Latin America Awakening 2008 - Making Disciples; Reaching Our World

Free loving hippies welcome--------

Sat, 8 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Here is a post by Joe Carter. It's amazing so I thought I'd post it on the team page so everyone could see. Check out his blog. It's http://joecarter.myadventures.org

God reveals himself in nature. Today he spoke to me and I was able to articulate his words on paper.

You Give Life

-inspired by G-man himself

Oh tree,

Oh wonderful creation

You protect me in my vulnerability,

Stretching your arms around me like your maker.

You are rough to the touch, but with

Incentive, you warm the room.

You entertain our youth

Providing adventurous landscape.

Even' if we rip your strong roots

From the soil,

Eliminate your reaching

Grasp,

You are still there to warm us-

All we have to do is ask

"Oh tree, though we took

your life, bring joy to our

family with this gentle spark"

And poof,

Our world is illuminated with light,

Joy, comfort, warmth, and best of

All-life!

Life! Even in your death you

Cause life! Creatures Scurry to

You and undeservingly feed off your

sacrifice.

They grow with your nutrients.

And why not?

How soft you become now in your

death, your arms stretch downward

to the world rather than ever-reaching

to the sky. Even now I depend on you,

Using you like a crutch to write

these words.

Oh tree,

I look to you and see a giver of life

Maybe someday you will shelter my

Family when I become full of years,

I can only hope.

Dried Up

-Thanks to God

Oh brown Puddle,

You recipient of life--once

Clean, you swallow it into your

Murky depths and shape

Yourself.

People fall into your traps

And curse you!

You ruin people's walks and

Stick in their feet as they

Pass by.

Why don't you dry up and

Evaporate towards the sun,

An ever burning void of

Fire, for one day your

Stream of life will cease

And the clouds will part,

Illumination will then

occur and in time you

will not even hold an

indentation in the land.

In time.

If you are like my best friend Nate Merrill, then you'd have an appreciation for nature and God's creation. Did you know the Bible promotes those who enjoy his creation? In fact, he commands us to rule over and protect the land. This is yet another amazing aspect of the Bible. It contains such wisdom in how we should live our lives; there are so many verses in the Bible that refer to the wonders of nature that I can't believe it. So all of you free loving hippies, hug trees all you want because it's Biblical, awesome right? Take the next step though and put your faith in God so that you can appreciate more than just nature: Its creator. This allows such a deeper appreciation of things such as a caterpillar morphing into a butterfly, God made this possible just for you to enjoy and marvel at. Praise this creator and you will reap the benefits. He gives power to those follow him, joy to those who praise his name and creation, and wisdom to those who ask of it. I stress this point: Believing IN GOD and accepting his truths in your heart is the first step to enjoying all the marvels around you. Now if you already believe this truth, spend time this week and enjoy what our team has been studying about today: God's creation. If you see something that amazes you, thank Him for creating this and bringing this to your eyes at your own particular moment. It is sweeet.

Explain poem:

To explain my poems, they were both written during an activity in which we were all sent out to find a particular spot in Nicaragua and enjoy creation, analyze it, and find answers about it. It was raining pretty hard outside so I looked through the falling rain and saw a tree, BAM Margera, shelter. I sat down and immediately felt the power of God around me, it was a pretty cool feeling. I prayed and let the pen fly. In the first poem, I was very vulnerable because of the rain, but the tree provided protection so it made sense to write about it. Hmm...this sounds like my creator a bit (thinking in my head). I remember praying then that God would have me write what he willed. Well, the bark is wicked hard, but on the contrary it provides much warmth when lit, so I decided to write about it (keep in mind that through prayer we can break through the barrier of sin and experience his love). I love to climb trees for the thrill and adventure (and serving God is also quite an adventure). In order to make fires and be warmed by trees, we first rip them from their roots and tear them down, killing them. Though we do this, they do not withhold their warmth when we light them with a spark, in fact they heat our homes. The tree I was writing under had many mushrooms and had moss on it, which reminded me that when it is dead, all these things thrive off its body and it gives life! Are you getting the message that God smacked me in the face with? Also, the whole time I was using one of the mushrooms as a pad or a crutch to write my poem, just as we use God as a crutch to speak his words or during hard times.

God is so much like a tree, it is unbelievable how he reveals himself in nature. We are commanded to praise creation, it is like we are praising God!

Revelation 4:11

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

Read Job Chapter 38 and you will be blown away with the divinity and nature of God.

Psalm 24:1-2 The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for God has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers.

