Make 2010 the year you finally say ‘yes’ to a short-term mission trip! Mission trip brochures are now available at the Information Center.
Some 2010 trips you can sign up for NOW:
~ March 13: FaithWorks’ trip to The Olive Branch care center in the Verde Valley.
~ April 10: FaithWorks’ trip to the Old Town Mission in Cottonwood.
~ April 30 - May 2: CCoF’s annual mission trip to the United Christian Youth Camp (UCYC) in Prescott. This FREE mission trip is great for the entire family. There’s something for all ages to do to help prepare UCYC for the thousands of campers who will come to hear about Christ this summer. Arrival and departure dates are flexible; meals and dormitory housing are provided. Great fellowship, hard work, recreation, good food, no charge….what more could you ask for in a near-by mission trip! We’re limited to 50 participants, so sign up your family or home group soon!
~ May 13-16: FaithWorks’ medical mission trip to Agua Prieta, Mexico
~ International trips: If you’re interested in one of CCoF’s 2010 international trips and haven’t already signed up, please contact the Director of Missions as soon as possible: Vietnam (mid-July), Austria with TCM (Sept.), Ethiopia (October).
To sign up for FaithWorks’ trips, contact Glen Allen at 928-821-1073, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Sign up for the CCoF UCYC trip through Bill Ashland, 714-0465, or the Director of Missions, 526-8738.
To enable youth and young adults who wish to participate in a summer short-term mission’s trip, but need financial assistance, two scholarship funds are available. Both the Sarah Warren and Seth D’Luzansky Scholarship Funds were established to honor two extraordinary former members of Christ’s Church whose young lives touched many, before they each went to be with the Lord.
Any youth or young adult who is considering a short-term summer mission’s trip and needs financial assistance, is welcome to apply. Click HERE for the application form, which is also available from youth leaders or church office, and it will be accepted during the first 10 calendar days of April. For additional information, contact the Director of Missions at 526-8738.
CCoF Impacts Rwanda through Memorial ScholarshipsIn 2009 the mission’s team at CCoF awarded over $9,000 in memorial scholarships to 12 recipients, which provided financial assistance towards the cost of going on a substantial short-term mission trip. In this issue we hear from scholarship recipient Lauren Scheema about how the Lord used her in Rwanda.
Many people do service projects or leave on mission trips with the drive to do good for the world, to save suffering countries. I can admit that I left for Rwanda this summer with these very intentions. I only saw the country as needy, and oppressed by genocide and war. I wanted to leave my stamp of a good deed on this country. Little did I know that instead, the country would leave its stamp on me.
With the support of Christ Church, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel this summer to Kigali, Rwanda with a team from an out reach organization called Young Life. Young life is a ministry that works with the youth ages 12-18 and has been growing throughout the United States for the last fifty years. As of the recent, it has become an international ministry as well! God is expanding this ministry throughout the world to countries including Russia, India, Mexico, Tanzania and Uganda. As of July 2009 Rwanda has been added to the field! And this new addition to the Young Life family was our reason for this trip-to get the team on their feet.
While over there, we helped the Young Life Rwanda team create connections with one of the local high schools and taught them how to start relationships with the high schoolers in the area. This meant soccer camps, soccer games and dedicated contact work. This was a very rewarding experience for us because we had the opportunity to make connections and share God’s love with them as well. It was such an eye opening experience to see the joy that these kids have. Naively we think they should be suffering for what they don’t have, yet they are so content and thankful for what they do have. This is something that I wasn’t expecting to see. I envy them for their simplicity and community. They don’t need material goods to make them smile and find happiness; this is what we, as Americans, don’t realize. We shared the Good News with them, but they weren’t the only ones learning new things, because in turn they taught us the simple joys of life.
The Rwandan Young Life leaders had decided to start their ministry at The School of Kigali. And to make a connection with the head master, we volunteered to paint their school hoping to gain trust. This was incredibly successful and Young Life is now completely welcome at their school, something I know isn’t true for most schools in America. As lost as the people of Rwanda are, this shows great hope for the desires of their heart. There is something in them that is longing for truth and we can see that through their willingness to accept this ministry. God is tugging on their hearts, softening them and the Young Life Rwanda team is excited to do His work!
Our efforts of the first weeks work paid off when we got to help the Rwandans host their first ever Young Life Rwanda Club. Young Life Club is a mixture of songs, games, competitions, skits and God’s Word, all arranged with the intention to get kids out of their shell and comfortable with themselves. Judging from the first club where 300+ kids attended, I know Young Life will be a huge hit. Kids ranging from ages 5 to 18 came running into the YMCA to the sound of music. More and more children spilled in all following their friends. This very community aspect of their culture provides the perfect opportunity to reach even more people. God really has an amazing plan for how he is going to work throughout Rwanda using community as His tool.
I think The Lord called me on this mission trip not only to help spread His love to the people of Rwanda, but to teach me what he desires for our lives. God designed us to live simple lives full of community, forgiveness and hope. Rwanda has one of the most troubling pasts in history yet can still hold on to these values in their culture-that’s inspiring. When I went over there intending to save their country, I never realized how much I actually needed to learn from them. Their culture has taught me the power of forgiveness, the importance of community and to desire a hopeful future. They have shown me that joy was never, and is never, found in possessions, but in grace from the Heavenly Father. Living with all of these values can bring so much more glory to our Savior. I have full faith that Rwanda is heading in the right direction to peace in Christ. They are taking their first steps towards rest in Him. I was humbled and blessed to be a part of that journey. Please keep the Young Life Rwanda team in your prayers! There is so much more in store for them!
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourself with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15