Thank you!

Dave and I would like to sincerely thank you all for your prayers and support over the past several months and especially this past week.

We were up at 3:45 to head to the Cali airport at 4:30. 13 hours later, we touched down at DFW International Airport and met our wives and my children at the baggage claim.

Our bodies are tired, but the stories and excitement for our new brothers and sisters is still very exciting and energizing. We talked about our experiences on the way home, reliving the amazing things that God did this past week in a city that was once the capital of cocaine distribution from Colombia.

We read the comments and emails we received from home this week, using those words of encouragement to keep us going and remind us that while we are on the front lines of the battle, there were many "planners" working for us at home and across the nation.

Dave and I would like to ask you to do one more thing for us and for the entire Cali mission team. Please continue praying for the churches we worked with, the nationals who are now charged with continuing our work and for the new believers. We especially request prayers for the police officers who turned their life over to Christ this week. They have been given the unique opportunity to continue growing their numbers as another "church" of their own. If they can continue the momentum in the coming days, Cali can and will become a different city. The song "God of This City" by Chris Tomlin comes to mind. These young men and women have an incredible opportunity for revival from the inside out. Pray that they will be bold in demonstrating their faith to each other and within the communities they patrol.

Again, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting us and allowing us to play a small part in being the hands and feet of the church this week.

We love you all.

Dave & Matt

Leave Nothing

Nike's slogan 'Leave Nothing' was appropriate today as we closed our week-long mission trip in Cali, Colombia. Staying with our tradition of late nights, we depart for the airport in less than 4 hours for our 8:30 AM flight to Miami, and connection home to Texas.

The Victory Celebration, which brings together new "hermanos and hermanas en Cristo" from the 16 churches in Cali our 30-member group helped strengthen, was a "grande fiesta" as Matt likes to say, tonight. We had more than 650 in attendance, when it was announced our group had 4,075 Gospel presentations and 2,370 professions of faith in our four days in the field.

Staggering but equally saddening, realizing that many of us will share Jesus with someone maybe once in the next six months when returning to the States. Maybe once in the next year.

We went straight to the Celebration from the Colombian National Police Field Training Center in South Cali. It was there where we had a divine appointment (on our scheduled off day) with 50 members of the nation's Special Forces: stating our purpose in Colombia this week and presenting the Gospel to a circle of policia who spend their days battling drugs and guerillas in the area.

If you don't ask, you don't get the invitation, right? A key lieutenant from Special Forces picked up me and Matt, a fellow team member (Bill) and two translators (Samuel and Adrian) from our hotel ... and the rest was the Holy Spirit again directing our meeting. It was the first time in two mission trips that our "best 5 minutes" was a shared experience ... Matt and I had never been together before in the field.

What a cool new tradition.

Our presentation included my translator for the week, Samuel, a pastor in the area and former drug dealer/bodyguard for Pablo Escobar, sharing his testimony. Samuel (one of the most humble servants I've ever met) asked for forgiveness from the policia -- a group that he told he once hated. It was the "best 5 minutes of his life" he later said, followed by another "best 5 minutes of his life" at the Celebration, when he asked forgiveness from the 30 of us North Americans ... here we are in Colombia sharing Jesus and he had spent much of his life funneling drugs and weapons into the States from Colombia.

Samuel said tonight as we said "ciao/goodbye" that he is now free for the first time in his life. Getting the movie rights to his life might be a good idea right now, but Matt and I agree his story is far from complete.

When we were ready to pray, we asked any of the policia to step out and to walk to the center of the meeting space if they were bold enough and ready to choose a life finally directed by Jesus. 2 came forward of the 50. We knew our God was bigger than this. 5 more came. Then 10 more. When we began praying, 45 policia were gathered in the middle of the room, knowing they now had the biggest protector and comforter they could ever possess on their team.

We later prayed in a circle around the lieutenant, as he was mourning the recent death of seven of his policia and was seeking relief and peace from the tragedies that are always at risk within his rank. (Sorry Lisa ... Lt. Pedroza now owns my cross necklace.)

It was the first time Matt had watched me share the Gospel, and the first time I witnessed Matt explain that once you accept Jesus, you are a new creation (2 Corin. 5:17). He encouraged the policia to grow in their faith since they were baby Christians and would now be filled with tons of questions while studying God's word.

The pastor and his family from the 1st church my team helped strengthen this week, Iglesia Pan La Vida, were also at the meeting. Pastor Ciro, his wife Pilar and daughter Adriana, circulated materials to the policia equipping them to each grow in their faith. The church hosts Bible studies throughout the week for members of the policia; two policia lunched with us on Monday prompting my request to present to the group.

Maybe the best 5 minutes ... of our lifetimes.

Can't wait to see what God will do to top this. It just might be tomorrow if I keep my eyes open to his wonder, splendor and awesome power. After today, I believe more than ever He can accomplish the impossible.

Dave

Acts 4:20

"We cannot stop telling about everything that we have seen and heard." - Acts 4:20.

