KATIE

Katie (on the right) served on the NFFF Bukidnon Team in the Philippines

How has this summer changed you? 
  I feel that being here in the Philippines and seeing so much poverty has opened up my eyes to life beyond the United States. I think as a Believer it is important to see what the world is really like, even at its ugliest, because that's what we have been called into. So it has changed my priorities in my life, and I am seeing that if realy does call me to go someday, it won't be that scary. His will is the only place I would want to be.

What has this summer so far taught you about God?
   I am coming to see God as the only solution. Before, I always said that God was my provider and shelter, but when you look around and all you see are problems and hurting people everywhere, you see that the Gospel is the only answer for everyone's lives. So God truly is a friend to the broken and the hurting. I've been able to point people to God as their Father and provider and that is an amazing thing.

PAIGE

THE LORD'S PROVISION...

The Lord called me to go to the Philippines to serve this past summer.  In the Lord's provision for this trip, I was constantly humbled. The Lord has done it all in a way that I could not claim any of the credit. Everything for this trip, everything I need has been provided.

Over the past several months, I have seen the Lord provide above and beyond what I could have ever expected, imagined or asked for.  I want to be faithful to share those things with you, because the Lord provides and moves that His name would be glorified!  And, I certainly don't want to take credit for His amazing provision.  

So, let me tell you about how the Lord has provided for this trip thus far.  You might want to sit down, because this is kind of amazing.  

Let me begin at the beginning, I was leaving to go to visit Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.  I received an email from my travel coordinator informing me that I had a week to raise $2,106.  Now, I probably don't need to tell you, but I did not have $2,106.  So, I stopped by the church office on my way out of town and wrote my pastor, Calvin Fowler, a note saying, "Hey, I need this money. Can we ask the church body on Sunday?" 

 I didn't hear from Calvin until Sunday morning.  He said that after the sermon, he was going to pull me up in front of the church body and ask for their support. So, after the sermon he pulled me up.  He told the church where I was going. And then the church prayed over me, and commissioned me to go.

Anyhow, after I went back to my seat, one by one people started handing me money.  And every amount meant so much. The fact that anyone felt they could spare any money was amazing to me.  It was such a blessing.  I had people coming up to me who I had never met before, they wrote checks and handed me money.  But not only did families give me money.  My friends gave me money.  I think that was one of the biggest blessings: seeing college students who are scraping to get by and pay for their supplies and equipment, supporting me to go tell about the Good News.  Before I left the church building a mere 10-15 minutes later, I had roughly $2,400 towards the trip.

God is so good!  He didn't stop there, though.  The $2,106 was simply for my ticket.  I still had $1,220 that I needed to pay for the rest of the trip.  I went to check a couple of weeks later, because a friend wanted me to check to see if their check had arrived.  While I was there I asked what my balance was.  It was short of my goal, but I knew the Lord would provide.  

A little while later (after 3 failed attempts, and lots of crying), I applied for my passport.  For my sanity, and because it was so late in the game, I expedited the processing of my passport.  I didn't really have the money to cover the cost of my passport, due to the expenses of my classes and the extra costs to expedite it.  I wasn't worried about it though, I knew the Lord would provide. One of my dear friends, wrote me a check for the full amount.

And yesterday, a couple from my church came to visit me at work and gave me money for my trip.

And today, my sweet friend Olivia Norton had an event called Divine Downpour.    We sold necklaces that Olivia made that were little anchors and were able to raise a couple hundred dollars in jewelry sales to help  fund my trip.

It has been amazing to see how the Lord has provided in these ways.  I know he has provided more than I can ever imagine in the midst of this.  

I am so incredibly blessed to see the body of Christ come together so that His message could go forth.  I know that the Lord is going to do amazing work through me this summer, and that his word will go further, deeper, and louder than I can imagine.  

Originally posted on Paige's blog.

BEN

Ben served on the UPG Adventure

     There has been many things that the Lord is teaching me while I have been here this summer. Two lessons have been on my mind all summer.
     The first is to follow God with no questions, no reserves. I have learned to follow day by day, hour by hour, step by step, person by person. Follow in love as a child. Eph 5 has been a great encouragement to love all the people I come into contact with.

