Back home safe and sound in Panama. When we left for the Dominican Republic I thought to myself, "okay, we'll give some training sessions, set up some logistics, get to know the staff... pretty basic stuff." What I wasn't counting on was how much of a missions trip it would be and how critical what were doing would be for the those we came into contact with throughout the trip and also the futures of the students that step onto their campuses, like UASD and PUKMM, the two campuses we spent the majority of our time at.

Tuesday afternoon we were at PUKMM, one the private campuses in the city of Santo Domingo waiting to meet up with Laura and Carlos, two of the key students there. We weren't 100% sure of what we wanted to "do" with them. We wanted to see their hearts for their campus and if they were committed to Vida Estudiantil and all that entailed but had no idea on how to go about doing that. We were thinking about it when Lusanna, our key leader from UASD showed up, followed shortly after by Laura and Carlos. So there we were, sitting with the 3 students that had come out as leaders over the last week. I still remember looking at them and realizing that these three are going to change the world, starting at their schools. Lusanna and Leyla (the campus staff there) are already seeing fruit at UASD and Carlos, Laura and two other students have submitted a letter to their dean at PUKMM requesting permission to start actions as an official club. We had a chance to interview them on video to bring back to Panama and I was truly blown away by their hearts. They see the need on their campuses and instead of just seeing it, they're stepping out in faith to make a difference. It's taking that first step of commitment where everything it is that really starts. They're choosing to believe God has a plan for the students around them, each and every one of them and are acting on that. So just like in Panama, a piece of my heart is there with them, praying for them and standing firm in the promise that God goes after the lost, each and every one of them.

And the Dominican adventures continue... even though half of the team left yesterday back to Panama. I´d had a blast working and training together so it was a little weird this morning to wake up and not have them here with us. But we headed back to UASD this morning and spent the morning talking with students, getting them to fill out questionaires and interviewing them for a video to encourage the Panamanian students to come here to the Dominican. Would you believe that there are 120,000 students on this campus? The question always is... where do you start??

We had a meeting this afternoon with the president of the federation of students. I definately didn´t catch all of what happened in the meeting but I caught enough. Jhon Garcia (the president) was so so open to having Vida Estudiantil on campus and offered to do whatever he could to help us put on events now, and when the Panamanian project comes in November. He was simply a pretty coool guy and after the hour and a half long meeting I think we felt we all knew each other pretty well... We met some amazing students even today and I was so encouraged by the people that God brought into our path. The four of us (Jon, Jessica, Leyla and I) had split up around the entrance to the main library on campus and we chatting with students when an English speaking student named Jason came up and said hello. And then he left before Jess or I could say anything other than we were from Canada. Later on though he came and joined our group and we got to chatting. He´s only 16 and already at the university. He became a Christian 2 years ago and I was so encouraged by his heart. He simply put it this way,¨"Christ set me free and now I want to tell others about him." Doors are opening all over the campus, from the directors to the students and I can´t wait to see what´s in store!

We are in the Dominican Republic!!! We arrived safe and sound yesterday afternoon and I can´t even explain to you the beautiful color of the ocean as we landed. We settled into the retreat center where we will be staying and met up with Layla (the campus staff member we´re working closely with) and headed to the national offices here in Santo Domingo. We then met with the national director, Braulio and heard a little bit about how he became involved in Campus Crusade, some 30 plus years ago. I was really encouraged to see Braulio and Layla again since our time together in Nicaragua and its been a blast already to be here on their home turf. Last night we attended an amazing church service, they have a beautiful new building which is still being constructed and it was a huge blessing to worship and learn with them last night. This morning we headed to UASD, the only public campus in Santo Domingo and both toured thier beautiful (!!!!!) campus and met up with a couple of key students. We were then joined by a pastor and his wife as we continued on the tour and ended up sharing with a group of students outside the sports center. 3 young men prayed to recieve Christ with us this morning and tomorrow we have a chance to follow up with them!! We met up with a Christian group on campus and it was a blast meeting them and seeing what they´re doing already. There´s more to say but we´re training tonight and doing some logistical investigation this afternoon so... please keep us in your prayers, Gods at work in huge ways already!!!!

There's times that I read a passage and think that I've never read it before in my life. I've been sick the last couple of days and curled up on a couch with a cup of tea. Silvia, my awesome discipler, put me on a bible reading plan much to my dismay and so I've been making my slowly through the bible, revisiting a lot and beginning to enjoy the structure that's come with the reading plan. Yesterday I polished off Leviticus, which was actually better than I thought it would be... although I'm still confused by the whole wave offering thing... and started in on Hebrews.

