Planet Impact Worship Band Ministering TOMORROW NIGHT!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Georgia Missions Trip July 21, 2010: Day 5
Hi everyone,
We started the day with devotions and breakfast as always. Then we went to the "Tallulah Gorge" and walked all the way down to the waterfall which is the bottom of the Smoky Mountains. Not only was it breath taking but it was exhausting lol! It was a great opportunity to continue to team build and give teaching moments on the way as I caught my breath and mentally prepared myself to keep on going :)! Some of the teens were hesitant but we ALLLL DID IT! Then we went to heart ministries which is a facility where they minister to women that struggle with diverse addictions. It was a powerful time of ministry. They were blessed by the young people and how they ministered. After that we had to get ready to head to another ministry place called "The Potters House". There they minister to over three hundred men that struggle again with addictions. It was an hour drive but when we got there and began to minister the members of the program LOved the teens. They were laughing and crying at the same time. What can i say but that God had really ordained for us to be here this week and God deserves all the glory and honor. The we drove home and now we are about to eat. Tonight i will probably allow the teens to stay up a little late because they have been so good and tomorrow is our day off. We are almost home parents but your kids are having a great time so thank you for allowing them to attend this trip.
Georgia Missions Trip July 20, 2010: Day 4
Hi Everyone,
We started the fourth day off with devotions. Then we had devotions that were led by Luigi and Dianne. It was wonderful to see our youth leaders facilitate the devotional time and not to have to feel the pressure to step in. Then we proceeded to get in the vans and head over to The Victory Home where they minister to men that have had a past in addictions. Claudia Mahaffy, Jackie Cannon, John Long and Chris and Jose Cannon went in the kitchen and cooked everyone a great lunch for our team and those in the program. After we dropped them off at the kitchen, the rest of us headed over to Victory Home's thrift store. Planet Impact split up into three teams and we proceeded to organize pants, organize close hangers, dust, take out the trash and love on the men that work there. It was one of my favorite places to go this week. I loved watching the teens work hard. In the afternoon we had lunch and after we went into the chapel and began to minister as we have every other day. We also had the opportunity that day to meet a former Giants football player named Tedo Wootton and he sat our group down and began to share his testimony and allowed us to take pictures with him and talk to him. It spoke volumes to our teens!!! Then we went to the look out point at "Tallulah Gorge" and visited the gift shop that was right there. Then we came to Pastor Lenny's house and ate dinner and then we had Brother Fred and Sister Sherry White which are missionaries and friends of Lenny share and minister to our group. Then we proceeded to swim and John Long also came in the pool which the teens loved. Pk I know i said the word "THEN" numerous times but im to tired to change it sooooo oh well lol. Well gotta go, John has dinner ready :) ciao
Monday, July 19, 2010
Georgia Missions Trip July 19, 2010: Day 3
Hi Everyone,
Today has been a great day of ministry and relationship building. We started off the day with Taylor leading devotions and followed with a coaching moment by the leadership and myself on how important it is to just not DO devotions but to get in the word, think and know why we believe in what we believe in. Then we packed up and headed to the Pier Center where they deal with the mentally disabled. It was a challenge for the teens to just start conversations with strangers that could of been their grandparents but they did! Then they did their dramas and i began to close in prayer but i felt led to have the team pray for each member of the Pier Center. I invited them up and Pastor Lenny, his wife, Dianne, Luigi and the students began to pray for those that came up. It was an inspiring time to see teens love on people. Then i closed in prayer and we began to hang out with them. Some played UNO , some played Cards and some just sat there and had a conversation with them. Then we went home and had a wonderful lunch. After that we went to the Boys and Girls club. We were suppose to go paint but they did not have the paint ready so we went with the flow and did a assembly. We ministered in skits and spent time encouraging those kids. Then we had a basketball tournament that was a hit. After that they didnt want us to leave but they wanted us to join them for dodge ball. Well you know what our teens said, YES!!! So we continued to hang and build relationships. After that we left and visited the Toccoa Falls which were breath taking. When all the teens took all their personal pictures, we took a nice group picture. After that we were invited again to the Cannon's home for dinner that was cooked by John Long and a chance to swim in their beautiful pool. Parents and friends, i just can't get over the fact that this fall we are starting our Middle school ministry and this week has been a wonderful growing time for many of our middle schoolers. Us as leaders on this trip have had the privelege to see this team grow together and become close. God is faithful :).
