Mission Trips - Genesis Choir Tour 2005

Genesis Choir - Choir Tour
The Genesis Choir embarked on a Choir Mission Tour on Tuesday July 19, 2005 and spent 6 days together, serving the Tri-Cities area of Washington State. We were hosted during that time by the kind people at West Side Church, Mark’s former congregation. Over those several days, Genesis learned a lot about serving others through music and worship, about how God can work through us in spite of language barriers, about working with each other toward a common cause, and about just how wonderful it can be to concentrate on the serving the Lord 24/7. Here is a brief synopsis of our week:

Monday, July 18, 2005 – DAY 0:
Day 0? Well, it was the day that we packed our equipment van, which had to leave a day early. Mark Markham was our driver and his van was packed to the max with risers, sound equipment and instruments. Mark left Monday morning and planned to meet us in Richland on Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005 – DAY 1:
The day started with excitement as one of our carpool drivers, Renee DeVillez, had a flat tire on the way to the airport. Fortunately, Sandy was passing right by the gas station where Renee was stranded and was able to pack Renee’s three choir members and their luggage into her car. We all arrived at the airport on time, got through the security check with only one serious bag check and all got on our plane for the hour and 45 minute flight to Portland Oregon. We arrived in Portland as scheduled at 1:45pm and rented 3 vans, which we decorated with glass chalk and then proceeded on the 4-hour drive to Richland. We passed through some beautiful scenery as we drove along the Columbia River to our destination and spirits were high as we anticipated all that God was going to do.

We finally arrived in at West Side Center around 8:00 pm on that evening, met our host families for the week who warmly received us and took us home for a well-deserved night’s rest.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 – DAY 2:
The weather is warm and sunny and Genesis has a full day in front of it. We start our day with a devotional from Penny Bell which speaks about Jesus’ “I Ams” reminding of us about who we are serving and why we are here. After that, we rehearse for about an hour and a half in West Side’s wonderfully acoustic sanctuary. Following that we have lunch and drive about 20 minutes to Pasco where we meet the leaders of The Manna Project, a ministry that seeks to reach out to Hispanic children and their families in a socially and economically challenged area. By the time we reach Manna Park, the thermometer is climbing and we are rapidly approaching an afternoon of play in temperatures well over 100 degrees! Curious children are quickly coming into the park to meet us, however and the Manna team is quick to pull out the hoses and the wading pools. For the next 5 hours or so, Genesis meets and plays with a group of children who are mostly families of migrant farm workers. Friendships are formed, Jesus is shared and everyone is blessed. Genesis is sorry to leave Manna Park and their new friends but it is time for us to go back to Westside.

In the evening of this busy day, we join West Side congregation members for a potluck and then perform our musical for them after dinner. There is a large turnout and hearts were visibly touched as Jesus reached out through the musical that we have prepared.

After the musical, we go back to our base for evening student-run devotionals and a brief worship time before going back to our host family homes.

Thursday, July 21, 2005 – DAY 3:
After Wednesday, Genesis is ready for a break and today has been ideally planned as a day with the West Side Youth group. After devotionals and rehearsal, Genesis packs up the vans and meets the Youth of West Side. We pack up inner tubes, inflatable boats, life vests, blow-up giraffes and all other manner of flotation device and head out to a spot on the Columbia River. Here, well over 50 youth and chaperones step out into the chilly Columbia River (chilly is welcome in this weather!) and take a lazy float down river. About an hour and 45 minutes later, they wade out together and enjoy root beer floats courtesy of West Side. Genesis also had an opportunity to walk through the park and talk to some of the residents about their musical by offering them one of our “Yes I Believe” pins.

That evening, we gather in the West Side Center to cook dinner together and, by chance, had the opportunity to join a swing dance class that was taking place. For about 3 hours after dinner, Genesis learned to dance in style and not only had an amazingly wonderful time but also got to meet and have fun with some more West Side youth. What a great evening!

Devotionals and worship round out the evening and we turn in for another well-deserved evening’s sleep.