Psalm 65:5-13 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might. You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples. Those who live at earth's farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy. You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

John 15:5 " I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing." -or he is the tree and we are his branches, possibly?-We need God For Everything.

Matthew 6:26-29 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to your life's span? And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these."

That is the first poem, the second is a little brutal, I know, and I was a little scared of it after I wrote it. It is truth though and those who are unsaved are like brown puddles, full of sin. They do not have God's love in their hearts and often cause dissention and violence in communities. We often curse some of these people and when we come in contact with someone truly evil, they stick to us and affect our walks of faith. Sadly for many friends, one day God will stop feeding them life, or in this poem the rain will stop falling, and these people will be brought up and their sins will come to light. Our mark in this world leaves as soon was we die, and those who don't know Christ will have their life, "Dried Up." I hope you guys enjoyed my poems; I will get you more caught up w/what's going on hurr the next blog because God is awesome!

Pray for Andy who was saved through amazing circumstances and please pray for our friend Frank who just left the Crea drug rehab program that we have been supporting. He attended for 4 months and reached a very good position but fell into sin which caused him to have to start the program ALL over; that is why he left, pray for him!

-Thank you guys all for your continued encouragement and prayer: it is so powerful, trust me, I FEEL IT. If I have time today I will post another blog because God has provided me with so many opportunities to serve him and enjoy his creation. If you have questions about what I meant in the poems, please ask because there is a reason for each line.

--Jose "yo' brose" Carter

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hey to all my loyal blog checkers! Wow! I am so excited to write this blog to you all. So yesterday was thanksgiving. Yes my american friends, thanksgiving is in October for us Canadians. I remember saying something to the team in passing a couple of weeks ago, but not much else was made of it. Not much was made of it all day yesterday, or so I thought. So the guys had went back to the guys house, since we had been kicked out. Tana had told me that the girls needed to have a house meeting. So I thought, oh ok let's go guys. So we all went back to the house and waited until 6 for dinner. I got a call from Tana to tell me that they hadn't finished on time and would be ready at 6:30. So the guys left our house and I said to the guys 'oh ya, Happy thanksgiving Jamie'. So they said 'oh ya! Happy Thanksgiving!' As we walked up to the girls front door we rang the doorbell. I was so clueless. I was thinking to myself 'hmm why would they lock us out'. So I started ringing the door bell over and over! They opened it and all I heard was 'HAPPY THANKSGIVING CANADA!' The team had made all sorts of signs which included the name of all of our provinces and territories, including 'North Western' I'm pretty sure they meant Northwest Territories, but hey, it was good enough! They had many other signs such as 'We Love Muchas Jamie'. One with a turkey and 'turkey lovin' written below it. Oh, and then the greatest, 'OH CANADA... EH?' I was so shocked and amazed. I was so happy that my team would take the time to do all of that for me. I can't describe the joy that is in my heart because of it.

So while I'm talking about thanksgiving, I thought I should also thank God for sparing my life 2 years ago thanksgiving weekend. For those of you who know me best, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I should have died 2 years ago and it is only by the grace of God that I'm able to be sitting here in Nicaragua with my team, and with my family and friends back at home while I think of them. I love you all so much and I miss you guys. Thank you so much for your prayers. I've had a long journey and you have always stuck by me. I'm so so appreciative of that. Adios Amigos!

Update from Grenada Nicaragua

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hey Family and Friends,

Tana and I wanted to post an update as to how the team is doing and what is going on. We have arrived safely in Grenada Nicaragua. The past couple of days have been amazing. We have just had a relaxed couple of days learning about where everything is and getting our bearings. We have met many people that are living down here and the team is so excited to be here. The flight was good, no worries with hurricane IKE. We had a little... ok alot a bit of turbulance on the flight from Houston to Managua... but it was fun! We arrived in Managua, and I can't explain to you the happiness that I saw on thier faces when they saw Tana, Charles and Sarah and Heather! It was amazing to see. We loaded all of our luggage on to a school bus and drove to Grenada. That night we didn't do much of anything, us guys took a cold shower and it felt amazing! It is very very hot and humid here. The next day (Wed.) We just kind of relaxed and got to walk around and see the culture and the people and where we are going to spend the next 9 months! It was great. We slept in... until 8:30am... Yes, that's sleeping in after training camp! The team had an orientation that night with Charles and the staff here, we sang and had a time of prayer. Then today (Thurs.) The guys got up at 7ish, we went to a mens bible study. We sang, and we heard Charles speak. We had maybe, 20-25 men there. Praise the Lord, 3 men came into a personal relationship with Christ! I immediately thought of Luke 10:2- "And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." After Bible study we drove with Charles and had the opportunity to bring two men to a rehabilitation center to get free from their addictions. The girls.... well, I spent my day with the guys today! So I'm not positive what they did today! I know alot of them walked around the city with Tana and Heather, bought some cell phones down here (They are very cheap) So that is all really for now, I just wanted to update everyone on how the team is doing. Thanks for you prayers! We all love you and miss you, I'm sure I can speak for us all!