Having roomed together during our first E3 Partners campaign in Barranquilla, Colombia, two years ago, Matt and I knew what to expect this week ... late nights. We return from our two church sites and dinner around 9 PM, alternate a shower with completing our team reports ... then around 10 PM the stories start. And go, and go, and go.

Our tradition of sharing "your best 5 minutes" from the mission field has become a mainstay on my team as we head in our van from the church site to dinner. For Matt and I, there is no limitation on stories and I pity Matt for having to put up with my longwindedness.

My best 5 ... Lisa sent me to Colombia with a card of inspiration to open each day, and this morning she closed her note with "Be in Awe!!!" I shared the three words with my team and in explaining to Claudia who couldn't translate "awe" into Spanish I determined that some words are just unexplainable and deserve their own place.

You know awe when you see it. Before we left for the mission field in the morning, Pastor Juan at our church site prayed for miracles and healing of the sick today. The attached picture includes an elderly woman, who was wailing in pain when we entered her home around 2:30 PM. Samuel was emotional and animated translating to me as he walked quickly toward the middle of the home "Dave, she says she's dying ... she says she has a high fever ... she says she has diarrhea ... her daughter thinks she's dying ... she says she has a severe pain in her side and can't move."

As we sat down at her side, we were patient and calm, knowing God was in control. He had us at her home at the right time. Her excessive pain, and added frustration she shared at not understanding the difference between so many religions at such a vital time, was soon replaced by a relationship with Jesus ... a Savior who had been waiting a long time.

She couldn't remember the last time she had been able to "be" without pain. When we closed in prayer, I told her that she was in new creation, she was no longer alone in her fight ... and I asked her to stand up for this picture. Without hesitation, without fear and with her daughter also trusting in this transformation, she stood up, shuffled into her slippers and proclaimed herself pain free with a smile a mile wide. Praise God.

"When we walked into your home, you felt you were dying, crying out and scared at wondering were you were going. Now that you know where you're going, and know you will never be alone, you can start living again," I remarked.

God wasn't far from finished with his awe (even by the next house we entered), but I am. It's 2 AM and our breakfast meeting starts in five hours. Matt is on his bed penning a letter of thanks, in Spanish, to his two Colombian police officers who have protected his team all week.

Gotta love my roommate.

Gotta love our wondrous God.

Acts 2:47

"all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved."

This verse captures what I have seen this week. Everywhere we went, we saw churches who were praising God and enjoying what the people of the church provided. Their goodwill in most cases was just their commitment to assist in the field. Some missed work (and pay) to join us. They then were able to see how the Lord was adding to their fellowship and how many of these new people were being saved.

The picture below shows a scene that is nothing short of surreal to me. We were eating lunch today at our host church. After the meal was over, we usually sat back and waited until around 2 to head back out to the field. The main reason we wait is for siesta time when businesses and homes close for a couple of hours around lunch.

This scene was what happened after we finished eating.



What you see is 2 police officers reading from their own Bibles. They were being led in an impromptu Bible study by Nitin Christopher, one of our team members. He's a seminary student at Dallas Theological Society and felt led to teach these new Christians about sexual purity. They are young handsome men, who before this week were certainly engaged in things of the flesh. At the end of the table are 2 women who are living with their "husbands", really their live in boyfriends.

You can't put words to what was happening at that table. Andreas, the police officer on the right, is reading the Word out loud for all the table to hear. These officers and sisters were being discipled to and were given true life application from a caring brother. The questions they had were amazing, such insight and desire to learn.

Where else will you see this picture? I doubt you would see this very often at home.

The Lord was adding to the fellowship (the church) those who were being saved.

If you have joined us in prayer over this trip, for lives to be changed and for hearts to be opened, this picture is evidence that your prayers are being heard.

Matt

Invisible Touch

The original title for today's post was going to be "Another Day in Paradise" - a wonderful song from Phil Collins, but his Genesis days won out.

Dave and I are team leaders for different teams, so we see different parts of the city. We work with one church in one barrio on Monday & Tuesday and on Wednesday & Thursday we go to another barrio with another host church. Wednesdays are the 3 day in the field, but really, they are Monday all over again. We have to remind ourselves that we're going to be with a church that has been waiting for us since Sunday, when we met both church teams. They have continued to pray and prepare for our arrivals.

The first barrio I visited was described as being full of drug addicts, prostitutes and hitmen. It was, but it wasn't as apparent as you would think. This area looked like most areas within the city. There wasn't anything blatant about the activities that take place here.

The neighborhood today was not very far from the first neighborhood, but it was much different. Drugs were evident, homelessness was more prevalent and the oppressive feeling was much stronger. These places are my favorite to visit. There's something that God has put on my heart that just yearns for these areas. The people are authentic, they are needing hope and love, they are forgotten amongst the crime and despair.

We were warned by our church leaders and the police that this area was much more dangerous. Gang activity is high and the conditions are far worse. You could tell from the attentiveness of the police that we were more in harm's way. Andreas and Christian are the 2 officers that have been assigned to us. They both committed their lives to Christ on Monday, and immediately their concern for us changed. They had bonded with us.

