So i'm not sure anybody is going to continue reading this, or if the rest of the team wants to write anything else, but I figure maybe I'll write possiblly one final post just for the heck of it. I guess I'll just kind of give a summary of my experience during this mission trip to Salvador.
First, just so everyone knows and in case you can't tell, I had an amazing trip. This was my first ever mission trip and it has made me want to continue doing this, or things like this, in future years. I really don't know how to start, or what order to put things in, so hopefully you can bear with me and the disorganization of it all. This was one of the hardest things I've done, but also probably the most rewarding, actually I know it was the most rewarding. I kind of got a firsthand look at what it means to teach the Bible to people, to deal with less fortunate people on a day-to-day basis, and spend way more time in the Bible than I have in the past.
Something I learned during this trip, personally, is the importance ofBible study and Bible knowledege. For iduno how long, I've tried to read my Bible consistantly, and I generally have sucked at it. Than moving to Regina, it became something I did more often. Than, going down down to Salvador, for that 6 weeks, I read more Bible than I have in a very long time. Not only were we able to read with readers and learn from them and see things from their point of view and learn something new no matter how many times you did a lesson, but I was able to spend a lot of time in personal Bible study. It may have started because during the week my stomach wasn't doing too good I spent a lot of time in the washroom... haha, sorry for that information, but it had to mentioned :)... but either way, it was awesome in that regard. In Acts it says that the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians because they received the scripture with great eagerness, and examined tham daily to see if what Paul said was true. They didn't just settle for reading commentaries, or listening to podcasts (for you tech-geeks out there), or merely listening to sermons, they themselves studied and searched for answers themselves. I always knew this verse, but hadn't realized the signifigance of it.
Than there is also the fact we were able to become so close with so manyof the people down there. We met some amazing people and hopefully we were able to encourage them as much as they encouraged us. I know I personally was encouraged so much by the people, and it's amazing how we can find things in common with people who live on the other side of the world, in a totally different culture.
Since we got back, I have to admit it has been quite strange for me. At the airport people met us and although I talked to everyone and was overjoyed to see everyone, it's like my head wasn't quite there yet, and still somewhere in the clouds. Iduno, kind of hard to explain. I suppose it's partly because we got in such a col routine down there, it's done now and it'll take some time to adjust. And it feels like I had so much information jammed into head, it's hard to process it all. Anyways, it was an amazing trip, I can't imagine if I'd said no and missed out. I'd be kickin' myself now that's for sure.
Thanks again to everyone who supported us to go down there, and helping us do something we believed was so important. The Church down there seems to have a super good foundation and the missionaries down there are just amazing (but than, I'm 19, what do I know about strong foundations and that junk haha), and hopefully we were able to encourage them and do what we had hoped to. God bless you all! Please keep praying for all of our readers! Take it easy, as this may the last time I ever writ on this blog haha bye!
-Justin Robert Geza Gauthier
Wow...talking about saving the best for last!!! What an amazing summary you wrote. It thrills me to hear young people being transformed more into the likeness of our Saviour because of their LST experience. There's certainly no "magic" in the LST experience. But I think you summed it up perfectly...it's the fact that we are getting into the Word in a relevant and meaningful way. We read, not just for understanding, but to identify with the truths that Luke relates to his dear friend, Theophilus. Here I am at almost 48 years old, and I'm doing the very same thing...gleaning from simple truths that I've read for a hundred years and FINALLY the light bulb goes off and I have an "AH HAAA" moment. God's good that way, isn't He? And yes, some of the best reading is done in the privacy of the "throne room" (and we say in our family...TMI--too much information haha.)
ReplyDeleteI think you captured the essence of what LST trains us to do, which is an imitation of what Jesus did on this earth--involve ourselves with people as friends and let them see Jesus in our lives and relationships. I hope you will continue to apply the principles of LST in your everyday life in Canada. It's not just for Brazil!!! In fact, in our Monday Leaders' group, guess what we are teaching??? You got it, the lessons from the LST seed thoughts in Luke. The only change is, we're presenting the lessons in their native language. They then prepare their own study and lead their small groups. These two couples are growing by leaps and bounds as they immerse themselves in the life of Jesus. That's JUST what happens when we get closer to Jesus. I'm so glad that has happened to you. God has so much work that is waiting just for YOU. It's a joy to be His eyes, heart, mouth, and hands. Don't let this joy be robbed from you in complacency as you get back to affluent, self-sufficient Canadian soil. People need to know what you know...or better, People need to know the One you know. Thanks for that last entry. I'm glad I didn't miss it.
Alicia