Friends,
We are currently in the midst of finishing up our work with orphaned and abandoned children around Managua. All grades are hosting good bye parties for the children with whom they have been working all week. The relationships that were built were meaningful and deep. The impact students from the Chapel have had in the lives of these children is beautiful, but it should be duely noted that our team has been impacted deeply through their engagement here. The stories being told and the laughter that is heard around our dinner tables is something that makes me pause and just thank God for the investment He is making in the Chapel students this week.
We now transition our thinking toward helping the students seal the lessons into their hearts and minds, and to helping them apply the lessons back home. We will be leaving for our Debrief site around 4pm this afternoon (6pm in Williamsburg). At the debrief students will spend intentional time in small groups, alone and all together processing all they heard and saw this week. Paul Borthwick (professor of missions at Gordon College) once said, "the short term mission trip that is not examined is the short term mission trip not worth taking." We are committed to helping all our students process their experince in the hope that they will be able carry it with them and apply it to many aspects of their lives back home.
Due to limited internet access at the debrief site, this will be our final blog post before we begin the travel update blog posts on Thursday as we make our way home. The most up to date travel info will be available via text message alert. The blog will also be updated as much as possible. Please text the word nicaparent to the number 41411 to recieve the most up to date travel info for our return trip.
Finally, please consider joining Deacon of Student Ministries, Wrenn Holland, in the SM Worship Room tonight from 7-8pm to pray for the Nicaragua Mission Team. We love that parents and church members are participating with us on this trip through prayer and we wanted to offer an opportunity for even more participation as we request your prayers for the lessons of this trip to sink deeply into the heart of our kids at the Chapel.
It has truly been a wonderful trip everything has been very smooth. We are excited to get home and share with you all that God has done in Nicaragua this week.
God Bless,
SM Staff Team