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Georgia Missions Trip July 18, 2010: Day 2
Hey Family and Friends,
We started the day with a wonderful breakfast and had a chance to introduce the team to Pastor Lenny Cannon and his family. Pastor Lenny shared his heart with us over breakfast and we had a chance to do the same with him. Then we left and made our way to the church where the teens were getting ready to do their dramas that they have worked hard on and to also share their testimonies. Then i got up and preached. Prior to all that happening we had a wonderful opportunity to experience a whole new way and culture and how they do church down here in Georgia. The teens were inspired by the passion that they saw in this church and how they ran after God. The teens did a wonderful job at sharing their testimonies, ministering in dramas and playing the piano. Luigi made sure that the songs were set to play and Dianne made sure to take lots of pictures ( i will post them up tomorrow) . Then we were blessed with a Georgia style cooked meal that was delicious. After we cleaned up Pastor Lenny wanted to take us on a hike through the woods but it began to down pour and due to thunder and lightening our tour guide advised us to not go. So instead we went to Pastor Lenny's house and spent the afternoon there. When it stopped thundering and lightening we went in the pool and had a great time with the team and Pastor Lenny's 7 boys. John Long came over with dinner and we have just been enjoying fellowship and building relationships. It has been great to see these middle schoolers who will be some of the core of our middle school ministry starting in September just get close to one another in relationships. :)
We started the day with a wonderful breakfast and had a chance to introduce the team to Pastor Lenny Cannon and his family. Pastor Lenny shared his heart with us over breakfast and we had a chance to do the same with him. Then we left and made our way to the church where the teens were getting ready to do their dramas that they have worked hard on and to also share their testimonies. Then i got up and preached. Prior to all that happening we had a wonderful opportunity to experience a whole new way and culture and how they do church down here in Georgia. The teens were inspired by the passion that they saw in this church and how they ran after God. The teens did a wonderful job at sharing their testimonies, ministering in dramas and playing the piano. Luigi made sure that the songs were set to play and Dianne made sure to take lots of pictures ( i will post them up tomorrow) . Then we were blessed with a Georgia style cooked meal that was delicious. After we cleaned up Pastor Lenny wanted to take us on a hike through the woods but it began to down pour and due to thunder and lightening our tour guide advised us to not go. So instead we went to Pastor Lenny's house and spent the afternoon there. When it stopped thundering and lightening we went in the pool and had a great time with the team and Pastor Lenny's 7 boys. John Long came over with dinner and we have just been enjoying fellowship and building relationships. It has been great to see these middle schoolers who will be some of the core of our middle school ministry starting in September just get close to one another in relationships. :)
Georgia Missions Trip July 17, 2010: Day 1
Hi Moms and Dads,
We arrived at Toccoa, Georgia safely. I would like to start off by saying that your teens (yes i said it, Teens :)) have been a joy to minister with and to. Our journey began shortly after we got through security. Our plane was delayed twice and then canceled but God provided as always and we ended up having to get our luggage and take cabs to JFK airport and fly out of Delta instead, arriving in Georgia at 8pm. Then proceeded to drive for the next two hours to our destination. We arrived to a wonderfully cooked meal by John Long then went to bed around 1am so that we would be rested for tomorrows service. That is why i was not able to blog until now and the fact that i do not have internet yet at our sleeping quarters. I apologize :) Through it all the teens were patient, understanding, flexible and they thought it was one of the coolest days they have ever experienced. I Quote " Giovanni, i know this day has been very frustrating for you leaders but the truth is that we are having a blast" haha! When the team took time to talk about the day, many of them felt that it was ordained by God all the experiences we went through to teach us life lessons and to be able to spend time as a team and get to know each other. We were so proud to hear their outlook on the day. GO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS!! I would also like to add that Dianne Martone and Luigi La Torre have been such a blessing, encouragement and help. The teens are really bonding with them which is so great to hear.
We arrived at Toccoa, Georgia safely. I would like to start off by saying that your teens (yes i said it, Teens :)) have been a joy to minister with and to. Our journey began shortly after we got through security. Our plane was delayed twice and then canceled but God provided as always and we ended up having to get our luggage and take cabs to JFK airport and fly out of Delta instead, arriving in Georgia at 8pm. Then proceeded to drive for the next two hours to our destination. We arrived to a wonderfully cooked meal by John Long then went to bed around 1am so that we would be rested for tomorrows service. That is why i was not able to blog until now and the fact that i do not have internet yet at our sleeping quarters. I apologize :) Through it all the teens were patient, understanding, flexible and they thought it was one of the coolest days they have ever experienced. I Quote " Giovanni, i know this day has been very frustrating for you leaders but the truth is that we are having a blast" haha! When the team took time to talk about the day, many of them felt that it was ordained by God all the experiences we went through to teach us life lessons and to be able to spend time as a team and get to know each other. We were so proud to hear their outlook on the day. GO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS!! I would also like to add that Dianne Martone and Luigi La Torre have been such a blessing, encouragement and help. The teens are really bonding with them which is so great to hear.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Georgia Mission Team Off!
This morning our Junior High Georgia Mission Team headed off for a week of ministry in Toccoa, Georgia with Pastor Lenny & Jackie Cannon. We are praying for a fantastic trip. This is the first missions trip experience for almost all of the kids on the team, and we are so proud of them!
On the way out of the airport I saw this sign and just had to take a pic.