Be blessed,

Jamie

Training Camp Highlight Video

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A long time AIM leader and the worship leader for the FYM Awakening in South Africa, Kristen McMullen, put together a great highlight video. We'd like to share the video with you so you can have a picture of the events of the last week. Thank you for all of your continued prayers and support.

Be Blessed,

The Admissions Department

They Have Arrived!!

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Nicaragua team has arrived in Managua safely!
Please keep this team in your prayers as God guides and directs them through Nicaragua!

Commissioning Service

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Commissioning Service

September 14 at 8PM

This is a sweet time as the teams will be prayed over and get ready to GO!

Parents may attend, and are welcome to attend, but please remember that this is a team time and your child may not have much time to spend with you. Some teams take over two hours to be prayed over. This is not a time for you to reconnect but a time for them to be sent with blessings and affirmation.

We look forward to sending another group of participants out and watching God work in their lives and the lives of the people they will be ministering too.

What a great week we have had so far with your son and daughters. The teams are bonding and getting excited to go.

Thanks for the honor to be a part of your family's life.

FYM's Have Arrived

Tue, 9 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

All the FYM's have arrived safely and their first day of Training Camp is going great.

Today was a lot of team builders and bonding time.

What a great group of participants they are, you should be proud.

Final Paperwork Past Due One Week

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Your final paperwork is past due!
This was expected to be in the office. If you Account Page does not show that all is in; you need to get that done today, NO EXCEPTIONS!

You need to mail ALL the documents to:

Adventures In Missions
Admissions Department

6000 Wellspring Trl

Gainesville, GA 30506

I Believe In Humility

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"I would rather have some wrong doctrines and humility than to have perfect orthodoxy on every point and no humility." -Jack Deere

WHAT???? No way man, I am the son of an E-Free pastor and I do have perfect orthodoxy and after all that is what Christians should want most...right??(my initial response)(thank you Lord for your grace!) This statement by Jack Deere was a tough one to swallow.

As I started learning more about the bible and theology, I started to enjoy picking out flaws in other peoples actions and understandings. Not to love them or to encourage them, but to show them that I knew better! I listened to a message by John Piper, and he described our understanding as looking at our reflections in a platter, we can kinda make out the image, but we don't see it clearly.

Another analogy he gave was that spiritual gifts are like street lamps. Prophecy and healing are occasional in this dark and fallen world, but when we get to heaven it is like day time and we won't need street lamps because we will see everything! Thanks to the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit we can begin to comphrehend the bible, but we are still humans with feeble minds in the presence of the sovereign God.

With or without great knowledge, pride pushes me away from my father and any brothers or sisters in Christ who do not have the same exact understandings as I do. Yes I want to know and understand the ways of my father, but not to boast like the pharisees, but to love him more with a humble attitude!

On this trip I am sure there will theological differences with team members, but I pray we carry our beliefs with humility, and build up the unity of the group.

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" 1 Peter 5:5

I believe

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I BELIEVE my life is a constant struggle between living for God and living to gain worldly pleasures. I believe that Jesus came to earth and died for me, gave his life so that I can walk the face of this earth and possibly falter in my walk and still not perish in the fires of hell. I believe that there is one God and he inspired certain people to write a book called the Bible and we should follow the Bible as closely as we can as Christians. And what I also believe is that all of my worldly accomplishments and my hording of material wealth will hold no weight when I cease to rise one day.

With all of these beliefs, there lies an inherent choice, who will I serve? This realization of choice rebounds throughout the boundaries of my life and it is through the music of one Christian rapper that causes this to reiterate so much. Tommy Kyllonen, AKA Urban D., a man who is the pastor of the 13^th most innovative church in America, brings his love of the hip-hop culture into the church each week and there is time for poetry, live DJ's, art, and many other things that allow the church to relay the same message in a way that connects better with the youth of this generation. In his song, "Who do you Serve?" the chorus repeats the phrase, "We're here to challenge you son, who do you serve?" The group lists off very real things like "half dressed girls," "money," and even "pinky rings." On top of Christianity, my belief is that in every decision in life, every temptation, I should remind myself of Who I serve.

