On our way home!!!

It's now 9.23pm, we just got on the i5, and should be home around 12.00 midnight.

Pray for a speedy border crossing!! 

See you all at trinity CRC!

Well it's 11.30pm, our time here is now down to just 5 more hours.

Memories have been made.
Friendships formed.
T-shirts bought.

Lives have been changed.

Tomorrow morning at 3.30am out alarms start going off, and our journey home begins. At 4.30, our vans leave the parking lot and at 6.10 our train leaves the station.

42 hours later, we'll hopefully arrive back at trinity CRC!

Good night, and very soon, good morning.

our day to day ...

from the minds of Chantelle Floris, Carissa Berger, & Courtney Styba:

Today we had a full action packed day. The morning was a typical morning, which included an early breakfast, teaching session, and preparing for the day. To change things up a bit, we did some skits and original raps (stay tuned for videos!) in order to learn about true discipleship.

After the skits we broke into two groups, one group went to the basement of our church and helped organize food into bags and handed t all out to homeless and needy.

Meanwhile, the rest of team began landscaping a garden, that a team before us started here on the church property. This consisted of many wheelbarrows of dirt and a whole lot of team effort. Much sweat was shed, and dirt was spread. This continued for hours.

When all food distribution was complete, three youth took it on themselves to fill their time up with evangelism, they found two leaders, bought flowers, water, granola bars, and fruit snacks and went out to bless people - anyone they came into contact with - while praying for their needs, and also sharing the story of Christianity. It was truly a spectacular, live changing experience for all involved.

Once all groups regathered, and ate dinner, we left for the VBS ministry, where relationships with the kids continued to grow and flourish.

Back at the church we shared our high and low moments of the day - with many entertaining and heart felt stories.

Each day keeps getting better and better!

~ Chantelle, Courtney, & Carissa.

future thinking ...

So today, I was invited to go into Mexico, with our hosts to see what YWAM Tijuana was like, and what possibilities are there. It was quite the experience, as they are doing amazing things, in supplying people who need homes, with homes.

Teams like ours, go into those communities and build those homes.

This trip, has had a large evangelistic focus to it, as opposed to service focused. Our group, including myself, was expecting more service, and less evangelism. And we have grown - oh how we have grown. Our group is learning how to approach people, and share their faith - that has been amazing to be apart of, as well as watch.

I currently am at a cross roads as a future thinker, as already I am dreaming about what kind of mission/service trip that the Lord desires for us to do.

We potentially have this opportunity to directly serve a family (YWAM Tijuana) in building them a house, and working with an orphanage in the same community.

We could do this exact trip again (outreach focus, anywhere in North America), as well, or many others like it. And then, what do we focus on:

Evangelism? Service?

Can we do both on the same trip?

Our community of Living Hope is made up of many skilled, hard working, hands on people - people who love to see immediate results in their work. Direct evangelism, might be difficult, or at least extremely uncomfortable for most, but in this team, those fears and discomforts are being overcome.

Hence the cross roads. If you have any thoughts or opinions, would you please email me (rather than using the comment box below): adam@lhyouth.ca.

Thanks.

our day to day ...

Again, a written summary of the day by a youth, Kassie Jansen.

Today was am amazing day, it started off with a wonderful fruit and muffin breakfast, and afterwards time was spent in devotions, prayer and a session with our great speaker (facilitator) Martin. We did a very scary thing for all of us today. We made up posters that had 'hooks', or sayings that were intended to draw people in from off the street. Some of these consisted of,

"broken"

"?"

"you are loved"

and others. After we ate a wonderful bacon wrapped mexican hot dog delight, we went out to talk to actual people, and evangelize, using our posters to draw people into discussions about our faith. It was an amazing experience where we talked with a few really interesting people, like atheists, and muslims.

Following that, we left that area and made our way to the site of the VBS. On the way, one of the vans had a major set back and we ended up a little later than planned. God was watching over us, protecting our group - thankfully no one was hurt!

When we pulled in to the school holding the VBS, we had an amazing dinner from SUBWAY! We ate quickly to get into the happenings of VBS, which is an amazing place to be. The kids are so accepting of us, and I can tell you that God brought us here for a reason when I see each of their unique and beautiful faces.

All in all, today was absolutely fantastic, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us!

We miss all of you back home, pray for us, and everyone we come into contact with.

God Bless!

