Rebuild Lakeshore hosts various types of mission trips to best serve local needs and to maximize the efforts of your mission team.
You can check out our blog for examples of previous mission trips, dating back to August of 2005. In each of the categories below, I will link to examples of what we have done in the past, as we look forward to your mission trip with us.
Service Projects
We have work to do! If your group is willing to get their hands dirty for a good cause, we have a never ending list of projects, from painting, light construction, clean-up, and other things. Flexibility has always been a core value at Rebuild Lakeshore for mission trips wanting to do whatever needs to be done. We will work with your group to maximize their potential and utilize their abilities as we tailor your custom mission trip experience.
For example, check out this great youth group that cleaned up after a construction project: Spring Break at the County Dump
Mercy Ministry
The Mercy House provides clothing, food, household items, and even toys for local families in need. Each week we receive donations that need to be sized and sorted through. You could call this our “Vintage Clothing Ministry.” The building is set up sort of like a thrift store, but everything is free. Its an exciting and unique ministry that mission trip teams fall in love with. The impact of this ministry on our community, as well as the volunteers themselves, is hard to explain, unless you experience it yourself. There is always plenty to do at the Mercy House.
Garden Ministry
Mississippi ranks one of the highest states in the nation for “food insecurity.” Too many don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Lakeshore Gardens aims to change the food shortage by educating and encouraging home food production. Mission teams have the opportunity to work in the demonstration gardens, planting, maintaining, and harvesting. Our next step in this project includes expanding the garden, clearing land, building raised beds, planting a food forest, and other things. No one should go hungry on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where we have a climate that can grow food all year round.
We launched this ministry with a massive food give away and garden seminar. Read about it at: Food Abundance
VBS / Backyard Bible Clubs
We have partnered with our sister Southern Baptist Churches in the Gulf Coast Baptist Association to host mission teams doing Vacation Bible Schools and Backyard Bible clubs through our local churches in the county.
For example, for the last several years a team from Georgia has done a VBS at Bayside Baptist Church as part of a very successful revitalization effort. See our blog post about their VBS of 2018.
Event Ministry
From Block parties, to picnics on the beach, local street festivals, and various happenings, the Mississippi Gulf Coast provides various opportunities for community outreach. Pirate Day in the Bay, Crusin’ the Coast, or our own sponsored events are just a few of the ways your team can partner with us as we seek to reach our community for Christ.
For example, check out what we did at Puritans and Pirates and Pirate Day in the Bay.
Construction
Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, God launched a massive construction effort and Rebuild Lakeshore was born. Under the Lord’s direction volunteers build hundreds of houses in our area before turning their attention to our church building itself. We don’t know what to do without the sound of nail-guns and skill saws in the background. If your team has particular construction skills, like framing, electrical, plumbing, sheet-rock, or a little of everything, let us know and we will match your team with a God glorifying project.
For example, in early 2019 a mission team from Kentucky built The Pastor’s Porch on his little house next door to the church.
As you can see, we are involved in a little bit of everything. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Whatever God has equipped your team to do, we can get it done together at Rebuild Lakeshore. Take a few minutes to fill out our Mission Trip Planner and we can start the process of planning your next mission trip today.