Friday, June 10, 2005
GONE AND GOING
Our short-term mission team going to the Ukraine, left Wednesday, They flew to Detroit, then to Amsterdam and on to Kiev, Ukraine. Then they had a 10 or 12 hour van ride to Bereyzdak. My heart, thoughts and prayers are with them.
The team going to the mission work camp in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, leaves Saturday at 1 p. m. They have a long ride ahead of them as well. My heart, thoughts and prayers will be with them also.
Saturday, June 18th, the third team leaves for the mission work camp in West Virginia. They leave the day the Pennsylvania team returns. So I'll be praying for this team as well.
The Ukraine team is due to return June 22nd.
Nineteen people from a small church like ours! Given our size, that's a phenomenal number of people. Most preachers are disturbed by a lot of people missing from church. We will have a lot of people missing from our congregational worship Sunday. But rather than disturbed, I am thrilled and excited about that. I am glad to have them gone because I know what they are doing.
Some of these missionaries will be repairing houses for people whose buildings are in need of such repairs but are unable to do it themselves and unable to pay someone else to do the work. They will also be witnessing for Christ and the Gospel to the occupants of these homes and to the neighbors in the neighborhoods as well. They will study the Word, have devotions and have great worship experiences also.
The missionaries in the Ukraine will be working in youth camps where they will present the Gospel using puppets. They will be directing games, leading Bible studies and leading music in worship services. They will also work with a campus ministry and lead worship for young adult worship.
These people are on anything but a "vacation". They will return tired and emotionally exhausted. But they will also return blessed. We are all praying that these missionaries will not only be a blessing to those among whom they serve, but that these missionaries will be blessed and that their lives will be profoundly changed.
Yep! It is an exciting time in our church all right! It will be great when they all return and we can have a great sharing time when they can tell the whole congregation (as best they can) how God used them and how they were blessed and changed for His glory!
Jim
posted by jim 3:00 PM 0 comments
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