Pelican Serve Week

Last night the Appalachia staff had a blast passing out candy at one of our partner churches, Cornerstone Full Gospel church!

We decked out our trunk with Pelican gear and dressed in our best mission trip fits, messy hair and all!!

We loved getting to serve the community of Duncan Falls OH and get to know the congregation of Cornerstone a little bit better!

On Friday night, Grace University Lutheran Church hosted the confirmads and their families for a banquet. We had an awesome dinner and heard each of the students share their faith statement and the gifts they exchange with the church. It was fun to prepare the meal, set up, and clean up while they went to practice for the upcoming ceremony.

I had the opportunity to serve alongside my church in a local park, an area that you'll find hundreds of people at any given time enjoying God's creation. We served up countless plates of free, hot jambalaya to anyone passing by (but not before conversing with and praying for anyone who was willing to receive it)!

This park is a common spot for tourists to visit, right across the street from two major universities, home to several recreation fields, and a place for many unhoused individuals to rest their head for a while. There was a lot of diversity in those coming to receive a free meal and prayer, but one thing remained the same (aside from the obvious of wanting to get a plate of that good New Orleans cooking)...

Each person, no matter their background or current faith walk (or lack thereof), desired to be seen and known. And it was a privilege to be able to remind them that they are seen, and they are known, and they are loved, by the Creator of the universe. 

Eagan Hills Alliance Church (an MSP partner) had Serve Sunday. They worshipped and then served at several Eagan non profits. The Beadners (minus Kari who is on a PPM Trip in Memphis) led a group who knocked and raked and blessed homes in the Eagan community. 

May they know us by our love

Today we are removing wallboard and replacing it with concrete board  which will be more sustainable for one of our partnering churches Redeemed Deliverance Center in Wakefield, Jamaica.  Pastor Walker and church members are here to work right alongside the PPM staff.  His partnership and intentionality with teams is amazing.  

The Compassion Connection (TCC) is a non profit that serves foster families in providing clothing, furniture, legal assistance and more. TCC is run by a Christian couple who became aware of the needs foster families have as they have also fostered kids, and decided to take further actions. They have a donation center and a closet that they have to constantly manage, worth through seasonally in order to serve their clients with love and dignity. 

We were able to help organize, move things around and sort products, especially winter products, as the Minnesota Winter draws near. 

We love the work that TCC is doing and hope to continue to help in any way we can to further that amazing ministry. 

In the picture from left to right, Amanda Bost (Andy Bost's aunt), Amy the founder and us :)

I had the opportunity to help the seniors at the local Christian school set up for the Fall Festival. This is a fundraiser for their senior class.

This Christian school is such a light in our community.  Our county is the most illiterate and impoverished in our state. The public school in our county is failing. This private school is a beacon of light and hope in our area. This school knows and loves each kid that comes through those doors. The main goal is for the students to leave knowing and loving Jesus; everything else is secondary. 

It's an honor to serve alongside the administrator and the teachers at this school and support the students in their efforts to reach the community. 

I was able to help my local church by sanitizing toys and reorganizing children’s classrooms :)

I had the privilege to work at a local Seminary ministry that offers household needs for free for students and those who work in ministry. They have clothes, household items, toys, food, etc. I was able to help sort their donations and help put them out on shelves for a pleasant "shopping" experience. This Saturday, they will host a "toy store" for ministry families to come and shop for new and like new toys for their kids! It's such a beautiful blessing to the community! 

Our family had a wonderful time serving local churches in our area by filling up their public blessing boxes. Many of our local churches keep these boxes filled year round to provide items for free that families may be in need of like school supplies, warm winter gear, food, hygiene products, and more.