Goodbye’s and God’s work

After a wonderful four weeks together, everyone is home and settling back into normal rhythms and routines. We had an amazing time learning and growing together, getting to have spiritual conversations, and serving communities in Orlando and Venezuela. It was a truly unforgettable summer. God worked in so many ways and taught us so much.

Hear from our students about a few of the things God taught them this summer.

“God taught me that doubts are normal, that I have a long way to go, and that relationships are quite valuable.” -Anonymous

“He is always with you, He listens, He works through people.” -Anonymous

“I can share with others about God. I have so many testimonies to share, have a desire to learn more about him.” -NB

“I really thrive within a community of people who want to see me grow, I have people to connect to who truly understand my struggles, and that God really is in my corner and he is always with me.” -AK

“God taught me that it is not as scary as you think to share the gospel and have meaningful conversations with strangers. God also taught me that I can’t do everything myself, although I’m still working on that. I also learned that not all ministry looks the same, but God can still work through it.” -MM

“He taught me to love myself more, to trust Him more, and to be more open to those outside my family.” Anonymous

“He can give me the confidence to talk to others. He is working on everyone’s hearts whether we can see it or not. I can bring the gospel to others without even meeting them.”

“That He loves everyone unconditionally, that He is all that will ever satisfy me, and that He always forgives me.” -MM

“I’ve learned how change in our lives comes from God, I have learned the importance of QT at the beginning of every day, and I have learned useful evangelism skills.” -IE

“God loves the underappreciated and the downtrodden. I already knew that, but it really hit home during our second week. I learned that teaching the next generation about God and his attributes is essential. I’m really glad I got to be a small part of that.” -EP

Hear what our students have to say!

Hear from our students and leaders about what their favorite part of summer mission has been and where they have seen God work through our ministry at CCA.

“My favorite part of project so far was probably swing dancing, CCA (kid’s camp), small groups, or one-on-ones. I’ve enjoyed sharing the gospel with one of the students at CCA and seeing him not only comprehend it but also be able to tell others.” Alex

“My favorite part of project was doing ministries I’d never see myself doing and helping. I liked that I got to see what it was like to be a camp leader at CCA.” -anonymous

The week of Waka Waka, Monkey, and God is everywhere

CCA

Last week we partnered with Celebration Athletics to help with their summer camp for elementary-age students. We had an amazing time leading groups of students, devotions, games, crafts, and sports.

At the beginning of the week, we introduced our team, and everyone went around saying where they had come from. When it was my turn, I said I had grown up in Romania and Hungary. As I said Romania, two girls started cheering. As the day went on, I got to know them as Ella and Thea, whose parents were from Romania. It was so fun to connect with them over our shared ability to speak Romanian.

Getting to see the Impact

Often when we do ministry, we don’t get to see the impact of what we do. We aren’t able to see how the Spirit works in the hearts of those we speak with. We don’t know how the kids we lead at camp might be impacted. We trust God is working. We leave the results up to Him. But sometimes, it can be hard not to see the seeds of our work grow through the power of the Spirit.

This past week our student’s really enjoyed being a part of ministries that had tangible results. At the Sharing Center, we walked through the food pantry and center for helping those experiencing homelessness which houses showers, washing machines, and space for social workers to meet with those who visit to help them get what they need. All of this is funded by the thrift store and donations given to the organization. Without the thrift store, the other work wouldn’t be possible.

A week of Service

Last week we had an amazing time partnering with two different organizations, Unto, Cru’s humanitarian aid group, and The Sharing Center, a center to help people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.