Colorado Springs Update 1

The first two days in Colorado Springs have been a blast. We had rough day of travel getting here, with a a flat tire that brought on a two hour delay. The students were all remarkably patient and gracious through a long day of travel. We arrived very late here in Colorado Springs, and our hosts at Converge Church were very welcoming. We had the blessing of worshipping with Converge at their Sunday morning service. Will Holland and Adrianna Pate helped the worship team lead the service. Several of our students helped in the children’s area. We then went to lunch at a local park where Derek Horn and Jeff White introduced us to church planting and why multiplying is central to God’s plan to save the world. Individuals multiply when they share their faith, small groups multiply to reach more people, and churches multiply to reach into new areas. Converge exists to multiply and reach people who do not know Jesus.

Yesterday, our team started our day studying the book The Art of Neighboring, which talks about practical ways to reach your city by loving your literal neighbors well. We then went and walked through neighborhoods praying for God’s work in these people’s lives. In the afternoon, our kids divided into two groups. One group served at Spring Rescue Mission, a great organization that helps people break through patterns of hurt and addiction and find new life in Christ. The other group served at the local elementary school where many Converge kids attend. The aim is to love the community in a way that opens doors for people to meet Jesus. 

Finally, last night our students put on a sports night for local kids. They did a great job giving these kids a fun night. They played, heard about Jesus and built relationships. The aim of all of this is to help open doors for the long term ministry being done here through Converge. That’s why we partner with a local church; we know that small sparks started during this week will be fanned into flame through the faithful service of God’s people at Converge.

All the students are doing well and adjusting to the altitude well. Pray for life change and God’s Spirit to grow our students’ faith.

grace and peace,

Nick and the team

Guatemala Update (Wednesday)

Today was a jammed packed day full of quality time with San Rafeal Elementary school! We showed up this morning and our students rocked the house. From playing Human Fooseball Soccer with the elementary kids, to performing and dancing to spanish songs, to sharing testimonies in front of big groups. We took a brief lunch break to get some Guatemalan ice cream and a good rice and bean filled meal, and then we got right back to work back at San Rafael! We saw some of the kids that we played with yesterday and all of their parents even came! It was a great opportunity to not only share with the children, but spread the Word of God throughout their homes. We played Human Fooseball again and watched the parents enthusiastically bring the house down! After more skits, songs, dancing, crafts, and testimonies, we eventually wrapped up our fun day.

We are growing extremely grateful as the days continue to pass and we recognize more unique and special ways that God moves throughout the whole world, beyond Northwest Arkansas. Our students are all doing wonderfully and have been told multiple times that they are the best group Fellowship Guatemala has ever worked with! Ending our evening with a Bible Study led by Lauren and Kaylee, and then a rousing game of Psychiatrist, it will be a full and satisfying day.

We'll continue to update you as we learn more and more about our big and creative God!

Collin Jackson

Memphis Last Day (Thursday)

It was an eventful, exciting, sweet, and tearful last full day today in Memphis. We worked at the Grizzlies Center again today and scrubbed the floors of their entire entryway. Kids and leaders were on their hands and knees all morning scrubbing their little hearts out. We never heard any complaining and they actually made it fun. I was really moved today seeing how hard the kids worked- not just to get the job done, but because they care and want to serve diligently. Other students also helped some leaders complete some planter boxes that were started last Spring Break at St. Andrews. We hope they can use it to provide some food for their students. 

The last day at the gyms were incredible also. We saw our kids truly exemplify what it meant to take steps of faith and intentionally seek to plant seeds. There were multiple kids who were very intentional with sharing the gospel and their testimonies. Even in the short amount of time we've been here, our students made an impact on the kids they came in contact with. We had many tearful good-byes, but it was sweet to see how the Lord's love can be so powerful. 

After a quick dinner of hotdogs and hamburgers again, we worshipped with Sunday Morning NES and got to heard from Randy Odem, MAM's COO. He challenged the students in the importance of living a missional and a discipleship lifestyle. 

