The Advent of Amazing Adventures

   If you're around me very long, you'll discover one of my favorite things to do is tell stories about missions.  Yes, a little more than ten years ago, you would have heard me utter, "I will never set foot on foreign soil.  There are plenty of people here I can tell about Jesus." Well, God is always up for a challenge and since I do try to listen every now and again to what He's trying to tell me, you probably aren't surprised that I have since then set foot on foreign soil...a few times.  Here's the story (I have to set the stage, so you can see how God truly provides.) :

   When my sister married and moved a few states away, it was hard on us both. We had always been close and this was going to be a rough separation.  God provided.  That year the principal at the school where I teach hired a new teacher who became (and still is) a wonderful friend.  She reminded me a lot of my sister.  I knew God had brought her to our school when I was at her house for dinner and I was going to help with dishes.  I started to run water and she exclaimed, "Don't put your hands in there, there are floaty things!"  I just stared at her...that's exactly the expression my sister uses.  She hates doing dishes by hand because of the "floaty things," too.  That night, I called my sister to tell her about my experience.  She told me that God must have know we would miss each other because there was a girl in their church that reminded her a lot of me and they were friends.
     A few months later, I went to visit my sister and her husband.  While I was at their church, I was introduced to the girl who reminded my sister of me, Cat.  Just after meeting her and visiting with her for a few minutes, I knew we were destined to be friends.  After the service was over, I chatted with Cat.  As she was leaving she said, "Oh, by the way, I signed you up for a mission trip to Belize.  Your first payment is due in three weeks."  It never occurred to me to say "no."  My next thought was, "I need to do some fund raising." (You may be reading this and thinking, "Yes, I get your fundraising letters!")
     Well, I went on that trip to Belize, which started my involvement with a group called Caribbean Resource Ministries.  I have been to Belize several times over the past 10+ years.  I have also worked on inner city missions in Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. I've been on foreign missions in Guatemala and Estonia.  This summer I'm looking in to possibly teaching English in China or the Ukraine. I have lots of stories to tell that, hopefully, will keep you entertained as well as bring glory to God through my attempts to be His hands and feet.
    Yes, Cat and I are still friends.  She is definitely a kindred spirit and a forever kind of friend.  She is also a a part of many of my adventures, so you will see her name from time to time.  Through working with Caribbean Resource Ministries, I've met and keep in touch with lots of incredible people.  Hmm...I may have to do posts on "Incredible People." For more information on Caribbean Resource Ministries and to see some of the mission pics, go to caribbeanonline.org .