Hello...or should we say "Hola!" Friends, we are so excited to start this blog and tell you all about what God is doing. We leave January 29 for our trip to the Dominican Republic....wait let me back it up! Some of you reading this may have no idea what I'm talking about!
Let me explain.
Back in August, we began Global Boot Camp at our church, New Song Christian Fellowship. GBC is a 9-month Christian worldview and missions discipleship program: five months are spent here in the U.S taking Bible, missions and apologetics classes and serving in local ministries, three months are spent overseas in Santiago, Dominican Republic, and one month is spent debriefing and reintegrating into our home culture.
In 10 days, we will depart to Santiago, and begin our 3-month missions trip. The main purpose of our trip is to partner with John and Diana Martinez as they multiply a new New Song congregation in Santiago, named Cantico Nuevo. John and Diana will be the pastors of the church, and we will be partnering with them in various roles through leading worship and serving in local outreaches and children's ministry. We will also be working with Tom Hinton from the Barnabas Task, a ministry serving Cien Fuegos, a very poor community of 300,000 people, through micro-finance, clean water projects and health education.
Below, each of us team members will be telling you a little about ourselves and some prayer requests we would like you to pray for. Thank you for reading and we will keep you "posted"...It's a joke....get it? ;-) I hope you are laughing....
Bryan:
I am excited to serve as the leader of this team! Going on this trip is the fulfillment of a promise the Lord gave me four years ago. I am ready to advance the gospel in the DR and to assist in pioneering a new New Song congregation in Santiago. For me, I would appreciate your prayers in the following areas:
1. Please pray for wisdom; that I would have the grace and wisdom to lead this team well
2. Pray for the advancement of the gospel as we do outreaches in Santiago
3. Pray that the missionaries would be strengthened by our service and time there!
Hannah:
Thanks so much for reading the blog and following us..via cyberspace! I have enjoyed this program so much over the past few months; God has been teaching me so much about submission, about trusting Him and about leaning and abiding in His presence day-by-day and moment-by-moment. I have seen God MIRACULOUSLY supply almost all of my financial needs for the program in a little less than one month! Praise. the. Lord. I would like to ask you to pray for these specific things for me:
1. Pray for God's peace that surpasses all understanding to guard my mind, heart, and life
2. Pray that I will grow in closeness, intimacy, and friendship with the Lord during my secret time with Him
3. Pray that during these three months God would cultivate within me a heart to serve selflessly and extravagantly
Brad:
I am so expectant for how the Lord is going to work through us in these next three months! It is going to be a time of stretching and growing together and learning how to live our daily lives like we are on a missions trip. I know this is a season of maturing for me and I know the Lord will be faithful as I seek His face daily. Here are some things to be praying for me:
1. For people to come to Christ as we are in the DR
2. That the church in Santiago will be strengthened as we are down there
3. Strong relationships to be built with especially the youth as well as the missionaries serving in Santiago
Briana:
These past few months have been full of challenging new experiences, hilarious memories, and sweet examples of God's love and faithfulness. In the DR, I anticipate God working mightily through us in the people of Santiago. I'm looking forward to meeting all the new people down in the DR-- the Cantico Nuevo pastors John and Diana Martinez; missionary Tom Hinton; and all the Dominican families and children! Here are a few prayer requests for me:
1. For sweet, peaceful time with family and friends these last two weeks
2. For final provision of funds and packing to come together
3. For vision for what Jesus wants to do in the people of Santiago
Colin:
Thank you so much for supporting us in this season of discipleship training! I know I speak for all of our team when I say that the past 5 1/2 months have been very transformational. My perspective on God and His heart for missions has been greatly shifted as we have taken part in outreaches and studies. God is already doing a great work in my life in this season of preparation, and I am very excited to see where God takes all of us in our passion and faith in the DR. I know God wants to do GREAT things in the lives of those we will meet, and I believe He is willing to move in greater ways than we have anticipated as we seek His face and His Kingdom for the DR. Below are some prayer requests that would greatly bless me:
1. That my faith would go to an entirely new level in expecting God to move mightily among the people in the DR
2. That all finances concerning the program would be in order (I still have around $800 to pay)
3. That my heart and mind would be where it needs to be in preparing and leaving for the trip
4. That our team would be unified throughout the trip
5. For safety and for health
Angela:
GBC has been incredible thus far. I am amazed at how much God has done in each of us within the last few months. I anticipate even more when we go to the DR. We will miss you, but we look forward to returning changed for the better and with new perspectives.
Please be praying for:
1. For deep connections with people in the DR.
2. For grace on each member of our team.
3. That we would live daily lives of prayer with signs and wonders in between.
4. That we would be a blessing to the missionaries in the DR
Thank you all for your support and prayers! We are grateful to have such incredible families, friends and loved ones supporting us as we launch into this new season of ministry and transformation!
