So far so good

The group

The weather isn't tooo hot, yet, I hear it will get worse.

The girls all get to sleep in air conditioning which is really nice.

I almost had a melt down today after our time with the people at La Siesta, the first church we visited. I had a really bad head ache and was really tired. Also a little anxious about what was for dinner. I really had to lean on God, In my head I was begging to go home on the next plane out, but I managed to pull it together and now all is well.

With the heat I don't really have an appetite, so I was getting myself all worked up. I'm not sure when I changed from a person who could care less about germs to a person who is really terrified of them. It seems that hand washing is optional around here, there for one can get really worked up about such things. Especially considering all of those who got sick last year after eating out on separate occasions. This all was adding to my anxiety. As always everything turned out A-OKAY. Dinner was great and the fellowship was equal. Now we are home playing games and relaxing.

We have a busy day ahead tomorrow. Please pray for divine appointments with those who don't know Jesus. And for courage to speak with the people of Panama, there is a language barrier and that is really intimidating to me.

Grace and Peace from Panama!!!

On the way to Panama

So, on Sunday our pastor prayed for divine appointment for the team. Weather in the airport going through customs or just traveling on the plane and of course while on the trip. That scares me, I can do the work trips, no problem. But this is different. I am not used to the evangelizing trips. You would think that the Savior I love would be easy to share. But the USA is a little jaded to my Savior, so it scares me that I will be judged in that way in another country too.

My prayer for our team is for courage, boldness, for eye's that see and the ear's that hear, who we should talk to and what to say.

Please be praying for us. There are 14 students and 4 adults. Pray for Gods will to be accomplished, for strength for the team and for the whole team to come together as one.

Peace and Grace. I will update hopefully while we are there!!!!

The past wekks

It's been a really long time since I posted last. We took a group of 22 high school students to Louisiana for a missions trip over their spring break from school. An 18 hour train ride from Chicago to New Orleans, a stop to the food court for what would be our first of many meals out and then an hour drive across the causeway to Folsum, LA.



We arrived at the camp pretty late so we settled in for what would be a long and challenging week. Sunday we headed to New Orleans for church at City Of Love and boy did we feel the love. Sunday night we went to Gulf Port, MS for Church and dinner with a students family. The BEST fried chicken I have ever had!!!!! Monday and Tuesday were work days at Glenwood Baptist Youth Camp, this is where we stayed.

Wednesday was the French Quarter for some BEIGNETs and sight seeing, then to the Audubon Zoo



All of the kids seemed to enjoy this, it was a nice break in the middle of the week to rebuild the momentum. Thursday and Friday we finished the work at the camp which included drywall and building bunk beds, while a group of about six went to MS again to repair a roof. On Friday the group that stayed at the camp meet up with the group in MS and did a little swimming in the gulf.
Eli's first swim in salt water and he really loved it. Up early on Saturday to clean the mess we had created in the girls room, gross, and then the hour drive back to New Orleans and back on the train to Chicago.

We have a great group of kids and a great group of parents who trust us enough to take their kids across country for a week. God really work in AMAZING ways last week. I am blessed to be a part of such great work our Lord is doing. May prayer for these kids, excuse me, young adults would be that they let God continue the work that he is doing in their life's. That they surrender completely to God and let Him use them in mighty ways.

Then Daniel praised the God of heaven ²⁰ and said:

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
wisdom and power are his.
²¹ He changes times and seasons;
he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the discerning.
²² He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
²³ I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Our daily reading was Daniel while we were gone.

Well, that is it for now. Time to catch up on all there is to do after a trip and catch up on my sleep!

Grace and Peace!