We are loving our first couple of days here in Western Europe!
On Tuesday we spent our afternoon with the Canvas House team and attempting to beat the jet lag and weariness of our travels. We had the opportunity to take the Underground, tram, and train! Tuesday evening we got to have a pasta dinner with the students! But right before we had the incredible opportunity to worship and pray with the team.
Wednesday we got to tour the city we’re staying in! We saw a castle, beautiful architecture, plenty of fun shops, bookstores, and a TK Maxx (yes it’s called TK Maxx)! Our team’s favorite spot was the tea shop! Dominic’s current obsession is the blueberry pancake tea he purchased and forced everyone to try. We got dinner at a super authentic Thai restaurant. The interior was decorated to be a bustling Thai plaza with colorful signs, authentic art, and flavorful food. After dinner, we scurried around the city for an adapter that fit the UK outlets and eventually found some at TK Maxx!
This morning we took a tour of the University and walked around the lake. Tonight we get the opportunity to help with Canvas’ baked goods night!
Today we had our first full day in country and hit a new level of exhaustion as we jumped full force into the day’s tasks. After a quick breakfast and bracelet making lesson from Ella Joy, we hopped on a jeepney and spent the morning playing with kids at a feeding. They had boatloads of energy and kept us moving with races, hand games, and basketball. After stopping for currency exchange (Fun Fact: there are about 55 pesos in a dollar), we headed back to the base.
After lunch we joined up with a team from APU to go to district “T”, which is one of the poorest parts of this city. It’s on Smoky Mountain, which is made almost entirely from trash and gets its name from the way the summer heat makes the plastic smoke. It took us two hours of traveling each way by jeepney, train, and foot. But it was worth the trek because we were able to participate in Youth Lab, which is essentially a youth group. We spent time connecting, had a time of worship, and then heard from a group that had just gotten back from their own missions trip to Cambodia. It was encouraging to see how the global body of Christ was connecting, and to hear how eager they were to serve and share the Gospel even though they had so little themselves. Lauren and I shared our testimonies, and so did a few of the APU team members. We had an incredible moment of confirmation happen during this time. One of the APU girls shared that one year ago, she had a dream about a girl giving Lauren’s testimony after leaving this country last year. It was the same exact story. She also mentioned that she had been reflecting on Proverbs 3:5-6, which is the verse that I had shared in my testimony.
After a closing time of prayer, we headed back to the base and arrived two hours and a lot of vehicles later. We had a late dinner and debrief, and now we’re headed off to bed after a hard, but good, day. Tomorrow we’ll be getting our hands dirty with some trash cleanup and painting.
After about 12 hours of flights, the Western Europe team arrived safely! Once they landed, they navigated the train system and made it to the town where they will be for the next two weeks to do ministry. As they get settled and oriented to the ministry, let’s pray for them to adjust well and to continue to be guided by the Holy Spirit in all of their conversations over the next two weeks. We will update again soon!
We arrived around 9:30 a.m. and headed straight to the kids’ ministry. With all the traffic, it took us about an hour and a half to get there. By this point, everyone was running on just a few hours of sleep, but the energy was high and spirits were up.
When we arrived, the field workers greeted us with warm smiles and open arms. Even though we were exhausted, they didn’t let us head straight to bed. Instead, we were given a full tour of the entire ministry. It was incredible! We got to see so many amazing places and learn more about the work being done here.
After the tour, we visited a juvenile detention center where we spent time with a group of young boys and a couple of girls. We were able serve a meal to them and speak the gospel. Judah did an amazing job sharing his testimony, and we all offered words of encouragement. We reminded them that their current situation is not the end of their story and that God is right by their side. “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
Later, we headed back to the compound and had some fun swimming with toddlers, which was such a sweet and refreshing way to end the hot day.
In the evening, we had dinner, watched some neighborhood basketball, and prepared goodie bags to pass out to the kids tomorrow.
Now it’s time for some much-needed rest. Sending lots of love and prayers to everyone back home.
After one layover and almost 16 total hours in the air, the team has made it safe and sound in Southeast Asia! Everything went smoothly and they are so excited to see what God is going to do while they are there!
Since they arrived around 8am local time, they have the whole day ahead of them to get acquainted with the area and ministry, and to fight jet lag by staying awake. The highlights so far: really hot, great energy, amazing welcome! As they are about to head out to their first community feeding, pray for renewed energy and joy that will overflow out of them as they have opportunities to share about Jesus with kids and embrace this new culture.
