What are we going to be doing?

We are now up to 37 registered AYC'ers for our European tour. We only need 5 more people to register and we will break our record for most ever registered. Call your friends get them connected and lets break the record this year. Many of you have asked the question of the day "What are we going to be doing?" Here is the break down. We hope you likey!

1. Leave Chicago on Monday July 16th at 3:30 pm

2. Arrive in Dublin at 8:45 am on July 17th we will then ride the bus to Heuston Train station and ride the train to Waterford to meet with the Potter family. We will then check into the hotel, let everyone rest and then we will have dinner, prayer and talk about expectations of the mission.

3. On July 18th we will wake up early and take a bus to Cork, Ireland to visit a historic castle where the Blarney stone is located. After the tour we will return back to the city to pass out flyers and have a revival service that night with James Chessor preaching.

4. On July 19th we will spend the entire day passing out flyers and inviting people to the revival services and Saturday blockparty. That night we will continue our revival service with Rev. Chessor.

5. On July 20th we will continue to invite and pass out flyers and hang out downtown Waterford. At night we will have church services.

6. On July 21st we will have the first ever block party church service by the river in Waterford in the afternoon. We will then take the night off to hang out.

7. On July 22nd we will have church in Waterford at 11 am. When church is over we will ride a bus back to Dublin for church at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Everyone will be encouraged to rest well that night because we will go from 5 am until 11 pm the next day.

8. Wake up at 4:30 am and go to the Dublin International airport to fly to Paris for the day. We will visit the Arc de Triumphe, Eiffel Tower and other places as time permits.

9. On July 24th we will catch an afternoon flight to Poland. Upon arrival we will check into the hotel and pass out flyers telling everyone about the new church and English as a second language classes.

10. On July 25th we will leave for Birkenau, Poland to visit two WWII concentration camps. Your life will be forever impacted after visiting these locations. We will return back to Krakow to finish passing out our flyers. Then hang out on the town square that night.

11. On July 26th we will tour Historic Krakow, The Jewish Ghetto, the Church where Pope John Paul was on overseer and a giant castle in the city. We will even visit a very modern mall near our apartment. At night there is an optional concert everyone is welcome to attend near the city center at an old church.

12. On July 27th we will fly back to Dublin to spend the night.

13. On July 28th we will leave Dublin for Chicago at 8:45 am.

Why Go? According to Chelsea Savala

Why YOU should go on a AYC mission trip. There is no explanation to describe how amazing it is to have your eyes opened in such a way it completely changes who you are. That is what just one AYC experience did for me. I was beyond blessed to join a group of young people heading to Uganda, Africa sitting on that forever long plane ride all of us full of hope and anticipation. The moment the plane flew low enough for us to see Africa it was a fight to get in a window, to see another country below you knowing the God that made our home also made theirs. We were about to enter a completely different world. 

Having no one to rely on in a foreign land except our leaders and the rest of the AYC group really hit me once we were off the plane it honestly made me more independent. Meeting and getting to know these absolutely amazing people of Uganda changed my personal opinion of myself and who I wanted to be. The love, trust, loyalty and faith that they had were at a level so high I can only pray to obtain one day. The services were probably as close to being in Heaven as possible. The worship and dance were pure love and joy for God and for hours at a time. The mind set of the people took my breath away at how humble and how in love with God they were. To have the bare-minimum to survive they are the happiest group of people I have ever and will probably ever meet. 

Not only did the people of Uganda affect me but also the other AYCer’s. Getting to know the group of outstanding young people in the ALJC district and becoming inseparable friends even after the trip is such a blessing. All of us have different passions and lives we lead but there is one thing all 28 of us will have in common, this mission trip. God always has the perfect plan and every one of us were there for a reason and I couldn’t ask for a better group to be with. 

My life has drastically changed because of this AYC trip. Uganda will forever be in my heart, my worship, my love and my dance. Even if you don’t specifically feel called to foreign mission work still go, at least one time in your life. Break out of your box, trust God with your whole being and step in faith. Nothing but pure greatness can come from a missions trip. :)

