What languages do you speak that you can use for His Kingdom advancement?

It's always interesting to see how our perspective changes once we have a close encounter with God ( mainly through His people) as we just had in Nicaragua.

Then I just read this article ( read entire article here) and it challenged my thinking on the topic of  "languages".. The point being, we all speak many languages we can use to further God's Kingdom.. Just look at where you "do" life, and you will be able to use those "languages" that are not codified by dictionaries..

-Bruno

Day 5 - Food delivery and powerful encounter- Bruno and Lisa de Jesus

Today was our 5th day on the ground here in Puerto Cabezas and what a great day it was! In the morning, the entire team got on a bus and went to the local market. It was quite something.. For many of the people in this market, since the unemployment rate is around 80%, this one of the few ways they have to make a living: to grow some type of crop, then go to the market and try to sell it. And it wasn’t your normal market. We saw about any and everything being sold there from used clothes, to cow’s intestines, to cell phones and everything in between. We walked by a couple of pigs heads, ate some strange fruits, amongst other things. Once we were done walking around the market, we headed to the store where we bought the food we were going to deliver to a community near the trash dump later in the day. We got 300 lbs of sugar, rice, beans, and flour, and butter. We brought everything back to Verbo and separated the food into 60 different bags.

          After lunch,       we loaded all of the food and headed towards the community. We had translators with us that could translate from English to Miskito. Our entire team had amazing experiences while handing out food in the name of Verbo Church, and asking them if we could pray for anything. Team members got various prayer requests, from praying for rebellious children, to addicted fathers, to kids’ sickness.

          In the end of the afternoon, on our way back, we stopped at Marina’s, the lady for whom we are building the home. She had only seen a couple of us from the team up to this point because our team had gone to different places. We all got off the bus, everyone got to see the house that is being built (it will not be finished until after we’re back in the States).  But before we left Marina’s house, something amazing happened. We all went into Marina’s shack (an 8X8 ft space at best) and asked if we could pray for her… Wow!!! We learned so much from a lady that has nothing materially, but yet so much spiritually. It was so humbling to meet a sister in Christ who literally depends on God for her next meal. As we were praying for her, she could not stop pouring blessings upon us, not just on us, but also on the generations to come after us. Her faith in Christ was such a challenge to all team members to seek Him and find out what it takes to have that kind of faith.

Once again, today we found ourselves in a place where we received so more than we gave, we learned so much more than we taught, we were prayed over so much more than who we prayed for..

Our Lord never, ever fails, and we saw that in a clear tangible way today.

Have a great night!


James 2:5- ⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

-       -  Bruno and Lisa de Jesus

Day 4- by Sarah and Chris Slager

Yesterday was  day 4 on the ground here in Nicaragua and what a great day it has been!  This morning part of our team went back to the feeding center to help out.  The ladies there told us that they prayed we would return today to help them out and that we were an answer to their prayers. That was a most humbling feeling.  Here’s a little behind the scenes information. At the feeding center there are 6 ladies who ordinarily feed 300+ children, 5 days a week and they do this all by themselves! It’s an enormous task which receives little recognition other than the satisfaction of doing a part to feed the mouths of those little children. Our team took along coloring books, crayons and colored paper with us today and spent time coloring and laughing with the kids while they were waiting for their lunch.  They had so much fun coloring and laughing.  Seeing the smiles on their faces brought much joy to us all.  I really enjoyed being able to pour in to the children during our time there, to let them know that they are valued and that they matter to Jesus.  We really enjoyed our time there today and hope we blessed the people there as much as they blessed us!

The other half of our team spend the morning and midday building a home for a woman named Marina who not only had her home literally disintegrate from under her, but it was in such a deteriorated condition that she fell through the floor—causing her to suffer a fractured pelvis. Speaking to Gloria Lockey, one of our a team members, Marina related how she has prayed for a new home since hers fell apart. Marina continued on saying one day her granddaughter had come home from school stating, “There are angels coming to build your home.” As Marina told this story, she pointed to the members of the GCC team outside framing the walls. To the members of our team, these two stories show the power of prayer and epitomize Matthew 7:7—“Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.”  

