Summer Missions

It's one of my favorite parts of what we do in Collegiate Ministries!  I LOVE hearing their stories, I love being part of the teams, I love seeing God change their lives through their missions adventures.  It's amazing ... and one of the most lifechanging things I see our students do.

Last night, all 200 applicants gathered in Carrollton to continue this journey ... a journey that began with a desire and a calling, that was followed with obedience and will continue this weekend as they gather in small groups to affirm that calling and clarify those desires and to be prayerfully placed in an assignment by their interviewers ... and offered that assignment on Sunday.  And let me tell you, those Sunday afternoon phone calls are SOOO much fun!  Those facebook statuses that share where they will be going bring a lot of smiles.  Not everyone is immediately ecstatic ... some will accept purely by faith because it is really not where they saw themselves serving.  Some will accept ... after a little disappointment that they didn't get their first choice.  Some (but very FEW) will not be offered a position because their choices could not be matched with opportunity. 

Today I will read applications ... and meet probably 50-60 students who desire to serve on one of our four medical teams.  I will try to get a picture of who they are in just a few minutes and work with team leaders to place them as best we can into one of the medical teams. 

There's LOTS of trust involved in this process ... on the part of students ... on the part of team leaders and interviewer.  Trust of the process ... and trust of the God of that process.  What a blessing it's been to see God place just the right people together for His purposes.  I LOVE it that I met my friend Katie when I was her missions interviewer and have had the privilege of walking through life and missions and ministry and (her) marriage for the six years that have followed that retreat!  I LOVE it that the 10 students on that first medical trip have been involved in many more medical missions endeavors!  I LOVE it that God gave me the most "cowboy up," nonwhining group of students on that wet, miserable, tent living week in Nicaragua!  I can't wait to see where God will place my students, I can't wait to reconnect with some sweet missions friends and I can't wait to see who God has in store for my Peru team! 

Pray for students, interviewers and team leaders this weekend as we all seek to be open to what God has in store!