~Kassie Jansen.

pictures say more than words ...

a few of us on our prayer race around San Diego

[Saturday afternoon]

learning about intercessory prayer on top of Mt. Soledad, the highest point in all of San Diego [Monday afternoon]

the view from the mount, which in our terms, is only really a high hill ... the guy picture here is Fred (from Germany), a YWAM staff member. he's working here in San Diego for the next year with teams such as ours.
[Monday afternoon]

corwin leading team building exercises at a trolly (aka, sky train that's on the ground) station (while awaiting a team who got 'lost')!
[Saturday afternoon]

want to see more pictures? go over HERE to facebook. if that doesn't work, you'll have to wait until everyone comes home!

a different perspective:

I was thinking today, with thanks to Terril, that perhaps you might not want to always read my opinion, but rather that of someone else. So following this, is words from Alicia Zak:

This morning a few us woke up early to on a beautiful sunny run, which in the words of the others, was simply amazing. We all had a wonderful cereal breakfast, followed by personal devotions and quiet prayer time. We then ate lunch and drive to Mt. Soledad (the highest point in San Diego, with a full 360 view) where we prayed for San Diego. From there we drove to our VBS site, where we ate authentic, home cooked burritos, rice, and awesome 'new' cookies for dessert.

All agreed tonight that the highlight of the day was the VBS program, where we met new people, sang, and played with the kids.

God blessed us with a wonderful day, and we're looking forward to tomorrow and the rest of the week!

~ Alicia Zak

Another picture from our photo shoot in front of the church on Sunday after the morning service.


Prayer requests:
- that we would be continually stretched, and that while being stretched, we would remain open.
- that our time in downtown San Diego, sharing the love of Christ with all, that the people would be receptive and open, while we would have the courage to be upfront and honest with our faith.
- that at the VBS, more and more kids would come out.

thanks everyone! (keep those comments coming below!! - I read them out to the group everyday, so if you want to leave messages for them all, or individuals - go ahead!)

our sunday!

Our day in a nutshell:
- breakfast
- church service
- lunch
- VBS training (where we looked at our material that we'll be helping lead, as well as learning a whole series of choreographed actions - which the whole group did amazing job!!!
- a dinner of a lifetime (authentic Mexican tacos!!)
- evening session with our guest speaker, Martin, learning about putting faith into actions, and a little about cross cultural missions.

This is a picture of our team, in front of our host church.

A quote from our YWAM host Sheril,

"I think that God has a lot of amazing and cool things to happen here in San Diego, because satan doesn't want your team here. The things we normally do, or the things we have had lined up - are falling through - and yet the changes are working out!"

And now, after looking at my two days here, and the events (personally) in the last two weeks - I feel this to be very much true. Now that things are taken care of, both personally and here in San Diego - I'm quite excited to see what the Lord really does have in store for us here!!!

Leave your comments below.

Prayer requests:
- our ministries are going to really get started tomorrow - for that we are really excited!!
- those of us who are away from families - are feeling it.
- that the Lord would work closely with us leaders, guiding our actions and conversations with the youth
- for the team of youth, as they continue to stretch their comfort zones

we've arrived!

It seems so long ago that we left. That might be just because it was a long time ago that we left.

I left home 56 hours ago, and early this morning, at 1.30am we and the trinity group parted ways. It was a sad good-bye, but yet one filled with so much hope and energy. It was a great time traveling with them on the train.

So here we are, in Chula Vista, a suburb of San Diego, at "First Baptist Church of Chula Vista" (map) awaiting our first main meal time and our activities of service to start.

This morning, in our leadership meeting Rudy shared with the group something he realized on the train, and that our lives are much like being on the train.

Sometimes our train was completely fogged in, and we could not see a thing.
Many times we went through tunnels, and could not see a thing.
Other times, the train jostled us and made us loose balance.

And other times, we were offered short, but yet amazing glimpses of nature. Views of Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainer, Mt. Hood, the Cascade Mountain passes (where many of the tunnels were), and the coastline of mid-california, where we saw whales, para-chute surfers, & iconic palm tree'd beaches.

Like the fog and tunnels, and being thrown off balance, our lives have limited view's, where answers and solutions seem distant, if any at all. Then at times, we get glimpses of something greater, a victory here, an answer there. Many of us leaders all agreed that the times of darkness and tunnels are prominent, and often.

We shared our struggles with being away from home,
We shared our struggles with not knowing God's plan.