On the way out of the airport I saw this sign and just had to take a pic.
Belize Bible Center Before & After
Here's the Before and After pic of Belize Bible Center which we worked on during our missions trip.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Belize Day 10: Thursday, July 15, 2010
2:30pm - This morning I was awake by 5:45am. After getting ready, I woke the boys up around 6am. Both the boys and girls got ready, got their suitcases staged up in the chapel, swept, scrubbed the bathroom, and mopped. all before breakfast at 7:30am. I was really proud of them! Unfortunately, Rachel was not feeling well this morning, and was having some major stomach issues. After breakfast we walked over to the worksite to get our final pic. After our pic we returned to the camp, got Rachel some medicine, had her drink some tea, and made her some Gatorade. It was a really tough go for her this morning, but thankfully we were able to get her through security and onto the plane. We were also able to secure a wheelchair for Nicole, so that was good. Thankfully we got everyone onto the plane. We are currently about 45 minutes from landing in Miami. Just praying we can get Rachel through Immigration and Customs without incident so she can get home.
6:30pm - Got everyone through Immigration and Customs without incident, and we are grateful to the Lord that Rachel seems to have passed whatever was causing her to be sick. My guess is that it was the food we ate yesterday. Ady was a bit skeptical, but we were assured it was fine, and for the most part everyone handled it well. Such is the short-term missions experience.
I just did something I have never done before on a missions trip ... I gave everyone the chance to call home and let their parents know we were safely back on U.S. soil. I let Nicole call her parents first, and it was good for them to hear from her. I also spoke with her dad, and thankfully they already have a doctor’s appointment set for her. Praying that it is nothing serious, and I'm just glad to have her back at home where she can get some quality health care. Looking forward to being home!
1:40am (Friday) - Finally home! We arrived into New York about 45-minutes late, but made it safe, and for this we give the Lord thanks. It was really great to come out to the cheers of our families. The feeling of love and support was fantastic! It took a while for our bags to come, but the eventually did ... all except one. Bummer! Mike Troche’s suitcase was missing, and finally he had to report it. Hopefully he will receive it tomorrow. Another great trip serving Jesus around the world - impacting the planet with His love! - PK
6:30pm - Got everyone through Immigration and Customs without incident, and we are grateful to the Lord that Rachel seems to have passed whatever was causing her to be sick. My guess is that it was the food we ate yesterday. Ady was a bit skeptical, but we were assured it was fine, and for the most part everyone handled it well. Such is the short-term missions experience.
I just did something I have never done before on a missions trip ... I gave everyone the chance to call home and let their parents know we were safely back on U.S. soil. I let Nicole call her parents first, and it was good for them to hear from her. I also spoke with her dad, and thankfully they already have a doctor’s appointment set for her. Praying that it is nothing serious, and I'm just glad to have her back at home where she can get some quality health care. Looking forward to being home!
1:40am (Friday) - Finally home! We arrived into New York about 45-minutes late, but made it safe, and for this we give the Lord thanks. It was really great to come out to the cheers of our families. The feeling of love and support was fantastic! It took a while for our bags to come, but the eventually did ... all except one. Bummer! Mike Troche’s suitcase was missing, and finally he had to report it. Hopefully he will receive it tomorrow. Another great trip serving Jesus around the world - impacting the planet with His love! - PK
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Thursday, July 15, 2010
Belize Day 9: Wednesday, July 14, 2010
This morning we had the same routine. Christine led us in devos and prayer. Rom picked us up at 8:15am, and after a quick stop at his church to change vehicles, we loaded into a van, and a pickup truck and drove another 15-minutes to our worksite for the day - a home Ron is building for Jose Cruz - a man with kidney failure who has become an advocate for getting dialysis machines into Belize. We mixed cement and poured a ramp for him, as he is an amputee and in a wheelchair. We also hung masonite in several rooms of the house. We worked quite hard. At noon we changed then drove to a town where we ate tacos, panadas, tostadas, etc. Very good! We then went to the Xunantunich Mayan ruins and climbed the pyramids. Was really amazing! I almost caught a 3-foot iguana. I got a finger on his tail as he dove into his cave hole in the side of a ruin. Would have been icing on an otherwise perfect trip. lol! We came back to camp, cleaned up, had dinner, then were off again to Step of Faith Church where we ministered. Adriana taught in the Spanish Bible study, I taught in the English Bible study, and the rest of the team did the children’s program. It was a very good night! After a bus ride back to camp, we were treated to ice cream by Craig and Jadine, and had a team debriefing meeting. Was really great hearing from everyone about their experiences and learnings. We are now packing, cleaning, and showering so we can get out right after breakfast tomorrow. Can’t wait to get home! Thanks for your prayers and thoughts!
