Please pray for the Mission to Nicaragua

On Tuesday, May 5^th a team of volunteers from our church will for the first time go on a mission trip to Nicaragua.  We request your prayers, for it will not be a vacation trip but a mission filled with work of evangelism, health ministry, physical labour and empowering local believers.  Pastor Juan Carlos Atencio will preach 9 nights series of Gospel messages.  Gord & Kathy Rayner will lead in presenting NEWSTART and Depression recovery lessons, Valdemar Ferreira will lead out in building projects with Bob Reeve, Stepan Golovenko, Udo Muller & Janice Bridnley, Sandra Golovenko and myself assisting.  At our last prep meeting pastor Atencio shared a thought that during the two weeks our relationships and patience would be tested, as the intensity of our interactions will go beyond the routine once a week meet-and-greet at church J

As I reflect on this upcoming trip, I am already missing the comfort of staying at home J.  It is not a convenient thing to go into unknown place and walk away, even for a short time, from luxuries we have here in Canada.  I still remember the orange tap water on my trip to Russia in 2007, and “No-Wi-Fi” challenge in the mountain village in Chile in 2008 J.  I also am a bit disappointed that we did not raise the anticipated $10,000 (USD).  The biggest let-down for me was the GoFundMe experience, as I hoped that social media friends on Facebook and other contacts would contribute  more toward the project L.  The best fundraising was asking people in person.  We, everyone on the team, had paid our way and donated to the project, some giving more than expected. The church leadership also made a contribution, and the total amount raised stands at $7,000 (USD).  I think we are “sacrificing” to help others….and then in my devotional reading this week I was confronted with these words from Ellen G White’s Ministry of Healing, p.473: “We are never called upon to make a real sacrifice for God. Many things He asks us to yield to Him, but in doing this we are but giving up that which hinders us in the heavenward way. Even when called upon to surrender those things which in themselves are good, we may be sure that God is thus working out for us some higher good. In the future life the mysteries that here have annoyed and disappointed us will be made plain. We shall see that our seemingly unanswered prayers and disappointed hopes have been among our greatest blessings.  We are to look upon every duty, however humble, as sacred because it is a part of God's service. "  It was just what I needed, a reminder to trust and cheerfully appreciate God in charge!

I am sincerely asking on behalf of our team to hold us in prayer for the duration of this trip (we are returning on May 20), and to pray for our families remaining here.