Argentine Intensity

By Tim Forman, Ft. Lauderdale, FLEvery Global Encounters trip I have been on has been intense, but this trip to Argentina took it to new levels for me. We started the trip with two unexpected invitations to share at youth meetings... that night! The next day, Sunday, we shared at six churches. This was just the beginning of an adventure with a team of young people in which God showed Himself to us in newer and greater ways than we could have imagined.We were able to share our lives and the life of Jesus with many children, youth, parents, church leaders, families, recovering drug addicts, school teachers, and bus drivers. The most memorable place we visited was a ministry for recovering drug addicts and street people. About ninety men, whose lives had been dramatically changed by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ live there, sleeping together in a large tent, cooking their own food and building their own shelters. When we first arrived, they greeted us with a parade of dancing and singing with drums. We were able to build relationships with them and encourage them in their walk with Christ. Of all the places we visited, that was the poorest, and yet the richest in spirit.Our projects included five children’s programs and four youth programs all squished into three weeks. This demanding schedule stretched and pushed all of us in ways we had never experienced before, especially when we sometimes had to come up with extra curriculum on the spot. I remember how intense it was to continually be listening to the Holy Spirit and following His guidance. Things do not always happen the way we think they should, but that is when we really learn to look to Christ. When we do not have anymore strength or we are sick or just don’t have anything to give, the Lord Jesus shows Himself stronger in our weakness. He was able to manifest His power in and through our lives as we turned to Him in surrender.We were able to see testimonies of families that had been restored. We saw sick people made well, hard people become tender, broken hearts find hope, discouraged souls renewed, lives touched by the Spirit of God, darkness turned to light, and most of all, the power and greatness of Jesus working in and through our own lives by stripping us of our limited perceptions and unveiling a new measure of His fullness.Each one of us not only matured individually but also as a team, increasing in our knowledge of God. I am always amazed at the broad scope of the family of God. Truly, Christ is at work all over this earth; He is all and in all, that in all things, He may have the preeminence.