The first person that I met in the field with my translator and church member was a homeless man. He was addicted to marijuana, peyote and cocaine. This morning he was sober, and was very attentive in hearing the Gospel. After we talked, He committed his life to Jesus. I explained that the Bible says he is a new creation, born again into a new life as a new person. I then asked if he needed further prayer for change in his life. That's when I was told of his addictions. We prayed that the bonds of addiction would be loosed and he would be delivered from the hold of Satan on his life.

All I can say is that the Holy Spirit prompted me to ask him if he had any drugs with him. He said he did and produced a rolled joint in a pouch. Andreas, the police officer, was standing a few feet behind me. I asked him to join us and then asked the man to give his drugs over to the police. Andreas agreed to throw them away and he did shortly after. The man then proclaimed that he as freed from the addiction and would stay faithful to his new life. That was an invisible touch. God moved this man to a place where he can start new and become a clean & sober brother. The road he has before him will be difficult, but with prayer and faith he will make it.

As the day progressed, we found out that we were on the most dangerous street in all of Cali. There are 2 rival gangs that live here and there is a point in the road where the territory changes from one gang to another. We weren't allowed to cross over that line, because our presence in one gang's territory would be seen as an association with that gang. It just wasn't safe for us to continue on that road. Our police watch out for us!

Dave was taken up to the top of a mountain to visit a smaller community. While he said the views were incredible from the summit, the poverty of this area was always in the forefront. Again the invisible touch was everywhere. His team impacted this community, including a team of workers that were raising electrical lines. Not a planned visit, but God moves our groups into places we never expect.




I'm sorry I don't have more time and space to tell all the stories of the day. They are far too many to do so, but I can tell you that the Invisible Touch of the Invisible Hand is everywhere. His hands guide our steps and his angels protect us. That provides the opportunity to share the Good News with all that will listen.

Some quick numbers from my team, and please note that these are based on known numbers, but they are far from the totals because so much happens outside of what we record: 390 presentations of the Gospel. 300 new Christians in 2 barrios. We have seen many more professions of faith, from other police officers, van drivers, hotel clerks, random people on the street and at the restaurant areas. And this is only what is happening in one group of 4 "Gringos" in 3 days.

The harvest is plentiful and the workers are few. Another example of Scripture being lived out in today's world.

Please continue the prayers for our last official day in the field. There is much more soil to work, seeds to plant and harvests to gather.

Stepping Out

Much like in the manner Jesus tested the faith of his disciple Peter to step out of the boat, focus on Him and to walk on the water, we are challenging the church members we work with in Cali to step out of their comfort zones and to help grow their churches in the same way as we are doing ... through day-to-door evangelism using the Evangecube that is provided to us by our campaign partner, E3 Partners.

The "Cube" conveys the Gospel through a set of pictures and bridges the gap between cultures and languages around the world. E3 uses the same Cube in 35 countries with similar short-term strategic mission trips aimed at establishing churches with like beliefs.

My team attended church at Iglesia Cuadrangular in Cali on Sunday and we were back in their community on Monday and Tuesday building their membership. Their pastor strategized in advance what streets we would visit and provided 6-8 church members that joined each of our teams, which is comprised of a North American and a translator.

During the morning service on Sunday, I outlined our strategy to the church and encouraged members of the church to have the same boldness as us ... to their friends and family and neighbors. At the end of the service, a girl named Andrea came up to me, hugged me and thanked me for coming to Cali and in good English asked how she could help us.

Andrea explained that she had commitments in the mornings but would join us after lunch at the church for our afternoon work in the community. She is taking English classes and understood the value of helping our cause if we needed a translator.

Andrea was the first church member who asked us if she could present the Gospel while we were out in the streets. It was early Monday afternoon ... she was less than an hour into her "internship" with us. On Tuesday afternoon, just as other church members were getting comfortable stepping out to share the Cube, I captured this image of Andrea sharing the Gospel with two girls who were eating ice cream ... from their second story windows.

Our loving God promises us that he will meet us wherever we are. Andrea, a true disciple, was meeting those girls where they were, and for 20 minutes shared the Gospel with her arms stretched to heaven. The two girls accepted Jesus, and while praying both their ice creams melted down to the stick and down the wall of their home. That's another priceless picture.

It was clear that Andrea had both her feet out of the boat and she was walking a steady course toward Jesus trusting in the the Holy Spirit to supply all her needs. We need this confidence in every area of our life.

Andrea told me before we left the church on Tuesday night that one of her goals was completing her English requirements and assisting us again whenever we return to Cali and are in need of translators. Someone asked her what college she was attending and she made a funny face.

It was then we learned that Andrea is only 17.

Our God is an incredible God and never ceases to wow me.

