Mission Celebration

All of the groups are home from the field.

This weekend in FUEL we will be celebrating what God did throughout the world through missions this summer! I hope you will join us for this time of giving praise and glory to the Father!

Portland – Day 4

Today was the first day of the festival that our team is a part of.

It was a beautiful day and thousands of people were present for the event.

We held two skate demos today and both went awesome!

There was a good crowd for both demos and the team did an awesome job.

We were able to share neat things with the crowds to point people towards
Christ and we were able to have a lot of great conversations.

We saw a good number of people from the skate parks show up to watch.

It was a great day!

Please pray for a great day for us for tomorrow.

The Portland Team

Ghana Closing.

It has been an absolutly incredible week here in Ghana. I cannot believe that the team is already traveling home. We have had many laughs, some cries and a plethora of amazing ministry together this week.

Over the course of the week, 52 people gave their lives to Christ for the first time, 25 of those were at the Medical Mission on Friday. At the Medical Mission we were able to see 153 patients in 5 hours, provide basic health counseling and help for medical needs such as malaria, malnurishment, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. The people that came were such an incredible blessing to be around. It was amazing to watch as our team counseled, fed, prayed, and loved on people that would not recieve that kind of care anywhere else.

The youth conference turned out to be incredible – the Americans and the Ghanaians could not get enough of the small group time. I truly believe that is where real ministry happened – in the midst of those one on one conversations within the small groups. In the evening times, while we were going through the series on relationships there were so many hidden issues that were brought to light. I believe that this generation of Ghanaian youth will choose now to have Godly relationships, so that in the future they will be able to have Godly marriages.

Over the week, our team came to know a Ghanaian man named Zachius. He has a very difficult life – his wife’s family is muslim, but he and his wife are Christians – his wife’s family hates him. In the community that he is living in there are many people that go without food everyday, most look to him to help their community survive. He carries a very heavy burden – but when you look at him you would never know this because he exudes the joy of the Lord like no person I have ever seen. Throughout the course of the week we found out that he desired to go to driving school, if he is able to learn to drive he will be able to make money not only for his family but also for his community. Before knowing this our team had decided that they wanted to bless Zachius, but when we found out about his desire to go to driving school we knew that was what God wanted us to do. It wasn’t until after we had taken up the financial gift for Zachius that I found out how much driving school cost – wouldn’t you know that the team gave just over what was needed for school. God is so good and so faithful, He always knows the needs and the provision far before we ever begin to think about it.

Please continue to pray for Zachius and the many other Ghanaians that our team was able to share life with this week.

The Ghana Team.

Portland – Day 3

Day Three (Friday) in Portland was awesome!

After a brutal afternoon of ramp building on Thursday we needed some fun so
we took the team and did some skate park outreach at the well known and much
loved Burnside Skate Park in Portland.

It was an awesome time of getting to hang out and chat with a wild bunch of
folks. The best part was getting to know and reach out to a punk rock
traveling band called The Ignorant.

Then we worked until about 10pm getting things set up downtown for the
festival which is happening today.

Our demos today are at 11am and 2pm and we are hoping for a great crowd.

Please pray for God to open big doors for the message of Christ.

The Portland Team

Ghana Going Home

The Ghana team has very reluctantly departed for Dallas. Their were many tears as they said goodbye and they will never be the same again because of the ministry that we have had the opportunity to be part of this week.

The team is scheduled to arrive in Dallas at 6:10 PM on Sunday, August 5. For arrival gate and baggage claim information, please call the 1-800 number given during the parent meeting.

Portland – Day One

We arrived to Portland with no problems, but the same does not apply for our
luggage.

About 10 out of 13 of us still have not seen any of our luggage and we have
been in Portland for almost 12 hours.

The team has been awesome in their understanding that there is nothing that
we can do to get the luggage here. Their attitudes have been awesome!

We arrived and hit the ground running today.

Part of our group spent the afternoon at a local skate park doing some skate
park outreach and the other part of our group went through a helmet fitting
training because we will be giving out hundreds of free helmets at the event
this weekend.

The Portland Team

Ghana – MidWeek

What a beautiful week of ministry it has been. We have reached Wednesday and things could not be better. For the past two mornings we have gone to a school in the neighborhood that we are staying in to share songs with them and to share bible stories. The children have been divided kindergarten-3 and 4-6, with about 150 students in each assembly. It has been so much fun getting to hear them sing about Jesus and listen so closely to His word.

We have also gone out into the neighborhoods to share the gospel with the people of South La (the area where the church is) and also Gbawe and Kinkawe. Yesterday, 13 people gave their lives to Jesus Christ as Lord!!!!

The morning discipleship time and the evening conference is going amazing. God is truly pouring His blessing out on the willing hearts here this week. During the morning our focus has been “What does discipleship look like,” it has been a smaller time with the leaders of the youth ministries from the various churches. In the evening times our focus has been on “Godly Dating.” I am amazed as I walk around the rooms during the small group times at the discussions that are being had. In a society where no one talks about what dating is or what the criteria is for a Godly relationship it is as if the floodgates have opened up for these students to be shared truth. The only complaint is that there is just not enough time to answer all of the questions. Praise the Lord!

Everyone’s health has been good, other than being very tired, everyone is doing wonderfully – loving Africa, these beautiful people and their culture. I think that these students will look much more Ghanaian when they return home, than they do American .

Please continue to pray for our team. On Friday we will be holding a Medical Mission at the main church for people to recieve basic medical attention and medication for things like Malaria, Malnutrition, High Blood Pressure, etc. Our team will be used as counselors for the people who are waiting to be seen by the doctor, during that time we will have the opportunity to share the gospel with them. We will also be caring for the children of those that are recieving medical attention.

We love you and miss you!

The Ghana Team

Ghana – Day 3

Everyone here in Ghana is doing wonderful. We could not praise the Lord for a better more unified team! Today the group split up and went to the various churches, they had an amazing time worshipping with the corporate body of Christ. One thing that was so sweet to hear from many of them were the things said during the bible study time. Many of our team members were surprised to hear that some of the same struggles that they have at home in America are the same things that Ghanaians struggle with here. It just is a reminder that although we are scattered over the world, we are unified in Christ and that Scripture is very true when it speaks of the things that the believer will struggle through.

Tomorrow morning we will begin our Youth Conference. In the morning time we will be teaching basic principles of discipleship with the youth leaders; in the evening we will be teaching about dating and relationships to all youth from all of the churches. Please be in prayer for us during these times – that the messages are conveyed clearly and that as our students lead small groups that they are able to rely on the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance. Also pray that the small groups will begin to open up from the very beginning tomorrow morning.

The team is in great spirits, every one is healthy and today everyone finally recieved all of their luggage!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!

Ghana Arrival

The Ghana team has arrived safely to Accra!! Leah and I are so happy that they are here finally! Unfourtunately, they arrived with no luggage, please pray with us that their luggage arrives within the next day or so. It not only has their clothes, but also our ministry supplies for the week in it.

Mexico Coming Home.

It’s been an awesome trip this year, we head home today…crossing the border at 6am…pray for us, if you are awake. The “Fiesta” was a huge success, with about 900 in attendance. The Pastor and his team did a great job with the program (puppets, clowns, etc…). We are so blessed to get to work with such a great church!

Pray for us as we travel home.

Thanks!!

The High School Mexico Team