Articles by Cherish Mason

Bouncers have had a great week here in Kingwood, TX! Students have been hard at work helping homeowners bounce back from Hurricane Harvey. While it is almost a year later, homeowners are still trying to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey. The work that students have been doing this week will have a lasting impact in this community. A majority of the Bouncers are from the Houston area, and so the work they have done this week has been deeply personal for them. Our hope is that students would continue to live pour into their communities and love their neighbor even after this week ends.

Bouncers have had a busy week helping homeowners who are still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. A group of students in New Caney, TX have been installing sheet rock and repairing the ceiling of Ms. Mary's home. Mary's home was submerged in over eight feet of water due to flooding from the San Jacinto River. She and her husband tried to salvage any furniture they could, but the flood destroyed nearly everything that they owned. Mary and her husband waded out in waist high water to a rescue boat which took them to a local shelter. Mary is still trying to rebuild her home almost a year later and she is thankful for the work that Bouncers are doing on her home this week.

Bouncers continue at their work sites in Kingwood, TX. A group of Bouncers is working at Camp Holy Wild installing sheet rock. The work that these Bouncers are doing this week will have a lasting impact on those who use Camp Holy Wild's facilities for youth camps and retreats.

Bouncers work out in the community from 7am to 4pm, and then return to Kingwood First Baptist Church for a hot shower, dinner, and worship. Bouncers participated in a Concert of Prayer tonight, where the sought the Lord through individual and group prayer. Brian Pearce, the Missions Coordinator, encouraged Bouncers to live a life marked by intimate prayer even after their week at Bounce.

Today students were sent out into Kingwood, TX to fulfill the Great Commission by sharing the gospel while rebuilding homes. Brian Pearce, the Mission Coordinator, prayed over the students before he sent them out to their work sites for the week. Brian encouraged the students to consider making disaster recovery work a habit in their life so that the Church may be known for the way that it is quick to help those in need. The Collegiate Staff waved students good-bye as they left Kingwood First Baptist Church. The majority of the Teams served in trailer parks either doing heavy demolition work or installing metal roofs. Bouncers maintained positive attitudes even amidst the heavy rain.

Bouncers arrived today in Kingwood, TX! Kingwood First Baptist Church, where students will be housed this week, has been participating in Bounce disaster recovery work for several years, but when Harvey hit, several of their church members' homes where affected. While members of Kingwood First Baptist Church experienced damaged and flooding to their own homes, they were quick to respond to the needs of those in their community. The youth from Kingwood First Baptist Church used the skills that they had learned from doing disaster recovery work through Bounce to respond to the needs of those in their community. Many of them know the immense personal loss that comes from the aftermath of a storm like Hurricane Harvey and so they are overjoyed that they can serve others in the Kingwood community in this way. The Kingwood students are filled with enthusiasm and are prepared to go out into this week and build up homeowners through the work that they will be doing.

Students completed their final day of disaster recovery work in Nederland, TX! Students completed two roofs in the rain, and installed sheet rock and cabinets. Today teams presented their homeowners with a team picture and a Bible. Homeowners have felt immensely loved by these students'service. This week Bounce students had over 54 spiritual conversations, 16 gospel presentation, and 164 acts of kindness. Teams have built one another up, challenged each other and encouraged each other. Those teams who finished their projects early went to assist other teams at their work sites.

Bouncers have made tremendous progress at their work sites this week! Today students and Bounce volunteers worked through rain to complete the roofs at their work sites. Students and Bounce volunteers have experienced humidity, heat, and rain, and through it all they have maintained a great attitude and are now close to completion at their work sites!

Bouncers have made progress at their work sites this week in Nederland, Port Arthur and Orange Texas. The "Blue Dodge" Team has been hard at work at a location in Groves, TX where they have been doing inside demolition work. The Team has spent most of their time installing cabinets, which has proved challenging. Though there have been set backs in the group with the cabinet installation, the group has maintained a positive attitude.

Bouncers were commissioned this morning in Nederland, TX by Aaron Austin the Mission Coordinator. Bouncers woke up early this morning for breakfast at 6 am, and then were sent off to their work sites for the week. Aaron led the Bouncers in prayer and reminded them that they will serve as a light to those in Nederland and and Port Arthur, TX this week.

The combined missions efforts of Texas Baptists over Spring Break involved more than 1,400 middle, high school and college students engaged in ministry across the United States. Projects ranged from rebuilding homes in Houston damaged by Hurricane Harvey, providing free van rides and pancakes to fellow college students in South Padre Island and engaging in evangelistic efforts alongside church planters in New York City.