Today started out great as everyone finished packing up their things and headed to breakfast together. After breakfast, we went over to the prayer chapel to debrief for a bit, which was really helpful and gave us time to reflect on the week. Then we made our way to our last chapel, where we worshiped with all our hearts. After chapel, we had lunch and ate Chick-fil-A before loading our luggage into the van. From there, we were dropped off at the train station and began heading home. Overall, this week of missions was quite an experience and gave us a lot to remember. 

– Evianna Granado

Day 5: Today was personally my favorite day of our missions trip so far. We started off the day with creating care packages with the things we bought from Walmart the previous day. After we finished, we all got into our travel groups and we made our way to Venice beach. Once we set up our base camp at one of the lifeguard towers, we all got split up into our groups to evangelize and pass out our care packages. Although my team and I only really talked to about 4 people, it was so interesting to hear their stories and get to know them. One of the guys was also playing guitar and it was so fun to watch him play, and he even let Cruz play some guitar as well! Once our 2 hours concluded, we headed back to base, where we were given permission to go off and spend some free time roaming around Venice Beach. After an hour of relaxing, we set up worship on the beach and proceeded to sing some worship songs and pray. Later on we got to watch a few Crosshill kids get baptized in the ocean, which was amazing to see! With the baptism concluding our beach day, we headed back to base. Today was honestly so fun and I loved getting to hang out with my friends, as well as help those in need!

• Aubree Powers 

Day 5: It’s Day 5 of Missions! We spent the day serving at Venice Beach and today was honestly the best day out of the whole trip! I felt like God really spoke to us today and blessed us with more opportunities to serve the people around us. We first started our morning with creating care packages with food and toiletries for the homeless, along with candy with encouraging notes on them for others enjoying their time at the beach as well. My team and I walked around and prayed for anyone in need and gave out candy here and there. We also handed out the care packages and as we did so, we got to get to know and hear the stories of the people we were helping. We also got to provide dog food to the homeless who had their doggies with them! We even met an adorable pit bull named Skylar. Later on we had worship and baptisms on the beach. It was a very beautiful time and it was honestly just such an amazing and humbling experience. It was so wonderful getting to connect with strangers, listen to their stories, pray for them, and getting to spread some love!

• Kareli Arteaga

Today was an incredible experience full of various different opportunities. To start, we prepared packs with snacks and hygiene necessities to pass out. Then, we went to Venice beach, to evangelize to the homeless people there, as well as the vendors and tourists. We were given the opportunity to talk to many of these people, hearing their stories and praying for them. It was truly a special experience. We followed this by learner-led worship on the beach, and several baptisms in the ocean. It was an incredible opportunity and has clearly put on display the love God shows.

• Jonah Fanelli 

Day 5:

Today was the best day in my opinion. Me and a couple people got to go and evangelize to many people in LA including some homeless and common people walking around at Venice beach! My favorite experience was getting to meet these people named Angel and Andrew and we gave them some hygiene and snack packs that we prepared this morning. We got to talk to them for about 25 minutes or more. After that me, Cruz, Timmy, and a couple others got to lead worship on the beach. I feel like I have learned so much this week and I feel like I am forever changed by God and this knowledge I have gained.

– Lilly Lequeux

Today was our rec day but at the beginning we all went to a food pantry and we all helped out make boxes for them and it was really fun because it felt like we were having an actual impact in the surround community.  After we went to Walmart which wasn’t apart of our schedule but we felt lead to use the extra money we had to buy food and create small care packages for the people we were going to meet Venice beach the next day. Right after we went to get in-n-out which was amazing and really good. Right after we went to the observatory which was surprisingly really cool and just seeing all of the things humans have done was very mind blowing.

• Ruben Orozco 

Today for our activity day our team served at a food bank helping those who struggle financially. After that we went to in n out and had some chill vibes there. It was cool to see how God uses my relationships to lift me up. Then we went to Griffith observatory and got to see and learn about God’s creation. Overall, a really fun and good day with my peers and facilitators.

• Chris Rodriguez

For our third day of service we went to a food bank called the Children’s Hunger Fund alongside other learners from Crosshill High School to help fold boxes that would hold an assortment of foods for youth in need. We also checked the expiration dates for each item already packaged to ensure the best possible quality. After that we decided to prepare for Venice Beach tomorrow by heading to Walmart to grab stuff of different categories like salty and savory snacks, hygiene products, along with silly conversation starters to hand out to the homeless, street vendors, and general people in the area. After that, we shared a great lunch at In-and-Out, eventually making our way to the Griffith Observatory where we had the opportunity to learn about the universe and our solar system in depth, and this alongside the usual routine of dinner and nighttime worship concluded our recreational day!

