STUDENTS BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE LOST AND JESUS CHRIST

They had only a week, but seven students from The Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina, were able to distribute 4,640 gospel packets on and around the campus of UNAM, Mexico City. Assisting their effort were four members from the Mexican Baptist Church, Ministerio Estudiantil, plus missionaries on the field. This project helped student leaders of MIES (Ministerio Estudiantil) continue with the work on the UNAM campus.

"What a week," shares IMB missionaries David and Pam W. "It was a blessing to be able to experience the love of Christ shared in so many innovative and uninhibited ways. The students were such a 'breath of fresh air' and reminded us of our early service in missions as college students with our BSU director, Tom Hearon. The students were willing to do anything to bridge the gap between the lost and our loving Savior. The English Club held daily at the 'Islas' was one of the platforms used to bridge this gap."

CATCHING THE VISION

"Early on, the students realized they needed to treat each moment as a spiritual battle. One day they traveled thru the city using public transportation and visited the Colonias of Tepito and Merced. Here they not only witnessed the real spiritual battle that is before us, but also reached out in love to the homeless both spiritually and physically by sharing testimonies and serving a hot meal. The hope is that this trip opened the eyes of the students of Summit to how the Lord can use them both locally and internationally," David says.

WHY WAS THIS TRIP SUCH A SUCCESS?

David explains: "Being able to have the freedom to work with a group like this was the key to the success of the week. For the first time we had to just give out the Gospels in mass as the students entered or exited the campus and at metro stations. We held the main work of evangelism later on when we invited students to English clubs, sports, or a coffee/concert. The students of Summit were flexible enough to witness on impulse and in quiet moments one on one. Their willingness to do all these things, and allow the Spirit of Christ to work thru them, made the difference in the week."

Contact us for opportunities to serve in the American Peoples Affinity with our workers. When you allow God to use you to help build His kingdom you experience opportunities of a lifetime.

God is in the business of changing lives

A discotec in the Bonit Juarez area of Mexico is the location of a small weekly Bible study by brother Gilberto – a precious man of peace. When First Baptist Church of Wauchula, Florida, sent six workers to Mexico City to assist Verna, an IMB missionary, they had no idea that the Lord would touch their own lives in a wonderful way!

"Two of the team members were of Mexican descent so it was an emotional week for both of these women to revisit their homeland and to reach out and touch Mexicans with the Gospel. Friendships were instant. The women spoke perfect Spanish and were a wonderful asset to the group, said Verna."

"Other team members forged the mountains cheerfully and overcame the fears fostered by United States newscasters. They were excellent volunteers and terrific Spanish learners. This group hopes to become a SC Church, continuing service in Mexico City. They were a great encouragement to Mexican Baptists. They left with a desire to pour their lives, resources, time, prayers, and Great Commission work into the people of Mexico City, all for God's glory. I hope Wauchula, and Pastor Smith, is ready for this group. They developed a Great Commission call during this short-term mission trip, and fell in love with the Mexican people while using their language and talents. They have so very much to offer ministering in our area of the world. This will be a powerful group to watch, declared Verna."

Verna went on to say, "Literally, every team member, both Mexican and those from the United States, had their own personal story of God's grace and mercy to tell and share this week. The group learned to pray specifically with more compassion, more sensitivity, than they thought possible. They experienced the pain of others, those lost and those that knew salvation, but grew ever so much this week through being on mission with God."

"As the Mexican Baptist strongly shared their faith leading some to Christ, some U.S. team members experienced sharing the Gospel that led to salvation for the very first time – I do not think it will be the last, said Verna."

Verna explains, "The volunteers met Mexicans that worship the dead, Mexicans that are drug addicts, and Mexicans that love Jesus as Lord and Savior. They saw firsthand that God is in the business of changing lives, making all things new for His glory. Never have I seen God so at work in the lives of the Mexican people as I did this week, followed by His awesome work in the lives of the U.S. team members."

"It was an exciting week. We showed the Jesus film at the discotec on Thursday afternoon and 30 people came – the fruit of the week in the flesh. I believe this is just the beginning of how God will use a discotec to reach a community for Jesus, thanks to the faithful surrender of the life of Gilberto to be used by God for His glory. Thanks be to God for the determined lives surrendered by six faithful Christians from Wauchula who came to be God's servants this week," exclaimed Verna.

