DAY 1

What a first day! The people here in Venezuela are amazing and this place is just beautiful. (I’m sorry for the no phone call to all the worried family and friends—we are alive, safe, in Venezuela and okay! Many want to say “I love you” to the loved ones at home—but since we can’t yet talk to you, just know everything is okay. As one person put it “no news is good news”. Felicia’s mom, your daughter says she loves you and she is okay! Mom, you know who you are—I hope you’re not worried too sick. And Melissa’s husband, she said she loves you!)

Today has been a great but long day.  We arrived really early (because we were driving all night) to the place where we would be staying… many of us slept as much as we could on the bus ride over to Pavia. 

We had two main ministry opportunities today—one as a group and one with only two people of our team partnered with Henry, our translator.  


Let’s start with Pastor Arlis and his wife Nancy’s opportunity to preach the gospel and pray for people nearby but away from our group. They prayed for sinus issues of one little boy, as Nancy recalls. Also, many were prayed for both spiritually and physically. Pastor Arlis preached on John 3:16, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” Many came to know Jesus as Lord!

While Pastor Arlis and his wife were at the other church, we had the opportunity to go up to the Prayer Summit. The Prayer Summit is on the mountain top and basically where God moved through our prayers and worship—reminding us that there is freedom and joy in Christ. That has been a resounding theme throughout today. Meagan pointed out how the wind was constant and the Spirit of God is powerful and God is so much stronger than the things going on in this place and the circumstances of this life.

The team before heading up to the Prayer Summit

The team praying on top of the mountain

Dare to jump all in!

Freedom!
(Pastor Chris & Seth)

The 2012 Venezuela Team

Before tonight’s crusades, people went out and invited people to come. Tonight, they played songs that we knew but in Spanish! There was so much joy and freedom. Many praised God without fear! I loved that! But I really love the fact there are two more brothers and one more sister in the Kingdom of God—they have been found by their Heavenly Father. Some of us have started learning Spanish and other people have reinforced what they already know and are putting it to good use!

Worshiping alongside the Venezuelans!  We are exactly where we are supposed to be!

So much joy, freedom, and peace in worship!

Going on a mission trip—suffering through wearing no make-up (to keep from sweating it off), two-minute (cold) showers, and air conditioning being questionable—it’s worth it. Seth said it best, “Most of these kids just need love.” So all of the fundraising, all of the phone calls, emails, prayers, letters, cooking—all of that was well worth us getting here. Thank you to our supporters, our families and employees allowing us this opportunity. You will never know just how much you have impacted our lives— even if we went home right now (but thank God, we’re not going home tonight because He is not through with us or the Venezuelan people yet)!

This is just day one! God bless you!

THE VENEZUELA TEAM