Life choices aren't easy, however, and I choose to serve myself in many instances. To give me strength and comfort in choosing God, I look to a verse which I happened to stumble across one day in Job 11:14:

"If you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm without fear."

Directions to Airport and Gainesville

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If driving to the Atlanta airport you should arrive between 11AM and 3PM, if driving to Gainesville you are to arrive between 4-5PM.

Directions to the Atlanta Airport :
MEETING AT THE AIRPORT: When you fly into the airport you are to meet in the Atrium, located right outside security. It is a huge gathering room with lots of sofas, food court etc. We will be there to meet you . Look for us in our Aim t-shirts and big smiles :) .

Directions to Adventures In Missions
Gainesville, Georgia

From Atlanta, Hartsfield Atlanta Airport and the South:

Take the Connector (I-75/I-85) northbound until the two interstates split just north of Midtown. Though I-85 heads northeast and would appear to split off to the right, be cautioned: I-85 is a left exit and only the left three lanes will take you there safely! Stay northbound on I-85. You willl pass under the Perimeter (I-285) at Spaghetti Junction. Continue northward on I-85 until you reach exit 113, which is the beginning of I-985. Take I-985 (also a left exit) northbound for 24 miles until you reach exit 24. Exit there. Take a left at the end of the exit ramp, towards downtown Gainesville. You are on U.S. Hwy 129. It takes just under an hour from downtown to get to this point.

Continue north on Hwy 129 (you will turn right about a mile from the interstate and another right at a T in the road). You will cross over Lake Lanier at two points: the Chattahoochee River fork and the Little River fork. A few miles beyond the second bridge you will come to a traffic light. You will take a right at the light onto Nopone Road . Follow Nopone for 1 mile to Bogus Road ; turn left onto Bogus. You will see our sign about a mile in on the left hand side (but you won't see a building). Turn left into our driveway and you will come to our building.

From Greenville/Charlotte and the Eastern Seaboard:

Take I-85 southbound from Greenville/Spartanburg until you cross the Georgia state line at Hartwell Lake. Continue southward until you reach exit 137 ( Gainesville/ Jefferson). Exit there, turning right at the end of the ramp, towards Gainesville. You are on U.S. Hwy 129. Travel for about 17 miles until you cross over I-985, then follow the instructions in the second paragraph above.

From Chattanooga/Nashville and the Midwest or Appalachia:

Take I-75 (or I-24) southbound from Chattanooga until you cross the Georgia state line. Continue southward on I-75 until you reach exit 312, which is State Hwy 53. Go east on 53, being careful to stay on 53 as it goes through some small towns and makes a few turns. After going through the town of Dawsonville you will come to a major intersection with GA 400. Go north (left) on 400 to the very next traffic light and turn right on Harmony Church Rd. You will come to a stop sign a the jct. of 136 ( Price Rd. ). Turn right on 136. Travel on 136 for about 10 miles and it will end at Rt. 60. Make a right on 60 ( Thompson Br. Rd. ) and then a left at the very next light which is 283 ( Mt. Vernon Rd. ). Take 283 to the first stop sign and turn right on Jim Hood Rd. After a few miles you will come to a light - US 129. Go straight and the road becomes Nopone Rd. Go about a mile and turn left at the top of a hill on Bogus Rd. Go a mile on Bogus and you will see the sign for Adventures in Missions on the left. Turn there and follow the road to the end and you have arrived. Note: This is a 2 lane, windy road and is about 80 miles across, taking about 2 hours from the I-75 exit.

Alternate Route via interstate. Take I-75 south to I-285 and go east on I-285 to I-85. Go north on I-85 to exit 113, I-985. Take I-985 north to exit 24, US 129. You can then follow the directions above in coming from Atlanta. Note: This way is much longer mileage wise and sometimes much longer time wise, depending on the time of day and the Atlanta area traffic. But it's all interstate until you get to 129 (the last 10 miles).

TGYT - Meet Cartoon Character

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Would you rather...

meet Fred Flinstone or Yogi Bear?

Ministry Opportunities

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I just got this note from Heather King, one of our staff members in Nicaragua about some ministry opportunities:

We have a group of people through Iglesia Torre Fuerte who are interested in taking an ESL class. Is there anyone in the group with teaching interest or background who would be willing to help me head this up?

Also, sports is an area where we really might be able to plug in some FYMs. Does anyone have enough soccer experience to help coach?