Would you be willing to allow God to use you as He did these workers? Contact us and we will guide you to missionaries who are praying for workers to come to assist them in evangelizing the lost. Time is of the essence. Millions die every day without the saving grace of Jesus. Get involved and allow God to work through you to make a difference in the harvest fields.

THE FORGOTTEN!

"The Tarascos are carpenters who make and sell furniture along roadsides in the city. They set up tents and live and work out of these modest dwellings," says David and Pam, IMB field missionaries. Team leaders Garry Morrison and Lucas Randall led the volunteer teams that came from Iglesia Bautista Hispana La Roca, Greenville, South Carolina, and First Baptist Church of Marshall, Missouri, to work with our field personnel. Our missionaries share, "Both churches did such a wonderful job ministering and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. They traveled more than any other group we have ever hosted and ministered to many homeless and others who society chooses to ignore."

Besides working with the Tarascos, one team met a family that hosts a house church each Friday. The church leader asked the group to visit Zula (another small pueblo about ten minutes away) to see if God was working there. If He was, they wanted to encourage His work. It was well worth the effort because the team led a family of three to Christ. The missionary and leader of the house church followed up on this family and confirmed their decision.

A national household invited one group for a meal. The volunteers were delighted when the gracious hosts invited them back to hold future meetings. The missionary states, "This gesture is such an incredible testimony to God at work!"

Randall's teams shared the love of Christ through songs, activities, food and sharing the Word of God to these humble people. During the week, they helped serve a meal to the homeless in Tepito and hosted a mini-VBS with the Tarasco. In addition to this, they assisted the Boyters by distributing over 1700 Gospels in San Pablo Altlazalpan and in Colonia Nopalera.
Praise Jesus!

Come to work in the harvest fields of the American Peoples Affinity and allow God to give to someone else through you. It is a simple thing, really. Begin the process by contacting us at the address below or at the blog addresses. We are anxious to talk with you. Take that first step and share your heart with us and we will connect you with someone on the field who has a multitude of hearts that need Christ!

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog. May God bless your life as you consider ministering to others as He has done for you.

NOT AN ORDINARY PRAYERWALK BUT A PRAYER MARCH

Missionaries David and Pam W. are praising Jesus for a recent team from Fleming Baptist Church, Augusta, Georgia, that came to work with them and a Mexican Baptist Church, Iglesia Filadelfia.

Winston and Cheryl Collins, of FBC, put together a team that truly had servants' hearts. When the Collins' had to return home for health reasons, this did not deter the vision of the team. They regrouped and continued without grumbling to finish the task.

David and Pam say it best,"This group of six rose to the occasion and bent beyond being flexible this week. We commend them for staying to continue with the project. They did a great job distributing Gospels, working at a homeless shelter down town, and cleaning up a park. The team adapted well to changes and did anything extra we asked of them. Each team member was sensitive to the needs of others and demonstrated the love of Christ through both their words and actions. I know Winston and Cheryl, and their church family, are very proud of this team."

PRAYERWALK

"Sunday's service was very exciting with incredible music and words of encouragement by the pastors. After worship, we ate a nice meal and got ready for the 'Prayerwalk.' We think this is where the tone was set for the week. This was the most exciting Prayerwalk we have ever taken part. It was not an ordinary Prayerwalk because it was a Prayer March! We paraded down the streets of La Cebada holding a Mexican Flag up front with two pastors playing their guitars. Tambourines were banging, people were singing and praying…right thru the Tiangis! It was an experience we will never forget," states David.

CONCERT IN PARK A SUCCESS

One afternoon, the team assisted churches in cleaning the park. "This was a great way to show the families of Barrio 18 love in action. Numerous bands, drama teams, dancers and rappers all shared the Good News of Jesus Christ. During the invitation, many people came forward for prayer," exclaimed David.

It is such a blessing when a team comes to serve alongside missionaries and national pastors in an effort to reach this area of the world with the Gospel. They distributed over 7,000 packets in just one week, and there are now at least 17 new brothers and sisters in Christ!

Think how many are still waiting to hear the Truth. Respond now by contacting us today.

