Its not about you...

As the leader of the team, I am always commissioned to write the last and final blog of the trip. Every time, you put your finger on the keyboard, and wonder, "what do I say"? There is so much that could be said from all kinds of different angles.  However, I believe there is one thing that is of utmost importance to tell about the trip: how did Christ work and show in us more of Himself? At the beginning of the trip, we were struck with sickness from the start; not to mention many other happenings that time will not permit to tell.  The first week was also one of the busiest of the trip adding to the pressure that was thrust upon us. The struggle was to grow weary, fill discouraged, and even fear. The tendency is always to become inward focused when hardships begin to hit you.  Yet, one theme kept coming up in our team devotions: "its not about us." Rather, it is about the incredible glory of our God. This is why we do missions. This is why we can endure sickness on a mission trip. This is what brings a group of young people together from different backgrounds and situations in life to accomplish one goal: proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 3: 21 tells us, "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." This theme; this motto is what the Team Ecuador 2011 rallied around.  It took three weeks, but through it all, God molded, shaped, pushed, and produced in us a heart to do one thing: glorify our God through His gospel. It was through suffering and hardships that we learned this. It was through God's spirit opening our eyes that we saw it in our hearts. It was through building each other up in the Lord that we were strengthened in it. It was through the powerful working of God - not of our own strength - that we experienced it. In the end, we saw one thing: Jesus Christ and Him glorified! Christ became our unifyer. Christ showed us what it means to make Him your all. Christ made Himself known to us as only He can and will do with His people. What a privilege it was to serve and learn with this team. You are my brothers and sisters and may this trip only be a step in the process of Christ making Himself known to you more and more. After all, He is all and in all.Daniel CavanaughTeam Leader