Getting a Spiritual Appetite

It is the beginning of week 2, yet I feel like I have been here for a month. Where does the time go?

The whole trip has been completely different from how I thought it would be. The relationships with the kids go much deeper (and much faster) than those at home. I spent 3 hours in an orphanage and the friendships formed so quickly. It made a real impact on how I view things. I am starting to get a spiritual appetite again. I am eating, breathing, living the word of God. It is truly refreshing to be around like-minded believers.

All for Him. Nothing held back.

-Caroline Metzger

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Perfection in Weakness

Hey guys, Ariel here! It's been about one week since the team has started on the first day of CI and God has been teaching me just soo much. Yes, it is quite a cliche thing to be saying while on a missions trip but one way or another, it's true.

It's funny how God loves to use the weak ones to do His work. Of course, as humans we have that tendency to believe that it's too humiliating, but in reality it is quite the opposite. I believe that through our weaknesses, specifically my weaknesses, Christ is glorified. I'll admit coming into this trip I was terrified about teaching the kids. Speaking (nevermind teaching!) to large groups of people has always frightened me, but I have been pushed waaay out my comfort zone throughout this week. Needless to say, it has been a thrilling and eye-opening experience. God has/still is prompting me to just let go and fully trust Him. He's shown me that despite my fears and weaknesses of teaching, He can still use me for His kingdom. 

On Wednesday, I had the privilege and task of teaching the kids "The Battlefield of the Mind". All through the week, we had been telling the kids how they are soldiers in the army of God and that we are in the Truth War against Satan. I started the lesson worrying in the back of my mind about how it would go. I explained to the children how Satan just loves to sneak in lies and make us believe them. The feedback from the children was immediate and graciously overwhelming as they began to ask how they could defend themselves from these lies. My partner and I were able to take the opportunity to explain how to use God's Word to fight the devil back (Truth vs Lies). It wasn't really until after the lesson that I realized the connection we'd built with the children and that (praise God!) they had really understood the importance for taking on the armor of God. 

I know I can't take any credit for it because it was always Him and never me. However, I am very encouraged with this small step forward and the excitement for all that's in store for me and the amazing team only builds with each day. All glory to Him.

Soli Deo Gloria.

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." -2 Corinthians 12:9

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Asian Fruits 101

Today was a very exciting day on the CI trip to Southeast Asia!!! We were given the amazing oppurtunity to try tons of fruits from Malaysia. Coming from an American girl this was really exciting. Rambutans, dragon fruits, lychees, snakeskin fruits, jambu, jackfruits, pomelos, and mangoes were just a few of the options. They were all very interesting, and I found so many differences in them from the fruits in the States! Some were hairy, had weird textures, random colors and very unique flavors. But very fun to try them all:) My favorite of all had to be the dragon fruit:) It was sweet and yummy and very colorful.

The other great part of the day was the CI it self! I personally love and care deeply for every kid in my group. The lesson today was responsibility, teaching the kids that they are responsible for every thought and action and attitude. And that God knows every thought we have and that nothing can be hidden from him. This lesson really hit home for me as well. And reminded me of the verse in 1 Chronicles 28:9 that says " The Lord searcheth all hearts and understands alll the imaginations of our thoughts. This lesson taught me that my thoughts need to be God honoring and when Satan tempts me to think wrong things that Gods word is always there to memorize and fight away Satans lies!

Thank you for all your prayer and support!

In Christ's love,
Rachel Roets

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What Really Counts

Hello everyone!

This is Krystal, speaking from Malaysia! To be very honest, I have never blogged before, so stick with me!

This morning we were supposed to have Asian fruits for breakfast. Victor advised us to eat just a little before breakfast, and we took his advice and some of us didn’t even eat anything. But something went wrong and the plan backfired and by twelve o’clock, everyone’s stomachs were grumbling. However, that was a great opportunity to fast and pray and to learn to be grateful for what we have!

Then we were discussing about how to teach the breastplate of righteousness and feet shod with the Gospel of peace. Victor mentioned that all the parts of the armor need to be fitted together and worked together – that they could not be separated from one another. Eunice also mentioned that Paul in the Bible used the armor of God for an illustration, that it was not a physically visible armor but a spiritual armor that you have to put it on with your mind. I never actually visualized that the armor was not physical but spiritual because we are fighting a spiritual battle. It was definitely refreshing to hear it explained another way!

