Final Thoughts...And A Surprise

Can't believe I've already spent 2 weeks in Puerto Rico...
In the past 2 weeks we had 17 Puerto Rican athletes attend training camp where they learned spiritual principles and how it fits in sport and life, did some community work in the slum, had many unforgettable nature excursions, played with kids at an orphanage, and outside of camp, had about 90 spiritual conversations with Puerto Ricans, shared the Gospel to 60 of them, and saw 5 people accept Christ.

Saying farewell to the team members yesterday and today was definitely hard, but also encouraging knowing that we always got each others' backs, and that we've all been transformed by Christ together.

God's done some amazing things here, and I'm looking forward to Him continuing to lead me in growth in humility, selfless love, surrender, and trust, and to use me to spread the fire to others.

Yea...little did I expect it, but I'm stuck in Miami for the night because of a flight delay that forced me to miss my transfer flight back to Toronto. O well...got a hotel room and meal money from american airlines and some more time to rest. Toronto will have top wait another day.

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, ''Yet a little while, the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.'' But we are not those of who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve our souls.
- Hebrews 10:35-39

Intricacy

Great in all the earth is Your glory O Lord
The universe declares how amazing You are
Over history and eternity
You alone are God and King
- Starfield

I need to spend more time outside. God's creation is so good. This morning we went hiking in El Yunque: a Puerto Rican rainforest. Seeing how all the different types of trees and plants all fit together somehow to create the beautiful sight was almost unreal. Also, the position of the rocks in the water to create mini waterfalls and a few large ones was astounding. I can now see why Paul wrote in Romans that none should have excuse to not know God based on His creation. It's just so detailed and awesome.

He answered, ''I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.''
- Luke 19:40

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Well...our time of 'formal' ministry here in Puerto Rico is now done. It's been an amazing ride. I still can't wrap my head around how God choose a bunch of misfits that make up our team to do His work here on the island.

We just said our final farewells to the Puerto Rican students who have visited us despite camp being over. It's definitely been encouraging seeing how their lives have changed in the last 10 days or so, and seeing that God really has used us here.

We leave for San Juan tomorrow as we transition into our debrief time before we all head back home. Much prayer is definitely still needed for this island, but this is probably my last post until Tuesday unless something big comes up.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
- Hebrews 10:23

Beginning of the End

Most of our 'formal' ministry on the island has come to an end as the sports camp for kids we were supposed to run this morning got cancelled. Though it's disappointing, I trust that God has something greater in store for us still.

Today, we'll be getting to tour the island some more and just see the beauty of God's creation. We'll also be heading to a beach in Rincon and see if we can outreach to surfers there. Athletes in Action also has sent a high school basketball team and a college basketball team here to Puerto Rico to play games against local teams, so we will be helping out at their games later this afternoon. Should be exciting.

Praying for a genuine love for the people of Puerto Rico, so that those who have heard and will hear of Christ will live out to edify their fellow brothers and sisters on this island through their God given roles in the body of Christ.

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
- Romans 12:4-5

Waters

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep my faith will stand
- Hillsong

Pulling each other across the water on boogie boards, attempting to skim board and catch fish with our bare hands, playing with geckos and starfish, and chilling in the beach kick started our day today. It was a fun time, but even more so, the beach today just reminded me of the realities of life.

First of all, the sea, like life, we can't see everything going on, but rather only what's in front of us. On one side of the beach the sea was full of waves and lots of rocks, seaweed, and whatever else was in there. It wasn't that pleasant to say the least. I was always stepping on stuff out of nowhere and the waves really did throw people around quite a bit for a non-surfing beach. Waves always come in our lives that can throw us around. There are always random bumps here and there that come unexpected. As we walked across the beach to another part we also saw a bunch of things that just shouldn't be on a public beach. To me, that reminded me of the purging that needs to be done in our lives. After that, we got to the cleanest beach area I've ever been to. I could see the sand at the bottom of the sea as clearly as you could see the bottom of any pool. The waters were calm, and it was just relaxing and peaceful being there. That just reminded me of God's peace. He will always bring me through the storms of life, into the shadows under His wings.

The rest of the day was pretty cool as some of the students from training camp came to visit. We also had the chance to do some campus outreach today which went really well. We even got some connections with the school's Christian group.

Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
- Psalm 46:10

A New Creation

In about an hour we'll be holding a baptism service at a nearby beach. It'll be exciting to see a couple of our Puerto Rican students and also a couple of my teammates get baptized and publicly declare their love for God.

After baptism we'll be spending some more time at the beach, we'll be running another ministry perspectives workshop, and do some more campus evangelism. Definitely praying to see how God will use our team today.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17

Servant's Heart

Make me a servant humble and meek
- Kelly Willard

I gotta realize that life isn't about me and my wants. Ministry isn't about what works best for me. Discipleship isn't about getting things my way and making 'minions'.

As we talked today about ministry perspectives again, I was humbled again by how Christ lived His life. He came to serve and not to be served, and I've really gotta learn and live that. He came to love unconditionally in His service, and i need to find that heart. He was always there when needed, and I have to learn to be that guy who will always have a friend's back. Things won't always go well for me, but I can trust in His love to carry me through.

A test of that heart came today in the orphanage. This orphanage had 20 children up to the age of 8 who have come from abusive households. None of them knew English, so it would have been easy to just chill and not do much for 2 hours while others worked. Yet despite not understanding the kids at all I decided to try to just show them love by being with them and praying over them. Seeing the joy on their faces as we played with them, picked them up, and spin them around was priceless. Having to leave and seeing the sadness on their faces though was heartbreaking. These kids need to meet Jesus and find hope.

Yea...humility is hard, but God, my humble King will lead me.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tired it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
- John 13:3-5