Arrived in Tlaxiaco!

After a 15 hour travel day, we arrived in Tlaxiaco around 830 pm Saturday night. Unfortunately, wifi has not worked, and we have been unable to update. Our travel day started very early, as we met at the airport at 430 am. We proceeded to check in and juggle bags, then prayed with those who came out to see us off. Our flight left at 6, and things were basically smooth. We had a slight problem or two in Mexico City, but we made it. One of our team members stepped out of bounds in the customs area and had to take his luggage up to be rechecked. Then we had a scare and thought we were going to miss our connection to Oaxaca, but God worked that out, too. After arriving in Oaxaca, we took a bus to Tlaxiaco. What an adventure. The daredevil driver had some near misses with other cars and bicyclists, and the roads were very twisty. This, paired with a very hot van, resulted in some sick stomachs. 

After finally arriving in Tlaxiaco after a harrowing three hour drive, we were greeted by our hosts and taken to the square in town for a wonderful dinner of....hamburgers. I have to tell you, these burgers were a real treat. We were able to go to bed around 11pm local time which was midnight our time. Some of the team members slept really well, while others were awakened often by the sound of barking dogs and crowing roosters ALL NIGHT LONG. Still, we had nice beds to sleep in, food in our tummies, and were very grateful for our safe travels.

One distraction - a passport has been lost. Turner has been working all day to try and figure out what we need to do to get her back in the country. Please pray that this process will go smoothly and we will have no problems. Also, we will be without internet service while we are in the village, and we need to be able to resolve this before we leave. Our God is able to fix all this!

Today was about church and training. After breakfast we headed to church. Three hours later, we emerged. Beat that, Pastor Don! What a great service. The worship was lively and beautiful. There were even some songs that we sang in English as the church family sang in Spanish. We may not have known specifically what the others were saying, but our hearts were singing the same tune to the same amazing God. The first sermon, which turned out to be a Bible study, was on fear. Amazing verses were given, and I´m sure great teaching was going on. Turner and Agustina were kind enough to keep us up to speed on where to go to follow along, but word for word translation was impossible. After a few more songs, the preaching started. The preacher was teaching on unity, so he had us all split up and sit with people not in our family. The unfortunate problem there is that many of us sat next to people who didn´t know English and couldn´t help us keep up. Pair that with little to no sleep, and it was a difficult hour. One of our hosts came and sat next to me toward the end and helped me to follow along a bit. What I took out of that is that we are all the same and that our skin color and language are irrelevant. We need to be unified and serve our Lord as one. 

We had our first training this afternoon on the village we will be visiting. We leave tomorrow afternoon and will return to Tlaxiaco on Friday. It is extremely doubtful that we will have access to internet or cell service. We are excited to visit the village and encourage the church there. Please pray that we can not only encourage the church but leave a positive impression of Christians on the unbelievers in the community. We have learned that it is a long process for people in these villages to convert, and we pray that we are a help, not a hindrance in the process.

Thank you for your prayers. We feel every one of them. We will update when we can. There are lots of good stories for when we have more time. 

Only four days remain till our trip to Mexico. We are very excited, and God is working, even as we prepare. Thank you for the donations of vitamins and glasses. We can still use some, so feel free to call if you are able to help. Our greatest need is children's and prenatal vitamins, as well as small tubes of toothpaste.

We wanted to post our prayer calendar for the trip. If you are led, please pray for our team while we are in Mexico.

Prayer Calendar – Mexico Team 2014

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Saturday, July 26^th 

Our team will be leaving Greensboro at 6am, heading to the city of Oaxaca, Mexico. We will meet from 5:00-5:15 at the airport to pray, and we’d love to have anyone who is available (and awake) to join us!

·         Pray for safe travels with 3 flights, connections in Atlanta and Mexico City, and then 2 bus rides.  

·         Also pray for the customs process to go smoothly since we’ll be carrying vitamins and medical supplies, which could get the attention of the customs officers.

·         Pray for rest while traveling and endurance to finish the day and make it to Tlaxiaco!

Sunday, July 27th

This will be our first full day in Tlaxiaco. We will go to church in the morning, where one of us will be sharing a testimony/brief message.

Later we will have a cultural training class with Alex and other missionaries.

