Recap of Oaks, Oklahoma Trip, October 10-October 15, 2011

What a week of mission, adventure, service and joy – an outstanding Good Goers Mission Adventure trip serving at Oaks Indian Mission in Oaks, Oklahoma.

The team of 12 came from all over the U. S. to impact the lives of the 40 children at Oaks. The week certainly held its share of hard work. There was the cement pour on Monday with everybody pitching in with heavy lifting; lots of physical labor, and the cement pour itself. This project was to build an outdoor worship platform on the edge of a creek in a place used by Native American Tribal Elders as a place of worship for centuries. 

The other half of the team began work to restore and freshen one of the Children’s homes. The paint project would bring a special touch to the home and provide a fresh new look for the teen girls living in the home.

The late afternoons and evenings were filled with lots of time for one-on-one with the children of Oaks. This was the favorite time of all for the team. We could interact with the kids; spend time loving on them, laughing, and making them aware of how special and loved they are. Crafts, sports, and laughter were on the agenda each evening. God favored us with great weather allowing us to pour into the kids lives well after the sun set each evening.

• Other projects included rehabbing and beautifying the picnic tables on the property.
• Organizing and inventory placement in the clothing storage building.
• Landscaping the area near the creek and new worship pad – really bringing it to life.

While the work was important, the best work of the week was spending time with the children of Oaks. Our goal was to let them know that they were special, one-of- kind, loved, and to pour over them as much affection as possible. We wanted them to know that Jesus loves them and is pursuing a relationship with each one of them.

God was very good to us this week. We pray that our impact on the children will encourage them and energize them to deepen their walk with Jesus. We know for certain that God favored us and that the week challenged each of us to serve with vigor, even in the small things. We know that it is not the size of the project, but the purity of the heart that Jesus seeks.

One Good Goer shares a special ending to a special week:

“The second part of my picture didn’t take place during the trip. It was actually on our way home as Hope cried on the airplane and sobbed herself to sleep in her bed because she didn’t want to leave the kids as well as the other team members.  Not only did the kids make an impact on her, but all the team members really touched her heart.”