I remember half way through the trip in Puerto Rico turning to Amanda (the other leader, not wifey Amanda) in Martins BBQ to tell her this is my life, I'm just blessed. It was in response to the whole day's activities. We left early that morning to enjoy a Pastor's condo on the beach and his family grilling out for our entire team, and ended the day with the people we came to help/bless buying us all this fantastic meal (some of the best ever chicken and sweet potatoes). It is so evident when you are physically blessed but that just represented the whole spiritual aspect of our trip.
Training camp was incredible. I couldn't get enough of the time where we just sat as a team (15 members and 3 leaders) and talked about what the Lord has done in our lives or what we need Him to do. The intense heat, cold showers in the dark morning, and lovely porta-Johns were totally worth the time we spent getting to know one another. The Lord blessed me so much knowing what He was doing in so many of His children's lives, and preparing them for more than just a mission trip.
Arriving in PR was such a relief. All the anticipation and excitement from the previous weeks all pointed towards this moment. I have to admit that the driving had to be the most fun and most nervous time. You should see the roads they say have two lanes (yeah no need for painted lines). We went straight up a paved goat trail to what seemed to be the top of the island. It was beautiful up there.
The people of La Perla Gran Precio were beautiful too. The leaders were so passionate about the rehabilitation of women's lives and the role God plays in this transformation. Many of the ladies in the program (ages 16-old) struggled with drug addictions or have mental illnesses. We were touched by their lives and many of their testimonies as we lived with them. Our team interacted with presentations, Bible studies, praying, watching movies, cleaning house, beauty salon, dominoes, and a lot of one on one time just sharing Christ's love.
One of my favorite moments was when we first arrived and the leaders had a meeting with the hosts regarding the minstry plans. God totally revealed His plan in that meeting and at the same time implemented it. As we talked, the team went to meet the ladies for the first time. I was imagining our students huddled together in the room not sure what to do. I was wrong. It turns out that they went to the ladies on the first day to pray for them individually. How great to see them not hesitate in following God, and what a relief as a "leader" to see them follow the real Shepherd.
My prayer for the team that God had revealed to me was "thou shalt see greater things than these." (John 1:50). I was blessed to see some victory in the lives of the team and in the lives of the people of PR. We saw faith restored in one lady's life, another lady healed from a stroke, a man that asked God to send angels one morning and that day our group showed up at his house to pray for him, children laughing/smiling while the team shared the Gospel and Christ's love, shadows moving in houses as we sang and prayed over them, and I believe we are not done seeing things God has for us as a team.
It is amazing how close you can become to so many people so fast. The worst part of the trip (other than missing my wifey Amanda) was the first morning I woke up at home realizing it was really over and I missed everyone. It was such a blessing though and it is so amazing to see God show up over and over when you really take time to listen and follow Him.
Posted in General Posts by Amanda Bryant on 6/28/2010
I thought I would share with you a link to some of the many stories from the participants at our first Training Camp. We currently have 9 teams on the field in Mexico, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Romania, Peru, Kenya, and Nicaragua. God is doing mightly things in each of these countries to bring glory to His name!
My first Training Camp has come and gone. Tomorrow we gear up for the second Training Camp as the Leaders begin to arrive.
The first Training Camp was amazing! We had 94 students and 24 leaders ready to go on mission trips to 9 different countries. I was so blessed to finally get to meet over half of the students I have been communicating with the past six month. Many hours of phone call, emails, interviews and prayer was put into each student. God is amazing! It was evident as soon as they arrived that God has selected each student to be at AIM for a reason. Some students were scared and did not know what to expect. Some were so excited to finally be at AIM that they could not wipe the smiles off of thier faces. Despite thier initial emotions, they were all hungry for God to work and move in thier lives!
On the second night of Training Camp, I was standing in the back of the room during worship wondering what my role was for the week. I am the Admissions person. My job was to get the students to AIM. They are here, so what now God? I longed to be a part of a group to call my own but that is not what God had called me to do. As I was worshiping and praying for the students, I heard God say "Open your eyes." I opened my eyes and began to look around the room at all the students lifting thier arms and praising our Creator. "This is the fruit of what I have called you to do. Good job, my precious daughter" Wow...isn't it amazing that in those times when you are frantically trying to find something else to do that God calls us to be still and just enjoy what He as already completed. Sometimes, He just wants to bless us!
I wish I could tell you all the stories from Training Camp and how I saw God working in each participant's life but it would take much to long. What I can say is God is AWESOME!
Don, Connie and Kristen just returned from Bolivia. The went to set-up the ministries for our Ambassador Bolivia mission trip this summer. I wanted to share with you thier experience in Bolivia. Check out this link: http://donrock.myadventures.org/?filename=im-not-kidding-bolivia
Africa – just the name brings all kinds of thoughts and images to mind. It's funny how all those things you think change once you are able to see for yourself. I had no idea what to expect on this trip to Swaziland, and deep down I enjoyed not having any expectations and being able to just follow God's lead. My initial thought was that three days of ministry is not very long. However, Scripture tells us of a beautiful story of what happened in just three days.