It's been an incredible week. The Lord has been so faithful to work in and through our team's lives. We pray that he will produce fruit as he wills in the Memphis student's lives and that our students will also have a long-lasting impact as well. We're sad the week is coming to an end, but excited to be home and sleep in our normal beds again. 

God is Great!

Janie Nolen

Memphis Day 4 (Wednesday)

It's been another fantastic day.

We changed our schedule around a little bit today and went to the Memphis Zoo after our morning devotional times. It was a blast. Some students faced some challenges, but overcame their fears (of birds, snakes, etc.) Some were overjoyed by seeing their favorite animals and others went the extra mile to make sure they found soft serve ice cream (the most logical adventure). It was a great time to get a break from all the hard work and reward the students. Once again, the leaders could not be more thankful for the amazing attitudes of the students. 

When we left the zoo we went straight to the gyms- Bethel La Belle and St. Andrews to await the arrival of the kiddos. It was so sweet to see the Memphis students' excitement when they saw our students just after one day. The majority of our time was spent playing basketball, helping kids with their homework, painting nails, and learning some new dance moves. 

During our worship and debrief time tonight, led by Caleb Raines and Laura Joachims, we once again encouraged each other by pointing out things we saw someone else do well. There were so many stories of our students and leaders being intentional with the students they were around. Whether it was on the basketball court or during hair and nail time, our team has been so great to show Jesus' love in action and deed. 

Tomorrow (Thursday) is our last day at the gyms. It will be a sad but sweet time. Pray that our students will take advantage of their final interactions with the students they've made relationships with and that the Memphis students' hearts will be soft and open to hearing and understanding the gospel. Pray for our students to have courage and the words to say and to be driven by the love they know of Jesus.  

Janie Nolen

Guatemala: KIDDOS FINALLY!!!

Just when we thought it could not possibly get any better!

Today began with some Lucky Charms, Captain Crunch, and fresh from the cow-milk. Following a much appreciated sugar filled breakfast we headed to a local private school here in zone 25 where 80 elementary students were waiting for our team.  And it was a BLAST! We did some face painting, music led in Spanish by Fernando, Gabby, and Fabby (FG team with us), arts and crafts, and a gospel skit wonderfully and hilariously preformed by our team showing the conversion of Saul to Paul.  Aubree Beeman shared her testimony following the skit and blew it out of the park. It showed huge progress in advancing the Kingdom and the Fellowship Guatemala Strategy of discipleship in this new zone.

After lunch we headed back to San Rafael Elementary (where we painted yesterday) but this time 140 young ones greeted us at the gate of the school and these kiddos are CUTE! With newly painted classrooms they were so excited to have painted faces! From butterflys, to lions, to batman!

After face paint and some games we were able to sing some worship songs in spanish with the kids. Gabby (their youth leader) does an incredible job with these kids.  She gets them singing and dancing for Jesus in one moment to sitting attentively with Lauren as she rocked her testimony the next. We were sad to say goodbye but luckily we get to go back Wednesday to preform the Gospel Skit in the morning for them and then again in the afternoon for the parents! 

Please be praying for that Jesus would touch the hearts of these families and that discipleship opportunities would be open for Fellowship Guatemala.

After dinner we headed back to the Mission Hotel where Doug led a local youth group in Panorama and our Aubree and Cari led us through Ephesians 1:6-10 (they did incredible)!

Excited to see what God continues to do in this city. They are hungry for truth, please pray they would hear and believe it.

 

Hasta Luego

Collin Jackson

Mosaic Students Guatemala

Memphis Day 3 (Tuesday)

It's been another great day here in Memphis. We started the morning with our normal routine of breakfast, talk (led by Christa Campbell), personal devotional and small groups. We studied 1 John 3:10-18 and discussed how to love in deed and truth. 

We headed to another MAM gym today called St. Andrews. Before we started working, a MAM staff member named Chelton shared his testimony with us. He shared how he came to know the Lord and how he's come to see how our God is a God of adventure. He reflected on how God is not safe, but he is good. 

