1) Have you ever been on a mission trip, as a participant or adult chaperone? What was it like? I’ve done both…as a youth and as an adult leader (chaperone)!

2) What is the worst thing that happened to you/your group on a mission trip (or retreat, or camp, or Habitat for Humanity experience, or something like that–hey, this is YOUR Friday Five, so you get to play it how you would like.) WOW…I’ve got the story for you on this one. When I took a group to Biloxi Mississippi a few summers ago, we had quite the trip getting home! We got to the hotel to check-in and they told us our flight had already left. We were like what!?!?! Turns out the airline had changed our flight and never let anyone now…grrr!!! Luckily the airline paid for us to stay in a hotel for the night where the kids got to watch fireworks as they sat in the pool outside. We got up really early for the new flight they had confirmed us on! When we got there, it turned out our flight was an hour later so we crashed on the floor. Got into Atlanta and some kids were on one flight and the rest were on a later flight. What a mess! And we had youth who were trying to catch flights with family! So we were able to send a few youth and an adult leader on without the rest of us but the adult leader was on standby. So we filled out all the necesary paperwork, called parents, etc. At the last minute, the adult leader was able to get on the flight. The rest of us waited for our flight and it started thundering etc! So needless to say we were a little delayed too. Met a family who was flying to Mayo with their daughter so we prayed for them! Tammy the other adult leader and the three youth finally arrived in Minneapolis. However since Tammy was the parent, they wouldnt let her go with the youth who were minors and they wouldnt let the parents come up to get them so they were stuck between levels. Finally Tammy convinced the guy to let her go etc! We all eventually met up. Then we went to get our vehicles but we lost one of the parking permits so we had to show id and go through a bunch of hastle to finally leave! Stopped on the way home and got gas! Finally got back home and Tammy’s husband said do you have your id? And she was like yes! And he goes no you dont; the airport just called and you left it there. We figure she was so frazzled that she just left it! They had to send it to her! Quite the adventure home!

3) If money were no object, where would you want to go to help and serve? What would you do? So many places! I would love to go to India to our companion synod. I also would LOVE to go to Haiti!!!

4) What would be your advice to someone who will be sleeping in a gym with 20 other people for a week? Earplugs in case there are snorers, be respectful of others and they will respect you. I also think its important to know that not everyone operates the same way. On our trip, two different groups broke the rules and snuck out. When ours found out, they were like why did they break the rules and they felt left out? I felt bad for my youth but knew we had done the right thing!

5) Any parting thoughts, stories, or questions you have around the whole theme of Mission Trips? Nope not really!