Our second Global Outreach team of the summer has officially begun their journey to Western Europe! With a 3am send off, the group is tired but hoping to sleep on their long flight. Please pray for their safety and health as they travel, and for renewed energy when they arrive. We are excited to see this team share the good news as they build relationships with young adults and are guided by the Holy Spirit.
Our first Global Outreach team of the summer is about to get on a plane to head to Southeast Asia! Join us in praying for safe travels and a smooth time adjusting to a new culture when they arrive. We are so excited to see how God is going to use this team over these next two weeks. We will update again once they land and get settled in Southeast Asia!
As our Global Outreach trip has ended, we reflect on our incredible journey over the past week. On our final day, we had the opportunity to explore the beautiful city of G, soaking in its vibrant culture and stunning scenery. That evening, we gathered for one last emotional debrief, sharing stories and reflections on how this experience was more than just a memorable trip. It was genuinely life-changing. Each day in Central America was filled with purpose. We made the most of every moment, growing as a team, as individuals, and in our faith. We thank God for guiding us through every challenge and ensuring everything ran smoothly. The bonds we formed with each other and the wonderful people of this country will stay with us forever. Saying goodbye to the local staff that night was difficult, but our hearts were filled with gratitude for the love and hospitality they showed us throughout our time there. We were up at 4 AM to catch our flight home the following day, but none of us were ready to leave. Now that the team is back, I want to thank everyone who followed us on this journey. Your support and prayers have meant so much, and as we transition back to life in the States, I ask for continued prayer over a few things:
– Pray for each team member to have intentional time to process the impact of this trip. That they would find clarity on how this experience shapes their future, apply the serving hearts we had over there to everyday life in America, and navigate any feelings of reverse culture shock with grace. – Pray for the people of Central America. Our connections were meaningful, and we want to continue lifting them in prayer. May God bless their work, provide each one of them with abundance and joy, and ensure their community keeps on flourishing. – Pray for the safety and well-being of all the incredible individuals we met. That they would remain safe, strong, healthy, and encouraged as they continue their journey. Though this was a short-term trip for us, we recognize that we only played a small part in the long-term work that will continue to ensure this country’s continued flourishing. Its impact will remain in our hearts forever. Until next time, Central America.
After a long week of hard work and an almost 24 hour day of travel, our Central America A team is home safe and sound!
Join us in praying for them as they readjust to life back home and try to get some rest before the semester starts back up on Monday. Ask a team member to tell you more about their trip and their experience in Central America, and stay tuned for a team recap soon!
Hello to all our friends & family! Thank you for your continued prayers & support of our trip, I think I speak for all of us when I say what a blessing this trip has been. This week has been full of laughter, good food, hard work, & an overwhelming sense of joy.
Today we finished our last day of construction & had a dedication ceremony with the church. The Convoy of Hope office team, pastor, & community of the church joined with us to worship & pray. It was a wonderful experience. The pastor of the church told us how we had been helping plant a seed that others would continue to water, but that God would grow. He thanked us many times & assured us that we would always be in their hearts & prayers.
The people of of this country are known for their hospitality, & we have been so loved by each person here. From the church members embracing us, the construction team who was so gracious with us as they had to explain things to us, to our field team members who we are so blessed by. The warmth of these people is unlike anything I have experienced before & I am so grateful to have the opportunity to.
After the dedication we hopped on the bus to see the women’s empowerment program, which is one of many Convoy has. We met several women in the program who spoke of how grateful they were for it, & how much it has impacted them & the lives of those around them. At the particular site we went to, they had a bakery that is used to teach women how to bake, provides jobs once they learn, & also feeds back into other programs Convoy has within the community. The women had graciously prepared cake for us to try, & it was one of the best things I have ever eaten. It was a really unique experience to be able to not only hear about the program, but see it, hear the testimonies, & enjoy their hard work. Of course, we all had to buy a bunch of baked goods, & each thing we ate was better than the last!
After that we headed back to the hotel to rest & ate dinner at a delicious chinese restaurant. We enjoyed time together & tried deep fried ice cream. We ended the night with a debrief & sharing all the ways the day impacted us. I am really thankful for the time we have at the end of the day, because three days of labor in 90+ humid weather is extremely tiring, but being able to share & hear from the team about all the ways they saw God that day or appreciated each other always refreshes my soul.
Thank you again to our friends & family, we love you & would not be here without you. We look forward to seeing you all soon & telling you more about all the wonderful experiences we had on this trip!