     The other lesson is that God daily asks us to get into the boat that He captains and go fishing with Him. We will not always catch something but we can be dropping lines. In the end we may not have something to show except our bait bucket is a little less empty than before. We may not see what happens at the end of the line that we drop because that is up to God. At the end of the day we may not have a catch but we know the Captain that much better and we went with Him. That is what matters most.
I am still learning and growing in leaps and bounds! Please continue to pray for the lines that have been dropped where our team is at. The people are so lost and God loves them more than they know!
Worthy is the Lamb!
Resting in Peace,
Ben

CHARLENE

How has your involvement in Nehemiah Teams/P52 changed you/your view on missions?

  I believe this summer has really solidified some of the things the Lord has been teaching me about His plans for my life. This summer has brought me to the point of being willing to go wherever the Lord leads, because honestly He has shot down all of my excuses as to why I cannot go (and believe me there was a list)!

   Being involved with the Nehemiah Teams this summer has given me just a small glimpse of missionary work (being around supervisors, others involved in missions, reading missionary biographies, etc.) and it has been so exciting to see the Lord’s work being done and I cannot help, but want to be a part of it. This does not mean that I know what to expect next or anything, but this does mean that I am not only willing, but I want to go.

·      In what ways did God surprise you this summer?

   The Lord really has surprised me with how He has given me the energy I need to get up daily to do what needs to be done (with a smile on my face). I remember the second full day we were here we were playing and having fun with the children literally from dawn until dusk. We all came back to the room so exhausted. We made a video saying “Day 2: They have so much energy.” After that we just began to pray that God would give us the energy we needed to do the work that needed to be done for this summer and all we needed to love these children more each day. Though some days are more challenging than others I can honestly say the Lord has been faithful to meeting our needs for energy and love.

    Another way the Lord has surprised me this summer is how He orchestrated together such a wonderful team. I know that one thing most people fear in settings such as this is not getting along with their team. The idea of being in a foreign country (stressful enough) and then not getting along with the people you will be with all summer sounds more challenging than necessary. Really I can only thank God for how much my team and I get along. Though we are all so different we still have so much in common and it is as if we balance each other out well. Being blessed with such a great team has really made the summer all the more enjoyable.

·      Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52?

   If you feel at all that the Lord has given you a heart for missions or if you want to grow in this area then I believe you should sign up. It will really change your life. When you are immersed in another culture (especially when you do not know the language) then you have only Jesus Christ and your team to rely on. It puts you in a place where you will draw closer to the Lord as well as other believers who have a similar heart for the things the Lord has laid on your heart. 

   The personal growth material will challenge you in your walk with the Lord as well as show you how much the Lord desires for all people to come to know him on a personal level. There really will not be many opportunities like this in your life so take them while they are available.

·      Is there anything else you would like to share?

   Before college I knew the Lord was calling me into social work and that he had given me a heart for adoption, foster care, and orphans. Still I did not know what that was supposed to look like in my life. Then, during my sophomore year in college the Lord started opening my heart to the idea of cross-cultural missions. So for the last couple of years I have been trying to figure out how these two desires (that I believe were given to me by God) would look like in my life. This summer has just really helped me to see that when working with children in adoption, foster care, or orphanage type settings that no matter how much I can work to change their situation they really need Jesus Christ. This summer being at an orphanage I could see the joy in so many of these children, because they know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. This has helped me to see that I need to desire first to share Jesus with them and then to help them deal with their circumstances.

NEIL

Neil served on the Agta Tribe Pioneer Team in the Philippines

How did God provide for your trip?God provided for my trip by giving me an awesome campus minister. I didn't think I would be able to afford the trip with the international plane tickets, but when I talked with my campus minister, he simply said the BCM would cover it. God provided someone who loves the gospel and wants to help send it all over the world.

How did God surprise you this summer?God surprised me, and the whole team, by providing living conditions that were much better than expected. We were able to stay in homes all summer, and were very well taken care of by our hosts.

Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams?People should sign up for Nehemiah Teams or P52 because it gives you a chance to see what God is doing globally. We can get caught up in what God is doing in our lives without seeing what God wants to do through our lives all over the world. The cool thing about God is that He often works in and through us at the same time, and Nehemiah Teams is a great way to do that and tell people about Jesus.

