The Returning Challenge

It is ironic but often the most challenging part of short-term missions is not the going, or the culture- but the returning. It is so hard to express all that one has seen. Seeing poverty changes a worldview. Watching God at work in impossible situations changes one’s understanding of Him. Being used by God opens up realms of possibilities never before thought of by the individual. It is amazing how simply leaving a comfort zone can completely change a life –that starts a fire.

A fire that burns and refines- leaving the believer feeling the depth of what they are: a new creation. Eternal results. Salvations. Baptisms! DISCIPLESHIP! In short the goer “the missionary” is changed by what they experienced. And then of course the inevitable happens- planes are boarded, tears are shed, and everyone returns home.

At home, their fire still burns- their memories are fresh, names, and faces, and the stories attached have not begun to fade yet. They enter the organized chaos of America with a determined resolution to remain changed. Eventually though what was a luxury this summer becomes once again a necessity. The memories of the trip become just that, memories of a trip, slightly fuzzy but still convicting. Their audience is less interested as the stories are put on repeat. The fire begins to die, slowly perhaps but steadily.

I am not sure who is to blame, but I have seen it happen again and again. Please understand it’s not the memory of the trip or even the trip it self that is the fire. It is not even the memory of God at work- the fire is not a memory at all! It is the very presence of God at work in the students' lives. In your life.

Church Family: Fan the flame! The students are returning from service- encourage them! Thank them for going! Give praise to our Father that we have young people who are willing to go! Ask them to share- in Sunday School, a ladies tea, or 5 minutes on a Sunday night. Push them towards holiness- encourage them to be Godly and do not hinder their excitement for missions. God is calling out young people to long-term service through short-term missions- do you really want to discourage the next Lottie Moon from God’s calling?

And to the returning missionary: Feed the flame. Stay deep in Scripture. Meditating and memorizing. Apply Scripture to your life- do not just read it. Live it. Be purposeful in praying for missions, be determined in casting a mission vision where you are. And never underestimate what God can do with faith the size of a mustard seed. Do not be deterred by disinterest. Do not live for man’s approval. Follow God, go where He leads. And obey the Great Commission where you are now.

The older I become, the less impressed I am with humanity, and the more in awe I am of my God. His love is worth any small sacrifice of man. His salvation is worth proclaiming. And the home He offers to those who believe is beyond imagination. What an amazing God that inspires such wicked people towards holiness. What a good God that gives new life to a decrepit creation. May the fire that burns within those who believe burn bright- may our life’s mission be to proclaim His love. The only love that brings salvation.

Original post by Lizzie Holmes from The Same Plate.

Prayer Requests for the Riverboat Teams

Pray for V, a young man who has great leadership potential. Pray for his continued growth and knowledge of the Word, and for his confidence to increase. Pray that he would find an opportunity for discipleship.

Pray for Naynay G, an elderly woman who prayed to receive Christ and was baptized later that day. She shows an obvious understanding of the Truth that she is learning. She immediately began to face persecution for her decision to follow the Bible above the prevalent religious traditions. Pray for her strength to be renewed, and that the Lord would provide her with fellowship and support from others.

Pray that Kuya P and Ate D would teach their friends and neighbors what they've learned.

Pray for Ate K, the Baragay Captain's daughter, who opened up to the women on our team in a really genuine way. Her youngest child is missing two ribs, and will undergo surgery in a couple of months. Pray for her to see clearly what God has done for her. Pray for her to find a hunger for the Bible, and for her faith to increase.

Pray for Kuya I, who has an eagerness to learn from scripture. Pray that he would step up as a spiritual leader for the men of this barangay.

Pray for Kuya F, a man who started attending multiple Bible studies every day, and would help to explain part of the lesson to others at almost all of them. Pray that as others continue to look up to him, they would be lead to understand the truth for themselves.

Pray that Kuya H and his household would understand the commitment that they have made.

Pray for Barangay C. There is an evident darkness in this place. Drinking, gambling, and sexual sin seem more openly a part of life here than any other place we have seen this summer. Pray for protection for the children of this barangay.