Dave

A Free Gift Needs No Convincing

A statement resonated with Matt (pictured with he and his team's assigned church for Monday and Tuesday) during breakfast this morning. He overheard it in a nearby conversation, and it was so strong that we talked about it late into tonight as Tuesday was changing into Wednesday here in Cali, Colombia.

"We're not here to convince Colombians to choose Jesus Christ, we're here to tell the truth."

Amen.

A key component in presenting the Gospel to someone from the guidebook of Evangelism 101 is conveying that the gift of salvation comes without a price tag to the recipient ... Jesus paid it all on the cross. The Bible says that choosing Jesus (John 14:6) is the only path to salvation and relationship with God ... a free gift that we cannot earn. You may choose to accept that gift, or choose to be eternally separated from your creator.

After presenting the Gospel, we have been encouraging Colombians this week to pray with us if they are ready to commit to surrendering themselves to Jesus. However, we must be totally acceptable with only focusing that prayer for that person's personal needs (health, job, family, etc.) if it's clear he or she is not ready or passionate enough to make that life change. Naturally, our prayer will also include encouragement for that person to dig deeper into the truths and scriptures that we presented.

We have eight teams in Colombia each responsible for strengthening membership in 2 churches this week. As 2 of the 8 team leaders, Matt and I keep track on a daily basis of the Colombians that we present the Gospel to, how many accept Jesus, and how many follow-up appointments we conduct with people that we had already visited to present the Gospel. (For my team comprised of 4 North Americans today, those totals were 137, 70 and 4. Praise God. Times 70.)

I have the numbers fresh on my mind only because I completed my team report before submitting it, then jumping onto this Blog.

We must be very cautious, however, not to get hung up on numbers. So much that I never share them with my team. While salvation is at stake and it's the most important decision anyone in their lifetime will make, we're offering a clear choice. We must present the truth with clarity, answer questions with scripture, and extend compassion, love and warmth to Colombians that Jesus would exhort, but we can't try and convince someone. A decision of such magnitude demands a full commitment.

Matt and I had a rare moment together on Monday night (since we're on separate teams) that brought tonight's key statement to real life. One of my team members is Claudia, a Cali native who moved to New Jersey 10 years ago with her husband Andres, who is also on my team. I was blessed to lead the grandfather and grandmother and two aunts of Andres to Christ on Monday, and Claudia's father and aunt on Tuesday. Both "appointments" were highlights of each of my two days and it was truly an honor to be asked to share the Gospel to their family by Andres and Claudia, who celebrated their second wedding anniversary today. It's great to be the hands and feet and to allow the Holy Spirit to do the work.

On Monday night, Claudia and Andres asked me to visit with her cousin's boyfriend when the couple visited our hotel to see Andres and Claudia's baby daughter. Alex is a 27 year-old clean-cut techie who was very receptive to listening to the Gospel presentation. He has read through the Bible twice, grasped the truth that we are sharing, but because of his analytical nature wasn't ready to take the leap of faith that is demanded in choosing Jesus.

Matt came down from our room in search of a Coca-Cola across the street, and found Alex and I on the lobby couch talking. I was gauging where Alex's heart was, and Matt offered support to answer Alex's questions. Both Matt and I realized it wasn't Alex's time and his heart just wasn't ready. Matt led a phenomenal prayer with Alex before we left the lobby. I walked to the other couch, gave Andres a bear hug, whispered to him "that's why I love my roommate" (thinking back to the prayer) and finished with "it's just not his time, Andres."

There was no need for convincing, and there never is.

Our mission is to just stick with the truth, and to continue planting seeds in the hearts of so many spiritually-starved Colombians.

Dave

The Beginning

Sundays are technically the first day of any e3 Colombia mission trip, but Mondays are really the beginning. Monday is when we get out into the barrios for the first time. We get to work with the local churches, their members and translators. Our 8 teams drove out into the field, and we never know where we're going until we get there. Sometimes we get a hint into what we'll see, as I explained in yesterday's post, but rarely do you really know what is coming.

The Beginning...
Today we began evangelizing.

We began seeing lives transformed and restored.

We began to share our faith with strangers who are now brothers and sisters.

We began by seeing God open doors, soften hearts and provide a path before us.

We began to be blessed in ways that can't be explained in a blog.


The Beginning...
Today we saw new churches planted.

We saw new believers sharing their faith with friends and family.

We saw translators share their faith and lead people to Christ for the first time.

We saw God reach those who are forgotten by society.


The Beginning...
Today we started to disciple new believers.

We spoke truth into lives.

We stepped out of our comfort zones and into places the Holy Spirit led.

Today we saw the beginning of another revival in Cali Colombia. We witnessed the God who created the heavens and the earth, place His hand on people who had no hope, no love and nothing good from this world. We shared in the joy of heaven welcoming home the lost children who have now found their way home.

The Beginning...
We found new beginnings within the police departments of Cali. I witnessed 2 officers become broken and rebuilt in an afternoon. We were invited to witness to 80 police officers in their department on Friday. God provides places and opportunities we couldn't imagine.



And the best part...this is just the beginning.

Love to you all. The prayers are felt and being answered.

