Workcamps • Program

Pre-trip Devotions 2025

Pre-Trip Devotion #1

(Note to youth leaders: These devotions are meant to be a starting-off place to help prepare your group for this year’s Group Mission Trip experience. Please feel free to adjust the material to fit your context.)

Ice Breaker Question: If you were going on a big trip and could only take 3 items, would what they be and why?

Ask and Discuss:

- Were there any items that everyone agreed would be important?

- Were the items you chose mostly physical items, or were there any intangible items?

- Were the items you listed ones you already owned, or would you have to acquire them?

- Would anyone change their answer after hearing the group’s items?

When thinking through what you would bring on a trip, there were probably some different approaches to how you answered this question. Some items you need and others you simply want. Either way, the things you pack help prepare you for the experience ahead.

The word “tool” is often associated with hammers, screwdrivers, or other construction equipment, but tools are everywhere and help us in things far beyond just building. A fork is a tool for eating, a pencil is a tool for writing, and even a kind word can be a tool for encouragement. Some tools are physical objects, but others can help us develop qualities like patience, wisdom, or faith.

This summer, we will explore the tools that equip us to walk closer with Jesus. These tools will help us reflect his love, navigate life’s challenges, and grow in our faith. Just like a carpenter needs the right tools to build, we need spiritual tools to strengthen our relationship with Christ and serve others well.

Scripture: Hebrews 13:20-21

“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Ask and Discuss:

- What does this scripture tell us about God?

- What does this scripture tell us about ourselves?

- What are some spiritual tools you think you already have and use in your daily life?

- What tools do you want to develop to grow closer to Jesus?

Closing thought: God desires to equip us, not just for a mission trip this summer, but for life’s big and small moments. Not only does he call us to his will but gives us the strength and the means to fulfill it. He provides us with his Word, his Spirit, and a community of believers to help us along the way. Our ability to live for God comes not from our own efforts, but his power working within us through Christ.

Pray: God of Peace, thank you for your faithful guidance and for equipping us with everything we need. Work in us what is pleasing to you, shaping our hearts and lives according to your purpose. May we walk in obedience and trust, knowing that it is your power within us that enables us to serve you. Amen.

Pre-Trip Devotion #2

Game: Cup Relay

Setup & Materials:

How to Play:

  1. Divide into teams (or play every person for themselves if you have a small group). Each team gets a full cup of water at the starting line.
  2. Round 1 – No Tools Allowed
    • The first player must move the cup without using their hands or body. (See if anyone comes up with a way to move the cup (many might not know what to do).)
  3. Round 2 – Partial Tools
    • Give each team a piece of string
    • Players must now work together to find a creative way to move the cup using the string
  4. Round 3 – Fully Equipped
    • Give each team 1 spatula
    • They can now strategize how to get the cup to the finish line efficiently.
  5. Each Round: Determining the winner
    • Teams compete to get their cup of water across the finish line with the most water remaining.
    • Do not refill cups with water between rounds. Whoever has the most water remaining after each round wins. Whoever has the most remaining after the final round is the overall winner. If a cup loses all water, that team is removed from the competition. (The winner is determined by the level of water remaining. If there is a tie, the winner is determined by who finished the race first.)

Ask and Discuss:

- How did it feel trying to move the cup of water when you didn’t have any tools to help?

- What changed as you received different tools?

We all face big challenges in life, and if you haven’t yet, you likely will. Maybe it was speaking in front of a group or stepping into a leadership role at school. Even going on this mission trip is a big event. It’s easy to feel unqualified or unsure of how God can use us. But like we talked about in our last devo, God never calls us to something without equipping us for it.

Moses felt this way when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He doubted his abilities and even questioned God’s choice. But God reassured him in Exodus 4:12, “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” Moses wasn’t equipped on his own, but God gave him what he needed.

As we prepare for our summer mission trip, you may feel both excited and nervous. That’s okay. It is normal for both feelings to exist at the same time. You might be eager for new experiences but uncertain about what’s ahead. Maybe you’re wondering: Will I make friends? Can I really make a difference? Am I ready for this?

In those moments of uncertainty, faith allows us to trust God even when we don’t fully understand his plan. It’s the confidence that he is with us, for us, and equipping us every step of the way.

Scripture: Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ask and Discuss:

Closing thought: No matter how you are feeling, rest assured knowing that God is already preparing you for this experience. Trust him, lean into the tools he’s already given you, and know that he is walking with you through every challenge and joy that this experience will bring. God sees you, knows you, and will equip you for exactly what he has called you to do.

Pray: God, thank you for going before us and preparing the way for this journey. In moments of excitement and uncertainty, help us to trust in your plan and lean on the gifts you’ve given us. Give us peace in knowing that you are walking with us every step of the way. Lord, remind us that we are seen, known, and equipped by you for exactly what you have called us to do. May we step forward in faith, ready to serve, love, and grow in your presence. Amen.