Pinecrest’s vision for missions includes sponsoring international students, contributing to foreign ministries, and sending groups on short-term missions trips, but from May 23-June 1, we were on the receiving end as 12 students and 2 adults from Corning Christian Academy came to Pinecrest as a part of their own missions program.

Corning Christian Academy, in Corning, New York, offers secondary students practical opportunities to serve in home and foreign missions. The group, led by full-time missionaries Tim and Bernadette Negus, heard about Pinecrest from faculty members Rod and Wendy Levey, whose children, Hannah and David, had been involved in the school’s evangelism class. The students volunteered to come for a week to help Pinecrest with some summer projects.

The students arrived ready and willing to work—cleaning out storage areas, raking, weeding, and helping in the Kitchen and Maintenance departments. Adult workers also helped begin renovations in the New Yorker Men’s Bathroom.

“Never in my life have I seen young people work as hard and as happily as this group,” said Joanne Picataggi. “Tim and Bernadette had such giving hearts, and they imparted that into this team of young people.”

"We were thrilled to host the CCA Missions Team this year,” commented Rod and Wendy Levey. “They came to be a blessing, and they were!"

Visiting CCA students were: Grace Bixby, Patrick Boris, Heather Buck, Mary Katherine Cornfield, Jenny Dunning, Spencer Hagy, Cody Horning, Leah Jumper, Sharon Keck, Jenna Maxson, Ryan Maxson, and Kaitlyn McCarty.