Early Monday Beginnings...

There are some skeptics in the world today who believe God no longer creates miracles to point to Himself. For all of the skeptics I would like to provide proof from this morning that God still works miracles.

On our first morning here we woke up before 6AM and all of the members of our team (besides me) are under 30. Most of them probably were not aware that there was such a time in a day.

One of the greatest challenges in connecting with the people here in Cabana revolves around the fact that they are an agricultural-based community. They are in their fields before it becomes daylight and in the bed when it becomes dark.

We are challenging our summer missionaries to adjust to the culture in order to reach the culture. They did it this morning and God honored it as we walked through the fields and the community. We met a new friend named Sixto who owns a field “very far” from town. At 7AM he had already been to his field and was returning to his house for breakfast. We walked to his house and he then invited us in to meet his daughter, Marina. We will meet Sixto at 8AM tomorrow to spend the day with him in his field. We are praying that this will begin a friendship to reach their family.

So there were two miracles today – one in getting us out of bed so early and the other in us being invited into Sixto’s house. We will be praying for another one tomorrow – that we adjust to the altitude enough to actually be able to work hard with Sixto.

We have been blessed with some wonderful summer missionaries. Miranda, Erica, Chris and Juan are going to spend two months here in Cabana. They have already proven to be young adults who have a deep walk with the Lord and a desire to share that love with others. Please pray that they adjust quickly to the climate and culture and that they live with a sense of urgency while they are here.

Thanks for your prayers and comments. The comments are being shared with the team and they encourage us all tremendously.

We are in Cabana!

Wow… that is one long bus trip! We left Lima last night at 7:30 and got into Cabana this morning at 9:45. Everyone made the trip fine – just pretty tired and woozy from the curves and climb. It will take us a couple of days to get used to the altitude.

It has already been great to see some of our friends here. I will post more tonight – we will spend the rest of the day getting settled into the hostel.

in Lima

We are in Lima. Got to the hotel about 2:30 in the morning. Surprised to find out that our bus tickets have already been purchased so we are all set to go tonight at 7PM for the 15 hour bus trip. Thanks for your praying! We will try to post more later but now we are trying to get all of our supplies ready.

Hanging out on the Atlanta runway!

We are now delayed by 2 hours because of a storm. Howard Lawson told us something wonderful as he dropped us off at the Orlando airport. Delta stands for Doesn't ever leave the airport! Thanks, Howie!!! :). Praying to stay patient and focused...

Heading to Peru

We are now sitting in the Orlando International Airport awaiting the call to get on the plane. We got checked in very, very easily and we have all of our bags with us at the moment to carry on the plane. We only checked one bag with snacks, books and Bibles in it but all of our clothes and other necessary items are right here with us! Jacob and I are packed in one back pack for 10 days!

Thanks for joining with us on this journey to help the summer missionaries get started in Cabana for the summer. We will do our best to post something every day but some of the days will make it impossible to stop and get on the computer.

If you get a chance - send us a note on the comment section. You will never believe how encouraging it is to hear from family and friends when you are on a mission trip. Well... here is the first call.

Peru Summer Team

Kevin, Jacob and David left for Peru this morning. They will be meeting up with a summer missionary team and escorting them to Cabana. There they will introduce the team to our friends in the village and help them understand our strategy for reaching the people-group that resides in Cabana and its annexes. Please pray for our team as they travel today through next Saturday and for the college students that will be spending the next 2 months in Cabana.

Sunday

I am thanking and praising God for the way he used the FBC Ocala missions team in Alaska for the past 10 days! God blessed us with good weather, willing hearts, and healthy bodies to accomplish what he had planned for this team. While here we worked hard, prayed, enjoyed fellowship, laughed, shared testimonies and on our last full day at the camp got to meet and work with a great group of hard working teens and adults from local Baptist churches who came out to the camp for a clean up day, the first one in camp history! As I sit here in the dining hall in the middle of the night writing this blog reflecting on our time here in Alaska, I got to see in my life how when I make myself available to God and step out in faith for Him to use me for his will He will take me as I am with my weaknesses and faults and use me for His glory. I will never forget this mission trip and give thanks to God for the friendships in Christ that I made here and the humble part we contributed to the ministries at Laverne Griffin Youth Recreation Camp. God is sending me home with alot more than what I brought to Alaska. Yours in Christ Ken

