We are each called by God to serve as disciples -- sharing our love and individual gifts and reaching out to others. In doing so, we must stretch ourselves (by getting out of the boat) and trust that God will always be with us. For some on the team that has meant being on our first mission trip, our first airplane ride, not knowing who our roommates will be, leaving family behind, or wondering what construction work we may be asked to do and feeling like we can't do it. We've carried blocks, bags of mortar, buckets of water up steep steps to the rooftop. We've mixed cement, made forms, poured foundations and floors, shoveled sand and gravel and learned how to lay block to build walls. All things that many of us never did before, and yet we were able to accomplish them with God's help.
What a wonderful experience it was to see members of our team reunite with friends made last year, exchange warm hugs and to see our team youth make friends with the youth of the church in a ping-pong game shortly after our first visit to the job site. God was surely at work in so many ways, even in the simple giving of a lifesaver by a team member reuniting with one of our Manaus friends.
In answering God’s call to serve as disciples and to share our love in building Santa Etelvina Church, much work has been accomplished, amazing hospitality has been given and received, friends have reunited and new friendships have been made. It has been an amazing blessing for me to be a part of the team!
Debbie
Debbie