Doors Open Wide for God

FEELINGS OF UNCERTAINTY TURN INTO FEELINGS OF JOY

IMB missionaries, Jack and Sheri T., share with our readers how God answered prayers when a team from United States traveled to Mexico to evangelize. They explain:

"We began the week with feelings of uncertainty. Violence had created an atmosphere of fear and distrust in the city of Tijuana, and we were unsure how the people of "Hacienda de las Delicias" would accept our team. Truthfully, we doubted we would have a good number of face-to-face conversations with those living in the neighborhood."

"Several days before the project began; we visited the area and prayed over the homes and families within the community. On that same day, the pastor of 'Iglesia Bautista Vidas con una Misión' made the difficult decision to cancel our evening activities because he felt that it was just too unsafe."

"Our prayer partners joined us in praying for the area, for safety and for open hearts. As always, the project began by prayerwalking and we again prayed over every person living in the community. God not only answered those prayers, but amazed us as well! Although the community was fearful, He used that fear in a positive way. Because of the uncertainty that these families face, many recognized the need within their lives, and God moved them to seek the answer as to how they can fill that need."

DOORS OPEN WIDE TO THE WORD OF GOD

Jack and Sheri go on to say:

"It was a joy to see doors tentatively open to strangers, and then open wide to the word of God. As follow-up visits began, and Bible studies were scheduled, God showed us repeatedly that He is still in control, and even in these difficult times, He is reaching out to those who seek Him."

Praise God for His faithful intervention with this team and the neighborhood where they evangelized. Over 3000 families now have the Word of God in their homes and are involved in over 70 home Bible studies. Uncertainty turned into blessings for the national seekers and for volunteers from Porter Memorial SBC, Lexington, Kentucky.

Contact us for opportunities to sow seeds like this team. IMB field missionaries have a multitude of neighborhoods that have no church presence. We need and want your assistance in reaching our Mexican brothers and sisters.

A Block Party for Jesus!

We encourage you to read the following story from missionaries on the field that explains how God used a small church in Mexico to open doors for the Gospel.

"Iglesia Bautista Betuel has a vision to begin cell groups throughout the colonia of La Gloria. Their prayer is that cell groups will reach out to this lower economic area and provide hope to those living there through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Because this was an indigenous project, the national church assumed all responsibility.

As the church began to plan how to begin their follow-up for the saturation project, they decided an afternoon and early evening block party would be helpful. They wanted the neighborhood to know who they were and meet them personally.

We often joke about the number of dogs versus people in Mexico, but we truly believe that in the colonia of La Gloria the dogs are the majority; most of which run free. With this in mind, a veterinarian (who is a member of the church) decided he would donate his services and the medicine to vaccinate dogs and cats living in the community. His objective was to open doors and help build relationships.

When the Gospels were distributed, an invitation was included for residents to bring their pets to the cancha where we held the evening activities. Additionally, two cosmetologists donated their services to provide free haircuts, and we planned an evening movie.

Unsure of what to expect, the church members waited anxiously for the festivities to begin, but they had nothing to fear. The owners of sixty dogs and cats arrived at the cancha with their pets to have them vaccinated. We collected contact information from each owner. Besides vaccinations, the cosmetologists gave countless haircuts. At the end of the evening, the people of the community were in awe that the little church they never knew existed wanted to help them in so many ways, with no strings attached. For those who questioned why the church would do this, we told them, "Because Jesus loves you and we want you to know we love you too."

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  Please pray that the work of Iglesia Bautista Betuel will lead to new cell groups.
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  Pray that the nationals who accepted the Gospel will understand the Word and reach out to Him.
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  Pray God's message will spread to the entire area of colonia of La Gloria so the residents can learn about the One who will give them eternal life.

If you feel God leading you to join the work in the American Peoples Affinity, please contact us at the address listed below.

The Story of an Mission Team at Work

When Jolene (IMB Journeyman) hosted First Baptist Church, Boyle, Ms., she had no idea how God would work through the lives of the volunteers, Mexican Baptist volunteers, and our missionaries. The project goal was to saturate an area of Colima, Mexico with the Gospel where there was only a small house church present. Because mainly children attended the services, the pastor's objective with the project was to make adult contacts to facilitate the growth and expansion of the church.

