Global X Venezuela: DIA 1: Getting To Know You...

Sunday, July 15, 2012

DIA 1: Getting To Know You...

Before Church this morning!

Us with some of the church volunteers...they're amazing!

Wow, what an awesome day! This morning, we got to go to Las Buenas Nuevas Church with the members of Project Jonas (the group we'll be working with this week)...and every single person we met was so warm and welcoming. The church was built 16 years ago to serve the people of Barquisimeto, since there was only one church in the area at the time. They currently rent out the space each Sunday so they are required to set up everything early in the morning, as well as clean up after the services are through. That is A LOT of work! As we were given a tour of the facilities and all that happens on Sunday mornings, we were able to meet many of the amazing volunteers. Their dedication and willingness to put this much effort into serving the Lord and their church family is so inspiring. The environment was just so positive and inviting...and, not to mention, it was so awesome worshiping in Spanish. It was an all-around great experience if I haven't made that clear :)

Chillin by the pool with our new amigos :)

So after church, we drove to "La Granja," which means "The Farm," where the boys live. It was a beautiful drive up - rolling hills, palm trees, and a gorgeous bright blue sky. When we arrived, the boys were hanging out by the pool waiting for us. Just as we were told, the home is absolutely beautiful on the outside. We were warmly greeted by all the boys, and then we were given a tour of the property so we could get an idea of the projects we need to tackle this week. We spent the rest of the day just hanging out with everyone...playing games to get to know each other, playing ping pong, soccer, swimming, and, of course, trying to speak Spanish. Oh, and I forgot eating...we did a lot of that. Lunch was wonderful, in addition to the two other snacks they provided during our 5 hour stay. We definitely won't be going hungry while we're here :) We're all really looking forward to spending more time with all the boys. You can tell they all want to be there...they want to get better. Even though it's so hard what they're going through right now, they seem so happy. The leaders and volunteers of Project Jonas have such big hearts and are doing an amazing thing. The undying love and support they give these boys is so evident, and we are extremely grateful to be a part of this. Thank you God for an awesome first day!!

4 comments:

yonnygavidiaJuly 16, 2012 at 4:13 AM
have good and blessed time in Barquisimeto, team 3....God is Good.... we love you
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AnonymousJuly 16, 2012 at 2:35 PM
As you engage in this mission to share the love of God to those in need please accept this support given, from the perspective of a parent, to you all, the finest examples of what I believe God intended when he created human beings. I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts throughout the trip and I will have faith that God will continually remind you to be steadfast in honoring the safety education you received from your church, the State Dept., and your loved ones. I will have faith that your love, humor, intelligence, vigilance, and wisdom will enable you to succeed magnificently in this mission, to come home unharmed and blessed, and to proceed to glorify God with your precious and courageous lives far into the future. Thanks to you all for being you.

Sincerely,
Sheila Arthur
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AnonymousJuly 16, 2012 at 3:32 PM
The following comment is from Melanie Windels:

Hi to all of you on the Venezuelan Mission. Thanks for the update on your trip! I know you must be very excited. I enjoyed reading about each individual in your group and about the country of Venezuela. I look forward to following along on the blog. I pray that God's Spirit will guide and protect each of you, that His love will be shed abroad in the hearts of those young people and that you will come away refreshed in your spirit as well. Lord prepare the hearts of these young Christians to share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Quicken them by your Spirit and may your perfect will be accomplished through it all. Amen!

Love you, Melanie
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UnknownJuly 17, 2012 at 4:56 AM
I LOVE reading your blog Marina!! Although I miss you bunches you're doing an amazing thing for these boys and you're making a life-long impact on their lives. You shine my dear!! Keep the news coming!!
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Meet Our Team!

Brandon: The hardworking born-leader... Originally from Orlando, Brandon is a Mechanical Engineer and our team leader. He loves traveling and photography, just to name two of his favorite hobbies. Brandon has gone on several other mission trips, but chose Venezuela this year for a few specific reasons. For one thing, it’s something different and an opportunity to work with and for children, something he didn’t get the chance to do on past trips. He also just loves South America...so it was the perfect choice!

Lexi: The laid-back encourager... Born and raised in Atlanta, Lexi is currently a student at Georgia State University, as well as a Barista at Starbucks. She loves to run, read, go to concerts, and paint. Lexi wants to go on this mission trip to make a difference in someone's life who lives outside her norm. She wants to see life from another person's perspective and be able to build relationships with the ones she is helping.

