Elim 7: All Aboard!

Friday, July 10, 2015       NE MN Synod Journey to the ELCA Youth Gathering, July 10-20, 2015.      The “Elim 7:” We are nearly Packed and ready to Load the Coach Bus at 11:30 pm tonight.  Yes, we are driving all night and as Leaders, Trevor and I are not expecting to sleep much ‘til the wee-hours.  The energy and excitement is there!  There are 5 ELCA churches with 43 kids and adults on the bus:  Elim-Duluth, Bethlehem-Two Harbors, Good Shepard-Duluth, Family of God-Duluth, and Trinity-Hovland.  There are a total of 6 buses from the NE Synod region traveling tonight.  We will be a joining 27,000 others at the Nat’l ELCA Youth Conference.   Keep us in your prayers.

We have spent the past year preparing … fundraising, grant writing, cooking and serving, and planting pink flamingos (ha!) … we’ve been “Digging Deep” to “Rise Up.”  We have spent a lot of time on the logistics and the fundraising, but I believe we’ve had our sights on serving like Jesus.  Thank you for investing in our Kids.   Tonight will be the Fun and Excitement on the bus … but tomorrow will begin a Life-changing JOURNEY:
             “This Journey is about faith formation.
               This Journey is about leadership development.
               This Journey is about following Jesus.
               This Journey is about serving Jesus.
               Every day.  In Lansing.  In Detroit. Throughout our lives.”
               Keep us in your Prayers.

We will be seeing the face of God where ever we are.  My hope is to help our Kids see that face … and for them to remind me to ‘stop and see’ His face … God is already in Lansing and Detroit … ready for us to work thru Him.   Keep us in your Prayers.

All of us have journals to try to record some of what we are seeing and living on this Journey.  We will share our God connections with you thru this blog.  Trevor had a Journey to New Orleans 6 yrs ago as a participant … making a difference and seeing Gods Hands at Work; now as an Adult Leader, he looks forward to see what God has in store for him.   Keep us in your Prayers.

                Proud and Happy to Serve on this Journey,

                      Kathy Esson
                                  With Trevor Esson, Maddie Roberts, Jacob Greene, Jeremiah Greene,
                                                                     Karleo Richards, and Mariah Johnson.

Travelin' ... met some new friends from
Trinity in Hovland, Lauren and Mae.

We were on Bus #4 with other churches from the area ... 43 of us!