Jr High Mission Trip to Pinecliff June 10-14, 2009

Our Jr High Youth Group went to Pinecliff for the 3rd year in a row doing various projects around the camp. This year we experienced more rain than years past, but we used that time to grow closer to each other and to God.

The projects we worked on included: fixing the campfire benches, picking up pine cones around the camp, loading up rocks from around the camp and creating a rock garden around the big tree by the dining hall, cutting back the over grown trees and shrubs around the camp and blazing the trail by the river and cleaning the windows in the dining hall. After 48 hrs of doing service projects for the camp, our group was joined by other Jr High Methodist Youth from around Utah for Jr High Camp for the rest of the weekend!!

We would like to thank our congregation at Christ UMC and others who helped sponsor us so that we could spend this time helping to serve Pinecliff and each other!!! We'll be home soon with lots of wet dirty clothes!!!

Barbara (Pinecliff caretaker)

"These kids from Christ UMC have been coming here for 3 years now and it is so appreciated, thanks to the wonderful leadership. These kids are learning valuable lessons."

Steve (caretaker at Pinecliff)

"It's a blessing for the kids to come up here. I wish we could get more groups to come up here to help out and do work!

I'm impressed with the work and spirit these youth from Christ UMC have going about here when they do the work - it's really amazing!! Their leader Barb does a wonderful job!!!"

Barb

"Spending time at the start of my summer each year at our Jr High Mission trip at Pinecliff is a terrific way to get me to focus on what's important - helping our Youth become Christ's Body in helping others while forming lifetime friendships with each other.

I thoroughly enjoy watching our Jr High Youth grow closer to our Lord while doing various projects at Pinecliff: be it praying with them before doing a project which goes way beyond their comfort zone (ie - climbing in a window well to clean the inside of the window where there are dead bugs which for a Jr High girl can be very traumitizing. But after praying with them asking for God's strength, knowing that Jesus will be with them the whole way and that they will never be alone - they are then able to conquer their fears and do God's work and feel good about what they've done!! This mission trip helps in building confidence for future mission trips further away from home. God is good and He takes care of His children!!

AJ

"It's really fun cutting brush down with machetes and hatchets down by the river. I've enjoyed making new friends and hanging out. I'm ready to go swimming!"

Conner

"It's tiring, but fun at the same time because we get to use hatchets and machetes to clear brush by the river. It feels good to be doing something for somebody else. I want to go swimming! I made a lot of friends this week!"

Liam

"It was fun here. I enjoyed collecting the rocks and getting to drive the tractor the most."

Tim

"It's excting! I'm here preparing Pinecliff for somebody else to enjoy camp this summer. It feels good doing something for somebody else. Right now I'm blazing the trail by the river and I think this helps so others can enjoy the river's beauty!"

Mandy

"I loved everything about camp. The kids were awesome doing service projects, chores and activities without any complaints. Barb was extremely organized with food, fun games and devotional time.

Liam, my 10 year old son, came with to help out and had an awesomely good time too.

Food was great, kids were great, Barbara and Steve, (the caretakers at Pinecliff) were great, Barb and David (chaperones) were great and the cabins were cozy. I honestly cannot think of anything that needs improvement.

Tristan

"I had to breath in the cleaner while I was cleaning the inside of the window well in the dining hall, but otherwise it felt good being Christ's Body helping Pinecliff!"

David

"Christ's body in the world is His church. Like any body it has many parts. I felt like a useful part of the church helping fix up Pinecliff Camp making the place better for all those who use it in their quest to find a deeper relationship with Christ and a more loving relationship with all of God's children. I felt so happy that all the Jr High youth that came were willing to work hard with each other in this group. I enjoyed being part of Christ's Body and His Church - and know great things are yet to be accomplished!!!"

Shannon

" I feel good doing the service projects. It's nice to do nice things for others. It's nice to see all the things God made and to make it look ever better here at Pinecliff.

It's even better to work with friends because you can have fun while doing work you really don't want to be doing like washing the inside of the bug infested window wells!!!"

Alicia

"It's really fun doing this up at Pinecliff....even though we're been working in the rain and the cold, it's been fun!"

Catherine

"It makes me feel really good to be helping around Pinecliff and even though we're working a lot, we're having fun at the same time. When you're working with your friends it's easier because they're doing the same thing!"

Kay

"It feels really good to do God's work! It makes me feel more open to my friends. I came to Pinecliff to do the Service Project because I want to help!"

Emma

"It felt really amazing to do God's work and have fun at the same time. I'm really glad I came!"

Desiree

"My favorite part helping at Pinecliff has been driving the mini-tractor and loading and unloading rocks into it. Somtimes God work is messy and unfun, but it's ok when you're with your friends. (mainly with the windows and dead bugs - but prayers helped! I wouldn't have gotten in the window well without saying a prayer with Barb!)"