I can't believe a year has already gone by since the Missions trip to Phoenix to the Native Reserves. I remember how hectic it was preparing for the missions and the barriers that satan has put in front of us along the way. There were so many last minute changes, communication problems, money issues, and time management problems that arised. Yet God's grace has made everything fall into place by the time we were about to leave. I remember those times when we met up to prepare in prayer and team building. (We would usually meet up at Ken's place and he'll cook some real good pasta for us.) We did a lot of the spiritual gift inventory and personality tests to help us understand our team dynamics a little bit better. In order to serve well together, we really had to be ONE in Christ. We had to learn how to trust, love and encourage eachother from the beginning until the end. I remember doing this activity where each person had to sit facing the door and then each person from the rest of the team had to say something truthful about you, whether its good or bad. I would say that was one of the hardest team building activities I had to take. I'll admit I was close to tears afterwards but I really appreciate the truth because it really helped me become a stronger leader even until this day.
Though everything seem to be working out, I couldn't stop being nervous about going to missions. Thankfully, it was everybody's first time, except for Pastor Ken so I didn't feel I was the only one. I remember going to camp a few weeks prior and not being used to the environment I started to freak out in the middle of the night! The forest was so quiet and still that it started looking like wallpaper! ARGH! I just couldn't take it anymore! Good thing my friend was there to comfort me or I'll seriously wouldn't know what to do! I said to myself, if I can't even endure this, how am I going to survive at the missions trip? My fears had started to build up. The night before the trip, I called Queenie to check if we both got everything. Then I told her how nervous I was and I think I scared her too! ahhh! After a few words of encouragement, we decided not to let our fears get the best of God's plans so we left it as that. I think I gave lil ken a call too and he didn't even start packing yet! oh my.....=)
I remember before going, I had a secret wish. As riduculous as it sounds, I wanted God to spell out that He loved me with the stars of the sky. HAHAH...seriously =P. And wow......you wouldn't even believe what really happened. Before going, none of us knew where we will be living or where we were exactly going or how everything would look like. Before, we all stereotyped the commmunity to have little teepees and stuff but that's like 17th century!! Its totally not like that anymore, the natives have regular brick houses now. One night, after our worship session, I looked out the window of the tiny church we were staying in.....and I just couldn't believe my eyes. There were millions of stars everywhere, like millions, one in every square inch and they were so close....I couldn't even believe my eyes. I was like, was that real? After waving everyone in, we all walked out of the church and just sat on the rock pavement and just stared in awe. Some people were just shouting out "wow!" and shootings stars went across the dark sky one by one. Queenie literally went off to the dirt road nearby and laid there with the biggest smile on her face =). I'll never forget that because we were all looking for her! It was just so amazing and God really showed Himself to us with the stars in the sky.
Here's a poem that I wrote based on this phoenix mission trip (I also made it into motion typography, ask me if you want to see):
Often times I wonder, if we all share the same world.
You have the choatic and demanding city,
where time just keeps on ticking,
Then there's a place, where everyone knows your name,
and time was like money you can waste,
living in this city,
how many nights did it take to fianlly ask yourself this question, WHY?
Does life feel so Pointless, Complicated and alone,
So I stepped out to see the other side,
The countless stars were close,
and literally twinkling like diamonds in the sky,
The simple and tranquil life,
your worries just melt into the night,
Treasures that transformed my life,
So I can, sleep again, dream again, smile again, and to really..
live again.
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