We have some soccer balls and jerseys which have been donated which we will be taking down as well. So, anyone interested in coaching soccer, there's an opportunity.

I Believe

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I believe in the paradoxes of Christianity. I don't know if I'll ever be able to wrap my head around them completely, but life continues to reveal to me the truth of the upside-down nature of God. Nothing about these paradoxes makes earthly sense, but that's where faith comes in, I suppose. The very nature of a paradox is that it seems contradictory...impossible, even. But right now I believe the Lord is trying to teach me to surrender my attempts at understanding His ways, and just trust Him. The paradox I feel like I'm sitting in right now is that in weakness there is strength. The verses in 2 Corinthians 12 say it all...

"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. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Cor. 12:9-10

As I am preparing to leave my home, family, friends, comfort zone, and so much more, it is easy to let fear of the unknown creep into my thoughts. If I do not purpose to truly believe that God's power is made perfect in my weakness, then I am living in fear...but perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18) and God is perfect love. My prayer is that I would learn to recognize weakness as an opportunity for God's glory to shine even greater as I move aside and watch his power and strength perform miracles in seemingly hopeless situations. He says his grace is sufficient. I want to live like I believe it...

A Few More Details

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I was talking to Charles Kaye the other day and was asking some specific questions about clothing, logistics, and stuff like that. Here are some things which would be good for you to know:

1. Piercings and Tattoos - The fewer the better. Any piercings more than in the ear will need to be removed when involved in ministry. Tattoos will need to be covered as much as possible.

2. Clothing Issues - Girls will need to wear dresses reaching the knee or below most of the time doing ministry. At other times, shorts are fine as long as they are knee length. Very few people even wear shorts in Nicaragua. No tank tops, it's best that shirts have sleeves. Make sure you have a sturdy pair of shoes for walking and working.

3. You will be living in a house with running water and electricity. Everyone will have a bed.

4. For spending money bring an ATM card so you can get cash as needed. You won't need a lot, but will need some for personal needs.

5. To get on the internet you will go to an internet cafe. We will provide you with some time each week on line for blog updates and communicating with home. You may need to purchase additional time for skype calls and other things.

The time is getting close. As we have further information we will let you know. We'll see you all in 2 weeks.

Reimbursements General Facts

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Once your entire trip and airfare is paid for, you may submit your additional trip
expenses to us for reimbursement from your account. The allowable reimbursements
are those expenses which you incur as a direct result of your participation on this trip.
The IRS limits us on what can be reimbursed - things they consider direct expenses for
this trip.

The items you can submit for reimbursement are:
Airfare tickets
Medical insurance
Shots needed only for this trip
Passport and Visa expenses for this trip only

To be reimbursed for these expenses, you MUST submit your receipts to us prior to
training camp. The original receipt is the only form we can accept. WE CANNOT
ACCEPT CHARGE CARD STATEMENTS OR A COPY OF A CHECK.

We will process those receipts and reimburse you only if you have the amount to cover
the cost in your support account. We will provide a partial reimbursement if the funds
left in your support account do not cover the entire receipt after your trip is complete. We process reimbursements:
After you leave on your trip
Mid-Way through the trip
Upon completion of the trip

Sometimes in the summer months it is difficult to keep up with the demand of
reimbursements. Plan on your reimbursement check taking about a month to process
from leaving on your trip to a month after the completion of your trip.

Any additional money which comes in after your trip is complete will go toward covering
any trip deficit you may have, but cannot be used for reimbursement of expenses.

When submitting receipts to us, please fill out the reimbursement form that you can find
from your Account page.

Again, ALL REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO US PRIOR TO YOU GOING OUT.

I Believe

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The summer before my freshman year in high school I was asked to be on the summer staff at our local Bible camp, Camp Joy. I'd grown up going to camp so I was extremely excited to take on the challenge of being a staff member. Little did I know what God would do through my time as a staff member! Every summer since then, I've been continually stretched and molded through my experiences on camp staff. For me it has been the adventure of a lifetime.

In Matthew 18 Jesus tells the disciples, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me." These verses have really challenged me as I serve God through Camp Joy. I've learned so much through the lives of the children God allows me to reach out to. Jesus talks a bit about becoming like a child and having faith like a child. Children live with simple faith. They ask lots of questions. They enjoy life; they smile! If only everyone would view God with that same simple faith as that of a child. The children I work with have taught me so much about what it really means to live a life of faith. I wouldn't trade my summers at camp for anything. To think that God may have used me in the life of even one child is enough to keep me doing what I do! It's even more amazing though to think of the impact those children have had on my life...God has showed me so much through children. It's my desire now to live with faith like a child.