-Sarah and Chris Slager

Day 3- Feeding Center and Flooring by Jason and Elisha Messner

Day 3

We started the day at the feeding center.  Most of them did not speak Spanish, so what little Spanish we know, we could not use today.  We had the opportunity to draw with the children prior to feeding them.  This was the best form of communication we could think of.  The pictures they drew were amazing things like boats, sunshine, flowers, animals, kites, and crosses.  Many of these children don’t even own a pair shoes.  We fed about 320 children, and 70% of them, it's the only meal they get for the day.  They bring their own bowls and cups, no sign of silverware exists, and they eat with their hands.  Head lice were ramped and most are covered in rashes.  Pink eye is a way of life.  Four years olds were caring for their two year old siblings.  It was a sight to see; in the states we would not even let the children carry their bowls at that age.  These children come from miles to eat this one meal a day.  Some even brought a container to take a little back with them for later, that is if any was left.  Then we went to the orphanage where we did crafts with all the children there.  The children are so creative all you need to do is give them a piece of construction paper and a minute later you have a hat, a boat, or an airplane.  Any attention they receive is greatly appreciated by them.  Half the team went to build a house for a local with Verbo Ministries.  They finished the flooring and had to cover with boards nailed down so tomorrow when they return the floors will still be there.  God has truly blessed us in the states.  We take things for granted and until you place yourself in these types of environments, we don’t realize what we truly have.  Please pray for the people of Nicaragua and the present and future teams in Nicaragua.

-Jason and Elisha Messner

Day 1 and day 2

After a long day of traveling, we attended an awesome church service that had songs in Spanish, English, and Miskito. It was great to get a glimpse of what heaven is going to look like, except we will all understand each other. :). In the afternoon we took the orphanage kids, along with a team from Oregona to the beach, and we ha a lot of fun. Some of us played soccer, some played in the water. Today(Monday), we cut a lot of the wood that will be needed to frame the lady's home. In the afternoon, we went over to the orphanage and did lots of crafts with the kids and they loved it. Also, during our daily evenin devotion time, we talked about how God chose to give the poor so much 'power' whereas in the regular world they have none. It helped us to understand that God sent us on the mission. It as the solution to all their problems, but to bring the Gospel in word AND in deed, and just as importantly, to learn from those people to whom God has empowered so much. It seems as if we have more reliable Internet now, so keep checking for team members blog posts in the near future. Buenas noches! -Bruno

Motive Check

Here is a great reminder to check our motives before we go on ANY God-given Mission...

Remember that:

1) You are Part of the Tide – There is often a temptation when we participate in short-term teams to view what God is doing in a given context only in terms of the contribution that we make while we are there.  But that's really short-sighted.  The truth is, God has been at work long before we show up (even if we're the first ones there!), and will be at work long after we leave.  In a situation like Nicaragua, we're also not the only ones at work.  Our friends at CFC, Verbo and a host of other ministries all send teams, regularly participate and sacrifice to advance the Kingdom when they are there.  The truth is, we're more like part of a Tide than a Tsunami.  A tsunami washes everything clean in a single wave of water.  A tide, however, changes the entire landscape of a shoreline gently, over time, washing wave upon wave upon the shore with a rhythmic consistency.  It's not that one wave doesn't matter, but it IS that it's more about that wave added to another and another and another that change things.  As a result, remember two things:

A) Be careful about your promises.  There is always a temptation, when we think we're the tsunami rather than the tide, to make tons of promises to the people we are there to help.  "We'll write every day!", "We'll be back next summer!", "We'll send you gifts in the mail".  Often, because of our passion and the way that our hearts are moved, we make such promises with good intentions and out of a sort of desperation that comes from wanting to feel that we are making a lasting relational connection that will say, "we won't forget you!  Please don't forget me!"  But the truth is, whenever we fail to follow through with such promises, we actually undermine what we do on the field, and build a system of distrust and short-term thinking among our brothers and sisters we are serving.  But if we remember that we are part of the Tide, that there will be other waves of men, women and children who will continue to bring Light and Hope and Healing, then, over time, the landscape of the lives we are serving will change, and we will have been thankful for our part in it.  But in order to be happy with that part, we need to be careful about our "Tsunami Promises" along the way.  

B) Be content with what you accomplish.  You can leave knowing that God will finish what you start.  I'm talking about more than buildings you build or projects you accomplish.  If you're part of the Tide, then you can be assured that waves that come after you will continue to love and move and advance the Kingdom, just as you wouldn't be doing what you'll be doing if waves hadn't gone before you.  As a result, regardless of what you "accomplish", be content with it.  Take joy in the moments God gives you to look into the face of a child or feel the embrace of a brother or sister who is glad that you are there.  Work hard, do your best, pour yourself out with all your intensity, but when it's time to go, take joy that your Wave gained some ground, and then leave the rest to God and His ability to bring other Waves behind you.

      A Lesson from the US Marines – While the official motto of the United States Marines is "Semper Fidelis" (i.e. "Always Faithful"), one of the most famous unofficial (or, some Marines would say, the "working motto") mottos is "Adapt, Improvise, Overcome".  When the Marines were first formed in the late 1700's, they were kind of a strange animal since they were neither technically "Army" nor "Navy", so the US government wasn't really sure how to equip them.  As a result, and even though the Marines were often the "first in, last out" to any battlefield, they almost always had to fight and train with the second-hand or surplus tools that the Army and Navy no longer wanted or could no longer use.  So what did they do?  Whine about not having the right tools or being put in positions where they would have to use less than optimal resources to accomplish severely daunting tasks?  Nope.  Not the Marines.  Instead, they built a reputation for themselves to adapt to their situations quickly, work with what they had available or find it from unlikely sources, and still accomplish their objectives (i.e. Adapt, Improvise, Overcome).  This maxim has served them well over the past 200+ years, and is one of the reasons why the Marines are such a fearsome fighting force on any battlefield.