As the team prayerwalked, handed out gospel packets, and evangelized, several people expressed interest in having Bible studies in their homes. Join us in praising Jesus for these seekers. Ask Him to urge the non-believers to follow through with their commitment to attend services to learn more about Him. Pray they will experience God's wonderful presence in their lives so they will be encouraged to begin new house churches for His kingdom growth.

Since it was the rainy season, it is always a concern when a team plans to show a Christian movie outside in the elements. A threatening sky loomed over the area so the women immediately prayerwalked and asked God to hold off the rain until after the movie ended. People flowed in and watched the movie with great interest. Praise God the rains held off until the equipment was packed and the team left the area. This gift of no rain showed everyone God was in control of the mission efforts.

The following pictures are a reflection of the week's events. It will give you insight into how much fun a team has on mission with the Lord, but also how He uses His workers to His glory.

Visit the IMB website (http://going.imb.org/volunteers/default.asp) to learn about getting ready to serve on the field as a volunteer.

Musuwas, Nicaragua Update and Prayer Needs

March 2006 a group of volunteers from Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, Georgia, visited Musuwas, Nicaragua to hold a medical clinic in a school. A young Mayangnan man, Canicio T., was a resident of that village and heard the volunteers share their love for the Lord and how He wanted to have a personal relationship with all people. Because of this witnessing, Canicio and his family became followers of Jesus Christ.

After Canicio was educated to become a schoolteacher, he returned to his village. A small house church had formed in Musuwas and Canicio was asked to be the pastor. Putting all reservations aside, Canicio accepted the challenge and he has faithfully served as pastor for the past several years. The church has grown and now reaches out to other villages in the region.

In 2007, Burnt Hickory built a shelter where the young congregation could worship and grow. One year later, some members of BHBC hiked into Musuwas to explore opportunities and needs for this new ministry. They found a strong group of believers when they arrived. Praise God for His protection over this church and the reaping He continues to bless.

The church wants to grow as disciples of the Lord and they want to reach out to the people in other villages in their region. Already they have helped form small groups of believers in four other villages.

• Pray for the Mayangna people and the work in progress.
  
• Pray that the Gospel will spread in these villages where BHBC is at work and that the new believers will stand firm – even when persecution rises.
  
• There is nothing more important you can do for the entire region of Middle America and the Caribbean then to pray fervently and consistently that God's kingdom grows and prospers.

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Nicaragua Medical Mission Team Perseveres Despite Challenges

A hurricane endangered the trip and the Nicaraguan custom officials detained the team. There were long days of travel on rough muddy roads, chiggers bit their sore bodies, they slept on hard cots, and they endured hot days and damp nights. Still, the 25-member team from Burnt Hickory Baptist Church would not have their spirits dampened - even when the bus was stuck for two hours in the middle of the night. The team continued in faith, knowing that the Lord was there and at work. God had called each one to Alamikamba, Nicaragua to work with national pastors and translators, and they would not allow anything to deter their journey.

The team's reflection:

"The small medical clinic in Alamikamba is visited every day by people from the village and surrounding region seeking comfort and relief. Geraldo, the young Cuban doctor who works there, tries to help but seldom has the medications or equipment he needs to provide even basic health care. Fuel for the small generator is lacking so they seldom have adequate lighting. People with serious conditions are transported over rough roads to somewhat better clinics - or a day's drive to a hospital in Managua. Some people return home to spend their last days like the elderly woman with an abdominal tumor and the newborn with cleft pallet and twisted bowel.

Members of the medical team were God-called and church-commissioned to go and offer hope to the people of Alamikamban by proclaiming the Good News in both word and deed. With loving care in the medical clinic, women and children were touched and given relief from the symptoms of poor nutrition and an unhealthy environment. Pharmacy gave much needed medicines for pain relief, infant and maternal needs, and infections. Many men and women were individually fitted with eyeglasses that improve their lives and protect eyes from the harsh sunrays. Dental care gave relief from chronic tooth infections and pains. The team gave compassion and love freely in Jesus' name.

Men, women and children received spiritual care in the clinic. National pastors spoke with each adult and teen, offering God's Word and plan for their lives. The Jesus Film was shown and the team offered testimonies and songs to the crowd."

