Prayer for Cuba

Overwhelmed

We are coming home today. This morning as I sit here with God on the third floor I realize I am overwhelmed by His the love that He has poured out on us during the trip. Our times together as a group the last few nights have been incredible! On Wednesday we went into La Chureca in the morning. We went into the school and played with the kids during recess. We talked about how awesome their instantaneous love was, they just reached up and and held on tightly when you picked them up. They could play for hours and they had giant smiles on their faces. Such a humble blessing to be loved like that! We walked around the dump too and went by a clinic there too and there was this little boy crying. Janeen translated that he was with his mom and she fainted and they fell into a burning trash pile and his feet were burned. I know this is not an abnormal experience and it breaks my heart, I mean really breaks my heart...my heart aches when I think about how much God loves those people, they are His children and yet here they are, settling for the trash of this world. I wonder how often I break God's heart by settling for the trash of this world too. 

Wednesday afternoon we went to Ruby's, a friend of the Buzbees and Farringtons. She prayed over each one of us and it was such a raining down of the Holy Spirit. So refreshing and completely overwhelming that God chose to meet us and strengthen us and love us so much.

Wednesday night, during our group time, Janeen led us in a prayer time and then we washed each other's feet and wrote love letters to God. What a sweet time with the group and so powerful! 

Thursday we went to the market in the morning and then visited Casa Havilah and Casa Roble-the two rescue homes they have started down here. It was great to see the kids again, 14 of the 17 girls came to camp with us and a few of the boys came from Roble to camp, so it was nice to see them again, play a little and say goodbye to them.

We are coming home today and for me it's always bittersweet. I cannot wait to see my husband and son, but each time I come here, God connects my heart even more, and it gets harder to leave. Again I am overwhelmed by the love that I have felt for the people on this trip with me, by God's grace that He just lavishes on us, by how much I love the people here, by how humbled I am to be the "leader" of this trip and used in any way at all, by how majestic our God is and that when you come on a trip like this you realize that God is really God of everything everywhere.

-Kay

Please pray for the medical team who is on their way here right now!

 

Goodbye Campo Alegria

This morning was a slightly gut-wrenching mix of relief and nostalgia. After breakfast we had worship, then did our Bible, English, and art classes as one big group. Then we swam for a half hour, pulled the sheets off all the bunk beds, and had the kids pack their muchilas. After a few great group photos and a ton of hugs, we loaded the kids on the big yellow bus and ran after it, waving and yelling our best Spanish farewells the whole way. 

Quick sidenote-- Chachi told the first-time Campo Alegria counselors among us that if they didn't run after the bus they weren't really Christians. Normally I would scoff at such nonsense, but this time I was in full agreement. You can't spend four days with those kids, then just hug them and put them on a bus and stand there while it hauls them off.

Five minutes after they were gone, I found myself looking at the photo in the wooden frame I decorated Monday in arts & crafts class. I swallowed hard and replayed the last 90 or so hours in my head. Dabbing at my eyes, my thoughts landed on the revelation that tonight I would most likely get a full night of uninterrupted sleep for the first time in four days. This week was a lot of work, but I can't think of anything more worthwhile or more fun that I could have been doing.

-Jason Richards

Monday in Nica

There are few moments in Miami when you find yourself really slowing down to take in each moment.  I feel like every minute here is like that.  The children here are teaching me so many lessons, like how to be thankful for what you have and how to have some crazy fun sliding down a 15 foot pile of sand and gushing water without fear! Their smiles are contagious and I find myself enjoying the lack of technology and the abundant time we have to spend with one another as a result.

Some of the girls have taught our team the Hanana Montana dance which is awesome that some things are cross cultural (haha)!  I have been working with 15-17 year olds and we named our team the green crocodiles singing "We will, we will rock you" accept we re-wrote it as "Vivan, Vivan los verdes...vivan vivan los coco-drilos."  I don' think it makes any sense but you still gotta love their creativity.

God is all over this place.  It's been awesome to worship as one big FAMILY and to love on these kids.  I think one of the biggest things God is teaching me is that we are all missionaries.  It doesn't matter if you are in Nicaragua or in Miami we are on mission all the time called to LOVE each person we meet.

~Jenny Becker

Havana Mission Team

Day 1: The Cuba Team of 14 arrived in Havana on June 23rd. Their was clear opposition at the airport as most of the team was questioned about their reasons for visiting Cuba. It was a wonderful time to practice Spirit-led prayer and to have complete confidence in the Lord's leading at the airport. We all got through. Pastor Abel Hernandez from Victory Outreach Church was waiting outside eager to be in community with his Miami family.
Day 2, 3, 4: The team hosted a children and teen camp at the "Curita" Park in Havana Vieja. The team played sports with the children, taught them dances and did arts and crafts. Even the adults walking through the park learned the dances. At the completion of each day, the children, teens and adults gathered as the camp leaders shared their testimony and the Gospel. Many people gave their lives to the Lord. Those who did were connected to Victory Outreach Church for discipleship.
Day 4: Friday evening the team along with the church's young adults gathered for a time of worship and sharing the Gospel at the Park "G." A demon-possessed man attacked the group and specifically our team. We continued to worship and pray fervently to be able to do the work the Lord had planned for us. He finally left in a rage and we moved to preach the good news of Jesus to teens and young adults at the park.
Day 5: The team and Victory Outreach Church crammed inside two yellow school buses and headed to Lenin Park about 30 minutes outside Havana for a time of worship, fellowship and food. We had a great day!
Day 6: Sunday was our "Family Day." The team members invited any family living in Havana to gather for lunch and a devotional time. Pastor Able shared the good news of Jesus and invited them to attend the afternoon church service. During the church service many team members shared their experience in Cuba.
Day 7: As we headed to the airport, there was concern that 2 members of the team would not be able to travel back due to immigration problems. The team prayed at the airport and the issue was resolved immediately. We arrived in Miami on June 29th.

Pictures coming soon!

First Day

Well, the kids arrived yesterday morning and we had our first day of camp! It was awesome! We have 35 kids here from the ages of 6-15! We had a great time getting into our groups and having our rotation times (arts n crafts, bible, english, and rec). Last night we had our worship time and we talked about how we can worship through the arts. We talked about David and how he worshipped our God. Girls from Casa Havilah did two dances-a folklore Nica dance, and a praise song dance. It was beautiful to see them dance! Our theme this camp is "I can worship...". Today we are talking about how we can worship God through serving others. It should be a fun day and the sun is out this morning and we are ready to go! The kid were up this morning at 5am! :) 

Please pray for our counselors and the kids-that we have the energy :) to keep up with them, that we can have fun and really show God's love to the kids, and that they leave here at least knowing that they can worship God in all areas of their life!

-Kay Gackle

In Nicaragua!

We have internet now at Campo Alegria! First year!

We made here safely to Nicaragua yesterday! Everything went smoothly and the 2 hour drive to Campo Alegria was uneventful and relaxing! We set up the camp store, rec and arts and crafts last night before dinner. We had a sweet prayer time together as a group before heading to bed early-we were tired! :) 

The kids arrive today to Camp! We are so excited to get to meet them and love them for the next  days! 

Thank you for your continued prayers for us and this trip~

-Kay Gackle (and Nica Camp Team 09)