Spring break is a time many high school students are looking forward to a week of relaxation, catching up on sleep and spending time with friends. But, for a group of 17 WCS high schoolers and 3 teachers, this year’s spring break was a time to do something more. The group took a 5 day spring break mission trip to New Iberia, Louisiana to work on beautification projects in the area.
The group of students and teachers had been planning for this trip for months coordinating travel, and preparing for the work they would do. They were excited to use their time off from school to make a difference in the lives of others.
Upon arrival in New Iberia, our students were warmly greeted and welcomed by the New Iberia Church of Christ team. They were briefed on their assignments and quickly got to work. The group was tasked with planting trees and painting houses in a New Iberia neighborhood. Despite the physical labor, the group found joy in working together and seeing the progress they made. “We got to see God’s fingerprints all over this trip,” said Middle School Bible Teacher Mr. Josh Hatfield. “People were just blown away that we came from Houston to New Iberia to work on their houses.”
As they worked, the students got to know the people they were helping. The connections they made with the families reminded them of the importance of service and how it can make a meaningful impact on people’s lives. “You can hear the gratitude in their voice to the people we talked to. Like Ms. Caroline whose house we painted and Mr. Brandon. I met so many people who cared so much about me without even knowing me. I meant nothing to them two days before the trip, but now I am changing their entire world.” says Senior, Luke Packard.
One highlight of the trip were delicious meals prepped after a hard day’s work. The group also had special crawfish dinners. In the evenings, they participated in nightly devotions, where they studied the Bible, shared stories of their days and reflected on the impact their work was having on the community. “When I watched our group work, it reminded me of John 13 when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. I shared this with them on the last night of our trip. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet the last night he was alive. This job was for the lowest of the low. Nobody wanted to do this job but Jesus spent his last night doing that. I can promise you scraping paint is not the glamorous or wanted job. We may have to do things that are not very enjoyable but that work makes a huge difference and a huge impact in the Kingdom of God that we are trying to serve.” said Mr. Josh Hatfield.
By the end of the trip, the group had scraped old paint and freshly painted two houses, planted 9 trees, and graveled a driveway and made a lasting impact on the community. They were tired and sore but felt fulfilled in knowing that their work had made a difference. At the end Ms. Caroline gave all of us a hug and broke into tears because of her gratitude at that moment. It was really cool,” adds Luke Packard.
Our students and teachers have learned the importance of service, the power of community, and the impact that a group of dedicated individuals can make in a short time. They shared their experiences in High School Chapel this week and encouraged their classmates to continue serving others and making a difference in the world. Senior Faith Jonesia said, “It was really awesome to get to serve and get closer to my friends on the trip. Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors, I recommend you all take this opportunity to go next year. Seniors, even though we are all going to different schools next year, I recommend you guys go to one if you get the chance. It was awesome.”
To learn more about the Spring Break Mission Trip, you can watch here: https://youtu.be/qHvRMI62rxw
To learn more about High School Spiritual Life, visit here