ASHLEY

Ashley served on the Josie's Angels teams in the Philippines.

The Philippines has two seasons: rainy and dry. It has two categories of people according to wealth: the rich and the poor. It has two types of mangos: the amazing . . . And the incredible. And it has captured my heart my heart in two ways: before being here and after.

It was for four months that I knew I was coming here. When I am thinking about it now, that was really only sixteen weeks, and somewhere around 120 days. It seemed like an eternity when I found myself wondering what the weather was like, what language was primarily spoken, which peoples would I be working with, and in what ways God would move. I was mesmerized with everything Filipino; I grew to love this country through prayer and wonder, months before even stepping foot on the island's soil.

In the 2 months that I have been here, I have a new love for this place, not to mention its people. It's a love that has come true through each of these girls. I see it in their sparkling brown eyes, in their silky black hair, in their beautiful, dimpled smiles. This is their home, and somewhere along the way it has become my heart's home. So now after experiencing the very hot, humid weather, the Tagalog spoken, and the lovely JAZ girls, and especially all that God has done in their lives and in mine this summer--the questions I wondered for so many months before, the only question I have left is not if I will come back to this country, with these girls, in a place I have learned so much, it is when.

SAM

I will be a missionary one day, but I am a missionary now and have always been one. I became a missionary the day the Lord saved my soul. Therefore I am not called to mission work. Mission work is not a calling - it's every Christian's life. This is a lesson the Lord was revealing to me before I left and He completely reaffirmed during my trip. I can no longer live a day for myself. This life is too short. My God is big and faithful and worthy to be served; therefore, I will serve Him.

God has set a very specific job on my heart during this trip: to start a boys' home. I don't know where or when, but I know He will be faithful to make all things happen in His way and in His timing. God will be glorified in my life. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to be "mom" to 29 girls who God has used to teach me so much about Himself and about myself. Glory to God.

KRISTINE

Kristine  is wearing in white on the left.

This was my first 2 month long mission trip, and I'm 23 and about to start my second year of grad school. I've been wanting to go on a summer trip since the summer before my junior year of college, but things of this world kept holding back, from doing a summer internship to studying for the MCAT and working to save up money.

My summer working in the red light districts of Thailand and reading Nehemiah Team's World Christian Bible study has completely changed my life. God commands all of His followers to take the Gospel to all nations, and I now realize that anything less than complete devotion to this end would be disregarding God's will for my life. I believe I am called to international missions and am planning on applying for the Journeyman program as I finish up my last year of grad school. God-willing, I'd like to attend seminary afterwards and then apply for the Apprentice program.

SAMANTHA

Samantha served on the Waray Waray Riverboat Team in the Philippines.

What has God taught you this summer?
One of the biggest things God taught me this summer is that discouragement is not from Him. He promises all over the bible that He will not only go with us, but also before and behind. Knowing those two things should give us a boldness to share His name and goodness with others fearlessly.

In what ways did knowing that people were praying for me help? 

I saw so many specific prayers requests answered this summer. A friend sent me an email about half way through the summer with a prayer that she had been praying for me and everything in the email I had seen God answer. There are many more too such as not letting physical discomforts distract or discourage. So knowing that many were praying for the team and for the people just gave me a bigger view of how God is working. It kind of made me zoom out some more from the world I'm seeing right in front of me.

KRYSTEN

Krysten served on a medical team in the Philippines.

What has God taught you about himself this summer?

This summer has taught me a lot about God. How wonderful and present He is. That He wants to know everything about you and you are wonderfully made. How He loves everyone and wants everyone to know Him in a personal relationship. Also, I have learned that God is a jealous God yet a very loving God. That I can't just brush Him off until I have a time where I'm really struggling, but I need to everyday have a time for Him and it's just Him and Me talking.

How have you changed this summer?

This summer has changed me by the way I look at things. That everything I am doing now, the choices I make, are going to affect my future. I have learned that prayer is VERY important. This summer has really opened my eyes to God and that He is really there and that He really wants a relationship with me. That he wants every part of me.

MELANIE

Melanie served on the Love the Children in the Philippines. She is the one in purple.

·      How has your involvement in Nehemiah Teams/P52 changed your view on missions?

