Finding a new kind of "normal" is easier said than done! Since coming back from Stateside orientation, getting all the housing logistics settled for the team amidst many interruptions and delays has taken a lot of energy. When I have had the time to write, I haven't had the clarity to write. I will try to give a glimpse into our life in Trinidad over the last month.
I want to start with a more recent event so that I can give kudos to the team. We had our first church service as a team a week ago last Sunday at Gasparilla Open Bible Church. I am so proud of the awesome job everybody did! Mike and I got up first and cast vision for the school and the need to raise up missionaries. Preacher man Nate gave a short testimony on his heart for the world, Abbie sang a song and Josh preached. The whole team prayed for people and we took time to pray for and bless the pastor. Melanie got up after the team prayed with people with a timely word about missions. We were there to bless them but the church blessed us in more than one way and we saw God do great things!
It's important that we have some "wins" because adjusting to a different culture is not easy. Overall the team is doing very well. It has been hard waiting for all the appliances for student housing, but we are now very close! The Kitchen is fully functional now and the patio where the washer and dryer are sitting has a new cover. We spoke to a man today that was working on getting the washer and dryer hooked up.
Transportation has been challenging. We have looked high and low for a twelve passenger van and still have not purchased one. We have a rented car right now that does not seat the whole team so Mike spends a great deal of time each day driving back and forth to get all of us to where we need to be. We have two vans in mind right now, so if you are reading this please stop right now and pray for the Lord to open up the right van for us! We have a mechanic looking at a possible van for us on Thursday of this week. Having our own vehicle that will hold all of us will make life and ministry possibilities much easier.
We are starting to get a feel for areas of ministry the Lord wants for us. We plan to visit a children's home soon, and we have been asked to have ministry to the elderly at Golden Jubilee where the team is living in the guest house. We also have possible ministry starting in a neighborhood that is mostly Hindu.
Our mornings are generally academic and our afternoons outreach. We are reading the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. We have had good discussion. We are in the 4th lesson of "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement." It has been good to be reminded that God is a Mission God. He has had the whole world in mind from day one. It is amazing to me how He sees me and He sees the world at the same time. It is amazing to me that I am part of His redemption story, my redemption yes...but also my partnership with God to reconcile the world to Him in order to bring Him the Glory due Him. My part is to partner with God in order for the nations to come into right relationship with Him...then His mission will be accomplished, and then "the end will come"! Believers want Jesus to return... but it is often for selfish reasons. Jesus won't return until every nation, tribe and tongue has people who know Jesus. So, what we don't want is for Jesus to return just to rescue us out of our life here, but for Him to come because He says, "mission accomplished"! Let's all do our part, so that what I said at the start of this blog is what we hear Jesus say... "Go Team"! Actually, He said it best..."Well done, my good and faithful servant"!
Until next time, that's my take on it!
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