Pray for our translator, Luigi, as he returns to work with another volunteer team for four months. Pray for the relationships that he will continue building with these people. Praise God for Luigi's willingness to be obedient and follow Him in everything.

Pray that we would be able to effectively share what we've learned and how we've grown. Pray that we would stay humble and obedient, and that God would continue to receive the glory for what He's done.

A Post from Thomas

This summer is coming to an end, and my team and I have grown tired and drained from our ministry here on the Oras River. As we began a week of ministry in our final barangay, it was pouring down rain. We had invited so many people to see our plaza presentation, but nobody was showing up. 

I was praying, “God, please let the rain stop and bring many to our presentation.” Right on cue the rain stopped, but there were only a few random people standing around.. I didn’t even really want to sing or do the drama skit, because nobody had shown up. We had come in fired up to finish strong in our last week, and we were left standing in puddles, awkwardly in the middle of a basketball court, thinking of postponing the presentation.

We ended up just shortening things and trying to get it over with. We sang a couple of Waray songs, shared a testimony, and explained that we had traveled there to teach the Bible. With much doubt in my mind, we began to talk to people in an attempt to schedule Bible studies. At that moment, God changed my view of His purpose that day. God didn’t need a plaza presentation; He was going to work in the hearts of the Waray-Waray people rain or shine. 

The next thing I knew, we had 14 Bible studies scheduled for the next day. Just like He did for me on that day, God is continually revealing His plan in this world. It’s not so that Christians can try to fit God into our schedule, but so that we can see how we fit into His big plan. 

Roman 6:18 calls us slaves to righteousness, and as slaves we are obedient to our Master. We serve a boundless God who can’t be put in a box, so we obedient followers of Jesus Christ must be completely submitted to His plan.

Prayer Requests for the Riverboat Teams

Pray for Naynay I, a woman from a Muslim family who became a Christian. Her husband always seems to be drinking and spending the money that she earns from working all day. Pray that the Lord would be her strength and that she would persevere. Pray for her to find an opportunity to meet with others, in spite of her hectic schedule.

Pray for Ate F and her son J, who has been diagnosed with TB. Pray that the Lord would provide for them as they seek treatment. Pray that He would work in their lives in an awesome way that only He can receive the glory for. Pray for healing.

Pray for R, a teenage boy who has made a decision to follow Jesus and shows great leadership potential.

Pray for Ate E and her 92-year-old aunt who has dementia and is experiencing a lot of fear. Pray that they would find rest and peace in the Lord.

Pray for Naynay E and her daughter, Ate B, who was very wary of our reason for meeting with them. Pray that she would come to a knowledge of her need for God. Naynay E practically blind, but remains eager to learn. Her grandson, P, has been reading scripture to her.

Pray for Kuya M and Ate I, who have been meeting for weekly Bible studies for over a year. Kuya M is a Barangay Official, and both of them remain very well respected in the community. Pray that the Lord would give them boldness. Pray for their leadership and renewed strength.

Pray for Barangay D, a place of many strongholds, and very evident sickness and loneliness. Pray that God would show his power and be glorified in this place.

What people are saying...

Saw these on Facebook and wanted to share...

Please continue to pray for safe travels .

It's hard to believe that we will be flying back to the U.S. in a couple of hours! This summer has been amazing getting to see so many lives changed for eternity! It's going to be completely different not waking up beside Kyle, Kaleb, and Jesus every single morning. I guess it's time for me to start thinking about college now!

Headed home!

In about an hour we will be heading to the airport to fly back to the United States. God worked mightily here in Cebu and many people were transformed by the Gospel. I am going to miss the people here and our team, but I know that God will continue to work here. Thank you God for using us. Goodbye Philippines!

Today, we begin the journey home.

God has been faithful this summer! It is a bitter sweet moment. I have got to meet some really amazing people, experience some amazing things, and see God at work. God is good. Praying for opportunities to share the gospel during travel. Blessed be the name!

‎"For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all." -Ephesians 4:4-6, NLT

The summer mission has ended but the mission for Christ never ends. Good-byes are tough but there are no good-byes for those who are in Christ. Together, we will celebrate in eternity! Leaving the Filipinos I love and care deeply about, today. You have been a great blessing to me and I pray God's blessings over our Filipino friends!

