Photo of the Day

View of Lake Winnipesaukee from Mount Major

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NETS Mission Trips

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Learning pastoral ministry can't happen by only sitting in a classroom. That's why the curriculum at NETS has so many practical elements! This past week the entire student body at NETS was split up into three teams and sent out across the country on mission trips. One group went all the way to the north to work with a NETS grad in Onekwaya West. Another group went to minister with a NETS Distance Coordinator in the town of Tsumeb. And the third group went to work with a children's ministry in neighboring Okahandja. Here are a few testimonies from the trips.

“I was not looking forward to the mission trip because I knew we would be working with kids. I thought it was not my calling or ministry. But God proved me wrong. One of the things I have learned is that kids are precious to God. I understood what Christ said that we should be like little kids. Kids are precious to God and they are created by him and Jesus Christ died for them, too. We as believers have a responsibility to show love to these kids because it was so obvious that this was what they needed: LOVE. I remember a saying that 'God qualifies the unqualified.' So for me that was one of the things that I learned from the mission trip: God is the one who qualifies us to do His work in this world.”
~Thomas (Okahandja)

"While we were worshipping God on Sunday morning we learnt that one of the homesteads in the bush had completely burnt down the previous day. We went to visit and it was a shock. The people had lost everything. It was such a privilege for us to go and comfort them by praying for them and giving them blankets and food. We had taken second hand clothing from Windhoek with us and so far did not have the chance to distribute it. This was a golden opportunity and the clothes greatly blessed the people. They were so encouraged, telling us that they had been advised to go to the witch doctor because of what had happened. But instead it was God who took the initiative by coming to them as He sent His people to help and encourage them."
~Russell (Onekwaya West)

Miles to go before I sleep

The open road

Many missionaries dread home assignment because it means they have to travel around the country visiting all their supporters and speaking at churches. Then they return to the field more tired than when they left! But I've realized what a joy and privilege it is to have most of my ministry partners be my friends. In other words, the people who regularly pray for and support me are people I want to see anyway! So that means coming back for home assignment isn't about "reporting" to random missions committees, but it's catching up on life and investing in relationships. Thus my cross-country road trip over the past month has been a great joy reconnecting with old friends. :)

My college buddy now teaching at Cedarville University

I drove over 3500 miles across 9 different states to visit friends and family who have spread out all over the place. One of the coolest things is seeing how God has sovereignly put each person in a completely different place to each do a small part of His greater work. Sometimes it's easy to have blinders on and not see beyond our own lives and troubles, but God is doing so many great things through people all over the world and, go figure, He's doing it without me! I just need to be faithful with the little part that He's given me. What a privilege it's been this past month to get little glimpses of God's greater work through all my friends.

Mini-reunion with some college friends

Sunset over Lake Michigan

Got to attend a friend's wedding. Congrats John & Molly!

Enjoying the sunset from a friend's boat

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