Every Man, Woman and Child …

Today we finished the paint job at Glad Tidings Tabernacle Church.  Pastor Carey told the MOH leaders how much this meant to him. He’s spent the past years getting his church out of debt. Now it was time to use their resources to do all the repairs. We came and took the painting of the office off of his list of to do’s. What a blessing that is to him and his congregation.

As we were coming to an end, there was only painting left for two people, the rest of us prayer walked the blocks around the church. 

If you’ve never prayer walked before, it’s praying on site with insight!  It’s such a powerful thing to do. If it’s a business, you pray for the owners and leaders to walk and serve with integrity and honor. You pray that they would act justly in all circumstances. You pray for all in the building to come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  If you walk by a home, you pray for the people in the home; their safety, their every day needs, for their health and of course their salvation.  Jesus said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to me.”   Pray over every person or place that the name of Jesus Christ would be lifted up over the people and the families.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will draw them to their Savior!

If you’ve never done a prayer walk. I encourage you to try it.  You can walk the halls of your business, when you are shopping up and down the grocery store aisles, in your own neighborhood, praying for peace and safety and that everyone would have the chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.  No one has to hear you, you can say it in your heart, softly or whatever you are comfortable with. It can be life changing. For you and for those you pray for.

We have the evening off and we are chilling on the boat after a great dinner of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw and rolls!  Yum!

EVERYBODY ought to know that Jesus loves them

Tomorrow is food drive and evangelism.  The team will split in half because there isn’t enough room for everyone.  We will change ministries after lunch.

Pray:

• Divine moments as we interact with people and have opportunities to pray for them
• Pray that the food we prepare to give for others, blesses them and goes further than usual
• Pray for the students to have the courage they need as they interact with others, giving physical hope and spiritual hope

Thank you for your prayers.  It has been a great trip. Key West Mission of Hope is an amazing ministry with the goal of reaching every man, woman and child with the message of hope… the message of Jesus Christ. Because, EVERYBODY ought to get to hear and know that Jesus loves them and gave his life for them to experience eternal life!

Mrs. G

“But I Can Still See Him”

Today was a food delivery day in the trailer park. We headed back to Pastor Carey’s church to bag up the groceries for families and make children’s snack packs as well. Katie shared with the students how to give what they called pocket testimony. We practiced in teams of two and then we loaded up and headed to our destination. William and eventually Colonel Mac Leod were running the BBQ pit as part of our food delivery was to invite each home to the basketball court to have free hot dogs and chips!

Most of the time there was quite a language barrier, yet we were all so proud of our students as that did not stop them from trying to reach out and love on the people. Some of the people spoke Spanish, some Creole, and some English! We got the point across with our smiles and the gentleness with which the students approached the whole event. A few people showed up and we were able to hand many hot dogs out to those returning from work and rounding the corner by the court to go home. Some one would yell a greeting and then show the food and most of the time the driver would stop and with a big smile and accept the blessing.

We chilled on the boat for a couple of hours then went to the park where we’ll spend Saturday hosting a Kids Club day! We had fun practicing our song, our game rotations and games. A brief game of chicken in a bucket and sharks and minnows and then we had 5 minutes to get to the boat!

We returned to the boat and had an A.MAZ.ING Haitian dinner. Rice and beans, pikliz, a Haitian hot sauce, chicken cooked in coconut milk… yummy! Oh, and plantains! Brownie bites and ice cream for dessert!

We had two days to debrief and took our time tonight. The kids really enjoyed the opportunity to meet the homeless people living in the trees and shared how it touched their hearts getting to connect with them. I can’t wait for you to hear their stories. It was very powerful. Meeting Pastor Carey was an mazing time and having him share with our students from his own life experiences was an opportunity that God gave this class. We talked tonight about how what he shared and spoke into their lives from his many years of experience. It was like 5 Senior Seminar Sessions in one morning. I pray they will recall the truths and the challenges he gave to them.

I want to close with this. We were about to close in prayer and one of the students said, “Mrs. G, I have one more thing to share. “Sean Patrick, one of the homeless guys did not want to hear a thing about God, he didn’t want to talk about him or for us to talk to him about God. As we were walking away, I told God, “God, he (Sean) doesn’t see you.”  God replied “But, I can still see him.”