Well I'm on my way home from the wonderful country of the Philippines. I have to say it is so hard leaving a place that you have poured your heart into but there is a season for everything. I give all the praise to God because this was all about Him, for Him, and I couldn't have even made it here without Him. He did amazing things and my journey there was beautiful! Now its time to pray about what steps to take next! love you all!! :)

Sitting in the internet cafe on my last day in the Philippines. God has truly blessed and grown me this summer- I'll never be the same... and for that, I praise God!
America, see you in 24 hours!

Made it to Manila, now just waiting on our 16 hour flight. Over all God keeps teaching me more and more about this past 2 months. From the people I have met to the things I have seen, God has taught me through it all.

Words cannot serious descibe how wonderful and impacting my time has been over the past month and will continue to be during my last 3 weeks in the Philippines!! Our God is an awesome God! Thank you so much for all the prayers and support!

A Post from Jake

Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." For two months, God has shown me this again and again. Every step we took this summer was directed by God. He began by orchestrating our teams, and placed all of us exactly where He wanted us. Every Bible study happened because He planned it. All summer God has given us the words to speak. Despite all of our planning for Bible studies, the Holy Spirit always communicated His own message, rather than ours. That is awesome! We don't have to worry about our plans because God has His.

One night I had a dream about Romans 10, a message of salvation to all people. I woke up and read it. I had drawn a star in my Bible next to verse 9.

"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Romans 10:9

I talked to everyone on my team about it and asked what they thought it meant. I already had a Bible study planned for that afternoon, so I just assumed that God wanted me to use that verse in my Bible study.

While I was talking about the dream with our translator, Luigi, a woman came to our door. Luigi told me that I should share my dream with her, so I asked her to come inside. She came in and I shared what I had dreamed. Luigi then explained how Jesus is the only way back to God. The woman began to cry and then she accepted Christ!

If I had used my plan, I would have just shared the dream at my Bible study, and that woman wouldn't have a relationship with Christ. God used the dream He gave me. He is directing my steps and I praise Him for that! His plans are so much better than mine anyway.

what i love about nt & p52

I have been living in the Philippines for almost two years now, and have been helping coordinate the Project 52 and Nehemiah Teams. I return to the States in two day, so call me sentimental but I wanted to share with you why, I love NT. (And P52, too.)  

I'll let you guess which one is me. 

The time commitment. Nehemiah Teams is a mission sending organization that takes full advantage of the summer and ask students to commit 2 months to going and living on the mission field. One of things I heard again and again was “Yes I have been overseas before but never for this long.” The time commitment allows young people to get a glimpse of a career missionary life and the (very real) need for long-term commitments to finish the Great Commission. 

Discipleship. NT has quiet times, memory verses, and Bible studies for the team to work through together while they are on the field. It is amazing how much difference they make in the team’s effectiveness, unity, and general attitude. The teams who focus only on the work or ministry easily lose sight of what is important while the teams who continue through the discipleship materials grow together and work better as a team, spiritually mature while on the field, and are easily able to apply scripture to real life situations that they face. Missions is a lifestyle that cannot be lived out in human strength, the purpose of the NT discipleship materials is to feed and challenge the students while they are ministering. What I love most about the discipleship that takes place in NT is that it is truly iron sharpening iron; often teams are in remote places with little Christian fellowship outside of their team. It is those teams who know each other's faults and failures AND still maintain team unity that have truly experienced the love of the family of God.

Team building time during orientation!

Responsibility. NT is not an experience it is missions. NT does not cater to volunteers in hopes of making it a pleasant or enjoyable time for them. If being holy and living a godly Christian life is difficult in America then why should be bother pretending it will be a piece of cake while on the field? Missions is realizing your responsibility to pick up the cross, follow Jesus, and go tell others to come along no matter the cost or sacrifice. NT’s goal is to help the young people of this generation do just that –realize others’ need for Christ, go proclaim the gospel, and share in the harvest!