Praise to our Father the One True God!

Sunday Service

Sunday mornings are hectic. We start at 7am with full team breakfast and a quick message from Sam Ingrassia, the e3 Partners Colombia Director, then each team (4 members) heads out to their host church for service. We worship alongside the Colombians that have been praying and preparing for our visit.

Church in Colombia is familiar, but different. We know many of the songs, because we sing them at home. The buildings are much different, their Colombia worship songs are very energetic and the atmosphere is full of dancing and honest worship. These are people who are on fire for the Lord.

After about an hour of praise and worship time, our team was introduced to the church, telling a small story or sharing a Scripture as part of our introduction. Then, I was asked to preach a message to the church before their pastor gave his sermon. I taught on Stephen and how his actions caused Jesus to stand up and take notice. The pastor followed up with some incredible preaching about answering the call. He incorporated the Stephen story into his message. Pure awesome on all fronts!




Quick clip from church service this morning. Turn down the volume, it will be loud! The pastor is the man on the left in the white long sleeve shirt.

We were informed that our first 2 days in the field will be in a unique neighborhood, not far from the church. We're going to be in an area known for drug addicts, prostitution, and hitmen. Yes, hitmen. We've been told that they will kill someone for $2 to $5. Fortunately, there are fewer of them around as the police have cracked down on them in recent months.

Continue praying for this area. These are people looking for something to fill their lives and they will be at a point of no hope. Spiritual warfare will be active for sure and I'm sure we'll be facing the activity of Satan first hand. Prayer for open hearts, protection and strength specifically.

The host church for this area has already been walking these streets praying over the people, anointing the streets with oil and preparing a way for our visit. I'm certain that God has a great harvest in store for us.

Dave's group and host church is equally as incredible. Their worship was very similar and the brothers and sisters in that church are also on fire for God and His Kingdom. I don't have many details about the neighborhoods he'll be visiting, and he's downstairs planning with some members of his team who were delayed in Miami.

6am prayer meeting in the morning, breakfast with the entire team at 7 and off to the field at 9.

Will update (with photos) tomorrow night.

Matt

Arrived in Cali

Dave and I have arrived in Cali, Colombia. We landed at 7:35pm and were through customs in record time, considering we had a unique box of items with us. Dave had been asked to bring a box full of glasses that will be given out to those in need here. He had a letter that explained why he was bringing them into the country, but the customs agent wasn't quite understanding. After some broken Spanish and confusion, he asked to see another bag from our luggage. It happened to be the box that included the evangicubes (the tool we use to share the Gospel with people). Once we showed him that they were the story of Jesus Christo, he immediately closed the suitcase and the glasses box and told us we were cleared to go through. God speaks louder than a letter can explain.

We're in the hotel now, planning our messages for the churches we will visit in the morning. This is the kickoff to a marathon of 4 days in the field doing evangelism, training, teaching, and church planting. It's hard to sit still in a hotel knowing that we don't know what God has in store for us this week.

Please keep your prayers focused on the hearts of those we come in contact with this week. If only one person can find eternal salvation this week, our time is well spent, but we know God has way more in store than that! Also, please keep our translators in prayer this week. The biggest difficulty we have in sharing is the language barrier. It appears that we have a shortage of translators this week, but God will provide.

Thank you all. Talk to you tomorrow night.

Matt

Wheels Up

Matt and I are off later this morning for Colombia, joining nearly 30 others from the States. You know you're excited to go when you wake 20 minutes before the alarm, and you went to sleep a good hour after when you should have. God will provide me energy ... no worries. My incredible wife, Lisa, thinks God could take some back most days, truth be told.

It's a few hours to Miami (Augusta National on your left), a couple hours to change terminals (I have my pedometer packed), then a few hours to Cali. We stay in the same time zone and should land by 7:30 PM. The city has 2.2 million people and is almost 500 years old. Factoid of the Day ... Cali is short for Santago de Cali, and "Santiago" is Spanish for James ... who we may talk about when sharing the Gospel during the next week.

Our scripture for today is Psalm 27. It starts with "The Lord is my light and my salvation; he protects me from danger - whom shall I fear?"

David started this writing in high spirits, but in 27:7 we hear, "Listen to my pleading, Lord! Be merciful and send the help I need." Matt and I know we will be tested this week. We will feel the presence of the Lord more than ever at our side, but we'll wonder where He is at some point when we're struggling, weak, and in panic mode when our trip is not going as planned.

God provided the path through David in 27:14. He always does. "Don't be impatient. Wait for the Lord, and he will come and save you! Be brave, stout-hearted and courageous."

Good words, indeed.

Dave

Almost...

Less that 12 hours from the flight to Miami and ultimately Cali, Colombia now...