Are You Blogging?

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Blog pages are a tool we have provided to you to be able to keep people up to date on your journey as well as a way to connect with each other. I know most of you stay connected through Facebook, but we would also like you to be updating your personal blog page on a regular basis. The blog page is also a way in which people can support you. So, if you're not directing people to your blog page and keeping it interesting, then you may be missing out on some support as well.

As you prepare to go, we ask that you post regularly and comment on the team page as well as others on your team. We have also asked that you post an "I Believe" article on the team page. Some of you have not done that yet. While on the field we want you to put up weekly updates to keep people informed so they can be praying for you and supporting you. Blogging is an integral part of the program and it has proven very beneficial.

Below I've listed some of you who have not posted an "I Believe" article or put your Bio up or posted anything on your page. Please make that happen so we can get to know you better. Thanks!

The following have not posted "I Believe" articles:

Caleb Austin

Melissa Brown

Joseph Carter

Rebecca Chuckney

Sylvia Harvie

Sarah Morgen

Laura Overs

Caleb Spitler

Anna-Marie Valenziano

Joann Weng

These have not put up a Bio on their page:

Rebecca Chuckney

Syliva Harvie

Joann Weng

These haven't posted any articles on their page yet:

Melissa Brown

Joseph Carter

Rebecca Chuckney

Sylvia Harvie

Anna-Marie Valenziano

Joann Weng

Please do some work on these this weekend. I appreciate you guys and can't wait to meet each one of you. God has some great things in store for each of you.

Parent's Reception

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Parent's Reception

September 8, 2008

4-6PM Registration for Participants

Take a Tour of the Facilities

Enjoy light snacks

Watch a slide show of our previous trips

6PM Parent's Meeting

Learn more about Adventures In Missions

Hear about the Training Camp Experience

Come and get your Questions Answered

Meet the Staff

7PM Dinner

Cost $5 to Parents

Parents are welcome to remain for the worship time after dinner.

To attend please RSVP to admissions@adventures.org

Suggested Hotels in Gainesville:

Ramada Limited Gainesville

766 Jesse Jewel parkway

1-985 @ Exit 20

Gainesville, GA 30501

770-287-3205

Days Inn

520 Queen City Parkway

Gainesville, GA 30501

770-535-8100

Apparently I didn't know how to post on here... hmmm now I do!

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

For the longest time I have been thinking about what it is that I should blog about next. I have to tell you that I have felt as though I should speak on mixed signals in our lives. You know, so many times in our lives we have confusing ideas and confusing thoughts. Things that we aren't sure if God has called us to do or not. All to often we make decisions in our lives without even consulting our creator, the very one that gave us our desires for certain things. We have God given desires. God has given us the desire to be loved, the desire to love. He has given me the desire to help others in need. He has also given us abilities. I'm a strong, healthy 23 year old, with endless abilities. I have so many opportunities in my life. Yet, at times I must confess that I don't allow God His rightful place in my life. I think that sometimes we get so comfortable in our stuff. You know, the things that we take pride in. Our house, our cars, our jobs, our clothes. We never begin to think about what if God never blessed us with these things in the first place. Everything that we have is because of Him. He has given it to us, He can take it all away in a heartbeat.

I was driving to Tim Hortons the other day. For my American friends that are reading this, Tim Hortons is the equivalent to Starbucks. I was driving along with the radio on, listening to my favorite country station. Ya they were probably playing some Rascal Flatts or some awesome group like that! So as I was driving down the road, I started to hear voices! Ha! Don't worry, I'm not crazy. I was hearing another station come in. It was ok for a couple more minutes, only now and then would the stations overlap. The further I drove, my beloved country station became very hard to decipher what was playing!

As this was all going on, I had a thought. Our relationship with God is alot like that very station. When we are close to Him, when we are in constant communication with Him, we have a very strong 'signal'. As we make choices in our life though, choices that aren't first talked about with God, choices that are wrong, we get further from God. As we get further from God, it's harder to see what it is that we should be doing in our lives. Ya, just like with the radio, at first it's hard to notice. It's only once in a while that you get some interference. But the farther we 'drive' away, the harder it is to hear the voice of God in our lives. Let me encourage you to see it for what it is. Is it beginning to feel more difficult to talk with God. Are you not getting the 'signal'? Perhaps it's time for you to turn around and head back to Him.

