« FBC Columbia Clinic - Day 5 | Main | WWPhd - What Would Paul have done? »

August 28, 2004

FBC Columbia Team Returns Home

The time for us to leave Rio came much to fast. The short week we spent there was amazing. God did many awesome works in and through us. Our trip home went well. God gave us a smooth transition back to our lives here in the states. While we came back home to the place we left, we did not come home the same.

During the time we were in Piraque God used us to meet many physical needs, but more importantly, He allowed us to meet countless spiritual needs. We know that this was not because of anything we were able to do, but it was because of what God chose to do through us.

Even though several of our team members had served on medical teams in Rio before, God spoke to each of us while we were there this time. Jane Scott, who made her third trip to Rio this year said, "I was once again reminded that serving God is such a fulfilling experience. To see people emotionally, physically, and spirtually in need and to meet those needs, in some way, is what God has called us to do. The blessings I receive each year make me hungry to continue serving God in what ever way He calls me. It is such a fulfilling and awarding experience." It is always amazing when you think you are going to help others, but many times feel as if you got more out of the experience than you had to give. God uses places and things He calls us to in order to teach us things we could have never learned in our ordinary, daily routine.

He spoke to more than one of our team members in Rio about continuing to find ways to meet spiritual needs in our daily lives here at home. Team member James Clark described, "This past week in Rio was both a blessing and a burden. By that I mean serving with others on our team for God’s purposes in Rio was a great blessing. But last week also reminded me of the burden we have to share the love and life changing message of Jesus Christ to others in our daily lives here in the United States. It is a burden which we should accept gladly with purpose and passion giving all the glory to God. " While God called us to go to Rio for a week and serve Him, He has called us to daily serve Him in the places He has us here at home.

We thank God for the opportuanity He gave us to go to Rio, and for the message He has intrusted us to share with people we come in contact with every day.

Posted by Laura Breeden at August 28, 2004 10:57 PM