Departure time: 6:30 AM - Arrival time: 4:40 PM

Eight hours and ten minutes in two church vans with eighteen church members. Arriving in ninety-seven degree weather on a sticky Sunday evening. Eastern Avenue’s youth group was met by our two Confrontation Point leaders Becca Rose and Daniel Alexander, who quickly encouraged “getting to know you” games; some were more excited than others. We campers were instructed to construct tents for sleeping, and really only for sleeping. With the hot weather, the idea of staying in the tent for more than ten minutes was strictly out of the question. Once the night began to cool down, slightly, campers settled into their tents. A cold shower right before bed has never felt so good. Heat lightning lit up the sky as a natural night-light.

The sunrise of a Monday morning gently woke us up. Breakfast was ready; a plethora of cereals and bagels were on a camp picnic table. Daniel and Becca laid down the law on breakfast, the campground rules, and what is to be expected at the work site. They informed us that we are working for Patricia and Doyle Perry and building them a new deck with stairs. Apparently the Perrys own a horse. Hopefully no one tries to test his or her luck with a test horse. At this moment we are headed off to meet the Perry family and anticipating the weather and the work that is planned for us. Drinking enough water to keep us all hydrated and attempting to keep up a positive attitude could end up being a challenge, but as a youth group we are here to encourage each other and ourselves.

Laura Sterenberg