp in the Burlington area, we stayed in the much more rural town of Vergennes.  This came witrh pros: less traffic, more spacious church yard for the kids to play in, quieter nights; and cons: further from our venues.  Nonetheless, overall it was a good setting for our base camp with large rooms and a full kitchen.

Another difference this year is that all our chaperones (except Sue and me, of course) were new to LOL's overnights.  Jonah, the youth pastor of our school, his 22 yer old sister, Whitney, and Wayne, a father of two LOL boys made up the team of adulrs.  I've rarely if ever have used to 20-sometihngs on a trip before, but Jonah and Whitney were excellent, and the kids love them.  Wayne, a bit older, was our medical person since he is a PA.

We left on Thursday, May 26 at 8:45.  The trip was smoothand the kids were great. Jonah rode in the van I drove, and he shared his story of his first love and broken heart with the kids.  It was awesome for them to hear an honest, challenging story from a young man they respect.  Half way to our Vergennes destination, we stopped in Bethlehem, New Hampshire to have lunch and do a program for the Bethlehem Christian Academy.  This was a new venue for us, and the first real visitors they've had since covid began.  They treated us very well, providing us with a pizza lunch.  Then our first show of the tour began.  The kids did grreat (they hadn't had a bad show all year!).  Because Jake was unable to join us, there were a variety of substitutions we had to make.  When we got to "I Want to Know What Love Is" there was noone to play Jake's part of the 'hot guy'. When we realized we didn't have an actor, Caleb jumped up to fill in.  Although he had never even rehearsed this role, he played it perfectly. 

Some highlights of this show included Elana's 8th grade solo.  She juggled to DC Talk's "Jesus Freak" and nailed every trick from balls to battle axes.  

After the show, we had dessert with our New Hampshire counterparts.  then got on the road again.  That was our only show of the day, so when we finally arrived in Vergennes, Jonah and Whitney went to pick up groceries- all the nonperishables were donated and transported there, but meat, etc had to be bought on site- while we supervised the team as they enjoyed the many acres on yard the Assembly of God church owns.Sue, with the assistance of one of our student work teams, prepared a spaghetti and meatballs dinner that couldn't be beat.  We ended the day with worship singing led by Jonah, then an interactive Lord's Prayer.  God was clearly all through this trip, and He was just getting started.