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Belize Day 8: Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Same routine this morning. Dylan led devotions and prayer time, then we headed off in four different directions. One team went to Pastor Craig’s house to work on his internet tower, another team worked on running the electric lines in the Bible Center and installing windows, another team went to Pastor Ron’s place to work with children, and another team went to the church to mix and pour cement. I cut the grass of the entire lot of the Bible Center. All of the rock-clearing we did paid off, but it’s funny how when the grass is cut you realize how many you missed. lol! Anyways, it is a scorcher today, and we are all drenched and sizzling! Lot’s of sunblock used today. After lunch we continued our work projects, and then came back to camp to clean up for dinner. This evening we went over to Pastor Ron’s house for a time of fellowship. He had caught a scorpion under his television before we arrived and had it waiting for us in a bottle. Very cool! It was fun to just chill on the hammocks, eat snacks, play games, and for me ... catch a bunch of geckos. Good times! Back at camp we had a team meeting. Tomorrow we will do our final work projects in the morning, change, then go to see some Mayan ruins.
Another thing I wanted to mention ... There are a few things that I really care about on trips of this nature in terms of our witness. One is that we eat all of our food as it is offensive to others in many cultures when food is not eaten, and insulting when it is thrown away. So, on this, I am a self-admitted stickler. The team has been absolutely fantastic in this regard and I really have appreciated their good attitudes and their willingness to just suck it up and eat it - which has not been difficult as the food has been honestly very good. Another thing is that we be flexible and respectful of our hosts. Yesterday I received compliments from both the other team that has been staying here and from Mr. Joe - the camp director.
The leader of the other team said that usually on trips like this when teams find themselves together, for the most part they just keep to themselves. Well, most of you know me, and I push the issue of inclusiveness and friendliness. Our kids were terrific at befriending and reaching out to the other team. One night the arrived home late and needed to walk through our team meeting. Rather than just ignore them or tolerate them walking through, I told the guys to give them a crazy applause when they got off the bus. We did, and the leaders came to me later and said they were floored and so touched by our gesture in cheering for them, and that it really boosted the morale of their team. And, of course, our night of worship and prayer together the other night was great. Mr. Joe came to me yesterday and apologized that our living conditions aren’t all that great. They have a nice dorm in the back, but the other team has been staying there. He thanked me for our patience with him as he was trying to get to little things like making showers (yes, making showers) and things to improve our stay. He then said, not once has any one of our team members complained, and that all have been helpful and had exemplary attitudes. He said he hopes we will come back when he has the place up and running nice (he and his wife, Piper, have only been here a year or so), and that it has been a privilege having us here. Now that’s the kind of memory I want people to have of our teams!
Another thing I wanted to mention ... There are a few things that I really care about on trips of this nature in terms of our witness. One is that we eat all of our food as it is offensive to others in many cultures when food is not eaten, and insulting when it is thrown away. So, on this, I am a self-admitted stickler. The team has been absolutely fantastic in this regard and I really have appreciated their good attitudes and their willingness to just suck it up and eat it - which has not been difficult as the food has been honestly very good. Another thing is that we be flexible and respectful of our hosts. Yesterday I received compliments from both the other team that has been staying here and from Mr. Joe - the camp director.
The leader of the other team said that usually on trips like this when teams find themselves together, for the most part they just keep to themselves. Well, most of you know me, and I push the issue of inclusiveness and friendliness. Our kids were terrific at befriending and reaching out to the other team. One night the arrived home late and needed to walk through our team meeting. Rather than just ignore them or tolerate them walking through, I told the guys to give them a crazy applause when they got off the bus. We did, and the leaders came to me later and said they were floored and so touched by our gesture in cheering for them, and that it really boosted the morale of their team. And, of course, our night of worship and prayer together the other night was great. Mr. Joe came to me yesterday and apologized that our living conditions aren’t all that great. They have a nice dorm in the back, but the other team has been staying there. He thanked me for our patience with him as he was trying to get to little things like making showers (yes, making showers) and things to improve our stay. He then said, not once has any one of our team members complained, and that all have been helpful and had exemplary attitudes. He said he hopes we will come back when he has the place up and running nice (he and his wife, Piper, have only been here a year or so), and that it has been a privilege having us here. Now that’s the kind of memory I want people to have of our teams!
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Monday, July 12, 2010
Belize Day 7: Monday, July 12, 2010
Today was more-or-less our day off. After breakfast Nicole led the devotions and prayer time, then the boys and Adriana went over to do a little work before before leaving to Belize City. Ady and a couple of guys finished hanging the sheetrock (Ady’s awesome at it!), and the rest of the guys worked with Bob to get Craig’s internet tower back up as it came crashing down the other day during a storm. Craig and I went into town to pick up some supplies. At 10:45am Ron came and picked us up in the bus. We drove to Belize City and dropped off the team from New Jersey at the airport, then we headed to Bacab Eco Park - a water park where we had lunch and an awesome time swimming for about 3 hours. It was a gorgeous day and we even got to see a really nice Iguana hanging out by the pool. The ride home was one of the quietest yet. Everyone has been working so hard, and a nice afternoon of playing in the pool did the trick. :) This evening some of the boys went with Bob to try and finish fixing Craig’s internet tower. Other than that, we are just chilling and shooting to get to bed by 11pm tonight. Thanks for your continued prayer! The time has been flying. Just today everyone was like, “Woa! We only have 3 more days?”
