FEPC Mission Team Update

Day 2 By: Courtney

--Today we got to meet some ladies who attend the discipleship groups Matt and First Baptist church's pastor Nelson have in a town called Filadelfia. It's about 45 minutes away and we had fun going through the countryside and mountians.

--We met 5 different families and shared food, memory verses and life stories together. One woman, Helga, had just had a biopsy to see if she has breast cancer. Pastor Tom, Dr. Jim and Pastor Nelson were able to counsel her while everyone else got to know her family. Even though she was facing a scary potential change in her lfe, she was smiling and seemed peaceful in the Lord.

--Eating a wonderful (and BIG) dinner with Don Victor and his family. They attend Calvary Chapel, which is the church we are staying at.

--Playing Apples to Apples with the McClain kids and laughing at everything.

--Being able to bless Matt, Brooke, Ethan, Isabelle and Audrey through a small service, communion, and praying for them. We also presented a painting from Kathy Glover to them.

--Finding more bugs and geckos in the house!



From Brooke:
I am super tired tonight and it is really late but I just wanted to say that tonight was so special for me. The girls and I stayed back from Filadelfia because I needed to work around the house, get a few more grocery items for the team, and take Lucy to the vet. Her skin irritation is back and the vet thinks it is an allergy. I went ahead and let him shave her, bathe her and now she has a special shampoo, prescription med to take and special cream for the next week to use. So, I had a busy day. I was able to catch a little rest, and the girls did also.

But tonight we met at the church and shared a wonderful time of fellowship with the team. What was most special tonight was taking communion together and each member of our family being prayed for by name as well as specific things like our ministry here, our relationships with our disciples, and our marriage. It was especially meaningful to me when Beth prayed for Audrey and the specific ways things prayed for her. It was very special to hear people praying for my children specifically.

Don Victor and his family are preparing many meals for us this week. Tonight was fantastic. They invited us to their home, had the tables all set up, and it was wonderful! We fellowshiped with them before returning to the church for communion.

I also loved hearing my kids have so much fun with the kids on the team. Despite it being late and way past their bedtime, there were no fights, no fussing, just good ole fun! I can see deep bonds forming and that warms my mother's heart. It will be so neat in May to come back and see these guys again.

Matt and I enjoyed a round of Euchre with Tom and Jim and that was fun and brought back memories :)

Everyone has fallen asleep now and that is where I am heading. I cannot end this post without mentioning the wonderful surprise and blessing given to us by Kathy Glover (I know you are reading this, my sweet friend). She gave us a beautiful hand painted portrait of our family. It will be cherished forever. Many thanks to our sweet sister, Kathy.

Many of you most likely known the satisfaction of a day well done. Some may have experienced those days often, some maybe less so. When I saw Matt's face this afternoon, I instantly knew that he had tasted and seen that the Lord is good. Nothing makes me feel more proud than to see that look on his face. Thank you Jesus for the privilege and blessing to serve you each day

Tomorrow should be a very fun day. We'll be walking our neighborhood, sharing the gospel, playing with kids and praying for open doors along the way...

To God be the glory....Great things He hath done.

I will try and post a picture post tomorrow...