Thursday, April 26, 2012

Teen Missions

Teen Missions International was founded in 1971 by Robert Bland. As stated on their website, TMI exists "to launch youth into lifetime missions involvement by training, discipling and mobilizing them to impact eternity around the world NOW." Every summer since 1971 hundreds of young people between the ages of 9 and 19 are trained at TMI's headquarters in Merritt Island, Florida, affectionately known as The Lord's Boot Camp. After two weeks of simulation training in Florida's swamps with no electricity, running water, or air conditioning, students are prepared for a work or evangelism project with an established overseas mission. While at Boot Camp the participants are also trained in construction, evangelism, teaching English as a second language, and team building. The goal of Boot Camp is to cause students to experience culture shock before they leave training, so that they can be more effective ministers overseas.

TMI runs 39 programs similar to Boot Camp in 23 countries around the world, training the national teens of those countries to also rise up and proclaim the gospel among their own people. A portion of the funds raised by North American teens attending The Lord's Boot Camp makes it possible for young people around the world to receive Bible training they would otherwise never be able to afford. The impact on the lives of the students themselves who experience a summer mission trip with TMI is probably the most important part of TMI's ministry.

As students see the pressing needs of the world and learn that they, as followers of Christ, are equipped to meet those needs, their hearts begin to ache for the things God's heart aches for. When I went to Zambia with TMI two summers ago, the small flame in my heart for fulfilling the Great Commission was stoked into a blazing inferno that I trust will not be quenched until the Lord takes me home. This is the kind of passion I want to see in other young people of North America, and this is why I am returning to The Lord's Boot Camp this summer. I hope to encourage the younger members of my team (including my younger sister), and challenge them to live with reckless abandon for the One who gave up all for them.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Prayer Update #3

This is the third of the prayer updates I have been emailing to our group of prayer partners, but I just now thought to copy them here.

Fried tarantulas are a delicacy in parts of Cambodia; they became popular during the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s when there was a severe food shortage. Though I do not know if we will be traveling in those specific areas of Cambodia, I (Elsie Anne) have decided that if the opportunity presents itself I will eat a fried tarantula. My decision was confirmed this afternoon as I read A Chance to Die, a biography of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot. When speaking of specific hardships that Amy endured involving slugs and critters, she said, "It was good missionary training. If one is preparing to storm the bastions of heathendom, it won't do to blench at creepie-crawlies." That made me smile, but then, it would. :)

We are getting closer to the time to leave for Boot Camp on June 9th, but a great deal must be accomplished before then. I (Elsie Anne) have roughly three weeks of the semester left, and Leah is taking her finals this coming Wednesday. $4,000 has been provided by our Lord to cover the remainder of our project expense, but we don't have it in tangible form yet. Nevertheless, we trust that it is waiting in the heavenly places, along with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3), until He decides to shower it upon us. Leah received the first installment of her immunizations several days ago, and her arms are still recovering. I have officially recovered from my fall over spring break and am no longer a gimp (praise the Lord)! So, things to pray for this week are as follows:

  • For Leah and I to complete our semesters diligently and successfully, as unto the Lord.
  • For patience and trust as we wait on the Lord to reveal where the remainder of our support is coming from.
  • A spirit of gratitude and prayerfulness as we continue to prepare for the ministry at Boot Camp and in Cambodia.
  • Good health: Leah has a slight cold, and my allergies have been ornery lately.
Blessings In the Saviour,
Elsie Anne & Leah
Psalm 117

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Silent Sobs

You who can resist the half-articulate pleading of many and many a heart today, can you resist this? From millions of voiceless souls, it is rising now - does it not touch you at all? The missionary magazines try to echo the silent sob. You read them? Yes; and you skim them for good stories, nice pictures, bits of excitement - the more the better. Then they drop into the wastepaper basket, or swell some dusty pile in the corner. For perhaps "there isn't much in them." Very likely not; "there isn't much" in the silence any more than in darkness, at least not very much reducible to print; but to God there is something in it for all that. Oh! you - you, I mean, who are weary of hearing the reiteration of the great unrepealeed commission, you who think you care, but who certainly don't, past costing point, is there nothing will touch you?
-Amy Carmichael

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Provision

May 15th. The date looms, not necessarily dreaded or ominous, but present and slightly imposing. It's like April 15th - tax deadline, but worse. I've never done my own taxes; my father graciously takes care of that for me, so May 15th has been the date on which all of my anxiety rests.

But He tells us not to worry about our lives.

Yes, I know, but this is different - this is important.

I tried my excuses, wanted to be able to worry, to have merimnao for May 15th, but no such privilege would be mine.

It is now roughly a month before that ominous date and the Gracious God has provided beyond all of my faithless expectations.

May 15th is the date by which my lil' sis and I need to raise a large sum of money for our trip to teach English in Cambodia this summer. It has only been about two months since we started fund-raising, and we are well past half-way to our goal (praise the Lord!). He is so good, and He leaves no room for worry - only for trust.

May 15th. I cannot wait! How will He provide the final dollars? That remains to be seen, but His faithfulness is a given.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Cambodia!!

So, it's been a long time, huh? About a year? My last summer was absolutely amazing ( you can read about it at this blog), and now I am finishing up my freshman year of college. God has done so much in my life over the past year, and continues to amaze me daily. Summer is quickly approaching again and I wanted to make it known that I am going to be traveling with Teen Missions again this summer; this time to Cambodia! I am so excited, especially since my younger sister will be joining me as well this summer. I plan to post some weekly updates here, as well as interesting information about Cambodia, so stay posted and let us witness together what the Lord will do!

Blessings,
Elsie Anne