Janet here.... I'm sitting in the "family room" of the house of Bruce & Paula Hepburn. Most the teens are hanging out together on the warm Texas patio. A circle of adults and one teen who were strangers less than a week ago, are playing a game together and laughing at the table near me.
So, here I am writing the blog.
And I am happy to do this because it gives me the opportunity to tell you what pure joy it has been to travel with this team.
If we were to rewind to our team preparation you'd see me wondering about a team with so many rookies (13 of 15). I wondered about taking a family of five, including an 8 year old. I wondered about the dynamics of a teammate who joined late and attended very little training. I wondered if our relationships with the missionary partners would continue to grow or if the "honeymoon" period would be over (this my third trip here and Sunset's fifth). I wondered how it would be to co-lead with someone who I recently have been getting to know.
The truth about me though is that I stopped being fearful of what God would do on a mission trip a while ago. Now I just wonder... I wonder what God is going to do. Because I know he's going to do something through us and something bigger in us.
So here are a few WONDERful glimpses of our week together.
- The 8 year old is a key member of the group, he contributes enthusiasm, accomplishes work and is insightful and thoughtful in his commentary on the trip.
- A 16 year old led the women to begin affirming one another each night at bed time. This has led to a unity on a team of acquaintances like I have never seen before.
- Adults who were afraid of giving up control have followed well, adapted and prioritized relationships over a solid plan.
- A mother, invited by her daughter, has committed to growing in her faith and to being involved in serving more intentionally when she returns home.
- The co-leader and the adults have become counselors and comrades.
- A teen feels a call on her life to long term missions.
- Fathers have selflessly shepherded other peoples sons, young women have adopted grandmothers and second and third moms.
- Competent and capable adults have done whatever was asked and found things to do that needed to be done.
- The group ministered to one of our teens whose grandfather passed away while she was here. It was hard news but the young woman allowed herself to grieve in community. A lesson we adults could learn from.
- A young woman challenged me without knowing it, to memorize more scripture.
- The missionaries and the Mexican builders have demonstrated such patience as we have sewn and built alongside of them.
And tonight, one teen has shared that he's learned by watching our missionary hosts that he has been asking God's blessing on the things he wants to do in his life and here has made a decision to follow God with his whole life.
Wonderful.
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| Shawn & Carla Estes, MaryLou Daniels, Paula & Bruce Hepburn |
Tonight we shared our team time with our missionary hosts and some of their partners. It was clear to me that the hospitality they show to us and the way they live their life responding to God's voice has had a impact on us. The truth is this is a hard place to serve. It could easily seem that there is little reward on this side of heaven, but tonight we were able to share with them how meaningful it has been to be led by them this week, to serve with them and to learn their stories.
It has reminded me again of God's design for His church. His plan that we GO and make disciples. This week we have gone AND we have been discipled wonderfully by our hosts and one another.
Much love, Janet
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