It is not just Americans. Sometimes people think of missions as Americans going out to the ends of the earth, but thankfully God is not limited to what wethink He can do or is doing. God is sending Filipinos out all over the world and evenwithin the Philippines. It was such a fun blessing for me to get to see my Fil friends in actions sharing the gospel. Baptizing Filipinos. And planting churches in the unreached and hard to reach places in the Philippines!

Local partners. NT partners with missionaries all over the world and works within their strategy (that they already have set in place). NT is not a cookie cutter there are medical, basketball, evangelism, and nanny teams (to name a few). The type of group is limited only to the creativity of the local partner. The partner is able to give them strategy, direction, and guidance without having to babysit them. Although we want to work inside the existing missionary's strategy we in no way want to cripple them with constant supervision need. We believe that college students are adults and capable of ministering as such. God has used young people to do great things and we have the faith that He will continue to do just that!

Sharing the gospel!

Orientation. So many (not just young) people are afraid to commit to missions or ministries because of fears or feelings of inadequacy. NT uses the orientation time as a time to introduce the country, language, and ministry they will be serving in while while also training students for the field. The gospel is defined, different methods of sharing are taught, and time is given to practice the different ways of sharing.

 The Challenge. NT and P52 challenges participants to take home a lit fire, to keep it burning, and cast a vision that lights up a nation. The summer is not about self-improvement but the reality of the life changing God. NT's intention is not to at the completion of NT to send home better Christians but students who understand the the command of the Great Commission and are willing to submit themselves to God whether that mean in the middle of the rainforest, in a busy public market, or on their college campus. 

Originally posted on The Same Plate 

God Is Not Finished

This final week in Brooklyn has been amazing...We had a team from Kentucky who did an awesome job with the daily Kids Clubs.  The theme was "Sky High" and the kids learned Bible stories and Bible verses about trusting God no matter what.  

We prayed with lots of people through the homeless ministry each day and the prayer stations.  Friday we had a Flea Flea Jubilee (free flea market at the church) and our weekly cookout.  The Kentucky Team's praise band performed a worship concert for the church and the community which had a great turnout.  Ten people received Christ as their Savior and Lord!  Praise God!  

That night we could all feel the Spirit moving in that place.  Though the Kentucky Team leaves Saturday morning and Jordan and I leave Monday morning, 

GOD IS NOT FINISHED HERE.

Visit to Times Square with the Kentucky Team

Kids on an Adventure

The KY mission team takes the ferry to...

The statue of Liberty! (Kelly and Kerston)

Kelly and Ashley at Kids Club

Grilling

Charlie and his friend!  

The worship concert

Brenda accepted Christ Friday night!  Praise God!

Picture Update

Dressing Up

Picture of Grace

This week at girl's bible study, we decided to switch things up. Being that we only have one more week left with them, we transitioned from leading, to training some of the girls to lead, in hopes that they will fill our positions when we leave them. Christina, one of the high school Karenni girls stepped up and offered to lead this week. She did an amazing job, and discussed with the girls the passage in Luke on the good samaritan. 

After the Bible study, we invited all of the girls to spend the night at our house and have a henna party. There is a story from creation to Christ that is drawn into the henna designs. 

Some of the girls got really artistic, and it was a great time to hang out and bond with the girls. 

\

These were some of our favorite phrases :)

Some of the American girls got involved that live here and can continue to invest in the teens when we leave. 

Christina, the girl who led that night, and is hoping to lead the girls after we leave shared some henna with us. This one says, "Trust God" in Karenni. 

Please pray for these young ladies that the older girls will really step up and be leaders. Pray that God would continue to help them grow in the word and in their walk with Him. Pray that God would guide these girls in what He has for them, as many are going to graduate soon, and a few are interested in mission work. Pray that God will use them to reach other Karenni girls across America that do not have a church, or a Christian group like these girls do.

Sahel Prayer Requests

Prayer Requests:

·       Ramadan: We have gotten to see the beginning of Ramadan but will miss some of the larger events, such as the “Night of Power” (when Muslims are taught to pray as much as possible for a night) and the “Breaking the Fast” celebration (which will include singing and dancing, buying new clothes, and eating special treats). Pray that as their traditions continue, the people will feel an overwhelming void in their souls and that His Spirit will lead them to the cross, where that void can be filled.    

