Phoenix Servant Event 2010

Dear Friends,
We are excited to write you both to thank you for all your support and to share with you the awesome week we had. God was truly present, and it was wonderful to see Him working in & through us all week! Hopefully this letter will provide a glimpse into our experience, but as words fall short, just know you were part of something amazing.

Our trip began early on Saturday, March 6th, when we left E. Lansing at 6:30 am to head to Detroit Metro Airport. Our flight had a 3 hour layover in Dallas, so we passed the time with a photo scavenger hunt. The group of Alex, Ben, Kristina, and Matt racked up major points by convincing several airport employees and travelers to do the YMCA. We then caught our flight out to Phoenix.

On Sunday, we attended and were a part of several church services, each one unique. We were introduced during the two morning services at Christ Church Lutheran, and then traveled to Arizona State University to Alleluia Church where we attended service and took a tour of the campus. That evening, we took part in a youth contemporary service at Christ Church Lutheran, where Domingo and Matt both had the opportunity to speak and share words of wisdom and encouragement to those in attendance, primarily high school and middle school students.

We began our work week at Valley Lutheran High School. Our organizational skills were put to the test as the majority of the group tackled some rooms and storage space in need of a makeover. Our enthusiasm and superb teamwork skills came in handy, and we finished our task before lunchtime. Meanwhile, Steve and Alex were busy trimming trees and bushes on the other side of campus. However, our work after lunch was cut short due to rain.

On Tuesday we continued some of the work we started at Valley Lutheran. Ashley, Carissa, Annie, Emily, Kristina, Liesel, and Sarah split up into groups and showed the weeds who was boss, Ben wielded the weed whip like a pro, and Domingo demonstrated his awesome painting skills. However, our day there was once again cut short due to rain. After making a few calls, we were invited to help at the Phoenix Rescue Mission that afternoon where we assembled hygiene packs for those in need.

The weather cleared up on Wednesday and Thursday, just in time for our work with Habitat for Humanity. We worked in the community of Oro Vista, the same community we were at during last year’s trip. Those returning to Phoenix from last year’s trip (Ashley, Ben, Carissa, Matt, and Steve) were able to see the fruits of their labor as many of the houses they worked on were now completed and had families living in them. Our time with Habitat did not involve much building, as most of the houses were nearing completion, but was spent cleaning up the community and work site at Oro Vista and doing some landscaping.

Outside of work, we had some equally amazing experiences. We hiked to the top of Piestewa Peak, which provided us with an amazing view of Phoenix. Our time at the Grand Canyon was awe-inspiring and fun, especially since we were blessed with great weather, despite what the weathermen had told us. We took part in Celebrate Recovery, a program for those dealing with troubles and addictions, which was a very powerful and emotional experience. We played a ton of fun games, had meaningful discussions and bible studies, and hosted a cookout, inviting our friends from Phoenix who had been serving and helping us all week.

This trip could not have happened without the gracious support of those involved; Kathi and Paul Unterbrink, who helped with planning and provided us with food, as well as transportation to and from the airport; the Franks, who helped coordinate our trip and opened their home to us; the Huebners, who shared their home with the boys on the trip; and the many people we worked with including the Wolf family at Valley Lutheran and all the Habitat workers: Roy, Ron, Kurt, Katie, Steve, Doug, and others. It was such a joy working with everyone! Last but not least, our trip would not have been possible without the generous support and prayer of our family and friends. Thank you!

Yours in Christ,
Matt Gorris and Ashley Paluta – The Leaders

Team Phoenix, 2010
Liesel Weirauch, Annie Weiss, Kristina Griffith, Ben Bain, Emily Weiss, Alex Koschmann,
Ashley Paluta, Sarah Schroeder, Carissa Campbell, Matt Gorris, Steve Schaeff, Doming Rodriquez