In Their Own Words- Shannon

"Going down to N.O. was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Being able to serve the Lord and the people in N.O. was so much fun and was so rewarding. My favorite thing that we did was working with the kids at Challenge Circle. They were all so sweet and excited to come play with us. I also enjoyed gutting houses. It was hard work, but being able to see all that we got done was incredible. Through both of these activities, I was able to show God’s love to the people in N.O., especially the kids. I got to know one girl, Brione really well. She was a little heavier than the other girls, and noticed that none of the Castle Rock volunteers wanted to put her on their shoulders. Just by allowing her to ride on my shoulders, I could see her face brighten. I loved being the one to show her how much God loved her. Seeing that little bit of hope in that little girl makes me realize that N.O. still has hope for the future with God’s help. Yet another Godsend was how well all the other youth groups got along. We were able to work efficiently and still have fun doing it. By the end of the week, we were all reluctant to leave N.O. and the friends we’d made there. This trip to N.O. has been eye-opening, a blast, and I can’t wait to see how God will use this experience to change my life!" -Shannon