The first team was the youth group of Calvary Chapel of Delta. The Lord put it on Pastor Doug's heart to include our youth group from Capilla del Calvario de Barahona as part of their mission team. So, our youth went on their first missions trip, right in their own neighborhood. It was amazing. Each American teenager was paired up with a Dominican teenager. They spent the week with their partner in discipleship classes, community work projects, cleaning the ministry house, preparing meals and evangelizing.
The work project was digging trenches for pipes to connect homes to our well to deliver water directly to the homes in the community. We connected 8 homes to the well. It was a joy for our kids to help their community.
The discipleship course went over all the basic truths of the Bible: Creation, Sin, Jesus, Salvation.
Evangelism was the activity that stretched our kids the most. They did not have much experience and were nervous. But by the end of the week, they were looking forward to it. It really grows your faith when you stand before a stranger and have to put into words why you believe in Jesus and what He has done for you.
It was great for our kids to spend time with the American teens. They were interested to know our kids and everyone became quick friends. The whole week forced our kids to step out of their comfort zones, to push themselves, to rely on the Lord and to do things they had never done before. They worked hard, they played hard and served Jesus together.
Here is a short video of the week put together by one of the team members from CC Delta, Ben Otte.
The following week came the youth of Calvary Chapel Central Bucks. They are a large group of almost 40 people. We did work projects in the community. They put in several floors and bathrooms in various homes on the mountain.
They also held a two day purity conference for all the teenagers of the sponsorship program and of our church. That is something that is so desperately needed. The kids need to hear God's heart for sex and purity and marriage. The culture here, much like in the States, has it all wrong. It was a powerful two days. There were at least 30 young ladies and 30 young men in attendance both days. Please pray that the truth that was shared those two days will take root in their hearts and their lives and that each of those teens will make the decision to remain pure and to glorify Jesus with their lives and their bodies.
Our youth drama group teamed up with the drama group from CC Central Bucks and performed together at a community outreach in the village Don Bosco. A large number of kids from the community came out and the two youth groups presented dramas, puppets, Bible stories and music.
CC Central Bucks also offered an evangelism workshop to our youth group kids. They brought some evangelism tools with them and helped the kids mark some key verses in their Bibles to make it easier to locate when sharing with someone. Our youth appreciated the workshop and were able to use the things they learned when the third group arrived, Calvary Chapel York
CC York focused a lot on evangelism. Our youth were invited each day to go out with the team and share in the community. Many people received the Lord. Many people heard the truth. Many seeds were planted. It was exciting to see our youth kids show up each day to go share the truth in their community. These are their neighbors, their friends, their family.
As we look back over the month, its amazing to see how the Lord wove everything together. He put a specific purpose on the hearts of each team from the US and it all fit together. The Lord used this summer to stretch, strengthen, challenge and change the teens of our church. We pray that as they prepare to return to school this week that they will hold fast to the things the Lord has spoken to their hearts this summer. We pray they remain strong in their faith, that they take a stand for Jesus in their schools and among their unbelieving friends and family.
We are so thankful for each team that came this summer. Thank you for your hard work, your planning, your sacrifice, your heart for the ministry and the people. Thank you for serving Jesus and our community. Thank you for loving our teens and for encouraging them, discipling them, teaching them, motivating them. Please continue to pray for them. The battle is real for their lives. Their souls are secure in Jesus, but Satan is still trying to ruin their lives. He knows the mighty work God can do through them to change this entire community. He wants to stop it, but Jesus is stronger.
Thank you Ben Otte, Jeremy Damiano and Chrissie Hastoglis for allowing us to use your pictures! We appreciate it!