I am currently trying to get photo albums uploaded, but I have to have uninterrupted connection to the internet for them to save. Working on Day 3 pics now. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be able to be caught up. We'll see. :)
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I am currently trying to get photo albums uploaded, but I have to have uninterrupted connection to the internet for them to save. Working on Day 3 pics now. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be able to be caught up. We'll see. :)
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Belize Days 5-6: Saturday & Sunday, July 10-11, 2010
Well, after 2 more days without internet we are back up again. Here's the scoop on Saturday and Sunday ...
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Same morning routine today. When the teams went over to the worksite, however, I stayed behind to finish up my message prep for this evening’s youth service and tomorrow’s church service. I joined the teams around 11am. They got the roof of the veranda finished today, got sheetrock up in the upstairs, and ran a lot of electrical wires. We also got the Fritzler’s fence painted for them, and did more Christian Education prep. After lunch we went back to the camp and changed into our swimming suites, then headed about 10-minutes away to a resort. There was a leopard there, a couple of monkeys, and gorgeous exotic birds. After checking them out, we swam for about an hour-and-a-half, then stopped by the Belizian version of 7-11 for some drinks and snacks. Back at camp we cleaned up and then had pizza for dinner. At 6:45pm we were picked up by the bus and taken to Ron’s church where we participated in the youth service. I preached, and the students joined in all of their games and activities. Good times! Back at camp we did a run-through for tomorrow. The majority of the team will be running the children’s service. Jeff, Mike, Ady, and I will do worship and I will preach in the adult service. Two other teams that are here right now will also be at church with us, and the team from Oklahoma (staying here at the camp with us, called World Impact, coincidentally ... really cool people!) will be doing some dramas and sharing a couple of testimonies in the service as well.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
2pm - Once again same morning routine. Sam led devotions and prayer, and was quite good and funny. At 8:45am Craig picked up six of us - the worship team and two of the girls to go get set up for church. The rest of the team was picked up at 9:15am by the bus. Our team led the children’s service, and also led the worship and I preached in the adult service. After two opening songs, the team from Oklahoma did two dramas and then we did more worship before the message. The service went really well, and we could really sense the presence of the Lord. The team did a great job with the children’s service as well. They led songs, did some of their dances, shared some Bible stories, and gave testimonies. I was very proud to hear that they went all out and held nothing back. Pete and Dylan even did aerobics with the kids, which I heard was ridiculously hilarious. During the bus ride home many of the children had their balloon animals in hand with smiles on their faces. We had lunch at the Fritzler’s home. Our afternoon plans to do a Spanish service were changed, so Bob went with Craig to a church about a half-an-hour away to see if they wanted to help them at their evening service.
11:45am - This afternoon we enjoyed some free time, so a few of us got to catch a nap. At 5pm we had dinner, and at 6pm we were picked up and drove to a Spanish church where we did two of our dramas, I preached, and Adriana interpreted. It went very well, and the church was very grateful. Back at camp we had a team meeting to debrief, several of us had tea as our voices are shot, and Mike Fenimore and I started working on writing a song. He wrote the music, and I am working on the lyrics. At 10pm the other team staying here at the camp joined us for a night of worship. Mike, Mike, and Jeff led with two of their students and it was really awesome! Everyone really engaged with the Lord. I then had everyone partner up with someone from the other team and pray for one another. It was really cool to see them encouraging and ministering to one another.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Same morning routine today. When the teams went over to the worksite, however, I stayed behind to finish up my message prep for this evening’s youth service and tomorrow’s church service. I joined the teams around 11am. They got the roof of the veranda finished today, got sheetrock up in the upstairs, and ran a lot of electrical wires. We also got the Fritzler’s fence painted for them, and did more Christian Education prep. After lunch we went back to the camp and changed into our swimming suites, then headed about 10-minutes away to a resort. There was a leopard there, a couple of monkeys, and gorgeous exotic birds. After checking them out, we swam for about an hour-and-a-half, then stopped by the Belizian version of 7-11 for some drinks and snacks. Back at camp we cleaned up and then had pizza for dinner. At 6:45pm we were picked up by the bus and taken to Ron’s church where we participated in the youth service. I preached, and the students joined in all of their games and activities. Good times! Back at camp we did a run-through for tomorrow. The majority of the team will be running the children’s service. Jeff, Mike, Ady, and I will do worship and I will preach in the adult service. Two other teams that are here right now will also be at church with us, and the team from Oklahoma (staying here at the camp with us, called World Impact, coincidentally ... really cool people!) will be doing some dramas and sharing a couple of testimonies in the service as well.