Alamikamba (the center of commerce and government for its region), is a moderately sized village with a blending of people of native Mayangna and Miskito, as well as Spanish decent. People and livestock mix along muddy roads and small home lots. The road ends at the Prinzapolka River. The river ties together the villages of the region.

Many of the nationals have very limited access to the Good News of Jesus Christ. People from at least 13 different villages in this region came for health care. Some traveled for two days. They went home knowing that someone cared enough to come a long way to heal their bodies, and to share with them about the gift of life.

The medical clinic treated 679, the optical clinic treated 237 and the dental clinic treated 170 patients. In response to the Good News, 28 accepted Jesus and 132 requested Bible study.

After an exhausting but exhilarating trip, the team returned to America celebrating what the Lord had done, and with the knowledge that each one touched many lives for Jesus.

Contact us and we will explain the process of traveling overseas to work for Jesus in many capacities. There are so many options to use your talents and love for the Lord, just like the team from Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, Powder Springs, Ga!

Graanman - Volunteers - and the Suriname Jungle

Volunteering to work with nationals who pray to idols and dead people did not deter the members of the Summit Church, North Little Rock, AR. Four volunteers traveled to Suriname to hold medical clinics in three villages. The team held adult and children's church each night. They taught the attendees about Jesus, the cost of being a Christian, and preached against idolatry.

Summit Church prayed specifically that the team would be able to get the pharmaceuticals through customs. The team leader says it best.

"When it was time to go through customs, every person's bags and boxes were opened so the officials could search the contents. When it was time for the team to go through customs, I told the lady what we had and what we were doing and she thought about it for a little bit, and then let everyone of us through without opening one of our bags."

The volunteers worked with George, a local Christian man. He was their interpreter and was able to get them into places they would normally not have been able to access. They also had to deal with the "Graanman" who is like a governor of Saramaccan villages in the jungle of Suriname. At one point, the team had to deal directly with a "family feud." The team leader tells the story as follows:

"A young man, Menufesi, who had wanted to date the Graanman's daughter, and the Graanman did not want him to - had lost trust of his family because they tried to sneak medicine in his food. There was a lot of friction between him, the Graanman, and his family. He would not speak to anyone. The other villages did not trust him because they thought he was crazy. George talked with him, gave him his hammock, and we gave him food and took him to church with us. By the end of the week, he was back with his family and shook the Graanman's hand, and the Graanman was not angry with him. Katherine bought him shoes and he wanted to go with us. A very volatile situation was quieted with Christian love and wisdom, and he heard the Gospel."

Katherine shared David and Goliath, and the children acted out the characters. After their performance, the children led the team to the river where they sang Christian songs as the volunteers crossed the river. Think what an awesome journey this must have been for these servants of God!

Another experience shared by the team:

"Six women came to get medicine. When we told them we were about to have a devotional time, they wanted to sit in on it, and George translated. Instead of commenting, we just read from the book of James about a problem we were facing (James 1:1-8, 16-27, 3:8-18). When we finished reading, a woman who had watched George's evangelical movie said that she had done many bad things and she wanted to receive Jesus. After talking to her, three other women wanted to get saved too. We prayed with them, and they seemed to really get it. We gave them a ride back to their village, and after Wendy taught them the model prayer, they gave us some gifts – including palm oil, which takes about a month to make.

Another man was there who had lost a 2-year-old child. We went back to his house to pray with him, and he told us that he was a believer, but his wife was not. He wanted us to pray with them for her salvation and to deal with their loss. We prayed and told them the story of David saying he knew he would see his son again. We sang, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" in English and Saramaccan."

We could go on and on with the encounters this team had during their travels. They shared Jesus with villagers, a group of Jehovah's Witnesses, a Hindu cab driver, and a cradle Roman Catholic. In a very loving way, the team shared Jesus at every opportunity! They left Suriname knowing that they had done their best to tell others that Jesus was the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father but by [Him].

These incredible members of Summit Church shared experiences of a lifetime; not only among themselves, but also with everyone they met. How about YOU…can you see yourself volunteering your skills in Middle America and the Caribbean? All you have to do is contact us and we will assist in your quest to be on mission with God.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog!

