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Get news and updates sent to your cell phone via text message. Don't worry, you can easily | Belize Update - June 29 |
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| Written by Tim Schmoyer | |
| Tuesday, 01 July 2008 | |
 Belize Update - June 29 Today was our last day here in Belize. Kinda bittersweet. Bitter because we're leaving behind some great friends we've grown to love and because we've all become so close to each other and to God; sweet because we're ready to be back in familiar territory with our families.Believe it or not, this Sunday morning we actually got to sleep in until 9:00 AM! The church here in Caye Caulker has Sunday School in the morning and service at night. Since they only needed about 4 or 5 of us to help with Sunday school in the morning, Amy, Kyle McIver, Brook, Noel (one of the Belize native teens who joined our group for the trip) and Tyra stepped up to do that while the rest of us stayed at the hotel to have devotions together (Connor and I shared from Romans 12:1-3 as Julie Barnes shared in a comment on our website on an earlier update) and then do our quiet times for an hour with the Lord. The latter part of the morning was spent listening to Dana and Kevin go around the room (actually, the roof) and encourage each team member individually. The afternoon was free time, so most of us went shopping and swimming before meeting up at 5:30 PM for dinner and then church. For the church service I led a time of worship, Laura, Kyle McIver, and Amy shared their testimonies, they all performed the drama "The Woman" and then Kevin gave the sermon with an interpreter. After church, we spent the evening on the roof in a wonderful time of worship and fellowship. We sang together, washed each other's feet, took communion together, shared encouraging and supportive words with everyone and showered Kevin and Robin with love and prayer. It was really a great time. We were up there for about 3 hours, but did sure didn't feel that long. Tomorrow we start the trek home. Although you won't get this update until we're already back in Alexandria, I know you're all praying for us and our journey home because we've felt your prayers already in so many ways. It's awesome because I can seriously feel your prayers and support about different situations even before I get a chance to post them online and tell you about it. It's like God is working in advance through your prayers. Awesome. We've really had a great trip. It hasn't been without it's ups and downs, as is expected, but the highs definitely outweigh the lows. I know I've grown a lot as a leader and have been stretched in tremendous ways. The teens have, too. Each and every one of them is coming home as a different person than when they left -- all a bit more mature, spiritually alive and eager to continue our mission of selflessly glorifying God in Alexandria. Pray for them every day that they would have the Lord's strength to stand up to the world, that they would not be enticed and drawn to the temptations, traps and snares that will swallow them whole, that they would be beacons of light for God in all the darkness around them. Verbally encourage them and hold them accountable to their daily quiet times with the Lord once they're home. Even more so, your kids need you parents to set the example, too. They know they have the ability to be a light because they've done it for the past two weeks! They've shared Christ with complete strangers, risked vulnerability and poured their lives into others. As a result, many more souls will one day be worshiping with us at the throne in heaven. But it doesn't end here -- there are countless others who need to hear the good news about Jesus and your teenagers know they can reach them with your daily encouragement, support and godly example. |
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