This week has been extremely hectic for me. I've traveled to New York City for four days, saw a Broadway play and a Mets' game in my down time between meetings and training a new employee. Tuesday night, as I walked through Times Square, I began really reflecting on this coming trip to Colombia. With all of the noise, lights and people in that place at that moment, I finally found time to focus on where I'll be tomorrow night. My mind also wondered off to the small simple "homes" of the Colombians I met last time. Dirt floors, old sheets for doors, maybe some running water, maybe not. As I looked around at all the advertising along Broadway and 7th Avenue, I was truly impressed about the excess we have here and how greedy we are for more. There - not even close to that. They are greedy, but they are greedy for hope, love, friendship, relationship, family, laughter, and again love.

I'm ready to go now. I know that the Holy Spirit will guide my words, I'm not smart enough to do Him justice. I know Jesus will protect my path, His light will show me where to go. I know His Word will tell the story, my voice will just be the broadcast. I know God will show off this week. I'm blessed that He lets me see it and be a part of it in a small way.

Pray for hearts to be softened and that the people will be looking for Him. We're willing to tell the story, we just need an audience.

Matt

Don't Leave Home Without It

Matt and I are less than 24 hours from departing to Cali. There are plenty of errands to run today, plenty of packing (like men ever pack ahead of time) and of course, loose ends to tie with our careers.

The unseasonably warm weather that seems to be setting records across the United States for the month of April is getting us prepared from Cali, where its warmest month is ... April. The 10-day forecast for Cali looks similar every day ... 80s and partly sunny, with a 60 percent chance of scattered storms.

Key for our backpacks ... God's word, our Bibles. What was incredible for me during our last trip to Colombia was carrying the Bible with me almost the entire day. We left our rooms with our Bibles for 6 AM prayer, we carried our Bible to our breakfast meeting, and then out in the mission field where it was in our arms at every doorstep. It remained in my arms during the late afternoon church service in each community (pictured) and was finally tucked away in my backpack for the trip back to the hotel where we grabbed a quick dinner.

Back in the hotel room, Matt and I always seemed to be searching for the right verse to capture what we experienced in the field that day. When we found ourselves talking about miracles we experienced until the wee hours of the morning ... we could track our stories to what the 12 Disciples of Jesus lived in the early chapters of the Book of Acts.

I can't imagine how my life would change if I would carry my Bible with me throughout my day here at home. I'm not bold enough, yet, so for now it's just a passing thought.

Our scripture today is from Acts 4:31 ... may we be filled with the Spirit, to advance our work in Colombia.

'Team Cali' En Route To Cali

Key leaders of 'Team Cali' departed earlier today from Dallas. While Matt and I will travel from Dallas to Colombia on Saturday (with the remainder of the group of 30), pre-campaign training in Cali will be in fourth gear on the ground involving our church leaders.

Our escort on the mission trip is again Dallas-based E3 Partners, which manages building churches through similar short-term mission trips around the globe. Sam Ingrassia with E3 Partners has been leading groups into Colombia for more than 15 years, but this is his first with E3's new national director for Colombia, Luis Diaz.

You can expect Matt and I to talk about Sam's impact on us every morning at breakfast, as well as his wife, Vicki, who will provide an inspirational start to every morning with prayer at 6 AM. Sam and Vicki are also members of Firewheel Church.

Our prayer for today is Ephesians 5:15-21.

Are we ready for the journey? Matt has spent the past several days in New York on business. I have been traveling throughout Texas for much of the past week closing business to allow for a week separated from it for the first time since ... well, my last trip to Colombia, in 2008.

Haves and Have Nots

One of the more vivid memories from my last trip to Colombia was visiting a young mother and her two daughters inside their home. It was our final day (Thursday) in the mission field and it was late in the afternoon ... my translator asked me if she could take the lead and share the gospel with the young woman.

It gave me a chance to pray for the woman while my translator was sharing her heart. It also gave me a chance with my camera to capture the inside of this woman's middle-class home: no carpet or scraped hardwood floor, no 42" HDTV, no oriental area rugs, no oversized chairs around the dining room table, no lamps or area lighting, no custom paint, moldings, etc. A sheet separated the bedroom from the rest of the home and the chairs we sat in inside the home were the chairs we would sit in outside on the front porch. In the kitchen, a few cups hung from the wall ... no cupboards and definitely no microwave. No tchotchke wherever you looked.

As I glanced around her home I thought of images from my home ... an 8-piece place setting of a Snowman design tucked away that we may use once a year ... a backup set of dining room chairs stored in the attic ... tchotchke overflowing on every table ... chairs or couches draped in fabric in the living room that not only match one another, but also the thick carpet as well as the paint color on the wall.

What that woman in Colombia did possess, as well as many of her neighbors -- that we can't find back home .... is love for strangers. She opened her door to us, invited us inside and gave us her most comfortable chairs to sit and rest from the afternoon sun. Most of all, she gave us her full attention. She was being Jesus, before she truly accepted Jesus. The hard part that we can't seem to embrace she seemed to be living 24/7.

"A new commandmant I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13: 34-35

Church leaders in Colombia were amazed when we explained that evangelism doesn't go too far back home when it's outside the doors of a church. Strangers won't open their front doors, people won't stop on a street and finding groups willing to listen to you in a park or outside a restaurant ... how quickly defeat will be realized. It's also impossible back home to get someone's full attention without a TV, phone or general "noise" distracting conversation.

