Spartans Spread God’s Love around the World over Winter Break

Please read the information listed below about four mission trips taking place over Winter Break. These trips also include, in most cases, a few days prior to the break and after the break. Pray for the safety of all who will be traveling. Pray for the work each team will do, the relationships they will form while there, the lasting influences they will leave behind as they come back home to Atlanta. All of those listed below will be doing God’s work as representatives of GACS. May God be with them.

WINTER BREAK MISSION TRIPS

JUNIOR HIGH -

Mt. Dora Mission Trip: Junior high students, at least 12 years old, may be involved in this mission experience. While staying at the Central Florida Bible Camp, students will serve the elderly community by doing yard work, washing RV’s and working with the Mr. Dora Bible and Children Home.

Trip Leaders:   Jami and Brad Denton, Jason Brubaker, Mary Lou Holcomb, Terry Davis

Students:
Allyson  Bowen
Allison  Bucher
Michael  Bucher
Kendellan  Chapman
Natalie  Delatour
Kalan  Ellis
Tinsley  Flint
Elijah Geniesse
Arianna Hill
Madison Holcomb
Dylan Kearney
Madison Licata
Manning Miller
Bryn Pugh
Brooks Rice
Jenna Snellgrove
Parker Stevens
Kenneth Syphoe
Mason Thornton
Victoria Wisted
Emily Woody
Julian Wright
Avery Strickland

SENIOR HIGH -

Brazil Mission Trip: Natal is located on the easternmost portion of Brazil. It is a large, coastal city of nearly one million people. Natal is a city of great potential, but also with great needs. GACS students will be working with a local church and local families to reach out to the community. There are many different ministry opportunities for this trip: evangelism, homeless ministry, work with a local orphanage, and construction work on homes. Our mission is to serve the people of Natal and serve local believers as they reach their community for Christ.

Trip Leaders: Nathan Cost, Holly Ballenger, and Pete McReynolds

Students:
Anderson, Erin
Baker, Jess
Corley, Patrick
Davis, Karlyn
Deal, Emma
Gibson, William
James, Fletcher
Janssen, Paula
Licata, Morgan
Mayfield, Mary
Peninger, Mary
Reidford, Zac
Reynolds, Nicole
Stewart, Brianna
Strickland, Zach

Ecuador Mission Trip: Riobamba is located in the very heart of the Andes Mountains of Ecuador. Ninety-five percent of the population are the Chimborazo and Quetzal Indians, mainly from the Puruha people. The Puruha people are historically one of the most suppressed and rejected indigenous populations in Ecuador. The GACS team, in conjunction with the Joshua Expeditions organization, will be serving children in the Compassion International lunch clubs of Riobamba, teaching school children about Jesus in the rural areas of the Andes and supporting the orphans and missionaries of The Ark children’s home.

TEAM LEADERS: Melaney Cost, Sandy Flagg, Dana Davis, and a Joshua Expeditions representative

Students:
Arnold, Joseph
Barry, Meagan
Caples, Tyler
Coker, Nick
Duvall, Abby
Freeman, Caroline
Gray, Rachel
Henry, Meagan
Holdridge, Hannah
Hord, Cheryl
Light, Katie
McPheely, Megan
Miller, Jordan
Nelson, Hailey
Pendleton, Terry
Rahbar, Amelia
Ramon, Ashley
Roberts, Rebecca
Sitzes, Morgan
Stokes, Jenna
Sutton, Kelsey
Trotti, Rebekah
Waldman, Julia
Wilson, Christine
Sutton, Kelsey
Trotti, Rebekah
Waldman, Julia
Wilson, Christine

Honduras Mission Trip: Rancho el Paraiso is a working ranch located in the Agalta Valley in the province of Olancho, Honduras. The ranch is overseen by Honduras Outreach, Inc. which is a mission program dedicated to improving the lives of residents in the surrounding villages. Through teams such as the one from GACS, Hondurans and North Americans minister to each other and share the love of Jesus Christ. The team will work in one of the villages helping with community and home improvements such as pouring cement floors or building chimneys and latrines. Each day the GACS team will have the opportunity to share Jesus with the children of the village teaching Bible lessons.

TEAM LEADERS:Kristy Shelton, Joe Edelhuber, Derek Wilson and Amanda Howard

Students:
Jordan Dudek
Michael Scialiabba
Joe Deedy
Wesley Bradley
Austin Golden
Matt Ruder
Xavier Mafe
Trey Martin
Camie Stevens
Sydney Smartt
Stephanie Lord
Lauren Sims
Amanda Jordan
Amberly Main
Victoria Sams
Erika Dore
Laura Leitch
Max Meyers
Haley Holdridge

NFL Update: Surprises in ‘09

THIS season not much has changed. The Giants are still dominating the NFC, Peyton Manning and the Colts are still near the top of the division, and Brett Favre still wants to play. Even with those expectancies, many events have happened in ‘09 that would have been thought crazy at the end of 2008. Who expected with the loss of Hall of Fame Head Coach Mike Shanahan, replaced by rookie Josh McDaniels, and the great talent of Jay Cutler that this team would be undefeated? Or that Brett Favre would be in purple and gold?

Many experts predicted that the Tennessee Titans would be a strong Super Bowl candidate this year, but with a zero-five record, only one team since 1990 has made it to the playoffs let alone the Super Bowl with that starting record. And much to the Vikings’ surprise, they are undefeated because of unbelievable performances from Brett Favre,  thought to be a non-factor because of his age, and young Adrian Peterson who has proved to be the main part of this team. But is this too good to be true?

The Broncos, whose toughest opponent was the New England Patriots, has a much harder schedule a head of them. Facing the Ravens, Eagles, Colts and a hot Jets team, who knows if they will be prepared? Also, with three out of the five Vikings’ wins coming from teams with losing records, they also have tougher opponents to play. With the Giants, Ravens, and Packers at Lambeau, fans do not yet know how the Vikings will fare against high-caliber playoff teams, a factor if they are to go deep into the playoffs.

Next year new surprises will appear in the NFL. Who knows, maybe the Lions will have a winning record…or maybe not.

[NFL Fan? Follow the official NFL Blog @ http://blogs.nfl.com/.]