Last semester, I was approached with a new opportunity to grow: leading a mission trip to Ecuador. Since then, I have been working with my boss to plan a trip for a group of students and staff from FSU to travel to Ecuador to work with a missionary who ministers to children in the jungle. We began with interest meetings to tell the students what the trip was about and what we would be doing while there.
Since then, we have had 11 students and three staff commit to the trip. We have been busy meeting every week and discussing in further detail what we'll be doing to help the missionaries in Ecuador. We also have some fundraisers scheduled, the first one being this Sunday at a local restaurant, Red Elephant. Our next big fundraiser will be a yard sale in April. The students are busy sending out support letters to family and friends asking for financial support and are very excited for the trip.
While there, we will run a three-day Vacation Bible Schools in two locations. The students were broken up into groups to help with crafts, games, snacks, and teaching the lessons. I'm excited to see how God leads these students to come up with teach these kids and minister to them.
I am excited for this new learning opportunity for me, but at times I also worry that I am doing something wrong or overlooking some aspect of the trip that will come back to haunt me later. This is a whole new learning to lean on the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom as I make decisions that will affect not only me, but the team as well. It's also a learning opportunity to not let little glitches stress me out, but know and trust that God will work it all out, even when I can't see the end result. I can't wait to see how God uses our team in Ecuador and what He teaches us through this trip and opportunity to serve.