·         Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us when sharing at church.

·         Pray for God to help us be culturally sensitive and for Him to teach us how to love the Mixteco people in the way He loves them.

·         Pray for us to bond quickly with the Sin Fronteras team and for us to be of encouragement to them as Paul was in his travels.

Acts 15:30-35:  So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.  And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.  And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.                                                                                            

Monday, July 28th

We will finish our cultural training in the morning, and in the early afternoon we will be heading out to the remote village we’ll be in for most of the week.

·         Pray for safe travels to the village and that we’d quickly get on good terms with some of the village leaders and residents.

·         Pray for wisdom on the planning of where and when to do the health fair and health education classes, as well as wisdom on how to promote the activities in the village.

Tuesday, July 29th

We´ll be starting our activities in the village. There is a good chance that we’ll do the health fair this day.

·         Pray for wisdom while we screen, diagnose, and treat people and that God´s supernatural love would be poured out on each person. Pray especially for our medical personnel – Regina, John, and Mary.

·         Pray for the Lord to help us with the language barrier.

·         Pray for God to remove any obstacles and opposition – physical and spiritual.

Wednesday, July 30th

We’ll likely be doing our health education workshops with the following topics: Hygiene, Sexual Education and Prenatal/Child Care.

·         Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide each presentation – teaching them practical things as well as drawing them to Biblical truth.

·         Pray for Agustina and Turner as they interpret, especially Turner as he definitely feels challenged in translating some of these topics.

·         Pray that we’d have good spiritual conversations as a result of these workshops.

Thursday, July 31st

We will continue with our activities to include health fairs, health education, activities with kids, and a few surprises for sure.  This will be our last day in the village.

·         Pray for flexibility for our team – that we’d be willing to be used in any way God sees fit.

·         Pray that God would be glorified by many people learning how to take better care of themselves and getting some basic treatment.

Friday, August 1st

Either Thursday evening or Friday morning we’ll be returning from the village to Alex’s base of operations in Tlaxiaco. Then, we’ll go to the larger city of Oaxaca to spend Friday night.

·         We know that we only got to spend a few days with the people of the village, but we also know that God has an eternal plan for them. It doesn’t matter if we are gone, He will keep working in their lives. Pray that He would do just that – advancing His gospel and His kingdom in many of the surrounding villages.

·         Pray for safe travel and no logistical challenges.

·         Pray for our last day with Alex and his family – that we’d have a fun time together and encourage one another.

Acts 17:26-28   "From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being."

Saturday, August 2nd

We’re flying out early and then getting back to Greensboro at 7:15 PM.

·         Pray for safe, uneventful travels.

·         Pray that God would be causing each one of us to reflect on His goodness and the ways that He is challenging us to grow.

Thank you for your love and support. Our God is moving at Westover Church and throughout the world, and we are so grateful to be a part of His story!

     Nine days. Nine. In nine days, we will be in Mexico. This is beyond exciting! We are almost fully funded (thank you, everyone who gave), and we are in the final stages of planning our time there. We all know that our time in Oaxaca and the outlying village(s) we will visit is God's time, and that we may not be doing anything we originally planned to do. That is completely OK with all of us, and we are excited to see where God takes us and to whom He takes us. The relationships we build in the name of Jesus are so much more important than any health screening or education we offer. Those are important, too, but we are praying that we are able to touch people in His name above all else.

     The last few days are busy ones for us: we are assembling cycle beads (a visual tool for natural family planning), collecting supplies, packing, putting together educational pieces, and translating into Spanish. Individually, we are tracking down tiny sleeping bags, finding the correct clothing so we don't offend anyone, and making arrangements with our families and employers. Most importantly, we are trying to make sure to spend quiet time with the Lord during this busy season. As Turner, our leader, read in a devotional recently: Prepare your heart before you pack your bag.

We can certainly use your help now and while we are gone. Here are some ways you can help:


1.  PRAY. This is an ongoing need with any mission trip, and ours is certainly no different. Westover has a team in Zimbabwe and another leaving for China this weekend. We all need prayer for our travel to go smoothly and that God's plan will be evident and we will be able to accomplish what HE has planned for us.