Friday, July 22, 2005 – DAY 4:
As usual, Genesis begins this day with devotionals, discussion and rehearsal. Following our quiet morning, we gear up for another busy afternoon as we head back to Manna Park to perform “Yes I Believe” for our new friends there. The children at Manna Park had not been told that we were a choir so seeing us with instruments, sound equipment and props was a surprise for them.

Genesis faced the challenge of singing outdoors valiantly. It was hot, the wind was blowing and the sun was in our eyes. There were many distractions and the sound was different but they knew their parts and they knew why they were there. The musical ran quite well from start to finish and, after the performance, choir members had the opportunity to step down from the risers and minister to those in the park. Now they had something to discuss with not only children but also families who were in attendance as well. It was interesting to hear the different parts of the musical that the families related to. Even though many of the people there spoke only Spanish, music and action can touch people where words can’t and we communicated despite the fact that we spoke different languages. A lot of prayer and a little more play later and we sadly said good-bye to Manna Park as we packed up our equipment and drove back to Richland.

Saturday, July 23, 2005 – DAY 5:
Today Genesis got the morning off….no rehearsal! We ate donuts, had morning devotionals and played basketball in the West Side gym then, right after lunch, we packed our vans for the short trip to Alterra Assisted Living Center for a performance. We set our risers up in their dining room and soon were performing for an audience of about 50 or 60 seniors. Roger Bell brought his puppets along and so we all had the pleasure of being introduced by Cactus Jack and of getting the opportunity to kiss the very Italian Harry Lione.

When the performance started, it quickly became obvious that this was going to be one of the most moving events of the trip. The seniors delighted in seeing our students and their musical and it was apparent that God was moving among not only them, but us as well. By the end of the performance there were tears in the eyes of the seniors and in the eyes of the Genesis staff. Students visibly worshiped through their music and their drama and “Yes I Believe” became much more than a performance, it became an experience. After the musical was over, students visited and prayed with the residents and a group of boys even went up to one of the resident’s rooms so that they could pray with her husband, who was unable to attend. It was an amazing and emotional day.

That evening, we were treated to West Side’s coffee house as they were training new baristas and needed someone to whom to serve lattes. Not being ones to argue, we quickly agreed to receive! God continued to move among us as we settled into couches and chairs with our drinks and proceeded into an extended time of intimate worship. Tears began to flow as we sang to our Lord and Savior and we truly felt the depth of all that He is to us and all He’s done this week. It was an incredible wrap-up to a wonderful trip.

Sunday, July 24 – DAY 6:
Up early for West Side’s 8:15 contemporary service! We were invited to sing the offertory for this service and happily offered their congregation “That’s How Much I Need a Savior,” a song which touched us all throughout the week. Tato got a chance to help their pastor, Bob Paul, with a demonstration and we were happy to see Mark there, who offered a prayer in support of one of the missionaries that they were sending to China and whom he helped raise up. The service ended at 9:45 and we said a quick Good-bye and Thank You to West Side, exchanged addresses and promises to write and piled back into the vans for the 4-hour return drive to Portland Oregon and our waiting planes. We arrived home on time at 5:30 in San Jose airport and everyone headed back with lots of stories to tell!

Be sure you ask a Genesis member about the trip. They each have a different perspective and you will be blessed with their stories!

Genesis Choir Mission Tour Members:

• Alyson Inouye
• Burt Vigil
• Christopher Lahr
• Christy Wright
• Eric Tolson
• Erin Toombs
• Jamie Inouye
• Joseph Galli
• Koedy Brant
• Kyla Hanes
• Lacey Kral
• Monica Allen
• Rebecca DeVillez

Genesis Staff and Chaperones

• Charlie Miller: Genesis Co-Director
• David Frederick: Youth Director and guitarist
• Joy Jones: Kitchen
• Julie Bayle: Kitchen
• Marilyn Markham: Accompanist
• Mark Markham: Equipment Van
• Penny Bell: Morning Devotions
• Roger Bell: Puppet Man
• Sandy Hanes: Genesis Director

Thank you Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church. It was a week to remember!