The Amazing Journey

It's hard to believe this is the last night of an amazing journey. What started as only a vague utterance to go on a Missions trip if it was ever to Alaska or Hawaii has culminated in a life changing experience. We often shy away from opportunites to serve, because we fear our ability is insufficient. What I have found, is that God is not as concerned with our ability as He is about our availability. I have had the opportunity this week to build a much needed deck yet I am not a carpenter, I have split wood for the needs of another family, yet I am not a logger, I have replaced basketball goals for youth campers, and yet I am not an engineer. I simply gave what I had, which was my availability, and God with His ability finished wonderfully. My challenge to all, who read this humble blog, is to step out and take the amazing journey that God will create when we take ourselves out of the equation and put the service to others in. I have been truly blessed.

Mark Immel

I hardly know where to begin. I've been in Alaska for six full days now and have several observations. I knew coming on this mission trip to the woods outside Wasilla AK would be interesting and perhaps enlightening, but I didn't quite figure on this. I'd been to Alaska a few years ago on one of those vacation cruise trips and saw the beautiful “commercial” side of things for almost two weeks via the tour-guided coach rides, the scenic doubledecker train rides and the smooth-sailing Inland Passageway cruise ship ride down to Vancouver. Very scenic, entertaining, and educational was the entire deal. What I didn't experience then was the “real” Alaska. What I'm seeing now is a truly different world. This place is beautiful overall (especially now because we literally have seen the place turn green this week right before our eyes as it's just now turning spring up here), but also very unattractive in places. Lots of shacks, lots of junk, the local folks can appear poor and scraggly, and many of the vehicles are rolling pieces of junk. Yet, attending Big Lake Baptist Sunday service was awesome...the people, the pastor, the message, the music were all wonderful. But more than that is where we are and who we're with...the LaVerne Griffin Youth Recreation Camp and Sherry and Walter Chastain (camp directors) and the Pam and George Lorenz family. I can't describe what these folks do and how they make you feel and the job they're doing here for HIM. This place is so full of love and concern and peace and caring! It sure makes you feel good being around here with these people and with our mission team. We've worked HARD (anyone who sees or uses the deck dock we built has to be impressed) (and each cabin and building has been thoroughly cleaned top to bottom, inside and out) all week to help prepare this camp for all the summer activity which is close at hand. Yet this Camp Family works hard ALL the time especially sharing their faith and the Word...quality examples indeed. I'm proud to be with this team, it's been a joy working together, getting to know each other, lending a helping hand, praying together, and sharing together...it's been fun and enjoyable. Beyond that, we've been so impressed with the work the camp staff performs, we've decided to support them more and if possible come back to help again. It's a special place with extra special people...and I'm really glad I was able to be a part of this mission trip.
MIKE McGINNIS

The Beauty And The Beast

Within the beauty of Alaska, lies a beast...97% of the population is unchurched. The suicide rate is 9 times higher than the national average. Fetal alcohol syndrome, alcoholism, sexual abuse,incest and poverty is not a stranger to the beautiful scenery of Alaska. The camp here, supplies a way to help many children who live in these deplorable conditions. As just an example, Grace Works helps kids from low income families of Anchorage to attend camp for free, nourishing them with the love of Jesus and also with food they sometimes don't get very much of at home. This past summer 29 were saved, one young girl dedicated her life to missions and 4 were baptized in the lake. It has been our privilege to be able to clean up the camp and build a new deck that many little feet will be walking over. We will be able to leave here knowing that we have helped to bring many closer to the glory of God...Rachel DeMoliner

The FlipSide

Hello Ocala Family!