In my personal life I have recently been very blessed. I have so many oppurtunities coming at me, but I must continue to always bring it back to God. I am so excited for what God is doing in my heart and in my life. He's changing me from the inside out. He's making me the man of God I've always longed to be. One of those blessings is a person. God has blessed me with an amazing, godly woman of God. I've never known what it is like to be in a relationship with someone who desires to put God first in all that she does. We feel so blessed that God has put us together. We're excited about the future! That's the awesome thing about putting God first in your relationships. Not only in dating relationships either. I'm talking about relationships with friends, with family, with coworkers, with spouses, even with those people that you just can't seem to get along with! As Nicola would say, we have to always bring it back to God, that is where you will find fulfilment in your relationships. Are your relationships strained? Bring it back to God.

Thanks so much for reading my blog, I love to let people know what is on my heart and how I'm doing in my walk with Christ. If you are looking for some practical ways to pray for me, well, here they are! Pray protection over me from spiritual warfare. I feel it, it's there, and I need your prayers. Pray that God would continue to work in my life. Pray that He become number one in all of my relationships with others, and that I take every oppurtunity I have to tell people of the love of Christ through my actions. Please pray for a friend that is very close and dear to me. They are going through a rough time and need your prayers. Will you pray that they will see that when we turn to Christ, things are much better.

Let me just pray with you before I sign off, after all, God can read too!

Lord thank you for today and all that you bring us. We want to dedicate today to you and say that you are master over our lives, and we desire for your heart, to be our heart. Father we desire to be intimate with you, to know your desires and wants for us. Lord, remove anything in our lives that hinder us from being closer to you. We love you Lord and are so thankful for what you did on the cross. I pray this is Christ name, Amen

50% of your trip cost is past due

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

50% of your trip cost is past due:

You should have this approximate amount in your support account.

This amount is:

FYM - $3500

If you do not have this much in your account, let me remind you that you must talk with your program director within the next week. If you do not meet your financial goals, we have to enforce the consequences listed in your handbook. We are praying that God provides all you need this week! Remember, we are here to talk and pray with you - call us anytime.

Final Paper Work Due in 1 Week

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

PAPERWORK - Check on your Account page and see if you have all your paperwork marked as being in. If NOT, then read the next paragraph.

In one week ALL your paperwork is due in the office. If you do not have your physical scheduled, then do that TODAY! If you have not looked into securing insurance, then do that TODAY! You cannot put this off any longer. To process all the papers and get you ready to go out is a BIG job and we NEED your paperwork!!!! You will NOT be able to go on this trip unless it is all turned in

4 Weeks Before Trip: Funds Needed

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In 4 weeks you are leaving on your trip.

You need to have 60% of your trip cost in your account and the rest in pledges before we can let you go on your trip.

If you have over $1000 to go then you need to spend some time support raising in the next few weeks.

We STRONGLY suggest that you think of 20 people to call and ASK if they would consider supporting you in this ministry. Here is what you can say, "In 4 weeks I am leaving for _____________. I am so exicted to go and get involved in the ministry that Adventures In Missions has set up for our team. We will be doing relational ministry. (expand more on this) I am short of the funds that I need at this time. Will you prayerfully consider supporting me in this ministry?" (Let them know how they can support you)

We would love to help you with this in any way that we can. If you have questions or need help in any way, please call.

We pray that God will supply your funds needed for this trip.

Final Paper Work Due in 2 Weeks

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In just about 2 weeks ALL of your paperwork needs to be turned in!!! We need to process it in the office and we need time to do that before you leave for your trip. You CANNOT bring the paperwork with you to training camp and expect for it to be processed before you leave!! Please get that into us as soon as you can!!!

Here is the paperwork that needs to be turned in:

Copy of Passport: If not already turned in

Medical Release: This needs to have a Doctors Signature

Participants Release: This needs to be notarized

Shot Record: This MUST be on the form we have provided

Proof of Insurance: Copy the front and back of your Insurance Card

Travel Arrangement Form

Directions to Airport and Gainesville

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

If driving to the Atlanta airport you should arrive between 11AM and 3PM, if driving to Gainesville you are to arrive between 4-5PM.

Directions to Adventures In Missions
Gainesville, Georgia

From Atlanta, Hartsfield Atlanta Airport and the South:

From Greenville/Charlotte and the Eastern Seaboard:

From Chattanooga/Nashville and the Midwest or Appalachia:

Almost time!!

