Making Connections on the Burma Border

The story below was written by a Grace International School student after one of the school's Sports Leadership class outreaches to the border of Burma.  The class travels with adult sponsors to refugee camps and hill tribe villages connecting a couple times a year.  The displaced kids in the camps are blessed through sports games and the Sport Leaders loving on the children.  Clothes, blankets, toiletries, school supplies, sports equipment and whatever else these children may need are gathered by these Grace students and taken to the children in the camps.  All three of our kids, Josiah, Katelyn and Michaela have been a part of this class, transformed by their experiences.   We have also joined the Grace students and our kids on one of the trips.

"The best ministry trip I've ever been on with some of the most AMAZING people I've ever met. I've known some of these guys since I was in first grade, some only since last year but nonetheless I feel like on this trip I've gotten closer to all of them. So many memories were made this weekend: freaking out in the car because we kept rolling down hill, feeling like a little kid again when Mr.Coe told us a bedtime story -- and then Hans ruining it >.<, showering in freezing cold water, getting lost on the way back, teasing Ben about his catfish-like beard ;) [haha you know we love you Ben!], playing "HEY, YOU, THERE" with Joey, Shin and Allie, Anna killing all the spiders that came our way, Shelagh's annoying alarm clock that woke up the whole house, Jade playing JB songs when we woke up AND as we were going to bed, Allie "eats a ton!", cuddling for body heat, and so many other things. Despite everything mentioned, I think the main reason that we were able to grow closer to each other and to get to know each other better was because at the same time we were growing closer to God. We were there to do work for His king- dom and to glorify Him in everything we did. Although playing with the Karen kids all day was a lot of fun, the highlight of the trip, for me, was singing worship songs under the stars. Arms around one another, praising God for everything He has done, I stopped to look around. It all felt surreal. I realized that I'm not ready to leave yet, I'm not ready to say good-bye to these people, and I need more time with them. Sounds cliche but it's true. I thank God for the opportunity to take this class and to have met such wonderful people. I know that when the time comes to say bye to these people it'll be one of the hardest, saddest things I've ever had to do but I also know that it would be so worth it having to have gotten to meet them. I'm going to miss you guys so much, more than you guys know or even realize. Lets make the next 6 months count! Love you guys!

20+ students with the heart to serve 1 God. 
Sports Leadership 2 2012-2013"