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs."
Hebrews 1:1-4

I never remembered Hebrews being so cool before... the first chapters really sets up Jesus to be the Son of God, higher than the angels, greater than Moses and yet like his brothers in coming to the earth as flesh. Reading through the old testament you really get a picture of what it meant to make atonement, to be redeemed and forgiven, but all needing to be done through sacrifice and through a priest. And yet the message Hebrews preaches is one of fulfillment. We don't need to go through a priest because Christ was and is that priest for us complete with a new covenant.
Jesus was the exact representation of God on earth and He came to be our sacrifice once and for all.. that's amazing, and I still haven't wrapped my mind around it all yet, I'm not even close.

Tricia and I were chatting last night about how the next 4 (and a bit) months are going to fly by. We’ve hit the homestretch more or less but it’s really in this final stretch. When we first made it here a year seemed like forever and now I’m in awe of how far we’ve already come, as individuals, a team and a ministry. The next four months hold craziness for this team. From a trip to the Dominican Republic this week, a leadership retreat March 20-22, frosh week March 24-27, follow-up and discipleship throughout April and preparation for the Canadian summer project coming in May and June, there's a lot in the works.

But it got me to thinking... how do we measure time? In Canada for me, seasons were measured by the first snowfall, or the first sprouts of grass pushing up through the ground in the spring. Or now seemingly marked by the varying wares of the street sellers at the corner I walk through every day. Seasons of our lives change just as constantly as the weather. Relationships change as do the seasons and cycles of ministry, of health and of sickness. The ways to “measure” these seasons of our lives are numerous as we look to measure and mark the times in our lives. We look back at the as “a time of growth” or some other phrase explaining where seemingly we “were at” in that year or on the day. Time is always passing and it really makes me aware of how I need to be a good and faithful steward of the next couple months and then into the future as the final push on my first Stint year has really begun!

More and more I'm falling in love with the youth group at my church here. I have the blessing of co-leading an amazing group of grade 10 girls on Wednesday nights! Crossfire (our youth group) is nuts week after week and I absolutely love it! Crossroads (our church) has 3 services every week to sufficed to say its hard getting to know people really well by simply coming Sunday mornings. Every Wednesday night the sanctuary of the church is transformed... the music is louder, led by our awesome students, the crowd is younger and all in all everything 's a little crazier! We break into small groups after the message and some nights I feel like I'm watching these young women grow up in front of me, which has been an absolutely amazing blessing. And so... please take a moment on Wednesday night and pray for all of us!! My hearts desire is to see these students meet with Jesus, not only on a weekly basis but on a daily basis and that more than anything else shaping their lives, it would be their relationship with God that's the driving force of everything they do! With all my love! Chau for now!

Tricia, Jessica and I just got back last night from our second missions experience in the interior of Panama. After a 3 hour bus ride, another hour on a bus and then an hour in the back of a pickup truck made to transport cattle we finally arrived as far into nowhere as I have ever been in my life. The truck dropped us off and we soon discovered there was no running water at all but more importantly there were no people... anywhere. As we unpacked and found a creek to draw water and then cooked "salchichas" panama style I realized that any expectations I had had went completely out the window. As the afternoon drew on the villagers began to congregate for what became a daily game of baseball with rough-hewn bats, a ball made out of something like socks and a triangular and uneven baseball field. Bajo Grande (my first missions experience) was a village that had more access and constant "traffic" through it. And with that came alcoholism and a spirit of depression that was all throughout the village. El Cope was absolutely beautiful, there's really no other words to explain it. The landscape was amazing but more than that the people were amazing. The villagers were full of so much joy and like the sunshine I really think that we all just sensed a completely different attitude in this village.
I began to realize how thankful I was for certain things. Like a concrete floor when I was expecting a dirt floor and running water when I went without it for 5 days. Or the projector finally working and showing the "ancient" 16mm film reels to a village that had never seen a movie. We showed the Jesus film in two parts and even as we announced the film was about to start the villagers dropped their baseball game and were in their seats within minutes. What we found out later was that there are 120 people in the village and 71 of them were at the Jesus film showing. These were families we had worked with and for the previous two days, played baseball with and waved to as we walked by or they rode by on their horses. Time and time again we were asked, "when are you coming back?"
One of the coolest things for me about this missions trip is that it doesn't end when we leave. Tuesday morning we brainstormed and talked about the strengths and the challenges of the villages and what our next step could be. And so in March the plan is to return. This time to bring bibles to the community and teach both the adults and the children about the assurance of salvation and what it means to have a personal relationship with God. The community has a church but no pastor and no bibles or any way of learning more about who God is. The students we went with are committed to changing this village and I believe with all my heart that the first steps are already being taken to do just that.