Each day, we spent a few hours with the children at the Care Points and the other half of the day visiting homes in smaller groups. Amanda and I were split into separate groups, and my group met with a lady named Nonshlanhla. As we walked up to the small cluster of huts where she lived, she made her way out hobbling with a cane. She not only had tuberculosis, but a stroke had impaired the right side of her body, basically crippling her. They pulled out the woven mats for us to sit in the shade. We spent a few hours just getting to know Nonshlanhla, who was very shy and reserved. She shared that her favorite Scripture was John 14, which talks about the place He has prepared for us. The first day we prayed for her, and she told us that she felt sorrow in her heart, which really burdened me. The next day we brought her some food, medicine, and toys for the grandchildren. We sat under a shade tree and just talked. The third day was special. One of the ladies asked for Nonshlanhla's testimony and she shared about an experience in church. A few questions later, she expressed that she was not certain of her salvation. We prayed with her but she still felt sorrow in her heart. She explained the sorrow was from the sins of her past. Praise God we know who can forgive all sins from our past, and after another prayer Nonshlanhla said, "The sorrow is gone." I cannot think of a more earnest prayer I have prayed than for God to save this woman, and He was faithful. She led us in a song in Siswati (native language). It is amazing how you can sing anything to praise Him when the Spirit is present. Before we left, I asked God to let me know she really knew Him. I'll never forget the smile on her face that was not there days before. Joy, the fruit of the Spirit, replaced her sorrow. Now, Nonshlanhla is what I think of when I think of Africa.
Posted in General Posts by Amanda Bryant on 5/4/2010
As you all know, God has allowed John and I to go on several mission trips in the past few years. I must admit that I went on this trip to Swaziland not really expecting a lot to happen. I knew God had called John and I to this trip, but my intentions were to learn about how Adventures In Missions conducts mission trips so I could share what I learned with potential Ambassador participants. I wanted the first hand knowledge. Well, God rocked my boat on this trip! Every day I think about what I experienced and what I saw during my three days of ministry in Swaziland. Here is a little background on the country of Swaziland. About 20 years ago, Swazi was a little paradise hidden between South Africa and Mozambique. It was a wealthy country visited often by tourists. Since the ‘80s, Swaziland has taken a drastic downhill turn. It is estimated that if the AIDs epidemic is not controlled in Swaziland that the country will cease to exist by 2050. That was a mind-numbing statistic for me. The government has taken very little action to prevent the spread of AIDs because they do not view it as a disease. So what was our role in a country of such poverty and sickness? To love as Christ loves the Church. As I think about all the orphan children in Swazi tears fill my eyes. All I could do was love these kids and pray that God would raise them up to be the generation that puts an end to the rampant spread of AIDS.
I will never forget what I saw our the last day in Swaziland. Every day the children would walk from the school to the Care Point during their break, bowl in hand, to get their one meal of the day - rice. On this particular day, the children walked to the Care Point with empty bellies and empty bowls and returned to school with empty bellies and empty bowls. There was no one to provide them with food that day. I could not help but become angry. Why was there no food? I learned the food is provided by Children's Hope Chest but cooked by the Gogos (grandmothers). They did not come to cook that day, so there was no food. As I sit in my house, with the cabinets stocked with more food than I could ever eat on my own, I think about these children with nothing. This is an image I pray God never allows me to forget. I am so blessed and I praise God for allowing me to live in a country where I do not have to worry about where my next meal comes from and if I will have shelter to sleep under. I praise Him that I will never stop loving and sharing His love with those who need it most.
Posted in General Posts by Amanda Bryant on 1/19/2010
Did you know that God wants to give you the desires of your heart? He tells us in Psalm 37:4, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." The thing that has always amazed me about this verse is God tell us to find our delight in Him first, then He will give us the desires of our heart. If we are truly seeking God and growing closer to Him daily, we no longer want things of the world, we begin to want what God wants. Therefore, our desires reflect what He desires, to bring glory and honor to Him in all we do, to serve and bring His good news to the kingdom, and to love like Christ loves the church. Wow...His desires in us reveal His purpose for our lives. His plan, not ours, begins to unfold before our eyes, one piece at a time. What do you desire? Do your desires bring glory to God or to you? What is your purpose in the Kingdom?
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
God, I know You have chosen me for a purpose. Help me to fulfill that purpose. I pray for wisdom to pass the tests You allow in my life, to strengthen my faith and develop me for Your great purpose. If I am to lead; help me to lead. If I am to follow; help me to follow. If I am to make a difference in the world; help me to make that difference. If I am to influence one life; help me to influence that life. Whatever my lot; help me to succeed and excel for Your glory. Thank you, God.