·       Our ministry: As we approach our last week in the bush, we are making plans for our return trip to the States. Pray that our ministry here would end well, that we would finish strong, and that we would remain faithful to this people group in prayer even thousands of miles away.  

·       Cameron’s health: The medicine that she was given apparently has some unpleasant side effects that have proven even worse than the original sickness.  Pray that she gets better quickly so that her ministry may continue strongly.

Thanks for praying! Read our update!

Chaos and Sovereign Grace, Sahel Update

    In his book, Spiritual Warfare, Timothy Warner says regarding the crucifixion of Christ, “God used that event to demonstrate that He is able to take the worst Satan can do and turn it into victory. The Cross was supposed to be a victory for Satan and a defeat for God.”  Instead, as Paul states in Colossians 2:15, “having disarmed the powers and authorities, [God] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” 

   To put it plainly, nothing this week has gone according to our plan. 

   Monday, Olivia and I were going to ride out to see a different village with Emily*, the career missionary who serves there.  Alas, it had rained too much Sunday night and Monday morning for us to drive anywhere. 

   Tuesday through Friday nights, we were planning to show the Jesus film in our village.  We had all the equipment, including a brand new generator and large projector screen.  The first night was a success despite a few technical difficulties during setup.  Though they were outnumbered by bugs and frogs, there was a good crowd of around 70 people who came out and watched the film.  

   The next night, Olivia and I set up all the equipment ourselves, as Cameron was feeling sickly and stayed in the hut to rest.  This went off without a hitch, and the crowd numbered around seventy again.  All was going just fine…until about halfway through the movie, at which point the generator died. 

    No attempt to restart the engine would work, so the forty-or-so people who were really devoted to seeing the end of the film crowded around the portable DVD player we had been using. 

    Early the following morning, Emily brought the instruction manual and toolkit out to the bush to help us with the generator, but still no problem or solution could be found.  She took it back into town and we went back to bed.  A few hours later, however, we saw her again when she came to pick up Cameron, whose stomach was feeling even worse than the night before.  

    They left us with Cameron’s portable DVD player to show the movie in our compound that night, a list of numbers to call in case of emergency, and instructions to be back home by 6:30 on Friday evening.  For the first time all summer, we were completely on our own! 

    Thursday afternoon proceeded as usual: Olivia and I went out together and then split apart to go share the Good News in various compounds.  We were set up and ready to play the film on Cameron’s portable DVD player at around 7:45 that night.  We turned it on…and it turned itself off.  Though it was supposed to be fully charged, the battery died within seconds.  At that point, there was only a handful of kids from our compound gathered for the show, so we simply pulled out some Fulfulde worship music and sat with them.  

   Then a woman that neither of us recognized came up, asking about the video.  We apologetically explained that the battery on the player had no charge and that there would be no video that night.  She told us that she had come alone from a village beyond “B” to see the film, so we quickly saw the opportunity to share the Gospel with her, even if it was not in the form she was expecting.  It worked out beautifully that we got to share the Good News tracks with her and several of the kids who had been sitting with us before!

     Friday was fairly routine as well – as much as anything is ever routine in the bush.  It was the first day of Ramadan, the month of fasting observed by followers of Islam.  (We actually did not realize that it had started until after we had given one of our friends some food which she held in her hand, refusing to eat!  Oops!)  Islam teaches that the Qur’an was first revealed to Muhammad during the month of Ramadan. 

    During this time, in addition to fasting, many devote themselves more fully to the practices of Islam such as offering up more prayers to Allah, reading more of the Qur’an, showing more kindness to one another and increasing their almsgiving.  As a result of the fasting, many of the people literally sit around all day, not wanting to exert energy and cause any extra hunger or thirst.  This creates a good environment for us to go visiting and sharing the Gospel!  

  

    After doing just that for most of the day, we left the village and headed back home.  Sadly, Cameron was feeling no better when we got back.