Children delighted with new playground at Nicaraguan School

"When we finished the work, there were at least 40-plus kids on the new play equipment," stated Bryans Fitzhugh, team leader of seven volunteers from the University Baptist Church in Fort Worth, TX, who went to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua on a multi-mission project.

The team constructed play equipment and a restroom for an elementary school that included running a sewer line to the toilets and shower. The project was physically challenging and exhausting for the volunteers, but the Lord blessed their efforts when they witnessed dozens of children squealing in delight as they raced to play on the new equipment for the first time. The volunteers constructed the equipment with loving and kind hands and unselfishly gave of their time and talents to the Lord. Thank you saints!

Another joy of the trip was worshiping with the Nicaraguan brothers and sisters in Christ. The team did not understand everything the nationals shared, but they sensed the Holy Spirit's presence.

Did the team leave Nicaragua with sore muscles and thoughts of exhaustion on their minds? No! The Father took away their weariness and replaced it with hearts full of joy and gratitude for the opportunity to work for Him on a summer mission trip.

Join God and our missionaries in the harvest fields of the MAC region. We have many avenues of training for volunteers. Please contact us at the links under, "For Other Volunteer Opportunities" located on the top right-hand side of this article to discuss options offered. Let's work together for the Lord!

"Behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous thing among these people." Isaiah 29:14

Photographs and Volunteers Build Relationships in Mexico

Can God use 12 people in the short span of five days to reach hundreds of homes to share the Gospel? Yes! The First Baptist Church of Mt. Juliet, TN, flew to El Paso, rented a van, and traveled to Ciudad Juarez where they worked with missionaries to do door-to-door evangelism and delivered invitations to family life conferences.

The volunteers teamed with members of Communities of Hope: A Baptist Cell Church. They prayerwalked, testified and supported family life conferences held in parks in the same communities where the church wanted to begin new house churches and cells. Results were phenomenal. The Mt. Juliet team opened the way for Communities of Hope to move into two huge housing areas, and a follow-up team from Ridgemont Baptist Church, Abilene, TX opened even more doors. As a result, two new, large house churches have begun in Paraje San José and Finca Bonita.

Besides going door-to-door, the resident missionaries, Larry and Peggy (Churches Without Borders Team), have a unique way to connect with the families. The missionaries set up a tent and photographed as many families as possible. One hundred-forty families received free family portraits. What a terrific way to build relationships!

The team members commented on how receptive the families were to their visits. This did not surprise them as they had prayed for the Holy Spirit to prepare hearts to receive the volunteers.

How about you, have you ever thought of taking a short-term mission trip but just keep putting it off? Are you a Southern Baptist church that senses God leading you to get involved in missions, but have other agendas you think are more important? Begin with intense prayer and, if you still feel God guiding you to help our missionaries, we invite you to bring a team to the MAC region. It will change the lives of your members forever! God can use you and so can we.

Contact us at the information above and we will help to get you started on an amazing journey. For more information about ministry in Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, check out the team's web page: http://www.churcheswithoutborders.com/.

Helping to put a face on missions!

Fourteen volunteers from Taylors First Baptist Church, Taylors, South Carolina, spent eight days on a short-term mission trip to El Carmen, Mexico. The team worked with missionaries Don and Ethel, and the local church, Centro Familiar Cristiano, which they helped plant several years ago. This is the fifth year that a volunteer team from Taylors has labored together with the church members in El Carmen.

This year the team ministered and shared with four new communities in and around El Carmen. The team also provided a construction crew to help assemble and erect a greenhouse.

The local church has a vision for planting new churches and Bible study groups in several outlying communities. To enhance these opportunities, the Taylors volunteer team prayerwalked, led craft projects for women and held children activities in El Carmen and in the four outlying areas. These activities enabled the team to work with/encourage and present the Gospel to over 850 people. Several accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior during the ministry efforts, and ten Bible groups are now meeting in the communities.

The El Carmen Church leadership had a vision for a greenhouse mission project – which has tremendous potential for the community. One family in the church donated four acres of property and provided the initial funds to launch this project. In addition, the International Mission Board made a grant from the Baptist Global Response's Human Needs fund to help purchase the materials for the first phase. The Taylors team helped in the installation of the two major structural parts for this facility. Eventually, the greenhouse operation will grow tomatoes, beans, peas and onions, and provide employment for the local men. The sale of the products will generate funds for financial aid for local and international missions.