After lunch, we continued our discussion. Victor helped us visualize what we are doing, and that was what made a great impression on me. He said that, in teaching CI, we have a goal. What is the goal? Vick asked a question: “What is the one thing you want the kids to remember long after CI?” And that is Jesus Christ! There are steps we need to take to reach the goal. It’s kinda like we have to go level by level before we reach our goal, and it takes time. For example, if you just teach by reading the book and you did not build relationships with the children, they would not remember anything and CI would just be a dull experience which they remember their teacher droning at them about some stuff they can’t understand. The point is, even if the lesson is not taught, if the children go back home forgetting everything but remember this Jesus Christ that their CI teacher taught and experience Him for real, the goal is achieved and there will be significance!

We got thinking. And most, if not all, of us decided to just build our relationships with the children tonight. I mean, think about it. If we want to reach their heart with the message of Christ, we have to first connect and bond with them. We have to earn their respect and love them. So we decided that that was the most important thing. And you know what? Everyone had a blast tonight! Yesterday some children were quiet or shy or just didn’t want to participate. But there were huge improvements in every team today, and I think it’s because we decided to focus on the basics – building relationships and trust with the children. And that’s what really counts!

In His service,
Krystal

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Persevering Through the First Night!

Wow! You know how people have expectations? I honestly had no idea what teaching CI would be like! Now SE Asia for that matter! As for SE Asia, let me just assure you it is beautiful! The people are so diverse as well as the food! :)

On Saturday we travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

On Sunday, the Americans on this awesome team experienced Chinese Church and being on the "other" side of translation. Most of Monday we spent training for CI that night. It was fun! We did skits to portray the different "types" of kids (shy, hyper, etc. I was bossy. Haha!) Thus we arrived on Monday night...drum roll...it was hard!

That is the honest truth. I have volunteered in children's ministry a lot but never really had my own small group to lead. Most of the kids were shy and we were a bit unprepared for that (despite being trained for that situation). They all really enjoyed large group though. I played a camel hump in "Sammy the Camel". That will be a skit to remember! All in all, I have been learning a lot! This portion of the world is beautiful and the people even more so!

P.S. Our group really opened up on Tuesday night and everyone was smiling and laughing:)

- Kayla Williams

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An Elevator Adventure

Hello from KL! I still can't believe that I was able to come again on the trip! God is good, isn't He? We greatly appreciate your prayers that are vital.

Sunday we were able to attend a church here in Malaysia. It was very interesting and the people were great. Afterwards we overloaded the elevator and it dropped very fast. Victor and Mrs. Teh said they watched the elevator fall from the sixth floor. When they heard it hit the first floor they said that they feared the worst. But the Lord and His hand of protection over us and nobody was hurt. It also went to the half floor rather than going for a free fall. We also got out fairly fast. Mr. Teh said that he had heard of people being stuck in an elevator for twenty-four hours.

To everyone back home the Lord has shown up in my CI. We had two more kids and the others are starting to come out. Again, we are greatly appreciative of your prayers, pray that we will continue to serve God as His bondslaves.

-Nathan Burkhalter

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The Start of the Journey

...and the trip begins!

Meeting new people, hugs among those who knew each other before, finding out room assignments. Finally, the team is assembled in one place...Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Now that we've met everyone on the team, we breathe a sigh of relief that no one is weird...that's a joke:) But this is definitely the start of a journey that we are all taking! On this journey, we will each face different difficulties. For some of us the culture, for others the fact that this is the first CI we have ever taught, for others still the strength to press on and find more ways to bring glory to God.

As Victor said, this trip is NOT a holiday but a mission!

And since we're going to spend the next few weeks together, we made sure we spent today learning more about each other. It's kinda important that we know each other's names:) We also tried to find out each other's DISC profiles to understand each other better. I sometimes think trips like that are crash courses on this-is-who-I-am!

Of course, we were also briefed on rules and expectations. Not really fun topics but definitely needed!

Trips like these are also crash courses on the culture, food of this place and...how to use chopsticks! Well, at least for the Americans. We locals love to immerse them in everything:)

Its been a great start and we're looking forward to all that's ahead of us!

Please pray that...

• we will be a team of prayer
• each and everyone of us will find out God's specific plan for ourself being here
• we will have safety as we travel around the city
• we will be united with one goal of loving the Lord and serving Him

- Jolynn Tan

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