Becki: The outgoing, dependable planner... Originally from Syracuse, Becki is now in Marketing for Coca-Cola. She loves spending time with her two girls, as well as going to concerts and sporting events. Becki wants to go on this mission trip because she feels so blessed and wants to serve and give something back.

Debra: The efficient organizer... Originally from Northern Virginia, Debra was a Special Needs Teacher and child advocate who just relocated to Cary, NC for her husband’s employment opportunity. She loves running, traveling, and reading. Debra wants to go on this mission trip because she is very interested in other cultures and has a strong desire to help wherever she can.

Kate: The encouraging, light-hearted optimist... Born and raised in Roswell, GA, Kate is a dedicated Preschool Teacher. She loves reading, trivia, and college football. Kate wants to go on this mission trip because she has received so much love and support in her life; and therefore, feels she is at a point where she can pay it forward and finally give herself to others in need.

Jaymee: The detailed organizer... Born and raised in Atlanta, Jaymee is married to Karl on our team. She is a Pharmacist and mother of two little boys, and loves to read and travel. Reading the book Radical with her small group is what ultimately brought Jaymee to sign up for this mission trip. She felt called to do something big...something out of her comfort zone for the Lord because, through this study, she realized how passionate God is when it comes to mission work. She feels so blessed by Him and wants to give back to those less fortunate because it’s our responsibility as Christ-followers.

Karl: The detail-oriented deep thinker... Originally from Texarkana, TX, Karl lived in Connecticut and Mississippi for a while, but was raised in Atlanta for the majority of his life. He is husband to Jaymee on our team and works in Metal Fabrication Sales, specifically selling farm and construction equipment. Karl loves fishing, skiing (water/snow), small business start ups, and real estate investments. Reading 2 books (Radical and Don’t Waste Your Life) and 2 years of household discussions on the meaning of life are what ultimately sparked his interest and desire to go on this mission trip.

Pam: The outgoing, creative analyst... Originally from San Francisco Bay Area, Pam is an IT Director at a Christian School. She loves reading, gardening, crafts, photoshopping, history, and her family. Pam wants to go on this mission trip because, not only does she want to do something big for the Lord, she’s also always wanted to experience Christianity in another culture.

Shannon: The chill, easy-going encourager... Originally from Mission, Kansas, Shannon works for a National Labor and Employment Law Firm, specifically doing HR and recruiting. She is also currently in grad school for Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Shannon loves to hang out with her dog at the park, do hot yoga, enjoy the sun on a patio with friends, read, garden, and travel. She has been wanting to go on a mission trip for years, but several factors prevented it from happening until now. She feels extremely blessed to have received so much financial support from family, friends, and even acquaintances, especially since this is what she had been most worried about in the past. Shannon is looking forward to seeing how God works in the lives of people who are removed from what she experiences on a daily basis.

Marina: The friendly, hardworking optimist... Originally from San Francisco Bay Area, Marina has lived all over the place, including England and South Korea, but has been in the Atlanta area for many years now. She is a Special Needs Teacher/Therapist and loves her job. Marina also loves traveling and experiencing new cultures, crafts, painting, dancing, Spanish, and spending time with her family and friends. She has realized the incredible value of serving Jesus through loving and serving others, which is one of the reasons she wants to go on this mission trip. Also, God’s unconditional love and faithfulness towards her has given her the strong desire to do exactly what she feels He calls her to do.

Jeff: The relaxed jack of all trades... Born in Atlanta and raised in Roswell, Jeff is a self-employed Software Developer. He teaches guitar, bass, drums and singing to inner city kids at Bright Futures. Jeff wants to serve God, give back, deepen his faith, and add a little adventure to his life on this mission trip.

Kyle: The encouraging problem solver... Originally from Warner Robins, GA, Kyle is currently working in Spaceflight Operations for the International Space Station at NASA Johnson Space Center. He is also studying Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering at Georgia Tech. He loves hiking, kayaking, reading, high power rocketry, tennis, anything that has to do with sports, and road trips. For the past three years, Kyle has gone on spring break college mission trips, but had another opportunity come up instead this year. He knew God could use him without any traveling, but he really missed the chance to worship with believers in other countries and share God's love with people in less than fortunate conditions. After praying and fully submitting his life to Christ, this trip fell into his lap and he knew this is where God needed him the most. Kyle is looking forward to helping the development of the drug rehab center, but most importantly, to just sharing the love of Christ with everyone there. It's all for God's glory!