2. We are still in need of a few things. We need large bottles of prenatal vitamins, children's multi-vitamins, and small tubes of toothpaste. Additionally, we will need two thermometers, preferably electronic/battery operated. Please contact one of the team members or call Mary at 420-8404 if you are able to help, and we will make sure your items are picked up. We need to pack all these items by next Wednesday, July 23, so let us know soon if you can help.

3. Join us at PTI airport on Saturday, July 26 from 5:00 to 5:15 AM for send-off prayer. We would love to pray with you before we go! As it stands now, we will arrive home on Saturday, August 2 at around 7:15 PM.

Thank you for your support and your love. This is a very exciting time - it is the first mission trip for most of us! While we don't know what we expect, we know that God goes before us. What more do we need?

Progress on support-raising

We are excited to say that our team is almost to 80% of our support goal! Thanks to all of you for your generosity as well as your prayers. We are trusting in God to provide for the remainder of our support goal as well as to prepare our hearts and minds. Take-off is less than 5 weeks away! 

Our team is working hard to prepare for our time in Oaxaca, Mexico. The dates of our trip are July 26-August 2, so we are in the planning stage for our time there. There is much to do! The plans for our time there are starting to come together. We had some time this week with Janet Ditto. She recently returned from Myanmar, where the team conducted health fairs and screenings. She gave us wonderful ideas of how to use health fairs to connect with people, which is the ultimate purpose of this trip - connecting with people and showing them the love of our Lord!

Prayers are requested for our finances, for the specific directions God wants to take our team, for preparation of our hearts and minds, and for the people we will be serving. Additionally, we will be seeking out donations of pain medicines, antibiotic ointment, vitamins, prenatal vitamins, and allergy medications. If you would like to participate by purchasing any of these items at Costco or somewhere else, we would so appreciate it! For those who have agreed to support us in prayer and/or financially, THANK YOU. We are so excited that you have partnered with us to love the Mixteco people with the love of Christ.

July 2014 Team

On the Field July 26 - August 2

 Another team from Westover is preparing for a trip in late July to once again partner with Alex & Sin Fronteras. With several medical professionals on the team, they'll focus on medical education & treatment amongst the Mixtecos. 

Le the journey begin!

We are in Charlotte about to leave for Atlanta! Next stops are Mexico City and Oaxaca City. We are so excited and happy to be in Mexico soon. We just had the best breakfast ever and it was from Wendy's! Please pray for our team.

Sincerely ,

The Barnabas Team.

We love you'all!

The Barnabas Project - Mission Trip - Facebook

The Barnabas Project - Mission Trip - Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/BarnabasProject2013

The current weather in Oaxaca Mexico

Counting Down

Team Barnabas is less than a month away from our depart date and excitement is definitely building for all 7 of us! We know little about God's plans for us, but there is no doubt that He  has ordained this season of growth, guidance, and preparation as we surrender our plans and ambitions to Him. How awesome is our Provider?

http://www.westoverchurch.com/ministries/singleadults/barnabas-project

We are coming home!

After spending 4 days in the village of San Isidro Chicahauxtla with the Triquis Indians, we will be heading back to America in the morning.  This mission trip has been a blessing for each team member and the village we served.  Each of us witnessed God´s awesome power and is excited about sharing our experience with you.  We appreciate your support and prayers. 

Sincerely,
The Barnabas Project Team 2012
Jaime, Tito, Tania, y Jazmin

The Earth Shook

Yes, we felt the earth move today. Satan must be trembling with fear because the army of God is on the move!!! Heading to the villiage now, talk to you all soon :-)!!

We´ve Arrived in Tlaxiaco

Hello Everyone, we have arrived in Mexico safely!  Once we departed Charlotte, we landed in Mexico City and flew to Oaxaca on a small plane.  Once in Oaxaca we rode in a 15 passenger van to Tlaxiaco.  It took us approximately 3 hours to arrive. Our trip has been very blessed and God has provided us with cool weather. Today we worshipped with Alex and his congregation at La Casa Rosa Roca de Salvador, a church Alex started about a month and a half ago.  Tanya graced the audience with the song "Be Grateful" and Alex shared a word with us from Judges 4 -5....."We are the army of God". 

