Day 4 - Orientation Ends & SPY Begins

Today we started the morning off with our sung blessing and enjoyed breakfast together. Then it was time to move into the gym for our morning devotions. Katie B. had the group talk about their peaks and pits of the trip so far. It was great to hear all of the peaks, whether it was the family group time, team building exercises or making music together. The pits weren't too bad either, just a random bug, tables being moved at 6 a.m., and having to hear the sprinkler controls go off every hour at night. Jeremy H. awarded the FFP button to Caitlin K.

The next activity was group building. We played a game called "Cross The Line". Katie B. and Jenn would call out a statement and you would cross over the line if it applied to you. We learned a lot about each other in a short amount of time! After that we had some fun playing elbow tag and found out that Rachel J. and Jay are really fast. Once we were all awake and our bodies were warmed up, it was time for the guys and Altos to go downstairs for a sectional rehearsal while the Sopranos stayed upstairs for mission education.

Rachel H., Katie B. and Jenn talked to the youth about their own mission experiences and the impact that they had on their lives. Then they discussed Voices of Youth and the specific role it has of "Awakening the United Methodist Church to Mission". They reviewed all of the different mission locations that we will be visiting throughout the tour such as the Henry Fork Center, Camp Rainbow Connection, CCAP, Society of St. Andrew, and others. Then the two groups switched places. By the end of the Soprano sectional, they were begging to eat!


We had sandwiches, chips, fruit, and some leftovers for lunch.


After lunch it was time to finish packing and clean to make sure that we left the building just as nice as we found it. Before our next rehearsal, we had some Pop Ice while Jenn gave us all some health and safety trips for the work sites and the rest of the trip.

Then it was time for our last rehearsal at Orientation. We sang through all of the songs, incorporating the instrumental parts and dances. Then we worked on the six songs that we'll be singing at Fieldstone UMC on Sunday morning. By the end of the rehearsal most of us could tell that we've been singing a lot for the past three days so it was time to save our voices and finish the final packing and cleaning jobs.

We had some pizza, salad and fruit for dinner and then headed off to Project SPY.


Everyone took their bags and headed to their respective rooms to get settled in. Then the leaders had a meeting to get the schedules and discuss all the logistics of the week while the youth played some ice breaker games to get to know some of the kids from the other churches at SPY this week (Trinity UMC in Puquoson, VA and Gloria Korean Presbyterian in Glen Burnie, MD).


We all received a tour of the facility and then gathered together to listen to tips about Safety, Sensitivity, and Stewardship.

Then each group came up with a skit to demonstrate one of those categories.



After the skits were over, we had some free time and for our group that meant SHOWERS! 10:30 came quickly and then it was time to go to bed and get rest for our first performance tomorrow morning.

Day 3 - Orientation Continues...

Morning came quickly and it was time to start another day. Some decided to kick off the day with a run while others chose to stay in bed as long as possible! We enjoyed breakfast and some early fellowship together once we gathered all the stragglers.

Then we headed out for some morning devotions led by Rachel. We talked about our hopes for the trip and the hope we have in God to use us to truly awaken the church to mission throughout our journey.

After our devotions we enjoyed some group building. The first activity was led by Katie B. and involved pairing up with someone else from the group. We were asked to turn back to back and change something about our appearance. Then we had to turn around and find out what was different about our partner. We soon learned how important it is to pay attention to the small things and notice the people around us. Katie encouraged us to use this skill throughout the trip with anyone we encounter.

The second group building activity involved each family group working together to cross the lava swamp with the magic puzzle squares. Let go of the square and it would sink into the lava. Sometimes fire alligators would come and eat them or a tidal wave would wash one away. The family groups had to work closely and hold on tight to ensure safe passage through the swamp!

Now that we all made it safely across the swamp, it was time to go inside for another rehearsal. We continued working on our music and then divided up for sectional rehearsals. While one group sang, the other group went to take showers and finally get clean! When we returned, it was time for lunch. We enjoyed a great meal and some fun activities including the cup game. We also had a great group to help clean up after lunch was finished.

