"We are tired of just doing church" -Israel Houghton
Hello everyone!
This blog begins the update process for the Water's Edge team that is going to Bolivia this December!
Allow me to introduce myself to you...
My name is Kristin Melin. I am a 20-year old college student heading into my Junior year at Georgia State University located in downtown Atlanta. I am studying Applied Linguistics and will hopefully use this degree on the mission field to teach English to speakers of other languages. I love foreign languages, but Spanish is my favorite so far- so I'm excited about the possibility of using it to connect with the people in Bolivia. If I write something in Spanish on this blog I will always write the English beside it, no worries! But I think it might add to the idea that we are going to be ministering in a Spanish speaking country :) Si? (Right?)
Ok, so- we had our very first meeting this past Sunday evening at 7:00. To break everyone in and to possibly build team work skills, we had a little scavenger hunt. This led our teams all over the church- inside and out, high and low- and the clues were really tricky! We were given a short amount of time to complete the task and unfortunately the Bolivia team didn't win :( But we came in either 2nd or 3rd- don't know which :) haha
Next we gathered in one big room (all 4 teams- Liberia, Guatemala, Haiti, and our Bolivia team.) It was really amazing to look around and see all of the faces that would be serving in different countries on the same dates (December 28 through January 5)
We prepared our hearts with worship songs, and God spoke to me particularily through the song "Hosanna."
One line in the song begs God to "break my heart for what breaks yours" and I believe that God wants us to pray for this as we prepare for the Bolivia trip. We are going to see people that are hurting (both physically and emotionally) and who have needs that are not being met: food, water, shelter, a job, clothing ,family, love. I am asking that we bind together and pray for God's eyes as we encounter others.
Reality check: This trip is only 8 days of our lives. What are we doing in the NOW to see others with Christ's eyes? What kind of habits are we making to daily reach out to others and make our home our mission field before we attempt to make an unfamiliar place our mission field? These thoughts fuel my excitement for this trip! If we can get it right at home, right now for the next FOUR months- what will happen in Bolivia? What big plans does God have for us there?
The speaker at the meeting, Pastor Shannon Whaples talked about the Great Commission in
Matthew 28: 19-20 which is when Jesus tells his disciples before He leaves the earth:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
I like the "Message" version of this scripture too:
"Jesus went right ahead and gave his charge: 'God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.'"
Having the heart of a missionary we should be especially moved by this scripture! The truth is, we are all called to spread the good news. For some of us it means going to the nations and being the hands and feet of Christ, for others it means being the prayer warriors for those that are, and for other still it's their privelidge to financially fund the sent out ones. All of us, no matter our position is called to reach out to the ones around us. We perform as one body- each a different role- in the body of Christ!
Some additional thoughts from Shannon's teaching:
- We pray that we would be on God's agenda!
- If you do good works without sharing the love of Christ & the power of salvation, then there are no lives changed. You just feel good about what you did.
- We can't do enough in 8 days to change things forever- Jesus is the only one who can.
- What would happen if we went in as the learners? As the listeners? God usually uses the people there to change your life more than you will theirs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjvQcuJCfjU&feature=PlayList&p=11E5EFD40054CB95&index=39&playnext=2&playnext_from=PL
Go give it a listen and you will come away with chills and ready for the power of God to be realeased on the nations!!
Hasta luego! (later!)
~Kristin~
