The Exodos Ministry team, along with Woodlawn Baptist Missions team, went back to West Virginia. We spent the week there and were blessed once again by all of the wonderful people that we spent time with. During the day we built an 18 hole putt-putt golf course at the childrens camp site. At night, we held VBS with the Mineral Wells Baptist Church. What a blessing it was to see all of the children having such a great time. We are already looking forward to next years mission trip to wherever God wants us to go.
This year we participated in local missions at Camp Okaloosa and in Neighborhoods having block parties for the children. The gospel was presented and fun was had by all. Children came to know the Lord, giving them a head start on their future endeavors. Chilldren, like adults, who know the Lord function so much better in a sinful world.
Exodos partners with other ministries all the time. We weekly send clothing to Africa via a sister ministry located in Enterprise, Alabama. Furthermore, we have had the pleasure to send craft items to places like Jamaica and clothing to Honduras.
We ventured out on a mission trip to Jacksonville Florida with Woodlawn Baptist Church. We spent a week sharing the gospel and the joy of knowing Jesus to inner city kids and families. We spent the week working with Words to Works Ministries based at North Main Baptist Church located on Main Street, Jacksonville. The Ministry's Pastor, Nick Phoenix, provided us with locations to conduct Vacation Bible School as well as block parties. We were also charged with the painting of 2 homes. Along with this, we walked the streets and prayed with local businesses and anyone we encountered, while picking up trash to clean up. It was life changing and a true blessing to all.
Exodos Recovery Ministry participants and leadership team packed up and traveled 15 hours to the mountainous little town of Ripley, West Virginia. By day the team lovingly, labored in record heat to clean, repair and equip dorms and build a baseball field for a Christian camp in this economically disadvantaged area. At night, the Exodos crew shared Christ with children and adults by leading vacation bible school for a church that would have otherwise gone without.
This was a life changing trip, and not just for the Ripley community. Exodos Recovery Ministry participant, Trevor B. shared with team leader Kyra Crowson that his “life was changed by that trip". Trevor was amazed as he watched children come to Christ that week. When asked where he stood with Christ, Trevor commented, "He is rocking my world and I am very close to sharing with everyone what He is doing in me, but I have lied for so long (during drug abuse) that I am not ever gonna say I am changed until I am sure of it." Several weeks after that mission trip, Trevor surrendered his life to Christ and has gone on to share with others what Christ can do to change a broken man.