So, I guess its my turn to take a wack at this blog :) I'm not going to write about how beautiful Alaska is, or the views we've seen of how wonderful our God really is.. But coming here, even I was kinda thinking "Alaska?.. being a missions trip?" I mean when someone says the word "missions" my mind goes straight to Haiti, Peru, Africa.. and I think that's how most people are. But once I got a chance to see the "Real" Alaska it really changes your point of view. All you ever see about Alaska is the cruises, how wonderful a vacation you can have. Don't get me wrong, you can have that, too.. but just driving to the camp you see homelessness, people living in shacks with no running water, poverty... I mean this is major stuff. People can really take what they've been blessed with for granted. As I'm sitting here listening to people talk about stories in Alaska and even at camp, you really start to understand how God works. As we are cleaning cabins, doing yardwork, building docks, etc., I have to think, these cabins are going to hold children this summer who maybe never had the chance to go to summer camp. Some kids even show up with only the clothes they have on. Doing yardwork, in just a few short months people will be doing bible studies on that lawn, playing games with children. Even building the dock, just this morning the men were talking about how almost every child that comes here, their feet will touch that dock. God's mission field isn't just halfway around the world... it's right here in our own country, and that's what really opened my eyes. God is great and His love is really showing on this campus. I can't wait to share all the stories with everyone back home.

A person who is full refuses honey, But even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.

-Proverbs 27:7

-Kourtlyn

Greetings FBC Family,
I have been sitting at the computer for the past hour, trying to write about our day. As I am trying to put something together, I started listening to the team sharing stories. There was a common theme to their stories...their love for Miss Lois. She takes it to heart, our motto "Be the Church". For our missions trip, she made over 200 "Good News" bracelets. The camp will give them out to the children this summer. She is a hard worker, making sure the campers will have clean cabins for their arrival. She loves Jesus with all her heart, her soul, and her mind. And she lives her life so others will have that same opportunity. It is a privilege to serve Christ with our FBC Missions Team. I am thankful for the example Miss Lois has set. We are all watching her "Be the Church". Yours in Christ Kim

Kennis and Hannah cleaning tables in the dining room

James, Andy, Elizabeth and Kourtlyn

Friday, Our First Workday at the Camp

Kim and George cleaning up in the kitchen

Work projects on the first day

Lois, Pat and Rachel Getting ready to spring clean the cabins

George and Pam Lorenz

George, Mark and Ken Preparing the footing for the new deck

Lois getting the window sparkling clean

Andy, Elizabeth and Kourtlyn landscaping in front of the dining hall

Lumber for the deck

Great day---Our team is now complete. Although it was a long day for Mike, he is attempting to adjust to the weather change, time change, and sunlight that seems to last all day and all night. We were able to share fellowship with Pam and George as we reconnected with them as we enjoyed the beautiful Alaska scenery while waiting for Mike. The team is looking forward to Sunday School and worship with Lorenz's and the Chastain's tomorrow. Thank you for all your prayers. We are feeling your support and love. In Christ, Pat

Mike has landed!

Mike M. reached Anchorage this evening and has met up with the rest of the Alaska team. Praise God for safe travel for Mike today!

First Day in Alaska

After a full day of travelling and a good nights sleep, our first day in Alaska started with breakfast, devotions, testimonies and prayer. We give thanks to our Lord for providing safe travel, fellowship with our extended family here at the camp and to be here on mission getting the camp ready for the summer. Today were able to get 12 cabins cleaned and footings and framing done for a new deck that is replacing one that had seen one too many Alaska winters. Please pray for safe travel for Mike McGinnis who will be leaving Ocala at 4:00 am tomorrow morning to join us on mission.

Go!

The Alaska Mission Team left yesterday morning and arrived safely in Anchorage last night at 7:20 local time (11:20 FL time). Please pray for them today, that their adjustment to the time change is smooth. Stay tuned for details and pics of their adventure at the Laverne Griffin Youth Recreation Camp in Wasilla, AK!

Get Ready, Get Set...

The Alaska Mission Team is preparing to leave later this week for the Laverne Griffin Youth Recreation Camp. This team of 9 will spend 10 days at the camp helping prepare the facilities for the upcoming summer season. Stay tuned for details, photos and testimonies of how God is working in Wasilla, AK.