Our final full day (Tuesday) in Berlin was split between two priorities: finish lingering projects/cleaning up and exploring Berlin a little bit more because most things were closed on Sunday during our first excursion to downtown. Throughout the week lumber, concrete, metal, plastic, etc piled up out front in and around the trash bins at the end of the Willoughby’s driveway. Many trips were taken to dump all of the unwanted materials. Some more trips to return rented equipment. The house was cleaned deeply since we trampled all sorts of dirt and dust throughout. Windows cleaned. Holes were drilled and a pull up bar installed next to the swing. We filled and level out the driveway area with the newly installed pavers. The big project for the day was to organize the garage as much as possible. Anyone without a job was most likely finishing up their encouragement cards. For those of you who were unaware, on On Track Youth Missions Trips the teens and leaders are encouraged to write notes to the rest of the team. Each person leaves the trip with an envelope full of notes from the whole team encouraging them, thanking them, highlighting something they did that week, etc. After those four-ish hours in the morning our work was complete (except for the few items for the Halladays to tackle once we left).
Below is a quick video summarizing the work done on the property and a recap of the trip from Dennis. I wanted to preface this video by saying there were many jobs big and small. This video is just a BRIEF overview. Each team member had their hands in all different projects throughout the week. We didn’t list every little thing we did and this tiny video couldn’t encapsulate all this week entailed. This video also can’t encapsulate how thankful we are to the MBC Family for supporting us all throughout the journey. Okay, preface over. Please enjoy!
Here are some pictures of the property before our trip just to help showcase the transformation:
After the work was done, we spent the afternoon exploring downtown Berlin some more. Some went to the Holocaust Museum. Some wandered to thrift stores and card shops. Some aimless and some with a mission. Some trying their hardest to go over the 50lb limit for their checked bag. We came home to enjoy the patio once again. The Willoughby’s and Schoffke’s shared their many thanks once again and Dan gave us one final gift to take home with us. He gave each member a small piece of the Berlin Wall that he himself knocked out with a sledgehammer in 1990! We played our final rounds of Moose Master on the patio and topped the final day off with a visit to the Burger King down the street.
We awoke the final day quite early. The Willoughby’s were also making their way to the airport just a few minutes before us. We said our goodbyes and began our journey to the states. As I am writing this we have all made it home safe and sound, but the day was by no means stress free. A slightly delayed flight, a sprint through the Frankfurt airport, and once again a few members of our team luggage-less. It seems like this trip had more curveballs than any I had been on before, but nothing about this trip was a surprise to God. Pray that as we all process this trip that God would continue to reveal his purposes to us. Pray that the seeds planted on this trip would continue to be nourished and grow. Pray that the Lord would grow the church in Berlin and that the light of Christ would shine brightly there. Pray for the neighbors that we were able to talk with and even give t-shirts to! Pray that this trip would stir their hearts and minds to the goodness of God. Thank you all for following along! Thank you for praying with and for us! Thank you for all the support you all gave and continue to give! I encourage you all to invite people over for a meal or coffee after they come home from a trip like this. These blogs could never capture all the ways the Lord was working on this trip and it helps each team member process. Even their stories may encourage you and your walk.
“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
Jude 1:24-25
Auf Wiedersehen!