What a beautiful truth! Isn’t comforting to know that even though we might turn away or abandon our faith God does not abandon us. So whenever you are discouraged about that child, friend, spouse, neighbor and coworker, don’t give up hope.

God still sees them.

Thank God for our health, for the courage the kids are displaying and for the growth that is happening in them

Pray for tomorrow for strength as we finish painting the office building of Pastor Carey and for those that we have already interacted with, that the Holy Spirit will take those moments and do what only he can do!

In This Together

Mrs. g

S H A P E

We started the day with the MOH team leader Katie, sharing about how Mission of Hope began, in 1998 by Brad and Vanessa Johnson. While serving on a trip, they were faced with a tragedy that God used to birth their ministry in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Key West and beyond.  Because of their willingness to say yes to God’s heart they continue to gain favor in areas and then expand to touch more lives.

One of the people that joined them in Haiti, Pastor Carey, has many things going on in Key West and the area islands. He serves many pastors, training them to reach the island communities.  Today we started giving painting his church office!  Spraying off all the dirt and grime, then putting on a fresh coat of paint. We’ll finish up on Wednesday. Katie (MOH leader) told us he was a story teller and she was not kidding.  But he shared some really cool stories and funny stories. Obeying God has taken him on an incredible journey that is till going.  All the different places of leadership that have been placed before him has given him the ability to share the gospel and raise up leaders. . I pray that God will use his life story with each one of our students.

I pray that as they go through life and they feel God leading them to change course or to press forward with faith, they’ll remember Pastor Carey and it will strengthen their own resolve that they can expect God to do great and mighty things for his kingdom because they listened and then said yes to him.

Pastor Carey told them he had a message for them. S H A P E

S- Spiritual gift. Discover your spiritual gifts. They will help you in your life’s journey to understand how God designed you

H – Heart’s passion. What do you think about doing all the time, even if you were not paid.

A – Ability. We are all given abilities and skill sets.

P- Personality – Understanding your unique personality will help discover your gift.

E – Experience – Your future is attached to your past. Pay attention now.

Paying attention to and pursuing with purpose, all of those things listed above can help you life a purpose filled life starting now.

Tonight, was Coppit First Baptist Church Homeless Ministry.  Scott Borgert is their Mission’s Pastor. They graciously fixed us hamburgers, then the team packed food packs to hand out.  Scott shared with the team and prepped everyone for the ministry time.  He talked about how it can feel scary to approach someone you don’t know with the purpose of meeting their physical needs and their spiritual needs.  He told us he feels that way himself many times.  Summit divided into four teams, each one led by one of our leaders. We arrived at our first stop, each person grabbed a food pack and a bottled water, hoping to meet 4 people we broke into four teams and walked the sidewalk looking for the homeless in their makeshift shelter areas near the golf course fencing.  We had some pretty special times, getting to meet precious people and pray for them.  Our last stop was on the beach and walking the pier. Some were able to strike up conversations and were able to pray with a couple of people. We circled up at the end of the pier on this giant tiled compass on the ground, sang a worship song and closed in prayer.  What was really great was Mrs. Borgert was so encouraged by three new people from Key West that joined them, and our team.  They have been praying for years for God to send them more people to help them reach out and minister to the homeless. “Tonight, was an answer to prayer” she told us.  I pray that more people come and those that joined her tonight, will come back and bring others with them.

 It’s been a long hot day, so when we returned to True North, we let the kids start the showers and we’re going to turn in early.  We will debrief two days tomorrow night.

Tomorrow, we deliver Groceries and have an afternoon neighborhood cookout.  Tomorrow evening, we practice for our Saturday VBS in the park. 

It’s been a full day!  The line for the shower is shortening.  I’m going to end there. 