And then, we saw the hope that we all have. That we're here, in this place for the work of the Lord, whether it is within our team, or the people we serve, or both!?

Perhaps some us are in tunnels, or stuck in the fog, perhaps you are as well.

We read this morning in our leadership devotions from 2 Peter 3:8-9...

"With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you."

These 11 days that we're gone, might feel like eternity for some of us, but this passage reminded all of us that we are part of something much bigger and grandeur than we can all imagine - which is all happening within HIS timing, not ours.

Prayer requests:

1. Continued health and sustenance
2. Feelings of away from home, are starting to hit some
3. Thanksgiving that we have arrived safe and sound, (although at the time of writing, we're still waiting for Amanda to arrive via flight).
4. For the Trinity as they continue to travel into Mexico.
5. Continued development of unity and fellowship.

We covet your prayers, and continued support.

Feel free to post comments below, as they will be read for the team as a whole.

luggage: packed.

So, tonight, our luggage was packed. Early in the morning, it'll be on its way.

We're praying that:

- Terril & her dad, Bill, will have a very safe journey with all the luggage,

- the border guards will be very open to the luggage going through undisturbed,

- that they will make it in time to the train station to meet us there,

- and finally, that their relationship as father and daughter will continue to grow tighter through this journey together!

May the Lord protect you both as you travel!

This means that the rest of us are leaving soon! in just 28 hours (from this typing) I will be getting up to meet the team at the church, starting with the leadership at 4.00am.

That'll go by quickly.

So, for the rest of us:

- spend as much time as you can with those you love (that's my plan!!),

- spend time in prayer, prepping yourself spiritually for the ministry we will be doing,

- and pray for our travels.

~ adam.

9 days to go ...

We're down to just 9 days to go.

It's amazing how fast time flies. The send off service is this coming sunday, 10am at Living Hope. Would be cool if you all came. I've also invited all my family. I encourage you to invite yours.

It's funny though, when you start thinking about time, and how it is so irrelevant to God. Sure He needs us to be living in the confines of time, it's something to give us a limit. If we lived without time as a limiter, the world would truly be 'our oyster.' We in theory could do what ever we want.

So just 9 days? Then gone for 10. In 21 days, I, and my family are going camping for 12. Soon, it'll be September and schools will (I'm sorry) be opening.

So time - what are you doing with yours? What are you doing with the rest of your (ahem) summer? How is God using you in this 'time'?

Psalm 31:14-15a says,

But I trust in you, LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands."

We are going forward, trusting that the Lord will use our time to benefit His timing. What does He have in store for us,
- on the train?
- with the YWAM hosts?
- in the inner city San Diego churches?
- in the parks that we clean up?
- with the homeless that we feed?

My prayer is that we all, whether you are going on this trip or not, or even one of your own, that we all can place that same trust in God's timing.

Leaving home will be hard, leaving my wife, my daughter, and #2 (who isn't here yet) - and I'm sure it'll be hard for others, (perhaps not so hard for the youth leaving parents ... ya, I was there one time), but - with strength from the Lord, we all can do what He is calling us to do.

That's what I'm going on.

It's been a whirl-wind tour up to now ...

After reading that last entries title, the memories of the past couple months came back. To keep it all short, we are no longer going to Ensenada, Mexico - but are staying in San Diego, partnering with the YWAM base there.

Currently we are only 16 days away.

We have raised nearly $25,000, with many thanks to the congregation of Living Hope CRC - without all of your support, this trip truly could not happen.

So what's next?
.one more training night to cover final details, at 7.00pm at Living Hope on July 17th
.send off service at Living Hope at 10.00am on July 24th.

Then, we leave.

Prayer requests up to now:
.that all the final money will come in,
.that our team will continue to gel,
.that all the final details will come beautifully together,
.for myself, as I prepare the message for the send-off service.

Mexico 2011 is progressing smoothly!!!

Hello all!!

I'm excited to get this blog up and going again! It simply means that our Mexico trip in the summer is coming up quickly!!

July 28th will come upon us quicker than we expect. After all, it is already April 14th.

So here, you can catch up on what is going on, and perhaps a bit of my thoughts as we go through this process of preparing our team, and hearing from our team while in Mexico.

Also, I ask you to remember Gateway CRC's team, as they are traveling today and tomorrow to Mexico by van. Pray that the Lord would grant them safe travel, as well as amazing experiences while in Mexico.