Another rehearsal went by and we had a chance for some free time. Some decided to try the dancing ribbons that were lent to the group for one of our songs. Others decided to discover the art of braiding hair. The most exciting part of the afternoon was getting the finished tie dyed shirts back. We were very pleased with the results!

In the evening we had a Mexican dinner and Jeremy's group helped to clean up afterward. They did an amazing job and seemed to have a good time doing it!

Each family group went off to plan their devotions and then later we all gathered to collate the 1,500 programs for the tour. One of the last group activities of the evening was a water war outside. We had some water balloons and water guns to distribute among the youth. While there were some that tried to avoid getting wet, they were NOT successful in their efforts to remain dry. Rachel and Jordan both were "baptized" by the youth with tubs of water when they least expected it. They seemed to handle it pretty well and were excited to see the youth enjoying themselves so much.

After some time bonding in small groups, it was time for evening devotions. Jordan talked about hope and read from Romans 8:24-27. He reminded us that sometimes we hope for God to help guide us but we don't always know what exactly we should hope for. We have the Holy Spirit interceding for us, searching our hearts and helping us hope for what we truly need. It is our hope that every person on the tour draws closer to God over the course of this mission and shares their experiences willingly with those God puts in their path.

Day 2 - Orientation Begins!

Day 2 of Voices of Youth began as the staff prepared for Orientation at the Blacksburg Christian Life Center. Time for unpacking shirts, making buttons, organizing music, making posters and practicing skits, which are all in a day's work. Later in the morning, we were joined by Rev. Brad Dulaney who talked to the staff about how to help the youth hear God's calling in their lives.

The wait was finally over and the youth started arriving. The staff were ready and waiting to greet them with open arms and smiling faces. It was time to check-in and then see if the youth were really able to carry all of their belongings that they will have with them for the rest of the journey.

Once everyone had arrived and settled in, we had a time of worship with the parents. The youth staff shared a brief explanation about why they love Voices of Youth and how they see the program impacting their lives. Rev. Dulaney spoke about his mission experiences and how our lives can be transformed by the simple gestures demonstrated by people we come in contact with. We joined in song, celebrated with communion and were led in a commissioning service for all those involved.

After the service was over, it was time to say goodbye to the parents and begin our group time with the Rules Skit. The youth staff helped all of us remember why it is important to leave our cell phones behind and be fully engaged in our mission and the relationship opportunities presented every day. Most importantly, they helped remind us that "purple" is not allowed.

Our next activity was a group rehearsal. We could tell right from the start that they were listening to every word that Jordan said.

We had a great time singing and the group is really sounding great. We were blessed to have two different accompanists join us for the day (Carter Edmondson and Brandy Buckels) to help complete our adult staff and allow us to make the most out of our rehearsal time. Once the rehearsal was finished it was time for the family groups to get together and learn more about each other. These pictures are evidence that we get to know each other pretty fast!


Later in the evening we enjoyed some fellowship and ice cream sundaes as we planned our next family group activity.

After the plans had been made and the shirts had been rubber banded, we had a great time tie dyeing our white VOY t-shirts. We're anxious to see what they will look like. Only time will tell...


Now it is off to bed so we can dream about the great experiences will have and the many friendships and blessings that God will bestow upon us in the rest of the journey to come!

Day 1 - Adult, College and Youth Staff Arrive!

That time of year has come again and Voices of Youth is preparing to go on tour. The adult, college, and youth staff arrived today at the Blacksburg UMC Christian Life Center in order to prepare for our Orientation that begins tomorrow. Here is a bit about each staff member so you can get to know them a little bit better...

Rachel Hundley (VOY Coordinator) - What a blessing it is to be in ministry with brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world through Voices of Youth! Voices has always been an important part of my life, and I'm honored to be serving in this way. This is my 5th year with Voices (including 2 years as a youth), and I appreciate and welcome the opportunities and challenges each tour has presented. I work at Otterbein United Methodist Church in Harrisonburg, VA as the Coordinator of Church Ministries. I also work part time at the Harrisonburg and Rockingham Thermal Shelter during the cold months of the year.