My involvement with Nehemiah Teams has really shown me the need for missions and how everyone is supposed to take up the call and do their part. I realize the crucial need and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to spend my summer doing God’s Will. And even if I never have the opportunity to live overseas, there is so much I can do to be a missionary at home.

·      What one story/experience sums up your summer?

My favorite story from the summer was when we decided to go tubing down the river. We had to have a strange man lead the way because we had no idea where we were going. It turns out we were on the wrong side of the river so my entire team had to join hands and physically cross the river. It reminded me a lot about God and how we have to follow His Plan even if we have no idea where we are going. And sometimes we have to cross over rivers in order achieve the ultimate goal of spreading His Gospel. But in the end, the experience is so worth it and if you let it, it can be a ton of fun!

·      How did knowing people at home were praying for you affect your performance/determination to finish the race strong?

Because I know that people at home are praying for me, I’ve stayed encouraged because I know with so much prayer on my side, I cannot fail. And I want to make the best of my time so that I can share with them everything that I did and that their money and prayers were used 100%. So many people have supported me this summer and I don’t want to let them down by not doing my absolute best!

·      Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52?

I think people should sign up for Nehemiah Teams so that they can have a full understanding of the crucial need for missionaries. It’s really helped me realize my full potential and the call I’m supposed to answer. Even though I am only 19, I feel like I have a much better understanding of missions now that I have actually gone and seen the world. And the entire experience is so rewarding. It has definitely been the most productive and beneficial summer of my life.

KYLE

Kyle served on the Cebu Basketball Team in the Philippines 

• How has this summer changed you?

 I definitely have a bigger picture of the world and how different it can be. I have also realized how much more I need to rely on God than on myself.

• Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52?

 I would recommend Nehemiah Teams to anyone who is looking to doing summer mission work. I think it has a great set up with orientation that prepared me for the trip. The lesson guide you go by was also a big help to me with just getting through day to day.

AMBER

Amber served on the NFFF Bukidnon Team, her life verse is Romans 10:14

 What has this summer so far taught you about God? It has taught me that He is faithful to do what it is that He says he’ll do and never forgets His promises.

 How has this summer changed you? Throughout this summer, I have learned to have more faith in God and his provision and His love. I’ve also learned the true meaning of being a missionary and that no matter if you stay where you’re at or if you go overseas, you are to always be a missionary.

How has your involvement in Nehemiah Teams/P52 changed your view on missions? I’ve seen what they mean about missions is not supposed to be an experience but an act of service and being there to reach the lost.

·      What one story/experience sums up your summer? One of the young college students was telling me about how his grandmother raised him his whole life because his parents split when he was a baby, and his mother went to work abroad in order to support him. His attitude is so positive, and he told me that by the grace of God, he has come to be grateful for what God has shown him in his life. That reminded me that no matter what the obstacles, God will always get you through it and nothing is to huge or too difficult for God.

·      What story will you share with friends and family to encourage them in sharing your vision? I would encourage anyone who thinks that they can’t do missions to reconsider. I thought that I wasn’t capable of being a missionary, but God has shown me that EVERYONE is called to be a missionary and that He wants to use everyone in a special way to reach those who are lost.

·      How has your worldview changed this summer? I’ve seen just how much the world is hurting. Seeing this has convicted me and has shown me that I need to be more grateful and not take what God has given me for granted.

·      In what ways did God surprise you this summer? When I couldn’t do it, He showed me that I’m more capable of doing things that I was surprised I could do. I didn’t know that I could spend a whole entire summer in a foreign country.

·      How did knowing people at home were praying for you affect your performance/determination to finish the race strong? It definitely motivated me and to keep on pressing on. It would be very encouraging to see emails that said “I’m praying for you” or “I’m continuing to pray for you” or “Let me know if there’s anything I can pray for”. That just kept encouraging me and kept me from being as homesick as I would have been if they didn’t. I think of Matthew 18:20 which says “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” When people are gathered together in prayer, God hears that and answers that prayer. I felt the answers to those prayers.

·      Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52? I feel like people should sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52 because so many times we get so used to the things and life that God gives us that we take that for granted. These mission trips will help you to see just how back the world is hurting and how important it is to reach the lost in the unreached areas of the world and not just where you are at.