We're two days away from leaving Texas for Colombia, leaving excess behind to experience genuine love. The Colombians we will meet already have Jesus inside their hearts (love for strangers), they just don't know His story of salvation.

Power Of Prayer

If there's a pie chart for how time on mission trips is spent, sleeping and eating are very small corners, and watching TV and/or using your cell or the Internet are almost non-existent. Prayer is the huge wedge in the chart. Next in line is probably changing terminals at Miami's airport if you're headed to South America.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" - Philippians 4:6-7.

During our mission trip to Colombia in 2008, prayer was the foundation of our 6 AM meetings, a big part of our breakfast, then Matt and I prayed arm-in-arm before leaving the hotel room. We prayed later in the morning with each church's members ("nationals") where we were building attendance before heading out into their neighborhood, prayed with Colombians who either chose Christ or just desired prayer for a medical condition or personal affliction. Back at the church that afternoon, we prayed over all the forms we collected from neighbors and new believers. Later, when we finally turned out the lights in our hotel room, Matt prayed to Father to thank Him for all we experienced. Matt has an incredible heart and love for the Lord. I was simply in awe that I was rooming with a guy in a foreign country and we were praying together.

OK, I admit I fell asleep during that lights-are-out prayer time. It wasn't a lack of emotional conviction to Matt praying, rather it was my body realizing lights were out, I was in bed ... and my reaction to know it was time to sleep. Tossing and turning is foreign to me.

One of my best memories of the power of prayer when we were in Colombia was the day we started in our second neighborhood. On Monday and Tuesday of mission trips, we grow membership in one church and on Wednesday and Thursday we do the same for another church. On Friday night, we have a celebration service at one central location for all new members ... multiply that times a handful of teams in our overall group and you have about 1,000 people on fire for Jesus.

The church and neighborhood we visited on Monday and Tuesday were so inspiring that I chose to spend my off-day on Friday, before the celebration service, back visiting them. I couldn't wait until our gas-powered taxi dropped us off on their street that morning, and I didn't want to leave them several hours later. Matt did the same on Friday in the neighborhood where he visited on Monday and Tuesday.

My prayer with Matt before leaving the hotel room on Wednesday was for us to trust in Him that day. We knew our new neighborhoods were going to bring struggles that day, after the prayers of so many had opened the hearts of so many Colombians to our message the past two days. We were sharing the story of Jesus, and as a disciple we were aware that Christian persecution was a huge and dramatic part of early church history: 11 of the 12 disciples of Jesus died for sharing the story of Jesus with others.

Before our van stopped at the new church in the new neighborhood that Wednesday, we knew. Doors in the area were closed, not opened, and we couldn't find a child or adult outside their home. What we did see were packs of Jehovah's Witnesses knocking on doors leaving their footprints fresh in the dirt where we were headed.

At the church, I was given a new translator, Mary, a native who taught English at a nearby college, along with two nationals: two elderly women (pictured) and leaders at the church who were dressed their best and shared an umbrella to combat what was easily the hottest day of the week.

The translator, Mary in this case, is tasked with knocking on doors and introducing us (me in this case). The nationals join us for neighbors to meet friendly faces that will remain in the neighborhood once we leave, and to be equipped to build the church in the same manner and with the same message as we present.

From house-to-house-to-house-to-house, etc., Mary couldn't find anyone receptive to opening their door or to want to listen to what we had to share. After more than an hour, I became defeated and frustrated -- new feelings for me in Colombia. Mary even shared with me that she was cramping that morning and it was painful for her to walk.

I was on the verge of gathering the four of us and returning to the church to develop a new strategy once I found our team leader. I told Mary that I thought our two nationals were even frustrated and ready to head back because they were off in the shade under a tree talking to each other. Mary shook her head and said, "Dave, they're in prayer, they're praying for God to open these doors."

I'm such an idiot to not only judge others, but to doubt His strength and power.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" - Romans 8:26.

When they finished in prayer, one of the elderly women walked over to me, grabbed my wrist, looked up to me and smiled, and began walking toward the end of the street. Like race walking. It couldn't have been comfortable and routine for her in the heels and polyester dress she was wearing, but she was going strrong and deliberate, with Mary and the other woman following. The street looked like a dead end, but we kept walking in the scorching heat. We reached the end, I looked at her and she motioned to turn left. We walked around the corner from the set of homes we just walked down, and came upon a new street as we looked back in the direction of the church. And the hot rising sun. She released her firm grasp on my wrist, looked at me, and said (through Mary), "God directed me here. He's prepared their hearts to hear what you have to say. Let's go."

