Being the difference...

Wow! What an amazing week!  I want to thank everyone for being open and allowing our Abba Father stretch them!  I am so proud of all of you for the growth I have seen in you!  I hope and pray that none of us come back disappointed. As I was journaling on the plane home I felt The Lord saying that we always want to make a difference BUT we need to remember that WE ARE THE DIFFERENCE! As we allow God to change our hearts we become the difference in the lives of the people He puts in our paths!  This week we were able to be the difference for the Zuni youth and Pastor Paul's family. We were able to plant seeds and now we r to water them in prayer that the fruits will begin to grow. I also believe God wanted to blow up our boxes on what a mission trips looks like! It's all about what He wants and how He wants things done. It is never about our schedules and what we want to accomplish. We were definitely stretched!

I also want to tell everyone how faithful God is to me! For those who don't know I was praying leading up to our trip and I kept getting the name Angel.  I hope pray for Angel and asked The Lord to bless her or him.  Well, when I had opportunity to interact with the local people I would ask if they knew of an Angel.  Well on Thursday our plans had changed we went to visit some other BIC missionaries.  There were neighborhood children who would visit the missionaries, well I found out and met a young nine year old who was named Angel!  I explained to her what we were doing and she allowed me to pray over her and take a picture. God is amazing!

Many blessings!
Gail 

Home stretch

Sorry to you parents for not sending many updates.  We didn't have much cellular service at the Zuni camp.  

The Zuni team was awesome!  Working in the sun and occasional downpours at 7,200 feet elevation, all the while keeping up an energetic pace, and maintaining positive attitudes throughout.  They did a great job of interacting with the Zuni teens.  They were really affirming with each other.  We had good times of worship and good talks in the cabins.  

Most of the people we worked with commented how great this group was.  One person noted that it clearly reflected a solid youth pastor, a healthy church, but most most of all, good parents.  Pat yourselves on the back, your teens are great young men and women.  

I am a little tired.  We put in about 1,000 miles of driving in addition to all the other stuff we did, and I couldn't nap like the (teen) passengers did.  Haha.  Nonetheless, it was worth every minute of it, seeing God move in and through them so powerfully.  I would go with this group again, in a heartbeat.

Update from Mitch Martin's protégée

Saturday morning in the car with team alpha heading back to Albuquerque. (Chad, Lindsey, Bronte, and Peter- myself) this week was the bomb. The entire team was anchored by myself and Mitch as we provided entertainment for all with killer jokes. This entire week showed a lot of challenges for everyone, but our team came so close together and kept it together. We met a lot of awesome Zuni kids at DPCU (Dusty Pines Camp University) and at the youth group at the church. We worked hard on a path at DPCU that encircled the property. We did a lot of praying over it and our hope is that it will be a special place for all who use it. Mitch railed his head on Chad's door. I really feel like we did what God called us to do.  People say that last year's trip fell very short to this year's in the food dept. I wasn't on it so I guess we can assume the rest of the team wouldn't lie about it. Whatever you do be doin work and splittin wood. 

Heading Home-Bronte

I can't believe the week is over already! We're in the party car (Chad's) driving to Albuquerque and rocking out to Hillsong United. In some ways I feel like we've been here for way more than a week, but in other ways the week flew by. The kids at Dusty Pines were so welcoming and fun to be around, it feels like we've known each other for much longer than a week. I'm ready to get back to life in PA, but I don't want to go back to being the person I was before. The people and experiences in New Mexico have taught me how to  love God and people without holding back, and I've also been able to experience the way God's heart breaks for His children. 

Our team has experienced incredible unity on this trip. It's been especially cool to bond with the other girls. We've had some pretty awesome/hilarious late night chats in our cabin, and it was great to know that they always had my back in prayer and simply listening when I was struggling. It's been awesome to build new friendships on this trip and to watch some people become bold and really step out of their comfort zones. 

Shout out to Jenn (our AIM leader) for keeping us well-fed, and to the Zuni kids who cooked for us. Thanks to the Scarbro's for their hospitality and to all the Zuni teens who have gone through things I can't even imagine and have come out stronger. And thanks to all of you for your support. Your prayers definitely kept us safe and gave us strength when we were exhausted. I can't wait to see you all at home and tell you more in person about the amazing things that God has done!

Heading Home-Bronte

I can't believe the week is over already! We're in the party car (Chad's) driving to Albuquerque and rocking out to Hillsong United. In some ways I feel like we've been here for way more than a week, but in other ways the week flew by. The kids at Dusty Pines were so welcoming and fun to be around, it feels like we've known each other for much longer than a week. I'm ready to get back to life in PA, but I don't want to go back to being the person I was before. The people and experiences in New Mexico have taught me how to  love God and people without holding back, and I've also been able to experience the way God's heart breaks for His children. 

Our team has experienced incredible unity on this trip. It's been especially cool to bond with the other girls. We've had some pretty awesome/hilarious late night chats in our cabin, and it was great to know that they always had my back in prayer and simply listening when I was struggling. It's been awesome to build new friendships on this trip and to watch some people become bold and really step out of their comfort zones. 

Shout out to Jenn (our AIM leader) for keeping us well-fed, and to the Zuni kids who cooked for us. Thanks to the Scarbro's for their hospitality and to all the Zuni teens who have gone through things I can't even imagine and have come out stronger. And thanks to all of you for your support. Your prayers definitely kept us safe and gave us strength when we were exhausted. I can't wait to see you all at home and tell you more in person about the amazing things that God has done!

Elena Rossetto

Hey everybody!  At the missions meetings and even on the plane rides here I don't think any of us really knew what this was going to be like.  We left as  theMcBIC youth group, but we are coming back as a united team. The enemy tried to scare us, tear are team apart, but we only grew stronger as a team.  We are all coming back changed, (and dirty), but we are coming back with even stronger relationships than we had before.  God showed us all what he wants to see in us.  The pastors family, Faith, Kyria (spelling?) and Elijah, really had an impact on our Navajo team. Just about everybody cried when we had to say goodbye on Thursday.  Overall I know everyone, including me, is going to miss New Mexico and everyone we met here. Heads up there will be crying at the airport. See y'all soon:)

El Morro National Monument

The Navajo team spent the afternoon at El Morro National Monument. This included a picnic lunch, hike to the top and lots of pictures of God's amazing creation!!!