Prayer points:

Thank God:

• For all the moments during the day, known and unknown that God touched the hearts of our students
• For how great the kids did and how they stepped out of their comfort zones many times,

Pray:

• Everyone continues to allow themselves to be stretched
• The students learn to become comfortable being uncomfortable.
• Our ‘day in the sun’ turns into glorious tans (we used sunscreen, however some look a little sun kissed)
• A good night’s sleep

Pray for those that we prayed with tonight. God will protect them, answer their prayers, heal them, free them and do what only he can do.

Good night from the top deck on True North. 

Mrs. g

I Can Feel The Heart Of The Worship

We arrived!  We made our connections, secured our luggage and headed true north!  Actually, we headed to True North.  That will be our home away from home for the next week. 

Katie share the heart or purpose of Mission of Hope.  First and foremost, to unapologetically share the gospel of Jesus.  That manifests in many different ways Serving the local: church, partnering with the local schools, providing teacher training with Christian curriculum, meeting nutritional needs, local leader training, community development.  MOH has also developed a trade school which provides training for skills that can bring financial stability for them and their families.  The boat, True North also takes medical teams around the islands to provide healthcare where there is little access to it.

I am so excited for our students to ‘rub shoulders’ with and work alongside MOH team members who are passionate about making every moment count.

                                 “I didn’t understand it, but I could feel the heart of the music”

Tonight, we visited Jean Jean’s Creole Church.  It was amazing!  Only a couple of times did one of the team members translate letting us know what scripture was going to be read and to welcome our team as visitors.  Then there would be some sharing and then singing.  The worship band was rocking, the worship leader would begin a song and you felt the passion in his voice and in his movements.  The congregation would sing and then begin to sway.  To say it was amazing really sells it short.  A couple of people said they sang along and just made up words because the spirit in the room moved them to be a part.

Each evening we debrief the day and the highlight was the church service!  “I loved the service”  “The band was dope”  “That band, I loved the band”  “I loved how loud the band was” “That was different from what I’m used to but I really enjoyed it”  “That reminded me of my old church and I really loved the band” “I didn’t understand it, but I could feel the heart of the music” I think we ALL could agree with that.

We closed in prayer and I believe this team is excited to take on this week!

How can you pray?  

• That we will choose to not be distracted by things going on back home so we can dig in and allow God to accomplish all He desires in and through us
• For our work project and our community outreach tomorrow night
  • That we will take a chance to be courageous as we experience ministry in new ways
• We will stay healthy
• We will grow as a team – caring about one another and seeing each other in a new light
• We will all fall deeper in love with Jesus

That’s it for now! 

Mrs g

Ready to head to Key West

Dinner and Upper Deck Meeting Area

Guys Bunks

Girls Bunks

True North – Home Away From Home

Comfortable with Being … Uncomfortable?

Are you comfortable reaching out and serving others? If so, what is it you do to spiritually, mentally and physically prepare to serve others? Can you be ready at a moment’s notice? Is your life at a place where you need to schedule in your service time? That’s okay if it is the season you are in. I believe you can serve in many ways if you know and are at peace with the season you are in. But what if you aren’t comfortable serving, at any time? What if you mess up? What if the receiver doesn’t want your help? What can you to do to push through and learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable?

So, I ask this question: Are you a ‘goer‘ or one of the ‘givers and senders‘ that are crucial in seeing needs met? I think, no matter which one (or more) will be your answer, at any certain time in your life, we can try to be prepared no matter what situation is presented to us. I came across this quote by Robert H. Schuller and it spurred me to think. What is it I do and what is it I still need to do to be prepared to serve?

“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.”

Robert H. Schuller

The longer I serve, I find it’s the everyday, and sometimes seemingly unspectacular things we do that can make us the most prepared for any situation that God presents to us. When you are presented with an opportunity, you will find many times you already have and are using skills that are second nature, just like breathing. Being made in his image, I believe we are hardwired to serve in some capacity. My act of service won’t necessarily look like yours, which should be encouraging to us. We each bring a different skill. I need you, you need me. So, what can we do to be prepared for situations God might present to us?