    Saturday morning, we got up early to ride into “M” with Emily to get her oil changed, go shopping and to the bank, and eat lunch and use the wireless Internet at the Guest House in town.  The sky was eerily dark where we were driving to, but we continued.  As it turns out, a pretty significant storm was blowing, so that eliminated the chances of getting Emily’s oil changed, which would have to be done outside.  There was also a problem at the bank and a meeting in session in the Guest House restaurant.  It looked like we would get to accomplish about a fourth of the things on our to-do list for the day.  

     However, after a lot of extra driving around, the bank’s issues were resolved, and the Guest House let us into one of their extra rooms to sit and order.  We would have gotten to actually eat there too if it hadn’t worked out perfectly that the English-speaking doctor that all the missionaries go to was in town and willing to see Cameron as soon as possible!  We got our food to go, and she got an overall clean bill of health with a prescription to help her tummy. 

     So the lesson we learned this week is that even when things don’t go according to our plan, God has a plan that will not fail and will not lead to anything less than His name being glorified and our needs being met.  And even those things that appear to be “a victory for Satan and a defeat for God,” the Lord will turn into an overwhelming triumph for Himself! 

*Career missionary’s name has been changed for security purposes

         

Last Minute Updates

The end is here. With only two days left in our villages, there is a mood of stillness and hearts that are somber. The ministry we have been committed to is coming to an end, but it won't end. We have wonderful people who will follow up with the ministry and make sure those who were reached are discipled for some time. And we have an incredible God who has planted Himself in the lives of many, and He won't let go.

So, as we are preparing to leave, what has God done recently in some of the villages?

Lamosig: Cade, Kayla, Kelsey, and Meagan have been involved in the construction of a small church in their village. Blessed with supplies and land to build a church, they have cheerfully walked up the side of a steep hill to cut bamboo and nail it into place. They have even held worship several times in the nearly completed church. The young pastor, Angelo, and his wife are pouring their hearts out to the people of this area and want to see more make the hike to worship God every week on the side of the mountain. The team have been a great encouragement and tool for Angelo and his ministry. Now he is left with many contacts, a new gathering place for worship, and people who are ready to worship and give themselves to the ministry of Christ.

Kelsey has also been discipling a 13-year old girl in the community and encouraging her to study and memorize scripture. It's truly beautiful to see a team member making such a great effort to teach the people they are living with. The young girl continues to show up at the house where the team is staying and desires to learn and hear more from Kelsey.

Tud-Ol: Greg, Kate, Molly, and Lauren have won this village in complete love. As I entered the village with the team after team break, village residents came from their homes to welcome the team back and to deliver sweet hugs and kisses to each member as they made their way to their home. It was an incredible moment to witness—to see how much God has worked in this village, opened hearts, and lavished these people with love. They knew each other by name and no one was a stranger.

Greg and Vonn have been working with a young man in the community, to understand the importance of baptism and reason why Christ provided the best example of baptism. Just before I left on Sunday, a young mother began inquiring about baptism and had questions of her own. People are right there. They're at the door and they're knocking. Pray they will overcome these challenges of baptism and realize the truth of it all.

The team is continuing their evening bible story time, where they teach parables and Old Testament stories to the entire community in their meeting area. This has been one of the most exciting ministries because without ceasing people show up in the common area of the village in time for the stories. As they gather they all start asking about "story time" and soon the team starts and shares the next story. Asking questions as they go, they make sure people are listening and comprehending. One of the best responses Greg told me about was when they share about heaven and hell and clarified that purgatory was not biblical and the village priest admitted that it was only a way for the Catholic church to make money.

As the time comes to depart, we hand the baton back to the Filipinos who are working in these areas. Hopefully we are leaving them with cultivated ground, with areas to build even more ministry, with people to baptize, with people to educate and disciple, and with many people to love. We know we did not labor in vain. And we don't take any of the glory, but all is offered to our glorious Lord in Heaven. To Him be the glory. Amen!

Cooking Out at Park Slope

Photos from last week’s Community Cookout at Park Slope Community Church:

Kelly and sweet Meghan, who is a part of our Kids Club!

 

Our neighbors Nydia and Shadow!

Cookie and Kelly

Becca, Cookie, and their friends