-Chelsea Savala

Why go? According to Rachael Martin

"Since 2007, I wanted to go on a mission’s trip to Africa, and then in
2009 my Bishop went to Uganda, Africa with four other members of my
church my heart was crushed that I wouldn’t be able to go with them
because it was my senior year of high school. In 2011 I had the
opportunity to head to Uganda, Africa with an awesome group of young
people! Heading over to Uganda I felt like I knew what to expect from
hearing all the stories from people from my church, and my brother who
went in January of 2011. Once I landed in Africa until the day we got
on the plane to head back to the United States, I realized I was
wrong. Actually being in Uganda changed my outlook on the people over
there. My brother would tell me how you go over and expect to change
their life, but they ended up changing yours. I found out what he was
saying was true! In the United States we take so many things for
granted, especially the things we sacrifice to God! I remember one
night after a hard rain came down it was probably 65 degrees, and an
orphan was holding my hand shivering. Being an American I thought this
weather was perfect, but looking at this child I knew it wasn’t
comfortable for him. I realized how much I have in the States that I
use to keep me comfortable. This child had nothing else to put on to
keep warm, but there was still a smile on his face seeing a group of
people playing games with them to show we care and love them very
much. While over there I learned what it meant to sincerely worship
the one true God! There is a lot more to mission trips than being able
to see another country. Going to Uganda my heart was opened to many
people who didn’t have much materialistic items.
   You may ask yourself “Why should I go on the AYC Missions Trip?”
Going on a mission’s trip allows you to meet friends across the United
States that has the same passion as you. Not only do you meet friends
from the States, but also living in a different country. Every so
often I receive a phone call and emails from my friends that I made in
Uganda. During these phone calls they inform me of how revival is
breaking out at their church and the village churches, it is amazing
to hear these stories and feel like you are back with them in revival!
I know that when I went to Uganda my faith grew so much! Not only my
faith but my love for people all over the world has grown. Many people
also talk themselves out of going to another country because it may be
dangerous and they don’t have the security that the United States
does. I remember going through that and I was about to email Josh
Wilson and say I couldn’t go. I prayed and asked God to show me a sign
because I didn’t want to have fear. After praying I got a strong urge
to read the Bible.  The verse I opened up to was Hebrews 13:6 which
states, “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will
not fear what man shall do unto me.” Remember that throughout your
time on this trip God WILL have His hand of protection on you!  I
promise you will not regret going on a mission’s trip. It will give
you strength, encouragement, love, faith, and a whole lot more! You
have nothing to lose on this upcoming trip…go and open your heart to
what blessing God has for your life. Trust me you will be very
blessed! "

Why Go?

We have asked some of our past AYC participants to write in and answer the question "Why You should go on an AYC Mission?" Here is what Mareshah Wheeler from Baton Rouge had to say about her AYC Uganda Mission.

Why YOU Should Go on an AYC Trip This Summer

                AYC trips are amazing and well worth attending during the summer. I attended last summer where we went to Uganda, Africa and visited two different cities in the country of Uganda. We attended church services in the cities of Kampala and Mbale. It was life-changing being in worship services with people from a completely different cultures and ways of life worshipping an amazing God. In the church services there was no air conditioner, no carpeted floors, one light bulb that lit up the entire church, but in every single service as I worshipped with new friends from America and Africa, God’s presence rained down upon us and we were forever changed by Him meeting us there. I expected, going into this trip, the people there would be down and sad because of the situations that lots of them were faced with, but what I found was people full of joy not because everything was going completely right in their lives, but because there was a God who had never failed them and was there in the midst of everything that they faced. There would be days when we would be out sightseeing and be hours late to church and instead of them canceling service or, postponing they would just sing and dance and worship for hours and then once we got there service would begin with more singing and dancing and worshiping and preaching. We also spent lots of time with the orphans while we were there and it was so humbling to be in the presence of those who did not have much materially, but were so blessed spiritually. They may not have had iPods and cellphones, or even a decent change of clothes and a pair of shoes, but they were blessed! They were always rejoicing and full of joy and gratefulness and while we were able to bless them with material things like shoes and clothes, they blessed us by teaching us that no matter how bad we think it is, God is still a good God!

                While on this AYC trip my worship was challenged, my faith was strengthened, my love for missions increased as did my love and desire to help those who don’t have as much as we have here in America (shoes, clothes, three meals a day); but most of all, God was glorified like I had never experienced before in being in church services with people of like precious faith who wanted nothing more than to worship God. If you are interested in making amazing new friends from all over the ALJC, sign up! It was awesome meeting and forming friendships with people from so many different churches, and we were all able to keep in touch after the trip was over! AYC 2011 was life-changing and you should try your absolute best to be a part this year!

-Mareshah

Thank you Mareshah for your words! AYC 2012 will be another year when you will meet new people and your love for missions will increase.

Registration form

Just in case you need a registration form just click on this link AYC 2012 European Registration form. Just click on it, fill it out and mail it in. If you do not have your passport yet you can still mail in your registration form and then email your passport information later.