When God Takes the Stage - Part 2

Here is Part 2 of a two part series overviewing each trip that went out on the field this year. Press here to read Part 1. See what God did in and through the teams and pray about joining next year!EcuadorI had the opportunity to see God grow members of this team and stretch them outside of their comfort zones. People who had never left their country were suddenly forced to thrive in a world where they didn't speak the language. The most important thing that can happen in that situation is for God to show His love through your life. This happened throughout the trip but it hit me fully by way of a conversation I had at camp the last week of the trip.We had returned from the beach, always a stressful though fun time trying to keep 60 plus kids many of whom cannot swim safely in the water. I was sitting with Pastor Benjamin in front of his cabin talking about the trip and different things. We were quiet for a moment when he turned to me and said, “The kids love you, you know? They love your team.” I looked at him and said, “How do you know that?” and he said, “Because they tell me, the kids they tell me they love you.” Tears fill my eyes even now remembering. He explained that he could see the love each team member showed to the kids every day as they worked and played with them. I realized then and now looking back that the love he saw came from Christ living through the team. The days are long and hot and you are tired and even sick. The only thing that can shine through that is Christ.~Micah Cavanaugh, for the Ecuador TeamGuatemalaGuatemala was my first experience leading a Global Encounters team. As I prepared to go on the trip, my prayer was that I wanted to step aside and let God lead our team and do whatever it was that He wanted to do through us in Guatemala. I wanted to allow God the platform to “show up,” so to speak, and be free to use us to achieve His bigger plans. I saw God do just that. There were days where I would feel pressure to act a certain way or do certain things because I needed to be the “team leader.” The Lord would quickly remind me that He was the leader of this trip and although my position on the team gave me the responsibilities to make some of the larger decisions, I was still a team member just like any other person on God's team. My favorite thing about being a team leader this year was knowing all of the needs of the team, taking them to God, and then watching how God would work everything out. When the team was feeling sick, God would provide strength or even just heal them. When the team was feeling discouraged, God would give strength and words to communicate with the kids. When we didn’t think we had enough supplies, God would multiply them. When we didn’t speak Spanish and didn’t have any translators, God would give us Spanish words to say and allow the kids to somehow understand the lessons we were teaching. God really is our Shepard and He is leading us whether we feel like it or not. We need only to rest in His leading.~John Forman, for the Guatemala TeamChiapas Jungle TeamHey what’s up everyone! This is Ashley from Washington State and I want to take the opportunity to tell you… we serve an amazing, awesome God! I went on the Chiapas Jungle trip this past year and it was unlike anything I've experienced before… not it a bad way! It just meant more hardcore (meaning sleeping in hammocks or mats in churches, going without showers, using outhouses, and of course, what would it be without bugs? :P) For this girl who loves her air conditioning and showers… it was a prime opportunity for God to give me strength and grace and me to step it up. Oh my goodness. God is SO good. There were so many situations where I wanted to just give into the overwhelming fact that I am not only a failure but also a sinner. I was burdened with how insufficient I am to be a part of Gods work. But God… God was there. He showed Himself to me in so many different ways that spoke profoundly to my heart and soul. "No matter what happens, what struggles you face, what trials are happening, amidst the attacks of the enemy, God ALWAYS knows and is ALWAYS there. He WILL give you the grace and strength you need to get through anything."I saw God work not only in my life but in the lives of the team and the people around me. Who would've thought that spending 2 hours with 17 girls learning all their names would have such a huge impact on them? Who would've thought that engaging with them in their own language, though it was rough and more often than not I had to look up words, would touch them so? Who would've thought that simply holding a child in your lap for 10 minutes would bond you and that child for eternity? We will never know exactly how much of an impact we have on the people around us. However, we will know the impact they had on us.~Ashley Dickson, for the Chiapas Jungle TeamMedical TeamAs the cook for the Medial Team, I had the fun job of serving them while they served others. GOD did some amazing things during our week of medical clinic. Throughout the week we all enjoyed hearing the stories from the evangelism station. To watch our translator Ernesto share the gospel with everyone that came though was amazing. One day he shared with us that everyone that came through that day either recommitted their life to the LORD or asked him into their life for the first time. What a great day! We later learned that on that very day in the U.S. there was a team of people meeting together to pray for us. Amazing to see how God works!One day while making lunch, I got a call on the Walkie from Ruth asking me to bring a glass of water to the clinic. When I arrived with the water, I see her sitting with an older villager. Ruth then told me that this man had never had a glass of water to drink in his life! Up to that time, he'd drank soda. For me to be a part of that moment was AMAZING! What an illustration,HE is the Living Water. We just need to take it to people and they just need to drink.~Mindy, Chef for the Medical Teamhttps://vimeo.com/145592516First Drink of Water from Global Encounters on Vimeo.