This year was my fifth year to be on the NYGO trip, and each year the Lord has worked in my heart and filled my time with both fun times and challenges! Probably the thing I love most about this trip is getting to room with three teenagers for a week and experiencing the trip with them. Since NY is a big place and the logistics of the trip require it there is a three to one ratio for leaders on this trip. You not only sleep in the same hotel room with your “cord” but you travel in the city together, (long subway rides and many miles walking) and work together in the parks to have conversations with people. By the end of the week you have gotten to know the girls in your cord pretty well. I have great memories of the girls I have been with each year, and it is super fun to think back on them and realize where these girls are now. On Saturday Ali Hess is getting married! We were together in 2002 if I remember correctly. She named me “crazy midnight Mandy” that year because they woke me up early in the morning hours talking and I was a little mad. They said I was like a different person so we had a good laugh about it. Heather Ferguson came on the trip as a freshman in 2001 (my first year) and took it literally when she was told to not loose me. She stuck by my side like glue all week funny thing is we actually left her at a store for about ten minutes by accident but we realized it quick and went back to get her. Heather is now a junior in college and such a great young lady. She recently hung out with me and the kids at Dorney park for the day and I loved getting to talk to her and catch up on life. Kate Wolgemuth made 2005 oh so fun, along with Amie and Kelly Givler. That week I discovered that Kate loves backed beans and brought a can with her! She got upset when I threw it out after it had been sitting out for two days (I thought she was done with it by then Kate just finished high school this year, was a great baby sitter for us, and is headed to Taylor next year to study Psych. Memories flood my mind as I think of each girl: Beth Fry, Amanda Hall, Jess Chen, Becca Williams, Emily Wolgemuth, Julie Shenk, Kristie Herr, Lauren Alshouse and this years Melinda Zigrang, Lisa McMahon, and Laura Gregory. AMAZING! I could tell you a story about each one. These are some super wonderful ladies that I had the joy of spending a week with. The majority of them are seeking the Lord and becoming women of God. I can’t wait to see where and how the Lord uses them for His kingdom and glory!!

On a second note I should say a few others who roomed with us over the years, they would be Emma, Isabelle and Owen. Three of my four kids have been with me on one trip to New York or another when they were infants Addie missed out because we did not live here yet, but we have taken her on other trips (more on that another time

Wow, we just came back from 16 days in New York City on a mission experience in evangelism, community service, and discipleship training! Part with NYGO and part with Citivision. It was a stretching and tiring time.

One of my highlights was studying the book of 1 John with the teens. Each evening we got the team together and the students led a study/discussion on a portion of the letter. I used to struggle with John’s writing in this book because of the black&white language that he uses when talking about those who are or are not children of God. But in studying it this time I understand more of John’s purpose of offering assurance to those who claim to follow God. That the things he talks about …primarily LOVE… are all markers that should be evident in increasing measure in those who claim to be followers of Christ! Instead of something that I am bound by I now understand the things John talks about as something that is true in me because of the Spirit of God living in me through faith in the Son of God…I am becoming more and more one who is characterized by the love of God and love of others. There is truly an exciting freedom when we understand the gospel for what it is instead of a new law or list of rules that I have to work at conforming ourselves to.

Fun times were had by all! We had a few treats while in the City… one was Mandy and I getting to ham it up with Elton John! hahaha!