LAUREN

Lauren (in the middle) served on the Ruel Team in the Philippines 

· How has your involvement in Nehemiah Teams/P52 changed your view on missions?
Before coming on this mission trip with Nehemiah Teams, I have been on several mission trips, two of them being overseas. Both of those mission trips were no longer than 2 weeks. As I prepared for this trip, I was very excited and could not wait to come. I saw this trip as being an adventure. Missions is something that I really love being a part of. I pictured this summer as being amazing and everything working out just fine. I knew it would be hard sometimes but thought that I could handle it. However, upon arriving to the Philippines my first week, it was not really anything like I expected. I was more concerned with my comfort and wanting that “feel good, excited feeling” that I had before coming. God has showed me that missions isn’t about me. It is all about Him. Letting Christ be all in me. God is teaching me to serve Him with gladness (Psalm 100:2). I have learned this summer that before going on mission trips, it is so important to pray fervently and frequently about what God will call me to do. It is not always easy but the Lord will always be our strength. I just need to get out of the way and let Christ accomplish his will through me.

· How did knowing people at home were praying for you affect your performance/determination to finish the race strong?

Back home, my Dad is the pastor of the church that I attend, and I am very involved in the church. I made prayer bracelets to give out to people who were willing to pray for this trip this summer. I handed out around 85 bracelets. It was so encouraging to see people wearing the bracelets and having them come up to me and tell me that they were praying for my trip. Knowing that many people are praying for me this summer has been such an encouragement and inspiration. I have seen God work in amazing ways so far this summer and I love getting to email and let those people that are praying for me know how God is hearing and answering their prayers. Prayer is so powerful and essential to living God’s will out to the fullest.

· Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52?
This summer is my first mission trip with Nehemiah Teams. I only knew little about what to expect of this summer and orientation. Orientation was amazing. I was so thankful and encouraged by all of the speakers, other members of NT/P52, and the training. I was so full of God’s word and the Holy Spirit. It was a great time of preparation for this summer. I am thankful for that time of encouragement, and it really helped me to feel prepared about what I was to expect in the Philippines.  

KELLY

Kelly served on the P52 MNYBA team in NYC

·      How has your involvement in Nehemiah Teams/P52 changed your view on missions?     Through the article and stories we've read as a team, I've been presented with the idea that those who stay should have to provide a reason why they've been called to stay, while those who go are simply following the command of Christ.  I hadn't thought much about this before.  Also in reading Acts I've seen how important prayer and fasting is in ministry and gospel-sharing opportunities. 

·      How did knowing people at home were praying for you affect your performance/determination to finish the race strong?    It's a way of knowing that we're not along; our team consists of not just the four of us that are here but all the people back home who are our prayer partners.·      Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52?    It gives you an opportunity to widen your view of the world and get to know and understand people in different cultures.  Even in New York City, God is teaching me how to communicate with different kinds of people and to love the least of these.

MARY

Mary served as the media person for the Luzon nanny teams.

·      Has this summer changed your understanding or view of God as father?

  This has actually been a really big theme of my summer, since I worked with the nanny teams. I have been really struck by how much children LOVE to be loved, how they delight to be delighted in. How sweet it is that our Father God delights in us, delights to call us children. This summer has renewed my joy in being able to run to the Father as His daughter. At the same time, God has also taught me to delight in His discipline. It is a good and necessary part of growth, and God's character is such that He cannot help but grow us. In watching babies and children develop and grow over the past two months, I have realized how important it is for us as Christians to grow into maturity. Discipline is humbling and uncomfortable, but it is evidence of our sonship. 

·      How has your involvement in Nehemiah Teams/P52 changed your view on missions? 

Doing good does not relieve us of the responsibility of preaching the Gospel. I'm not a missionary unless I'm doing that! It doesn't happen by accident.

Spending the summer with 3 different teams has also shown me how different missions may look from place to place. It has shown me the importance of a biblical foundation for any ministry, that at its core every mission must be based in Scriptural truth and a desire to see people come to salvation in Christ. The point is not to heal someone's body so that they live longer before dying and going to Hell, to put it bluntly - the point is to tend to people's physical needs while sharing Christ with them at every opportunity, that He will bring the dead heart to life.