Quiet time

Reading, listening, meditating, sharing! Is your quiet time structured or is it a modge podge of different styles? Years ago, I felt so guilty because I could NOT wake up at 4:30 to have a quiet time and then start the day. My spiritual mom noticed something was up and I shared my frustration with her. She told me when does it work for you? Embarrassed I told her, “It’s never the same.” Sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the middle of the day, sometimes late at night. Late at night is my favorite. She told me, “Read Psalm 55:17. Does God only hear you at a certain time of the day?” “No.” “How about I take the morning shift, and you take the evening shift, and we’ll both jump in in the middle of the day.” she said. That was so freeing. It allowed me to tune in anytime, to listen and meditate on God’s word, listen to a podcast, reflect and then respond. Sometimes I have the time to get one of those 10 pound commentaries out. That’s a really favorite for me. What does that word, passage or chapter really mean? Does my life reflect what I just read or was reminded of? Now I want to share it with others, in lessons that I teach and the way I live. I love it when I’m in a serving or teaching opportunity and all of a sudden I realize God had prepared my heart just minutes, hours or days before for this moment right now.

Being aware

I’ve been reading and listening now it’s time to watch. Our lives can get so busy that we don’t see opportunities that are presented right in front of us. Did I notice the friend’s demeanor? It was off. That student was too quiet today… what’s up? I haven’t heard from _______(fill in the blank) so I should check up on him/her. For example, my granddaughter cares about taking care of the earth. We have over an hour ride together in the morning and the afternoon going to and from school. There’s this cattle guard that you have to slow down and kind of squeeze through. About a week ago, it looked like someone had just dumped their trash there. She cannot stand it. In expressing to me her disgust at people dumping a whole load of trash, it brought to light that when she rides with her mom, they’ll stop and pick up small trash in the ditch. I love that. She is not just becoming aware (looking at something other than her social media on the phone) and being frustrated by the acts of others, she has been choosing to get out of her comfort zone and possibly be seen standing in a ditch picking up the piece of trash. This latest pile is bigger than picking up a can or two or an empty feed sack, etc. So, I went to the store and purchased big trash bags and thick gloves. We’re about to set out and tackle that pile, and I mean pile of trash.

Prepare

One good thing about getting older is you can have experience in many areas that comes in pretty handy. Therefore, sometimes I feel I know exactly what to do in a situation. I feel like I am already prepared. I am also one of those people that it’s just as exciting to me to learn something new, to pick up a new skill. Between the help of friends, YouTube, and miscellaneous tutorials it can be easier to know what to do than it was years ago. I also try to be ready to learn as I go.

Make Yourself Available

Reach out. Offer your help. Sometimes you can plan. Sometimes it is spontaneous. Sometimes you serve anonymously. I find you don’t have to have all the answers. Sometimes, just showing up says, “I’m here” and is the answer.

Philippians 2:3-4 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

NIV

Sacrifice

That brings us to the next thing already mentioned above. Am I willing and ready to give of my time, my money, my support, my expertise, my strength (that means physical too, you know)? It could be anything, small to large, like lifting those boxes, picking up kids, running an errand, you get my drift. This is where it can get really uncomfortable. About 7 years ago, a case worker I had met in Oklahoma on one of our Impact trips called me. He asked if I could find a friend or two and come to Hugo and help a family keep their three kids. The children were always sick because they lived in filth. Both parents were handicapped. We had one to two days to turn their house into a liveable situation. I truly had never seen anything like it. I talked a friend into going. I don’t even know if uncomfortable even covers the experience. However, when we would look at the faces of those three kids, and we taught them what to do when we left, it was worth every bug that crawled on us and every unbelievable cleaning situation we encountered. When we left, the mom and dad cried, the kids cried and the case worker cried. The family got to stay together, and we knew God had actually done more with our time that we thought even possible.

Be Flexible

Warning: Be ready to go to plan B, C, D. I love what Summit’s Headmaster says, “What we learned in the military was, no one was lying… but the truth has changed!” And boy can it change… uncomfortably so!

Comfortable with being Uncomfortable!

Ask God to help you learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable! Then be aware as you prepare. Make yourself available, be willing to sacrifice in unexpected ways and you will be trusted with SPECTACULAR adventures with the Lord you never imagined.

Or… that’s what I’ve found.

Mrs. g

“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.”

John Wesley

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