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Sunday, July 11, 2010
2pm - Once again same morning routine. Sam led devotions and prayer, and was quite good and funny. At 8:45am Craig picked up six of us - the worship team and two of the girls to go get set up for church. The rest of the team was picked up at 9:15am by the bus. Our team led the children’s service, and also led the worship and I preached in the adult service. After two opening songs, the team from Oklahoma did two dramas and then we did more worship before the message. The service went really well, and we could really sense the presence of the Lord. The team did a great job with the children’s service as well. They led songs, did some of their dances, shared some Bible stories, and gave testimonies. I was very proud to hear that they went all out and held nothing back. Pete and Dylan even did aerobics with the kids, which I heard was ridiculously hilarious. During the bus ride home many of the children had their balloon animals in hand with smiles on their faces. We had lunch at the Fritzler’s home. Our afternoon plans to do a Spanish service were changed, so Bob went with Craig to a church about a half-an-hour away to see if they wanted to help them at their evening service.
11:45am - This afternoon we enjoyed some free time, so a few of us got to catch a nap. At 5pm we had dinner, and at 6pm we were picked up and drove to a Spanish church where we did two of our dramas, I preached, and Adriana interpreted. It went very well, and the church was very grateful. Back at camp we had a team meeting to debrief, several of us had tea as our voices are shot, and Mike Fenimore and I started working on writing a song. He wrote the music, and I am working on the lyrics. At 10pm the other team staying here at the camp joined us for a night of worship. Mike, Mike, and Jeff led with two of their students and it was really awesome! Everyone really engaged with the Lord. I then had everyone partner up with someone from the other team and pray for one another. It was really cool to see them encouraging and ministering to one another.
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Saturday, July 10, 2010
Belize Day 3-4: Thursday & Friday, July 8-9, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
11am - Cold showers feel excellent here. So hot! For breakfast we had cereal, bananas, and muffins. Abigail then led devotions and prayed for us. I also collected money from everyone to convert at the bank. At 8:30am we went over to the worksite. Ady’s group went up to Craig’s house and worked on children’s ministry stuff. Bob worked on a toilet in their home, and the rest of the teams were at the construction site where we finished the deck. We stopped work about 10:30am and cleaned up. I caught a monster toad today, so everyone got a kick out of that. Ren then went to get a broom, and there was a lizard on it, so I caught that as well. Good fun!
8pm - Drove to Pastor Ron’s place and picked up another team from New Jersey and together we drove about an hour-and-a-half to Rio Frio Cave. It was an incredible beauty of nature. It had a massive entrance and inside the roof of the cave was about 150 feet high. There was another opening about 150-200 yards on the other side, so there was sufficient light to see. There was a river running through it with a sandy beach inside the cave. A couple of the kids could not wait to swim ... no, actually, they slipped into the water trying to cross the river for pics. It was quite comical. We hiked around and took lots of pictures. After that we went to the Rio Frio Pools where there were small rapids and water falls and spent about an hour swimming, sliding down the rapids, and playing in and behind the waterfalls. We did have a few bumps and bruises from people slipping on rocks. Nicole slipped and other girl slipped with her, hitting her ankle on a rock. She was able to move it, which was a really good thing. We got ice on it right away, and as of this writing, the swelling has subsided quite a bit. I ended up carrying her back up the mountain trail about a quarter mile on my back. I got a very good work out you could say. We got a pair of crutches from Pastor Ron for her to use, so pray that she will heal quickly. I also whacked my head pretty good when one of the Belizian boys challenged me to go down under the water and grab a rock from the river floor. With hands in front of me I went down cautiously. Then, out of nowhere, Wham! My forehead slammed into a bog ole' rock. I got myself a nice little memory wound. Ha Ha! Anyways, we had a very nice time mingling with the other time and aside from the minor injuries, had a wonderful time. When we got back to camp we had dinner and are about to have a team meeting.
Friday, July 9, 2010
This morning I woke up at 5:30am. It was raining and I actually pulled my blanket out for the first time since being here. Went back to sleep and got up for the day at 7am. We had breakfast at 7:30am and Travis led the devotions and prayer time. We then headed up to the worksite, trudging through the rain and mud puddles. Ady’s team worked up in the house again at Craig’s request on the Christian Education stuff. Nicole was switched to Ady’s work team so that she could sit and work, and Dylan traded down to another team to work on the construction site. I got all of the teams organized and working, but with 20+ people a good bunch of them were quickly out of things to do while boards were being cut, rafters were being built, etc. so I sent them out into the fields for more rock duty. They had fun out there with their raincoats on and they worked hard to remove several very large rocks using sledge hammers and a pick axe. Around lunch time the rain let up and the sun came out. We had an awesome, authentic Belizian meal - rice and beans prepared in coconut milk, chicken with a delicious sauce, and cole slaw. It was super delicious! After lunch we got back to work. We got the entire worksite plot mowed. Then it really hit home that all of their work clearing rocks had been important. We got one of the gutters hung - a major project! - got the frame lifted, and the rafters in place. We then really cleaned up the worksite, and could begin to see how far it has come since we started on Tuesday night. We then took showers before going down to the market to do our major souvenir shopping. They also had a nice little cafe, so many of us got some coffee and ice cream. We are now back at camp where we bought some more things from a local woman - bracelets, necklaces, etc. and are about to eat dinner. Good day! Nicole’s ankle is looking much, much better today. Please continue to pray for a quick and complete healing.