  

·      In what ways did God surprise you this summer?

This sounds silly, but I was surprised at what a huge role prayer played in my roles on teams this summer. I thought my media position would be the big contribution - photography and writing, telling the stories. And while I spent a lot of time on those things, God showed me that I should do those things with the purpose of better equipping people at home to pray. At each children's home there were problems I didn't have answers to and issues that I couldn't help with, since I wasn't there full time. But always, always I could pray. I truly believe that the best hours of the whole summer were those I spent in prayer for the other teams, for the people who run the ministries, and for the children. God hears and uses every prayer - I just didn't expect that He would use it to teach ME how to pray, too. Sometimes we don't realize how much we have to learn until we are in the middle of learning it. 

·      Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52?

Short-term missions will not reach the world, it's true. But God can and DOES do big things in 52 days. As a college student, it's probably not feasible to pack up and go live in another country long-term, but you do have a summer. Give God your summer (since every day is from Him and doesn't belong to us, anyway!) and see how He can use it. NT/P52 gives you a taste of missions experience, ignites a fire for the nations, and may be something God uses to reveal more of His plan for your life and how you fit into His grand kingdom plan.

MEGAN

Megan served on the Ruel Team in the Philippines in 2012

·  How has your involvement in Nehemiah Teams/P52 changed your view on missions?     This trip has changed my whole view on missions. I have been on a few of short-term missions to Uganda and Thailand, but it was not until this summer that I really began to understand the sacrifice required.
    I was not sure what training would be like since I had never done something like that before, but at the end of it I felt more prepared mentally, spiritually, and physically for the mission than I had ever before. My team was already one unit, we know how to react if even the unexpected happened, we knew the language, and we were ready to share our testimonies and lead Bible studies.
    I felt a call to missions on my life at a young age, but it was not until this summer that I saw this as more than just an adventure and actually being willing to give up all my own desires and dreams to follow His plans for me. From the stories we have been reading about Jim Elliot and Lottie Moon I now realize that this means going to the really hard places where there are no Christians and being willing to sacrifice your won life for this mission. This is not an easy decision to commit to life like this, but I still feel this calling even knowing what I must give up. This both terrifies me and excites me, but I know that I can do it because of His strength and none of my own! This is how Nehemiah teams has challenged and strengthened my view on missions.
       One of our memory verses this summer, Acts 20: 24 says “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me, the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” I want this to become my life verse. 

·      How did knowing people at home were praying for you affect your performance/determination to finish the race strong?     Knowing that people were praying for me gave me so much motivation and strength. I can’t tell you how many times I got and email or message that just brightened my day and reminded me that I was not in this alone. My team members each shared how many people were praying for them and me, and it is just incredible to have that kind of strength behind us.
     Missions is not just about the person who is in the other country spreading the gospel, but it is also about everyone else who made that possible. I think about the people supporting me through prayer, financially, and I think about the churches and friends who backed up the 155 students that were a part of Nehemiah teams this summer, and the churches from Rainsville that supported us and it makes me so excited. This is how the body of Christ needs to work, coming around those going out and loving and encouraging them. And seeing this in action helped me realize what we can all accomplish together. Thinking about all these people reminded me to stay strong and persevere even when it was tough. Thank you so much to everyone who was a part of that!

BRITTNEY

Brittney served on the Love the Children team in the Philippines.

What has this summer so far taught you about God?This summer, I have learned to trust God in all of the small things. He has taught me so much about myself and has challenged me to grow in my walk with him. He has shown me how faithful He is despite my lack of faith. It has been so encouraging to see him work in my life and grow me in ways I never imagined.

Has this summer changed your understanding or view of God as father?
I have seen how faithful He has remained. When our schedule was changed constantly for two weeks straight and when I got sick for two weeks straight, God never ceased to amaze me and give me strength. His love for me as my Father has been one of the coolest things I’ve experienced this summer. He has shown me His love and shown me that I can come to Him with anything, even the smallest things, and He will take care of me.

How has this summer changed you?
I have learned to really value the relationships that God has blessed me with. When you spend a summer with children who don’t have families to be with and who take care of them, you really learn to appreciate how God has blessed you. I know that when I return home I want to show my love for the people in my life. God used this summer to help me see what is important and to help me grow in my walk with Him so that I can rely on Him for everything.

