Maree: "seeing God at work"
For me it was an awesome time of being challenged and meeting challenges, being blessed, and a time of seeing God working in amazing circumstances and places. The high point for me was leading a Bible study on water baptism and having a family of 6 deciding to be baptized.
Tim: "the icing on the cake"
Wow! The last 12 days have certainly been a time of challenges, and have not been without problems. I have found myself at times (plenty, actually), being asked to lead devotions, pray for everything from healing to strength, which is something that I'm not used to having to do, at least not as often as I did.
Seeing changes that have taken place in the lives of the contacts, the faces now smiling and expressing joy, or the crippled who had left their home for the first time in probably a long time, all makes it worthwhile.
The relationships formed not just amongst the teams, but amongst the contacts of the new church, and the contacts who now have a relationship with God, really is the icing on the cake.
John: "challenged"
I went to the Philippines uncertain as to why God had called me to go. Spending over a week with other Christians intent on doing Gods work has provided the perfect environment to recharge my Spiritual batteries - to spend time with my Lord in a way that required me to look to Him to see me through what He had called me to do. To see Him work in the lives of team and the people we visited was fantastic. I have been challenged by the real examples of how the Filipino team members lived out their faith. One team member used 1Th 5:16,17 as a devotion one morning. (Be joyful always, pray continuously) The challenge of this passage was reinforced through the example set by this person over the week in demonstrating it in his life.
John: "challenged"
I went to the Philippines uncertain as to why God had called me to go. Spending over a week with other Christians intent on doing Gods work has provided the perfect environment to recharge my Spiritual batteries - to spend time with my Lord in a way that required me to look to Him to see me through what He had called me to do. To see Him work in the lives of team and the people we visited was fantastic. I have been challenged by the real examples of how the Filipino team members lived out their faith. One team member used 1Th 5:16,17 as a devotion one morning. (Be joyful always, pray continuously) The challenge of this passage was reinforced through the example set by this person over the week in demonstrating it in his life.