Everyone worked hard again today and we deep cleaned the St. Andrews, which is owned by a church. Their gym had recently gotten a new floor and still had some drying to do, so we were not able to get in the gym today, but cleaned and prayed over some classrooms kids are in everyday. We also picked up a lot of trash around the area before the Memphis students got out of school. 

After lunch we sent some of our team to another MAM gym called Bethel La Belle to get time with their elementary students. The rest of our group stayed at St. Andrews and waited for their students to arrive. It was incredible to watch our students as they so eagerly jumped right into serving the Memphis kids. A few girls immediately drew in some other girls by showing them how to make friendship bracelets. Many kids have homework they had to finish when they first got to the gym, so our kids were quick to help them out. It was an incredible picture- to walk into the school room and see almost every Memphis kids paired with one of our students. When their homework was finished they all went outside and played until their dinner time. 

It was great for our kids to finally get some time with the elementary students. And the Memphis kids absolutely love our kids being there with them. I've heard so many times from MAM staff that their kids look forward to our group coming every year. I am continually encouraged and thankful for the wonderful group of students we have. They are all so eager to serve and initiate and are becoming such great leaders. On the bus ride back to our main gym, the Grizz, our students were overflowing with exciting stories of the afternoon.

We had a hearty dinner of hamburgers and hotdogs, followed by a great worship time led by Adrianna Pate and some of our leaders. Mark also led us through a time of encouraging each other by pointing out ways we saw our teammates "doing it right". As we were sharing, our bus driver, Michael (who has spent a lot of time with us and participated in a lot of our events) even spoke up and said he could see how our team reaches out to those around us- including him. He said he's never felt so included in a group he's driven for. 

We continue to walk faithfully in what the Lord places in front of us. It's been sweet to see some fruits already and pray for abundance as we continue throughout the week. 

The night ended with an intense game of Leader vs. Students soccer game. Tied 2-2, the game went to a shoot out. The students were victorious, the leaders were humbled. There will be a rematch. 

Janie Nolen

Colorado Springs Day 2

Hey guys,
Day 2 was great. We started the morning with Derek Horn teaching through Philippians 1. He talked about the value of partnering in the gospel. He said that our partnership with them was an encouragement to their whole church. We went from there to prayer walk the neighborhoods. We have consistently seen that where we prayer walk on Spring Break, God tends to do amazing work throughout the year. In fact, the neighborhood that Derek now lives in and ministers in was one we prayed for a year ago.

We then went to serve at the Whites' elementary school. The kids did great and worked very hard. For some, it might not seem immediately apparent how this makes kingdom impact, but the Whites are wanting to get plugged in with the school and administration to get to know people in the community. Our kids came and served under the Whites' name and built relational equity for them as they continue to minister in this neighborhood.

We had dinner at the Horns' house, and the night quickly became Derek Horn story hour. We were literally wiping tears out of our eyes and picking ourselves up off of the floor from laughing so hard. 10 years of student ministry experience will leave you with some great stories. One of the neatest things has been hearing stories from Derek of movements of disciple making he's seen take place in high school small groups. It helped cast a vision for our kids of how Christ can work through high school kids to reach their school.

We put on a Winter Olympics night at the local YMCA for kids. Everyone played a part in making this night happen. For a young church plant that hasn't fuller developed their kids ministry, it was fun to bring the gifts of these Little Mo, KidMo and 456 leaders to the party. Hannah Biondolillo and Meriel Francis led the kids through an opening ceremony where kids picked the team names, made a flag and processed in. Jacob Keeney and Eric Dorothy led the kids through a winter biathlon and Pool Noodle hockey. Afterwards, Taylor Holmstrom led the kids in worship, and Olympic Gold Medalist Brandon Slay spoke to the kids about the treasure greater than gold that God offers all who believe. Brandon leads a missional community (community group) for Converge.

The kids hit their beds whipped after a 12 hour day. The Lord is stretching and growing us in a way that has been a blast. Everyone is doing well.