Recap of our New England Mission Trip 2023

Rainsville First Baptist Church has had a long tradition of a family summer mission trip for close to 25 years.  This year, God led our church to go where it has never gone and to a place further than it had ever gone...to New England.

Due to a series of events that I won't detail here, God led us to Pastor Isaiah Craig and Pleasant Street Baptist Church in Worcester, MA. 59 people were involved in this mission from June 24-July 1.

Here is a brief recap of the trip:

* Training sessions conducted by Pastor Isaiah

* Construction focused on totally remodeling the church's nursery (new ceiling, painting, new floor, molding) and totally painting a Ladies' restroom plus installing a new floor behind the baptistery

* Held Sports Camps for Elm Park Community School children and youth for three days. Had clinics on football, basketball, dodgeball, soccer, and volleyball. We fed all the participants lunch each day.  The last day ended with Hope Puppets sharing their ministry outside, attracting many from the community.

* Twice each day during the Sports Camps was the teaching of the Word of God.

* Helped to sponsor a Block Party at Pleasant Street Baptist Church on Friday evening with inflatables for the kids, free hot dogs, games, and music.  Very well attended by the community giving the opportunity for the church to engage many people from multiple countries of the world.

* On Sunday, June 25, worshipped with Pleasant Street where Pastor Isaiah preached and they baptized six.

* Hope Puppets had shows at Marlborough First Baptist Church, City United Church, Grottonwood Camp, House of Prayer, and Pleasant Street Baptist Church (on Wednesday night)

* Hope Puppets also served two days preparing the Children's Haven Camp to open on July 3 by cleaning the cabins, removing brush, cutting trees, and getting the facilities ready for campers.

* Hope Puppets spent a day at Grottonwood Camp doing workshops and providing a show.  This camp features some special needs children and has participants from all over the world.

* Was hosted with the finest Christian hospitability by Hope Chapel for a meal and heard a Spirit-anointed word from their head deacon, Joanna, about "Spiritual Civil War."  Her main point:  The North freed the slaves of the South, but the day is coming when the South will come to the North to free us." 

* The entire team got to spend a day in Boston touring historical sites and many of the team went to the Boston Red Sox game that night against Miami.

* Many "God moments" encountered by the Team