At 7pm we went up to the Fritzler’s home for games, fellowship, and Bethany made us Orange Julius's. She is raising money for dance camp by selling drinks and snacks, so our team has been getting things from her. I jumped in on the Uno game. The first game lasted almost a half-an-hour and Ady won. The second game lasted almost an hour-and-a-half. It was becoming an endurance game, and after all that, Ady won again! What a woman! lol! When we came back to camp we had a team meeting. After the funny things of the day were reported, we all shared deeper things we are learning. It was really good! We then had a time of worship followed by partnering people up to pray together. It was really awesome!
11am - Cold showers feel excellent here. So hot! For breakfast we had cereal, bananas, and muffins. Abigail then led devotions and prayed for us. I also collected money from everyone to convert at the bank. At 8:30am we went over to the worksite. Ady’s group went up to Craig’s house and worked on children’s ministry stuff. Bob worked on a toilet in their home, and the rest of the teams were at the construction site where we finished the deck. We stopped work about 10:30am and cleaned up. I caught a monster toad today, so everyone got a kick out of that. Ren then went to get a broom, and there was a lizard on it, so I caught that as well. Good fun!
8pm - Drove to Pastor Ron’s place and picked up another team from New Jersey and together we drove about an hour-and-a-half to Rio Frio Cave. It was an incredible beauty of nature. It had a massive entrance and inside the roof of the cave was about 150 feet high. There was another opening about 150-200 yards on the other side, so there was sufficient light to see. There was a river running through it with a sandy beach inside the cave. A couple of the kids could not wait to swim ... no, actually, they slipped into the water trying to cross the river for pics. It was quite comical. We hiked around and took lots of pictures. After that we went to the Rio Frio Pools where there were small rapids and water falls and spent about an hour swimming, sliding down the rapids, and playing in and behind the waterfalls. We did have a few bumps and bruises from people slipping on rocks. Nicole slipped and other girl slipped with her, hitting her ankle on a rock. She was able to move it, which was a really good thing. We got ice on it right away, and as of this writing, the swelling has subsided quite a bit. I ended up carrying her back up the mountain trail about a quarter mile on my back. I got a very good work out you could say. We got a pair of crutches from Pastor Ron for her to use, so pray that she will heal quickly. I also whacked my head pretty good when one of the Belizian boys challenged me to go down under the water and grab a rock from the river floor. With hands in front of me I went down cautiously. Then, out of nowhere, Wham! My forehead slammed into a bog ole' rock. I got myself a nice little memory wound. Ha Ha! Anyways, we had a very nice time mingling with the other time and aside from the minor injuries, had a wonderful time. When we got back to camp we had dinner and are about to have a team meeting.
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Friday, July 9, 2010
This morning I woke up at 5:30am. It was raining and I actually pulled my blanket out for the first time since being here. Went back to sleep and got up for the day at 7am. We had breakfast at 7:30am and Travis led the devotions and prayer time. We then headed up to the worksite, trudging through the rain and mud puddles. Ady’s team worked up in the house again at Craig’s request on the Christian Education stuff. Nicole was switched to Ady’s work team so that she could sit and work, and Dylan traded down to another team to work on the construction site. I got all of the teams organized and working, but with 20+ people a good bunch of them were quickly out of things to do while boards were being cut, rafters were being built, etc. so I sent them out into the fields for more rock duty. They had fun out there with their raincoats on and they worked hard to remove several very large rocks using sledge hammers and a pick axe. Around lunch time the rain let up and the sun came out. We had an awesome, authentic Belizian meal - rice and beans prepared in coconut milk, chicken with a delicious sauce, and cole slaw. It was super delicious! After lunch we got back to work. We got the entire worksite plot mowed. Then it really hit home that all of their work clearing rocks had been important. We got one of the gutters hung - a major project! - got the frame lifted, and the rafters in place. We then really cleaned up the worksite, and could begin to see how far it has come since we started on Tuesday night. We then took showers before going down to the market to do our major souvenir shopping. They also had a nice little cafe, so many of us got some coffee and ice cream. We are now back at camp where we bought some more things from a local woman - bracelets, necklaces, etc. and are about to eat dinner. Good day! Nicole’s ankle is looking much, much better today. Please continue to pray for a quick and complete healing.
