Just the beginning...

The first thing I notice each morning when I wake up in beautiful Hamlin, West Virginia, is the amazing smell outside. Everything smells great here. Flowers, trees, fresh cut grass. However, the true beauty of this great community is not found outdoors.


Far more beautiful than the rolling mountains, winding tree lined roads and flowering meadows, are the people. Never in my life have I met such warm, welcoming people as I have here. There is not one hesitation to take absolute strangers in at the drop of a hat. To give them the very shirt off their backs. One thing the people of Hamlin have down pretty well, is to live and love like Jesus did.

This summer is going to teach me a lot of things, but I hope that the number one thing I learn is how to love and give like these people do. It is inspirational and humbling. Even those who may not have much to give are completely overflowing with generosity. It's simply beautiful.


We have been here one week and already I feel so blessed and loved by those I have encountered. I am so excited for the relationships that will develop and the chance to give back to this place in some small way as they have given so greatly to me.


We are staying at Trinity United Methodist Church and a week from Sunday approximately 50 high school youth and their leaders will be arriving for our first service week. We are so excited to have them arrive. This coming week we will be practicing and preparing our orientations, programming (skits, worship, talks, etc.), and setting up the site with signs and exciting YouthWorks organization :)

Our staff is enjoying a couple weeks of preparing and bonding so that we can be more effective in ministering to the churches and groups when they arrive. Please pray for continued unity as a group and growth in our personal walks.


I'm excited to keep you all updated as things progress! Thank you all for your prayers so far.


With much love (and much more to learn from Him),


Christina

To all my amazing family and friends,

I am writing you all to give you a bit of an update on me and what is happening in my life right now.

As most of you know, I spent 12 months on the island of Maui in Hawaii as a Children’s Ministry Intern at Hope Chapel. I was able to get baptized in the ocean while I was there! It was an amazing year of growth and change and through it all God really put a strong call on my heart towards full-time ministry.

Interns in Lahaina - Sept. '09

Getting baptized in the Ocean - Sept. '09

Risa, Alyssa and I at Honolua Bay - June '10

Through encouragement from my mentor Marlene, and numerous others, I decided to come back to school at Prairie this year and pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Ministry. I had previously graduated from Prairie College of Applied Arts and Technology with a Diploma in Early Learning and Child Care as well as having credits from my time at Columbia Bible College. Along with my internship credits, it was realized that I could finish this degree in a year. So on April 30, 2011 I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Ministry – Youth. I will still have 9 credits to finish via Distance Education, but I hope to have that wrapped up in the next few months.

Graduation - April '11

This summer I have been hired as a Site Director for an organization called YouthWorks!. My contract is from May 23-August 9. I will be training in Philadelphia, PA and my site will be located in West Hamlin, West Virginia, in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. I will be leading 3 college–age staff members as well as working with 65 high school students and approximately 15 adult leaders every week. These will be youth from churches all over the U.S. who want to be part of a local missions project. We will be doing community projects such as house painting/maintenance, senior visitation, and kids clubs. I am very excited about this opportunity.

I would be honored if you would be willing to partner with me in prayer for my position this summer as well as for my undecided future in the fall. The following are some prayer requests:

1. My position of leadership over my staff – that I would be effective and have a servant-leadership attitude.
2. My administrative duties over the summer including budget management – that I would be responsible and timely in everything that I am in charge of.
3. My own spiritual life – that I would protect my own devotional and prayer life throughout the busy summer.
4. The unsaved youth and/or adult leaders who could potentially work with us this summer - that they would see Jesus in each of us and have a real faith experience while serving the community and learning throughout their week.
5. The community members – that we would be the light of Jesus in our community and would be effective servants in whatever we do there.

6. My future plans – that I would be seeking and attentive to God’s plan for me this fall and that I would open and willing to whatever/wherever it may be. That that plan would be clear to me and I would have a peace about it.

If you would like updates on my summer I will be keeping a blog:
http://christinasappalacianadventure.blogspot.com/ or you can always keep up with me on facebook.

If you want to learn more about YouthWorks! their website is:
http://www.youthworks.com/

You have all played a special part in my life and in the stages that have brought me to this place. Thank you so much for your support and prayers over the years.

In Him,

Christina Rendall

The Motto for YouthWorks! this summer - "Serve others. Love Jesus. Be different."