How did knowing people at home were praying for you affect your performance/determination to finish the race strong? Knowing that people back home were praying for me was the biggest encouragement I have ever had. I could feel the prayers every day. Even when times were tough, I had a sense of peace knowing that I was being prayed over. I can’t even express how much it means to have people on the other side of the world praying for you. I’m so blessed to have godly influences in my life for spiritual encouragement. It definitely made finishing the race strong possible.

Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52?
People should sign up for Nehemiah Teams because it is an awesome way to see the world through God’s eyes. When you are on the other side of the world, disconnected from technology, and a part of the culture for seven weeks, you really fall in love with the people you are ministering to. This is my second summer to be apart of Nehemiah Teams and I have seen the Lord do so much in seven weeks. You really get the opportunity to grow close to the people, learn some of the language, eat different food, and there are so many outlets in sharing the gospel. I encourage everyone to consider signing up for Nehemiah Teams so that they can find out who they are in the Lord and grow closer to Him. It’s an opportunity to be challenged and to grow close to the Father and to share with others how awesome our Heavenly Father is.

GREG

Greg served one of the Health Care teams in the Philippines.  His life verse is Joshua 1:9 and Acts 20:24.

What has this summer so far taught you about God? I have learned about he is our provider. Several times this summer we thought we were going to run out of food and it so happened that several people invited us over to their house for dinner different nights.

How has this summer changed you? Well, I feel this summer has made me realize how God is calling me to care for others around me, whether that be in the US or on the mission field. I feel that I am taking my relationship with Him more seriously and I can feel his presence like I never have before.

Why should people sign up for Nehemiah Teams/P52? 
NT, in my opinion, is a well organized team that will help you grow in your faith, as well as grow as a Christian. Through NT, I have been able to get a vision of world missions and also get a vision of what God has for my life. It will challenge you, which is needed for growth. 

BRANDON

I'm the one in the orange.

  How has your involvement in Nehemiah Teams changed your view on missions? 

Involvement in NT has changed my view on missions by opening my perspective to the bigger picture. Since we are working with full-time workers, it takes away the short term feel and replaces it with the grander scale of a 10 or 15 year mission. This definitely is raising questions inside of me and has/is still convicting me about doing more than a few short terms. I had this mentality that if I just agree to go on a short term per year and continue to live the rest of my life the other 52 weeks then that will be suffice. But recognizing that short-termers will never reach the entire world really brings the reality of the Great Commission back into perspective.  

How did knowing people at home were praying for you affect your performance/determination to finish the race strong?There have been several days where God has just given it to me…physically, emotionally, spiritually I just always felt like I had to keep picking myself back up. While that was happening, my fleshly body kind of forgot about those praying. It wasn't I would open my bag up and start to read the encouragement letters people wrote me. In every single one of them, multiple times it would say, "I'm praying for you." That one sentence is what helped me wake up in the morning, looking for any open door to share. You can definitely feel prayers even from 12,000 miles away. Knowing that there's an entire body of people praying for you not only encourages you so that you can finish the race but also encourages you so that you can complete the task that the good Lord has given us all.  

In what ways did God surprise you this summer?There isn't any particular way that God has surprised me this summer per say, but He definitely has kept me on my toes. As I was preparing for this trip, I read through the Gospels and prepared my heart for sharing the story of Jesus. Now don't get me wrong, we're definitely sharing about Jesus, but we have been using OT stories to transition in. Time and time again these people have never heard about Noah or Moses or Adam and Eve! All these stories are both in the Bible and in the AQ. God has definitely pushed us physically, emotionally, and spiritually in every which direction. Whether it would be experiencing resistance from our translator or impossible terrain or outrageous thunderstorms, He's never ceased in testing our faith. One thing that we repeat to ourselves every night is, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel." Those are words to live by. But in all seriousness, the greatest "surprise" that the Lord has opened my eyes to is the tremendous lost-ness on these islands. If the rapture happened this very second, not a soul would come off that island…no one would be missing…no one would know. The urgency of the Great Commission has been brought into perspective, now its time to fulfill our duty as Christians, that the Lord has given us.