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Yay there are about 27 days left until I leave for training camp in GA and then off to Nicaragua!! I am getting very excited to depart and meet all of my teammates. After sending out all of my support letters God has really provided for me and rewarded my trust and faith in him. My Grandpa continually reminds me of Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight. This verse always stuck out to me as some simple verse that I learned in Sunday school, but as I have gotten older and had to rely on the Lord more I have come to realize what a powerful verse that can be. Trusting in the Lord and acknowledging him in all of your ways can be extremely tough but if you focus on the Lord he will provide the rest. In raising this support and preparing for the trip I have learned to keep this verse close and let it, my friends and family be a great encouragement to me. None of this trip would be possible without God, my family, friends, church members, and others who have reached out to me. I feel so humble and blessed to recieve so much. I will use these blessings to lift up my team and those whom I serve in Nicaragua. All that God has given me will be used to exalt his kingdom and I will acknowledge him in all my actions.

In further trip updates I am quite close to my financial goal and am working hard to get in the rest of my funds. Last weekend I put together a yardsale to raise support for the trip. I didn't have a lot of things to sell but I called people I knew and asked if they would like to donate items for me to sell. I recieved a lot of support and collected a lot of items. Then with the help of some of my close friends and my family I priced all of the items, made signs and set up tables for the big day. I posted a note along with a donation box at the cash table alerting people to the purpose of the yardsale and that all proceeds would go towards funding my trip. People were fairly responsive and it gave me another opportunity to share with others what Christ has been doing in my life. It was great to find encouragement from complete strangers and I raised about $20 in my donation box. From the yardsale I earned about $500 dollars which was uplifting.

Currently I am just preparing for the trip and getting stuff together. Thank you to everyone who is continually supporting me I appreciate it greatly. Check back here for further updates. :)

Meet Your Leadership Team

Thu, 7 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Some of you may have already been interacting with them, but let me officially introduce you to the two who will be with you in training camp and then in Nicaragua as well.

Tana Turner Jamie O'Shea

You can read about them on their blog pages and interact with them. Tana just completed a year with the World Race last year and Jamie was an intern with us in Swaziland last Spring. Along with these two, you will also get to know:

The Kayes, Charles and Sarah Heather King
along with Banks and Willa

They are part of our Nicaragua staff and will be working closely with all of you. You will get to know and love them deeply.

Reimbursements General Facts

Wed, 6 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Once your entire trip and airfare is paid for, you may submit your additional trip
expenses to us for reimbursement from your account. The allowable reimbursements
are those expenses which you incur as a direct result of your participation on this trip.
The IRS limits us on what can be reimbursed - things they consider direct expenses for
this trip.

The items you can submit for reimbursement are:
Airfare tickets (to and from Atlanta as well as your Christmas flight)
Medical insurance
Shots needed only for this trip
Passport and Visa expenses for this trip only

To be reimbursed for these expenses, you MUST submit your receipts to us prior to
training camp. The original receipt is the only form we can accept. WE CANNOT
ACCEPT CHARGE CARD STATEMENTS OR A COPY OF A CHECK.

We will process those receipts and reimburse you only if you have the amount to cover
the cost in your support account. We will provide a partial reimbursement if the funds
left in your support account do not cover the entire receipt after your trip is complete. We process reimbursements:
After you leave on your trip
Mid-Way through the trip
Upon completion of the trip

Sometimes in the summer months it is difficult to keep up with the demand of
reimbursements. Plan on your reimbursement check taking about a month to process
from leaving on your trip to a month after the completion of your trip.

Any additional money which comes in after your trip is complete will go toward covering
any trip deficit you may have, but cannot be used for reimbursement of expenses.

When submitting receipts to us, please fill out the reimbursement form that you can find
from your Account page.

Again, ALL REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO US PRIOR TO YOU GOING OUT.

Not sure where to ask...

Wed, 6 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I have asked a few people but I guess not the right ones or not at the right times! So I was hoping that someone on here would be able to answer.

Is there anything that I can take down for the missionaries already in Nicaragua? My aunt and uncle are missionaries and I know they love getting small things like licorice or ranch dressing. Anything we can bring to encourage them?

Also, will we be able to leave anything in Nicaragua over Christmas break? I know that personally, coming back to Nica in January, I will have a few quick flight changes that would go a lot smoother if I only had to worry about my carry-on.

Thanks so much! --Jessica

50% Funds Due in One Week

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

You should have 50% of your trip cost in your Support Account:

This amount is:

$3500

Give us a call if you feel you are not going to make the goal and we would love to give you pointers and help you out!