• Janelle Case

Day 4 – Today was our fun day, but not before we volunteered to a local food bank near YWAM, where we got the the opportunity to prepare food boxes. It was super fun to hang out with everyone and check food to make sure they weren’t expired. Then we got to go to In-N-Out and it was a great experience! We got a huge Dr. Pepper and free In-N-Out hats too. After that, we were able to go to the Griffith observatory, where we got to pick our groups and walk around and just see the solar system! Personally, my favorite part was seeing how much we weigh on each planet with Cruz and Kareli.

• Vincent Hernandez

Today we had the amazing opportunity to go to Hollywood blvd. We were all split up into smaller teams and we just walked around looking for anyone who we felt needed to hear the word of God. It was such a interesting experience because it truly tested our listening skills with God, and helped us get out of our comfort zone. The Lord spoke to me during this time and I was able to talk to a homeless man named Daniel. I was able to get to know him a bit, give him food, and just tell him that the Lord truly loves him. I am so thankful for all the people I met and I strongly believe that lives were changed today.

• Raylene

Today, we walked around Hollywood boulevard in our groups. We prayed for many people, mostly homeless people. One of them was deaf, so it was a very interesting but Godly experience to get to talk to them with a translator. We also shared Bible verses with people on the street. It was a very interesting experience and we got to preach the Gospel.

• Bryce Yonan

Today was day 3 of LA Missions. We walked the streets of Hollywood Boulevard, and it was a very fun day. My group walked around and talked to a few people, learning their stories and sharing the word of God with them. Through this, we were able to better understand the culture and community of LA. It was a great experience that I really loved.

-Reid Monroe

Today was awesome today we got to go to Hollywood blvd, and we were able to pray for many people! The one that stood out to me specifically was this man named Mark. This man was deaf and he was homeless but he seemed to but very happy that we came up to him and asks to pray for him. So when communicated that we wanted to pray for him he ended up giving his life to Christ right there. It’s so amazing how God can work in so many ways to touch people! Overall I believe that we were able to plant seeds in many.

• Tim Soto 

Today was great we went to Hollywood Blvd. I was able to leave with a couple amazing experiences.  I was able to pray for a woman inside of a souvenir shop. Her neighbor was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Good thing we have a God who can work miracles! I also was able to give a homeless man a lunch and pray for him. He was super genuine, it makes you think how some people just need to be heard and cared for! Overall God used us in amazing ways! Praise to the King!

-Cruz Prospero

Today we got to evangelize near the Colosseum of Los Angeles, where we got the opportunity to pray and hear stories of many individuals. Then we came back to play some games with your groups and finished with worship. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget!

• Isabel Valdez

Today was the second day of missions and it went very well. We woke up and had breakfast and did some evangelism training. After that we had lunch and made our way to the Colosseum. When we got there we got into our color groups and went out. We prayed for multiple people such as a couple in a bush. Then we regrouped after a couple of hours of evangelism and made out back to base. Then we had dinner and chapel. So that was day 2 of missions!

• Bryce Andrews

Today was so exciting and had so much to offer for the first day of LA missions! As we left on the train and headed towards Union Station, everyone was eager to hang out and explore. We got to complete a scavenger hunt at the station, and even bought some snacks and drinks as well! Upon our arrival at YWAM, we met with Higor, Hailey, and other amazing staff members who greeted and toured us around the base. I was so blessed to be able to experience such an incredible chapel on the first night! Higor spoke for us after we played games, and the message was beautiful. After a wonderful travel and arrival day, we all went to bed, anticipating all the things that tomorrow has to offer!

• Shaye Villegas

Today was day 1 of LA Missions, the travel day. It’s been a very eventfull day! The trains were very fun and we stopped for breakfast ay the starbucks in the train station. We arrived at San Fernando and took a few vans to YWAM.  All the people at YWAM have been super nice and fun. We played a game with the other high school group from Salem, Oregon, and had some chapel time at the end of the day. Everyone has been super fun and I met a bunch of new people.

• Paige Raskulinecz