Information for June 2012 Family Mission Experience

Why NICARAGUA?

Nicaragua is the largest geographic nation in Central America, and yet is also the second poorest in the Americas (behind Haiti) as more than 48% of its 5.9 million people live below the poverty line and 79% live on less than $2/day (even though its standard of living and relative inflation make such income even less practical than elsewhere in the region). Its history over the past 100 years has been marked with brutal dictatorships, hostile guerilla-warfare oriented insurgencies and revolutions, natural disasters, international scandals, political instability and relative political and physical isolation, despite its access to both the Pacific Ocean (on the West coast) and Caribbean Sea (on the East Coast). It is at least partial home and host to the Miskito Indians, a people group scattered throughout both Nicaragua and Honduras, and while they are not considered a specifically “unengaged” or technically “unreached” people group due to large-scale Roman Catholic, Moravian and Western missionary presence over the years, the people functionally represent an eclectic mix of Christianity, traditional tribal religions, shamanism and “Voodoo”. Despite considerable foreign aid and NGO presence throughout in the country, much of its largely village-based inhabitants exist daily in desperate darkness, both spiritually and materially.

What is NICARAGUA FMT ‘12?

The NICARAGUA FMT (Family Mission Team) ‘12 is a short-term mission experience to Verbo Ministries in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Puerto Cabezas, commonly referred to as Port or PC, is on the Eastern Coast of Nicaragua and located on the shores of the Caribbean Sea. We originally heard about the ministry in Nicaragua through a ministry partner who oversees the mission department at Christian Fellowship Church (CFC) in the Washington D.C. (Ashburn, VA) area. After learning directly from GCC’s staff about our ministry initiatives in India, CFC has sought to replicate the model in Nicaragua. GCC as a whole is entering a new partnership with Verbo Ministries, facilitated by CFC, and has plans for students and families to travel there this year. The FMT will be going to Nicaragua from June 16^th through June 23^rd, 2012. This Mission provides an opportunity for families to go BE the church and fulfill God’s call to us to GO and make disciple of ALL nations (Matthew 28:19).

What will we be doing on NICARAGUA ‘12?

Our time spent in Nicaragua will be focused in two main areas. The first is working with the orphanage, school and church, which all exist on the Verbo property. Our time spent will be relational with the kids living in the orphanage, but there will also be work-based projects to improve the property and the living conditions of the children. The second focus will be an outreach with food to poor communities, assistance with a feeding center and a self-sustaining farming initiative, hospital visitation and/or construction projects. We’ll be developing the exact details of the trip over the next few months…so stay tunedJ

Here’s what a typical day will look like:

8 a.m. Eat Breakfast

10 a.m. To orphanage or work projects

12 p.m. Break for lunch

12:30 Continue work on projects/play with kids

5 p.m. Head back to dorms/cleanup

6 p.m. Dinner/Free time on base

7:30 p.m. Team debrief time

9:30 p.m. Lights out

How much does NICARAGUA ‘12 cost?

The cost is $1,500 per person. Here’s where that goes:

· Team Trainings - $100 (food, materials, etc.)

· Expenses while in Nicaragua - $400 (food, transportation, lodging, donation etc.)

· Airfare - $800 (from the USA to and from Nicaragua)

· Leadership/Team Expenses - $200 (Busing to and from O’Hare, travel insurance, etc.)

How am I going to come up with $1,500 per family member?

· Family Support Letters

· Garage Sales

· Be Creative!

Don’t let money become the obstacle that prevents you from pursuing this opportunity for your family. The majority of families are not able to cover the financial cost of the trip out of their own pocket. We will help and provide some training in this area so that you can create a network of people to financially partner with you and your family. It provides a great opportunity for people who aren’t physically able to participate on the team to have a positive and lasting impact on the children in Port through you.

What about all the other details?

· Travel

The team will travel together, to and from Nicaragua. Everyone will meet at the church on the day of the flight, and then be bused to the appropriate airport (probably O’Hare). You’ll then fly to Managua, Nicaragua, with a short stop in a US city. Early the next day you’ll take a short flight from Managua, Nicaragua (on the West Coast) to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua (on the East Coast). The team will then be bused to the Verbo property. The team will likely follow a similar travel pattern on the way home…only opposite of what is stated above.