Those who have experienced short-term missions know that what God does in the hearts of team members is as significant as what He does through them. It is great to see the positive impact that this project had on the lives of everyone involved.

Below are a few comments from team members about the trip:

"This trip changed my life completely."
"I went on this trip to do God's will and He turned it around and used it to bless me."
"This was my first mission trip and it put a face on missions."
"This mission trip reinforces for me that God is calling me to do more mission-type work."

Volunteers are so welcome and needed. Allow God to change your life forever by coming to the Middle America and Caribbean region on a short-term mission trip! Contact information is provided under "For Other Volunteer Opportunities" in the column to the left.

How God used a team of seven to reach hundreds in the Dominican Republic

Give yourself a gift and take a moment to read the following mission report from a member of a volunteer team from Immanuel Baptist Church, Temple, Texas. God can use your talents just as He did the faithful servants from IBC. Can you think of a better way to give back to Jesus all He has given you than joining Him on a mission trip? Below is an edited journal (for space reasons) of what can happen when Christians put comfort aside and choose to serve the Lord.

"A group of seven members from Immanuel Baptist Church went on a mission trip to the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo. Our ages varied from sixteen to a senior citizen, but our desire and excitement were even. In a matter of hours, we traveled across the Gulf of Mexico and found ourselves in a new city and new culture. We met Mr. and Mrs. C., (missionaries) who graciously welcomed us to their home. Upon arrival, we found out that another young member of our church, who was spending the summer in Santo Domingo, was ill and would meet us later. With his presence, our team added up to eight foreigners ready to do God's will.

Our schedule included playing basketball, baseball, making crafts, telling Bible stories, and doing puppet shows at a small neighborhood called Bayona. We headed to a small church in Duarte where we sang songs, acted out Bible stories, performed puppet shows, and made crafts. Lastly, we walked the streets to fellowship with the friendly Dominicans; sparking their minds with our testimonies or short messages (written in Spanish) and translated by mostly young bilingual national Christians.

As a conversational tool, we used cards that had our pictures on the front and the precious proof of God in our lives on the back. We enthusiastically distributed the cards to the people for four days. They graciously accepted the cards, and, we pray, they were read.

Saturday night we planned to show a movie outside a young man's house. This gave us the opportunity to minister to the people. After the chairs were brought in, and the make shift screen was set up, the film "Facing the Giants" rolled. To feed their curiosity, the people of all ages left their homes and gathered in the streets. In 90 minutes, the Dominicans learned of God's grace and generosity. God's power was surely at work that evening as "Facing the Giants" lit up the neighborhood sky!

Sunday we split into two groups. One group headed to a small house church led by Antonio, and the other group traveled to another small church led by a young man named Osirius. Four of us went to Antonio's church and experienced powerful and heartfelt worship along with a wonderful message from God. Experiencing a Dominican church worship service, and witnessing the sincerity of the members, was a blessing to us all.

That afternoon we traveled up the mountains of outer Santo Domingo to join a church celebrating its one-year anniversary. The long drive and hike up the mountain was arduous, but proved to be worth the effort. As each of us entered the small building, the children (who lined the wall) all clapped at our entrance. Soon the little church filled with shinning faces and high spirits.

After the worship music and introductions, I gladly shared my testimony. Our assistant pastor brought the message from the New Testament. As the service ended, the church distributed awards to the members who showed qualities of being the most reliable, joyful and, helpful. Those members who displayed honorable traits also received awards. Refreshments followed and it gave us an opportunity to fellowship with each other before we made the journey back down the mountain. It was a good night to be in the Lord's House and we were glad we made the effort to come.

Over the course of a little more than a week, God used our volunteer group from Temple, Texas to minister to many Dominicans, saved and unsaved. To see God's work first hand is an amazing experience. I cannot wait to be on mission with Him again and I encourage you to do the same!"

Jordan Togami
Immanuel Baptist Church
Temple, Texas

Note: The pictures below are from the trip. Contact us for information on how you can volunteer your gifts and time in the Middle America and Caribbean Region.