Tomorrow afternoon we will head to the San Isidro Chicahuaxtla village (which is about an hour and a half away) to share God´s love with the Triquis Indians, not the Mixtecós on this trip. There will be 14 of us total heading to the village. 7 from a team from Montere, 3 from Alex's and our team of 4. There is a small church in the village and we be staying with brothers and sisters in the village until Friday morning.  We find it very ironic that there has not been another team visit from Montere or the Barnabas Team Project since last year but yet here we are serving together again!

Our plan for Friday will be to travel to Oaxaca and spend some time sightseeing, resting, and enjoying the area before we depart on Saturday morning. 

Continue to keep us lifted in prayer as we share God´s love this week! 

Barnabas Project Team 2012
Jaime (Jason)
Tito (Tate)
Tania (Tanya)
Jazmin (Jamilla)

(Our Tlaxiaco given names.....smiles!)

Preparing for Our Departure

The Barnabas Project Team 2012 would like to ask each of you to keep us lifted in prayer as we travel to Mexico on Saturday.  We ask that you pray for traveling mercies, favor, and God's divine grace.  We appreciate each of you for your support and will be sure keep you updated during our time in Mexico.

Peace and blessings,
Barnabas Team 2012

2012 Barnabas Team

Hello Everyone!!  Just wanted to take this opportunity to introduce the 2012 Barnabas Team and to say thank you so much for your prayer, support, and for standing with us. Stayed tuned.... more to come soon!!

Hola from Mexico!

Hola Amigos, or hello friends for those non spanish speaking friends out there. We have arrived safely in Tlaxiaco and have already been using our limited spanish to communicate with everyone. Today we are in training and early tomorrow morning we will be leaving for a village that is approximately four hours away. Thank you all once again for your support both financially to get us here and prayerfully. We appreciate your prayers for the coming week. We are really excited to see what the Lord is going to do!

*once we leave tomorrow morning we will have no access to the internet. We will try to update the blog again when we return to Tlaxiaco on saturday.

Adios Amigos Hasta Luego

Well our travels have started out a bit differently than we thought it would, our flight to Charlotte was canceled, so we rented a minivan and we are driving to charlotte tO catch our flight to Mexico city! What an adventure! We have already Seen God provide amidsts challenges! I can't put pictures up right now, but well try to put some up later! Thanks for the prayers!

Prayer Calendar

April 17th

Pray for traveling mercies as we spend the whole day trying to reach our destination.

April 18th

This is our day of training.  Pray that our hearts and minds will be open to God's instructions as we begin to gain a better understanding of this team's ministry.

April 19th

This will be about the time we will enter the village.  Pray for boldness as we begin the process of encouraging the folks we will be working with and allowing God to use us to love on them.

April 20th

Pray that we are an effective witness to the Mixtecos through our actions and that God's light will shine brightly and transcend the language barrier.

April 21st

By now we will have experienced some form of culture shock for sure.  Pray that God provides us strength and that we remember His faithfulness to us.  We have seen the evidence of how He has called each of us to be a part of this team.  Pray that we remember that we are sent to glorify Him.

April 22nd & 23rd

These will be our last days of ministry.  Pray that we will have fulfilled His purpose for our team and that we will have completely surrendered ourselves.  Pray that we spend these two days looking for how God can use us to have a lasting impact even after we leave.

April 24th

We will be heading home.  Pray that as we begin to process what God has done in and through us, that we will come to an understanding of what He desires for us to learn from this experience.  Pray that we will be obedient as He challenges us to grow into a deeper relationship with Him as a result of what He has taught us.

Todd's 1st Post

I just wanted to thank all of our supporters and say what a blessing it has been to prepare for this trip.  We are getting ready to leave in a few hours and we are over 100% in our support.  God has been so faithful and has already begun to teach me what it truly means to trust Him.  When we look to put our complete trust in Him for our lives, He often will challenge us to give up anything that we hold on to.  God has used this team to challenge me in a way that I did not expect.  I've had a mindset about myself that has not been correct due to what God has done in me over the last several years.  It has been my desire to learn to lean on Him more, and as a result I've had to give up my way of thinking.  All of this, and we haven't even left yet!  I think maybe now you all can understand when I say that I'm excited about going on this trip.