On June 13th, Emily and I along with 11 other teens and adults boarded a jet for Lisbon, Portugal. As we prepared to minister in Portugal we were very much aware that this trip was the culmination of many people who supported us financially and many more who were supporting us with their prayers. From the very first day the effects of those prayers could be seen. Below are specific answers to prayer:
1. Team dynamic – From day one through day ten the team displayed godly attitudes, even when undergoing stressful situations and/or lack of sleep. There was no team member that acted full of themselves, and each one seemed focused on the ministry at hand.
2. Scheduling – Missions trips are a tricky thing when it comes to scheduling events, and this one proved no different. The original schedule for working in the public school that we had been planning on was totally scrapped a couple of days before the trip, and it wasn’t until we arrived that we learned what the new schedule would actually be…and it was better! Instead of spending 30-45 minutes teaching baseball to several different classes throughout the week we were able to spend 3 and a half hours with many of the same people every day! This allowed us to get to know many of the students a lot better as well as provide better instruction. God’s plans are always better!
3. Safety – As legal guardian of four of the teens, the last thing I wanted to do was have to make an emergency medical decision! And aside from a few mild illnesses, the group remained healthy and injury free throughout the trip. Praise the Lord!
4. Glorifying God – The goal of this trip was to bring glory to God, whether through giving the gospel to 24 unsaved school children, singing and praising God with local bodies of believers, or even individually marveling at the beauty of God’s creation and the creativity that God has given to man. Our very first sight-seeing trip took us first to the very historical walled city of Obidos. As I looked at the fortified walls and keep of the city I could not help but think of the many times God is described as our Fortress, a strong tower that we can run to and be safe. Later on that day we went to the coast which looks nothing like the sandy beaches of Florida. Yes, there were some beaches, but they were interspersed among formidable rock formations. As we watched the sunset across the Atlantic, the awesome magnificence of God was again brought to the forefront of my mind. As I watched waves crash around huge rocks I was reminded that God is my rock, an immovable, unchanging foundation.
5. Unexpected blessings – Our missionary contact that we worked with in Portugal was Gil Thomas, and he did a tremendous job at planning, preparing for and guiding our group. But there was another young missionary couple that also worked with us, Chris and Catrina Herrick. They did great job of helping us with the baseball ministry, preparing meals, and making sure the groups daily needs were met. But the unexpected blessing was the impact that they made on our group. As members of our group gave reports of the trip to our church, several of them mentioned the impact that Chris and Catrina had on them, and for a couple, Chris and Catrina were the focus of their report. What was this impact? Chris and Catrina are new missionaries, and their testimony of how God led and provided for them to come to the mission field hit home to these teens. I will not be surprised if God uses the Herricks testimony to inspire some future missionaries from our group.
6. Projects completed – The baseball instruction at the local school ended with a tournament where we were able to share the gospel, but the ministry will continue it gave Chris and Catrina many contacts that were excited about baseball! As Gil Thomas said, this may be the start of a youth group for the church! Throughout the week we also engaged in and finished a few service projects, such as weeding an mulching some overgrown flower gardens, and sprucing up the ceiling in the church sanctuary.
Thank you so much to all those who supported us with your prayers and/or finances! This trip is a testimony to God using people like you and I to accomplish His purposes!
Nice job. What a great joy to see young people take an active part in missions outreach. Thanks for taking them.