At 7pm we went up to the Fritzler’s home for games, fellowship, and Bethany made us Orange Julius's. She is raising money for dance camp by selling drinks and snacks, so our team has been getting things from her. I jumped in on the Uno game. The first game lasted almost a half-an-hour and Ady won. The second game lasted almost an hour-and-a-half. It was becoming an endurance game, and after all that, Ady won again! What a woman! lol! When we came back to camp we had a team meeting. After the funny things of the day were reported, we all shared deeper things we are learning. It was really good! We then had a time of worship followed by partnering people up to pray together. It was really awesome!
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Thursday, July 8, 2010
Belize Day 2 - PART 2: Tuesday, July 7, 2010
10:20pm. This evening we went to Pastor Ron’s church. We led worship, and Adriana taught the Spanish Bible study. Another team from new Jersey did the kids’ ministry, so our team sat in on the English Bible study. Our team then rode back to our camp on a packed bus, all of our team standing in the aisles. We then had a good team meeting and enjoyed a little free time. After our meeting, some of the boys spotted a small tarantula on the side of the patio, just feet away from where we were sitting. We got some good pics, several of the team ran away screaming, and I played with it, putting it on my head for fun. Such a cute little guy; how could I resist. Plus, I needed to see what I will look like with a toupee. lol!
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Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Belize Day 2: Tuesday, July 7, 2010
This morning we had breakfast at 7:30am. After breakfast Peter led us in devotions and prayer. At 8:30am we waled over to the worksite, prayed, then got to work. Some of the team was working on prepping boards for the deck, another part of the team was getting the base of the deck in place, and the rest of the team worked clearing rocks from the property. May not seem important, but until that’s done they can’t get a mower on the property. It is very muddy and quite hot, but thank God it was cloudy. Of course, there is absolutely no stopping the sweat. It just pours and pours. We had to keep the sunscreen rocking and drink lots of water. Craig and I ran to the store and also bought Gatorade so we could replenish our electrolytes, and this really refreshed everyone. We had lunch - hot dogs, beans, and papaya, and then the team did another hour of work on the site. They just returned and are cleaning up so they can relax (which here simply means to sweat less) before dinner. This evening we are helping at Pastor Ron’s church. Ady will be teaching the Spanish Bible Study tonight and next Wednesday, so I helped her prepare this afternoon.
It’s really hot, and some of the kids are whooped working in the heat. Please pray for the health of the team. We have had one case of diareaha, but that student is now doing much better. We are staying right on top of their hydration, but would appreciate your prayers as well.
It’s really hot, and some of the kids are whooped working in the heat. Please pray for the health of the team. We have had one case of diareaha, but that student is now doing much better. We are staying right on top of their hydration, but would appreciate your prayers as well.
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Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Belize Day 1: Tuesday, July 6, 2010
This morning our team met at JFK at 4:30am. After getting everyone checked in, we prayed together with parents, took a group pic, then got through security, only losing one bottle of sunscreen in the process ... not bad for a group of 24. We then left for Miami. There we had time to grab some lunch before catching our flight to Belize. With the two hour time change, we arrived on time at 12:40pm. Went through Immigration fine, got all of our luggage, then went through Customs. They decided to go through every one of our bags. Fun! But, in the end, we made it through with all of our stuff. Pastor Ron, Craig, his daughter Bethany, and three other young people greeted us, and we loaded into the bus for the ride to Belmopan which took about an hour. After an orientation at our home for the nest 10 days called Blue Thumb Missions, which is right across the street from our primary work site, we got our gear into our rooms. Mr. Joe (Blue Thumb missionary) is putting together our bunks, some of the team are assembling fans, a few of the boys went to pour some cement in the post holes at the work site, and Joe’s wife Piper is making us dinner. After dinner we will have our orientation with Craig & Janine Fritzler.
9:20pm - I was working on getting this post up when we had a sudden thunderstorm. Power has been on and off for the past few hours, but the rain has now stopped and the power is back on. We had a nice dinner of chili and corn bread, and then had an orientation with Craig and Jadine. The crew that went to pour the cement got dumped on by the rainstorm but hung in there and got this very important job done so that our work can proceed on time tomorrow. Their boots got soaked and there is really no way for them to dry in this humidity. So, pray that somehow they’ll be able to dry out a bit. Have caught two toads in our room and a good sized beetle, but so far no scorpions or snakes. :)
9:20pm - I was working on getting this post up when we had a sudden thunderstorm. Power has been on and off for the past few hours, but the rain has now stopped and the power is back on. We had a nice dinner of chili and corn bread, and then had an orientation with Craig and Jadine. The crew that went to pour the cement got dumped on by the rainstorm but hung in there and got this very important job done so that our work can proceed on time tomorrow. Their boots got soaked and there is really no way for them to dry in this humidity. So, pray that somehow they’ll be able to dry out a bit. Have caught two toads in our room and a good sized beetle, but so far no scorpions or snakes. :)
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Thursday, July 1, 2010
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