Preparations

Before we ever load up a bus, there are many things that need to be done for a missions trip to come together. Destinations have to be picked, approval gained, applications need to go out, the team formed, meetings held, fundraisers put on, devotionals completed, team building games played, shopping to be done and so much more! The team has been hard at work over these past six months to get ready for our journey starting this Friday.

It's an exciting time, as we prepare to head to Mexico to work with kids and families who are far, far less fortunate than we are. Not worse off, just in a very different life situation. We will have many opportunities to be Jesus' hands and feet throughout our trip. There will be laughter, games, memories and so much more -- but these are not the reasons we are going. We go to be a light into the darkness and in turn have some of the people we are priviledged to minister to speak huge amounts into our own lives.

One of the things that we have done to prepare has been to take some of the money many of you have generously given to us and put it towards a tangible cause -- clothing for people who have none. We went to Walmart here in town to go shopping with these people in mind, and were blessed beyond belief to spend an hour shopping for people who are not ourselves. I can't wait to share with you the stories of travelling with these clothes and handing them to people who need them.

Already, we can sense that God has His eyes upon us. While shopping I (Stephen) was walking down one of the isles when a gentlemen was walking towards me. He clearly had a desire to speak, and stopped me asking me if I was going on a missions trip to Mexico. When I responded that I was, he pointed up to ceiling with some tears in his eyes and handed me a gift card, saying, "God told me that I should give this to you." We had a little moment right there in the middle of Walmart as the cosmic intersected our ordinary lives.

There are greater things in store, and I can't wait to share them with you as they happen. We serve an awesome God, who is in the habit of doing unexpected things. Thankfully, we don't have to go to Mexico to be His hands and feet!