· Lodging

We will be staying at Verbo’s facilities. They have separate men’s and women’s dorms as well as accommodations for families to stay together with restrooms and shower facilities. The orphanage, school and church are located on a separate side of the compound.

· Food

Breakfast typically consists of fresh fruit, rice and beans, eggs and even pancakes. Lunches and dinners typically consist of fresh fruit, rice and beans and a main dish with chicken or pasta. The kitchen staff of Verbo prepares food and the food is very easy for Americans to handle. We will have access to a large supply of bottled water for the teams while at the Verbo dorms and while out on work projects. We encourage you to pack snacks that you and your family will enjoy. There is a small restaurant across the street from the church that serves as a favorite hangout for teams staying at Verbo. You can get French fries, a slice of pizza and Coke for just a couple bucks.

· Passports

A passport is REQUIRED for adults and children travelling to Nicaragua. It can take 8-10 weeks to obtain a passport so you won’t want to delay in requesting it. Traveling without a passport is NOT an option. For more information on obtaining a passport, please visit the following site: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

· Immunizations

The Health Department recommends obtaining vaccinations for Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid and Tetanus, as well as taking Anti-Malaria Medication that comes in simple pill format (we recommend taking Malarone and staying away from Lariam). You will want to check with your family doctor for their recommendations as well. (All this is optional, but we STRONGLY recommend taking the Anti-Malaria medication).

· Medical Facilities

While in Puerto Cabezas there is access to several private clinics that have specialty in various areas of medicine as well as having a fully stocked pharmacy. For more serious emergencies or health issues there are several large, reputable hospitals in Managua.

· Travel Insurance

We purchase travel insurance for everyone travelling with us. The cost for this is included in the overall cost of the trip.

· Other Travel Money

You may want some spending money while in Nicaragua for souvenirs and other items such as snacks and beverages at local restaurants. Souvenirs can be purchased either on the base or from vendors at the airport.

· Medications

Any prescribed medications will need to be brought to our attention. For all other medications we will have a team kit with Tylenol, Aleve, Ibuprofen, band aids, antiseptic, Imodium AD and Pepto Bismol.

Is it a problem if we don’t speak Spanish?

Not at all! Most people living in Port speak Spanish as well as Miskito and many also speak English. The children at the orphanage will enjoy teaching you Spanish words! Also, our team leader, Bruno, is fluent in Spanish and will also be able to communicate for the group when needed. Despite us having access to translators, we will encourage our team to brush up on conversational Spanish so that we can engage in basic pleasantries such as “please” and “thank you.”

When are the Team Meetings?

Attendance and participation in 4 of the 5 team-meetings is required for every team member (so sending one person as a “representative” for your family doesn’t countJ). The team meetings are as follows:

• Wednesday, March 14^th, 6:30-8 p.m., GCC, Great Room

Topic: Support/Intentions/Questions

• Wednesday, April 4th^st, 6:30-8:30 p.m., GCC, Great Room

Topic: Culture/Language/Country

• Saturday, (end of April)- date TBD, 8:15 a.m.-6:15 p.m., GCC, Atrium

Topic: Service Day – We will serve together and then attend the 5 p.m. service at GCC.

• Wednesday, May 23^rd, 6:30-8 p.m., GCC, Under the Sea Room

Topic: Potluck dinner, go over trip details

• Friday, July 5^th, 6:30-8 p.m., GCC, Great Room

Topic: Trip “aftermath” debrief

When are the Financial Deadlines?

• Sunday, February 26^th- $50 per person over the age of 18 (non-refundable application fee)
• Wednesday, March 21^th - $300 per person
• Wednesday, April 18^th - $700 per person
• Wednesday, May 16^th - $1,100 per person
• Wednesday, June 6^th - $1,500 per person

What do I do now?

If you feel that this is the next step for you and your family, please follow the instructions below:

1. Go to http://www.gccwired.com/missionsapplication to pay the application fee. Please note that the application fee is $50 per person (over the age of 18) and will not go towards your support total (it is also NOT refundable if you later decide not to participate). The fee is used to process background checks.

2. After you pay the application fee you will be e-mailed the link to the on-line application. Please fill out the application for yourself and each member of your family (under the age of 18) participating on the team. Each person over 18 years of age will need to pay the application fee and fill out a separate application. **Applications and application fees are due by Sunday, February 26th.

3. Once you submit your application it will be sent to Jeanna Tripp, who will then contact you to confirm receipt and to inform you of your next step in the process. Please note that submitting the application does not guarantee membership on the team and that acceptance is contingent upon the results of a criminal background check (adults only). If you have questions, please contact Bruno and Lisa DeJesus at brunoandlisa@yahoo.com or Jeanna Tripp at 574.243.3500, ext. 318 or at jtripp@gccwired.com.