After fourteen and a half hours on the road, we arrived at our destination for the evening: Zion Lutheran Church in Waterville, Ohio.

Over 300 youth and their leaders will sleep on floors and in pews as we prepare for the second leg of our journey. We are so grateful to the folks at Zion for hosting us and inviting us to worship with them tomorrow morning.

We learned about ALT (Abundant Life Together), an organization hosting year- long service immersion experiences for 18-25 year olds in Toledo. Lives are being changed and a city is being transformed by the work of ALT.

Finally, in devotions we talked about the difference between accompaniment and “mission work”. While one (mission work) focuses on our efforts to bring healing and renewal, the other (accompaniment) takes seriously the work that is already happening and the vibrant faith and determination of those who live in a particular place. We are committed to accompanying the people of New Jersey, lending or hearts and hands to the work they have already started.

We look forward to tomorrow’s stage of our journey and thank you for your support and prayers.