Jordan Markwood (Team Leader and Director) - I am excited to be starting my 8th tour with the Voices of Youth. This is the first year that a former member will direct the choir and I'm honored to have that privilege. I will work extremely hard to make sure that each member of the group has the best experience possible and that we awaken each person we meet to God's mission. During the rest of the year I teach chorus at Stone Hill Middle School in Ashburn, VA. I am also the Worship Arts Coordinator at Round Hill UMC in Winchester and direct the Shenandoah Valley Chorus, a Sweet Adeline International choir.


Jennifer Dixon (Group Building/Youth Liaison) - Hi everyone!! I am so excited to be a part of Voices of Youth again this year. I was fortunate enough to travel with VOY 09 to Mississippi as a member of the Adult Staff and will always treasure my time with the amazing youth that are a part of this great mission. This will be my 3rd summer with voices and 2nd as staff. I was a youth member of Voices 1996 and traveled throughout the state of VA and I am excited to make that trip again for the 25th Anniversary. In my "real life", I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy and work with patients recovering from stroke, spinal cord injury, and brain injury in both Outpatient and Hospital settings in Virginia Beach. It's hard work, but I love it! I'm so excited to get to meet and work with all of the amazing youth that will be traveling with VOY this summer and can't wait until June!

Katie Baird (Programming Coordinator) - Hi everyone, I joined VOY primarily because I live with Rachel Hundley. I am a graduate student at James Madison University and am working on my master’s degree in school and clinical mental health counseling. I love working with teenagers and am excited to spend a significant portion of my summer traveling and volunteering with Voices of Youth.

Jeremy Hopkins (College Staff) - I am the son of Janet and Edward Hopkins. My mother is a chemist and my father is a Methodist minister. I have lived the past 17 years of my life in Charlottesville, VA. I played soccer for Charlottesville high school. I play the piano and the drums, aside from singing. I currently am a freshman at High Point University in High Point, NC, as a sport management and strategic communication double major. I am the president of my christian fraternity, Delta Iota Alpha, and the photography editor for the school's newspaper. I enjoy cooking and knitting. This is my second year on voices, first as staff.

Katie Lape (College Staff) - Hey everyone! I am about to be a sophomore at East Carolina University as a music education major. This will be my fourth year on Voices of Youth and my second year on staff. Every year is always a different and an amazing adventure. The people you meet and the experiences you have on this trip will stay with you forever. Before my first year on voices, I couldn’t tell you how scared and shy I was. But by the end of the first day, I could almost tell you everyone’s name and was fueled and ready for the trip ahead of me. Voices of Youth is a great way to reach out to others through mission and through song. This is definitely a humbling and rewarding experience that everyone can get something out of if they put trust in themselves and in God. I can’t wait until we can get started on our journey with our goal…to awake the United Methodist Church to mission.


Mollie Donihe (Youth Staff) - Hi everyone, I’m Mollie. I’m a rising junior in high school, I dance and I play violin. This will be my second year on Voices and I can’t wait to get going! I was very shy at first last year but settled in quickly and made some GREAT friends. Voices of Youth is such an amazing experience and it really gave me a deeper understanding for mission work. Most of all, it helped me understand how important it is to do God’s work! The whole trip is eye opening and exciting; there’s never a dull moment. Going on this trip has inspired me to become more involved with mission. Last year, I came home newly revived and ready to spread God’s love and I’m looking forward to another similarly inspiring experience this year!

Sara McNeil (Youth Staff) - I'm 17 and going to be a senior next year at Phoebus high school in Hampton, VA. This is my second year with VOY and I know it will be the best! I haven't really pin pointed what I want to focus on in college but right now I'm leaning heavily towards education. I really want to travel when I get out of school, which will probably heavily influence my career choice. I love to read and listen to music, and of course, sing!