2013 Summer in Review - Perspectives from Team Leaders
You've begun processing your experience from your summer missions trip, but ever wonder what your team leader's perspective was? This your chance! Six Global Encounters team leaders write about what impacted them the most during their travels...
Colombia - Bri Northern
I was so honored to travel to South America with the Colombia team! I value the friendships that God brought to pass in our team, and in believers and unbelievers alike through this trip! I loved seeing God's miraculous details in leading nine different people from all over the U. S. to minister to Colombia as one! He directed each one of us to personally share His kingdom with the people of Bogota and surrounding areas. Our purpose was to share the truths of God's promises through crafts, skits, songs, games, art classes, first aid classes and more. I know I speak on behalf of the whole team when I say that we were grateful for how the Holy Spirit brought His truths to life through each activity! We were excited to be His servants and His vessels!Several of the things that I stood in awe of on the trip, am still amazed at now, and love to share with others is the amazing connection that God's love creates, the enabling power of the Spirit alive in His people, and the majestic presence of our Savior in every place!! I saw the effect of God's amazing love as we visited a school in Bogota. After only a few hours of skits and crafts with truth applications (with only very short times in each classroom), we were bombarded with hugs, fights over who sits on our laps, offers to share their lunches, craft gifts, and the list goes on! God's love is amazing! We experienced the powerful enabling of the Spirit as we were asked several times to share our personal testimonies (short notice). We saw God use what He laid on our hearts in ways that brought tears to the eyes of the listeners. I was assured of our Savior's majestic presence in every place and how He was there before us, was divinely with us, and will be there after us fulfilling His will. Before the trip I journaled a verse in Spanish that I loved and as I walked the grounds of the orphanage that we stayed at for a week, I saw the very same verse painted on a concrete slab as a fixture in that place. Wow. Wow! The last morning at the orphanage, after a week of sharing God's promises with little ones that we came to love so much, I woke up to find a rainbow positioned perfectly over the grounds of that dear place! God is incredible! I stand in humility and wonder of His works among the children of men! Glory to our God and may the people of Colombia come to know and worship the One Who loves them most!
Romania - Reuben Hawks
Even though this was my third trip with Global Encounters, I have to admit that still I allow my imagination run laps around the possibilities that could happen over in a foreign land... with a group I have never personally met... working with a culture that is quite different from our own. Of course, if you had asked me I would have told you that my heart's desire is for God's will to be done. But when the uncharted story finally unfolds through events that are far from ideal, my response would betray my "heart's desires." Through this trip to Romania God again reminded me that His plan is the utmost best - both for me and those to whom I minister.
As I saw members of my team strive to overcome the language barrier and communicate through their interpreter to a group of 15 rowdy kids, my heart questioned God as to why this was happening and how He could allow such chaos when spreading His gospel. Only later did I learn that a young girl in that group had responded to the Holy Spirit's calling and believed in Christ's provision for her! We had the chance to see the demeanor of an aggressive 10 year old girl, hardened against any love and affection, finally soften to our teaching once she realized that she was indeed loved and treasured by her Heavenly Father. At the same time, we saw some children return back to their godless homes, untouched and seemingly unreached by the efforts that we poured out during that week of camp. I witnessed the hearts of my teammates break as they cried out to their Father late into the night asking God to not only reach the hearts of the gypsy children, but for Him to reach their own hearts with the fullness of His love.I can't say that this year's trip to Romania all went as originally planned and it surely did not follow the path of my imagination. But as write this, I am still in awe of the beautiful plan that God accomplished in the life of the children, the team members, and mine as well.
Chiapas Jungle Team - Tim Forman
The Lord really used this trip to teach me the importance of depending upon His strength and love as I seek to serve Him and those around me. I remember we were tromping through the mud after a rain in one of the villages, there were no showers, and I was really tired from a full day of installing water filters and doing a kids program. It was difficult to communicate with the people there because their main language wasn’t even Spanish. I remember feeling a bit discouraged and I was about to complain when I sensed God communicating in my spirit; I sensed Him saying, “Would you do this for me?” I was immediately reminded of the gospel and of Christ’s love for all of us. That was the motivation I needed to stay focused. And all throughout the trip the Lord reminded me of His grace and the gospel. Even if I couldn’t communicate it verbally, I could live it and be motivated by it’s power. This gave me such a new attitude. Now at home, I realize that being on mission is not just for mission trips or missionaries. I’m to be on mission today—to be motivated by the gospel, and continually strengthened in His love for serving those around me.