Well, OK then! The first home we visited, the Colombian couple opened their front door to Mary, carefully listened to my words and the story of Jesus that I shared outside on their porch, and eventually chose Christ as I led them in a prayer of acceptance. I was so focused on this couple and enjoying finally being able to develop a new relationship in the area that when I turned around to look at the street, I found doors open, kids now outside in the street playing ... and the two women from the church already next door talking to a woman and waving me over to share the story of Jesus again.

By Noon, the vans of Jehovah's Witnesses had departed the neighborhood. God showed His glory to us and through us the rest of the day and again on Thursday in that area of Barranquilla.

And I became a little bit more patient.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

In His Time, Not Yours

During our mission trip in Colombia (two years ago), we started every morning at 6 AM with an hour of prayer and devotionals around the hotel pool, followed by breakfast and instruction/motivation for our day in the field. After a quick trip back to our hotel room to gather our belongings and to pray for each of our days, Matt and I divided into our respective teams, jumped into vans and departed for our assigned communities around 8:45. We returned around sunset.


The initial thought that Matt and I both shared was to attend the first prayer hour on Monday, but to sleep in the rest of the week and report straight to breakfast.


During one of the breakfast meetings at the start of the week, our group of 70+plus from across the country and of all ages was asked for a show of hands of those who have been following Christ for 50 or more years. A scattering responded, which was incredible. Then 25 or more years. A bunch; many people my age who probably grew up in a Christian home and in a strong church where they still visit when returning home to see family. Then 10 or more years. Almost everyone in the room. I knew what was coming. Finally, a show of hands for less than 10 years.


I think I was the only one in the packed meeting room whose hand was raised. There I was, out in the open, exposed and the latest member of God's Chosen among a room of dozens and dozens of experienced missionaries.


Before I could feel a sense of uneasiness about being out of my league in that room when it came time to sharing the Gospel or reciting scripture of singing songs tied to scripture, I realized God had me exactly where He wanted me. This trip was by His plan and His design. My perceived "weakness" with my left hand still in the air and all alone in the room would become my strength in the mission field.


"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:10


Within a couple hours, I found myself a world removed from the hotel meeting room, sweating in the early-morning Colombian heat ... and sharing the amazing story of Jesus to strangers as we traveled house to house building membership in area churches. Sharing His Love and His commitment to find us, to rescue us, wherever we are in the pit ready to surrender.


Even if we had been in the pit for 30-plus years looking for an answer. That statement resonated with Colombians I met who were grown adults, just like me. The hope that I conveyed in Christ they clearly saw in my eyes and heard in my voice, even through my translator. They could sense His love through His spirit that was in me and leading me. No one else in that hotel meeting room had that story to tell of living in darkness for so, so long and the patience God has with all of us, but I did.

We never missed prayer house at 6 AM that week. Starting the morning in communion with Him was as important then as it was me earlier this morning. Day One will start back in Colombia two weeks from today, after our arrival on Saturday night.

He's going to wow me again, I can count on that.

Step Aside And Enjoy The Moment

You can never be ready for your first mission trip. Physically, yes, but mentally ... never. It's one thing if you're hammering on a new structure in a third-world country or feeding a poverty-stricken community; it's a whole different experience if your trip is evangelism and building membership in new churches in a country you've never traveled. A country like Colombia ... which you have heard of because of its rich history exporting drugs, and of course, the guerillas that are the dangerous underbelly of the nation.

Imagine a moment where you're 1-on-1 sharing the story of Jesus through an interpretor to a total stranger or, in some cases, 1-on-8 with three generations of a family all staring at you from their front porch.

You can approach each "appointment" like you would starting any other day back at home ... with confidence in yourself and your abilities to manage, control and react to each situation as best you can. Or, you can place your trust in Jesus, not to hold your hand or push your back, but to lead you. Control you. Empower you. And wow you.

Jesus told His disciples in John 16:7 that His departure was to their advantage because, "if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you."

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness." - Romans 8:26

"Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." - Romans 8:14

Yes, yes and yes.

It was that simple for me on my first mission "appointment," as it has become every day in my life, to yield to the Spirit. Oh, I'm as stubborn as anyone you'll meet, but for me it was and is the way. The only way.

During my first "appointment" in Barranquilla, Colombia back in October of 2008, I shared the story of Jesus with a man and two women in a small park that was surrounded by several small homes. There was plenty of training provided to us, but nothing like meeting total strangers who are all wondering what, why and how a red-haired, fair-skinned man is doing in their South American neighborhood.

If seeing all three eventually surrender themselves to Jesus didn't give me enough evidence that it was all the Holy Spirit and not me, the next "divine appointment" did.

Minutes later, as I entered a home just off the park to meet a woman and her teen-age daughter, the Mother -- noticeable weeping -- said to my interpretor: "I heard the voice of an Angel outside my window. Come inside and sit down. I've been praying for you."

Whether walking the streets of Colombia, making a big decision in the office or leading your family ... it's all in yielding to the King. He will show you the way.

I am so, so eager to return with Matt to Colombia in nearly two weeks.

Plans underway

We're just a few short weeks from the trip to Cali. At this stage we are raising financial and prayer support. April 10 is coming quickly.