I asked these teens (ages 15-18) in a Lutheran youth group from Kure Beach, NC, (just south of Wilmington) why they traveled to Atlanta to do mission work. The boys--Brice, Jose, Matt, Logan, and "Jimmer") had never been to Stone Mountain before, but Maddie had.
"I mean, couldn't you just do it right there where you live?"
There really wasn't an explanation other than to say they just do that, travel to different places. Like last year when they volunteered at Give Kids The World in Orlando, "where children with life-threatening illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacations."
 
So, earlier today they had done a prayer walk through downtown Atlanta and passed out 100 homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (made in 15 minutes, they boasted) at a homeless shelter on Peachtree St. near the Fox Theater.
"What's a prayer walk?" I asked.
"Well, we see people who might need prayer, and we pray for them. Like, we prayed with this one homeless man from Cameroon."
"I bet you'll pray for me when you walk off!" I teased.
 
We laughed, and I threatened to pray for them, too! (I did give them the flags in their hands when I saw their patriotic outfits, as the flags just happened to be in my car). Tomorrow they will welcome refugees at at a refugee center in Atlanta, and I told them to please send them my way to Stone Mountain!   —   #Iamthemountain