Service Trip Day 5: Notecards Part 1

Throughout the week, we have been writing note cards with little stories and encouraging words on them for each participant on the trip. Today, I worked with one student to hole punch them and attach them together with a book ring. While many of the students have not finished writing the notes yet, later tonight we will pass them out to the students so they can read what other think about them. Last year, we had journals that we wrote in for each participant. These journals brought people to tears as they read the encouraging words. The best part about it is that each student can take home their notecards and look at it whenever they are feeling sad or just need some encouragement. I know the journal idea started (with the notecards an adaptation of the journals), when we realized the power of sharing our feelings with each other during the service trip. Just after the first student trip, I headed to Australia to study abroad, but the chapter through me a surprise going away party. The best present they gave me was a journal with stories of how I had impacted their life, memories, and encouraging words. Whenever I was feeling lonely in Australia, I would open up that journal and remember that I had Christian friends praying for me and that I had been an impact in their lives. When I left Australia, I had some of my friends write in the same journal, then decided to continue it last year on the service trip. Each time, people are built up and encouraged to continue to impact those around them. We are called to build each other up and the notecards or journals provide a way to continue to touch the lives of those on the trip. Please pray for us tonight as we rush to finish the cards. While a few are done with them, many of us still need to finish alot of the 28 cards. Tomorrow we will debrief and head back to campus for the beginning of the semester.