Chiapas Medical Team - Elizabeth Cook
It was challenging. It was profitable. It was real.Tojolobal and Ch'ol must be the scenic counterparts to border Mexico’s lack thereof. Yet in this jungle paradise are dying souls in need of Life Himself. It was a privilege to join a GE team to offer basic medical services in Chiapas in an effort to point people to the Great Physician. Yes, it was nice that nearly 800 patients were seen in clinic, but the greater joy was sharing with patients and others the gift of Life.
In addition to the usual dehydration, arthritis, and parasites, we saw kids with crippled feet, an infected cow bite, and possible oral cancer. Each village has its unique commonalities. Working in Punto Bravo Segundo was particularly sobering, as several had genetic conditions that will never be maximally treated. Limited resources pushed us to rely on God for wisdom and creativity in a way I'll never appreciate in the States.We also enjoyed many can't-make-'em-up moments, such as the lady who when asked how much water she drank replied that she'd never tasted it. Or the man who came because of pain in his "arm meat."Would I join another jungle clinic team? Without question.But would I want to do anything different next time? Only to go with more team members. How about you?!
Ecuador - Micah Cavanaugh
While in Ecuador this past July/August our team spent the evenings of the first week working with kids in a more rural section of the capital city of Quito. The children in this area were typically poorer than other areas but notably interactive and responsive. On the second evening I noticed a little boy sitting by himself. I went over and asked his name. He hugged his knees and looked between them to the ground and told me in a hushed tone that "Sebastian" was his name. He was noticeably frowning and wasn't participating in the activities so I asked him (via translator), why he was not participating. He told me that he was thirsty. I told him to wait, and I went to get a glass of water and brought it to him. Upon finishing the water (he drank all of it) I asked if we could be friends. He looked up at me for the first time, smiled, and said "Yes, we are friends."I will never forget little Sebastian or his contagious laugh, and I will forever remember the sight of him walking away on our last day wearing his purple headband. Missions is not always some great story of preaching the gospel to crowds or risking your life to put a Bible in someones hands. Many times, as in this case, it is as simple as putting a cup of water in a child's hand, showing them the simple love that comes from a heart transformed by Gods amazing grace.
Photography Team - Ashlyn Ours
Beautiful. Silent. Raw. Precious.A hush fell over the rambunctious group of 40 middle schoolers as I began talking. Swinging from trees and yelling loudly just moments before, those same children were now gathered in a half circle at my feet with their eyes and ears trained on me. Speaking with energy and enthusiasm to keep their attention, I explained to the kids that we were photographers from the U.S. and that we wanted to teach them how to take pictures that would tell stories, that would tell God’s story, and proclaim how He is working in their lives.Listening to Marissa share truth through her photo story, I stood back observing the strange transformation in these usually rowdy children, and something deep within me was touched.
In that moment, I knew. God was doing something special in our midst, working deep within the lives of these children, allowing His truth to seep into their hearts; and somehow, someway, God was using us, this photography team, to be part of this precious work.You get the feel the kids in this area don’t get opportunities like this, don’t have people coming and taking an interest in them, and don’t have cameras to use. All of the kids wanted their picture taken, and got really excited that they too got to take pictures. It gave the entire “program” credibility and interest, and gave us an outlet to speak into their lives; with love and the hope of the Gospel.I don’t think that a single one of the Photographers left that place untouched. An experience like this reaches through your masks, your walls, your self-protecting facades, and touches the core of who you are.We are photographers. We are storytellers. We are communicators.But most of all, we are instruments in the hands of a Mighty God who can take our brokenness and our inadequacies and redeem them into something beautiful for His glory.Blessed be His name.