Mission to Guatemala: Team building on the local mission field

Patrick teaching about the Acts 2 Church

730 AM The mission team gathered together this morning for a full day of team building. We began by bringing in all the supplies and getting ready for the lunches we'd be making to take down to Atlanta later in the afternoon.
After breakfast, we lifted our voices in praise and worship, and then a couple members each shared a 5 minute testimony. One of our youngest team members and a veteran of last year's trip, Sarah, went first and I followed. It is always so awesome to hear about the unique pathways God brings each of us along find His amazing grace.
Patrick then led us in a devotional centered around Acts 2:42-47 and what it looks like when the Church truly obeys God and meets the needs of people, how God's influence goes out and lives are changed.

PBJ-Fest

Then we shifted into serious assembly line mode and prepared 168 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bagged each of them up along with a bottle of water, a juice box, a bag of chips, a pack of cookies, an orange and a Bible verse for encouragement with a hand written note on the back. The team worked together well and got to experience a little taste of what it's like to set up and take down a medical clinic in Guatemala -- lots of moving parts, sometimes small spaces, a little improvisation, and a lot of fellowship.
Before we left to make the drive to the 7 Bridges headquarters, we circled up to pray for the six things that we will consistently pray for each time we gather together before and during the trip. We prayed for:

The people of Guatemala, especially those whom we will meet while we are there, that we would be an encouragement to them and that hardened hearts would be softened to receive the Good News with joy and gladness
The teams who have traveled and sown seeds before us, helping to establish and grow the ministry there that is flourishing today under the light of God's grace, that they would contiunue their ministry wherever they new serve
The teams that will follow us, that they would hear the calling and go eagerly and earnestly to make themselves available for God
For the unity of our team, that we would function together a one body, with Christ at the head
For victory in the battles of spiritual warfare, that we would put on the full armor of God and stand against everyhting that would deter and discourage our service unto God and each other
For our awesome supporters, those who are making the trip financially possible and those who are praying for us daily, that God would bless them and their families with His peace, mercy and grace in incredible ways everyday

Then we hit the road and joined up with around 150 other volunteers down at the Garden, home of 7 Bridges to Recovery. There were at least 60 children there to serve. A group of 20 from a school in Loganville were on a 30 hour fast for the children who die every 13 seconds worldwide due to hunger. Those kids were awesome.

Busloads of young people praying in preparation for the
day of service

Doug, Tori, Jamie & Phillip reading out
the 7 Bridges to Recovery verses

We hit the streets under wonderful weather and there was much singing and praying and loving with the people from the community in the Bluff.

A great cloud of witnesses

Singing and praising the goodness of God

At our last stop, in a vacant lot across the street from a men's transitional rehab center, a man named Keith, who had only heard the Gospel for the first time a week before, came today to saving faith in Jesus. Surely we knew the angels in heaven were rejoicing when Jesus became Keith's Lord and Savior. It was the most perfect way to end an awesome day serving with 7 Bridges.

The valley of decision

Welcome to the family!

We headed back up north for dinner and fellowship, followed by debriefing from the day and then hearing a testimony from two more team members. Phillip (who is my prayer partner and a junior in high school) and Sandy each had a powerful story to share about their walk with the Lord.
I love days like today, even though they're exhausting and I missed Amy and Paxton. The fellowship and seeing God move so visibly in so many lives is just an incredible experience.
I usually get a group together to make lunches and go down to serve with 7 Bridges each month, so if you ever want to go with us, leave a comment below and I'll make sure you know about upcoming trips.
Stay blessed my friends!
Jason