Missions Team Going To Bogota in July!

GO BOGOTA JULY 09

This summer a team of volunteers will be joining lifelong missionaries Rick and Clara West on a missions trip to Bogota Columbia. Bogota is the capitol of this beautiful mountainous country in the northwest corner of South America. It is a city of almost 8 million people. It is located on a plateau in the Andes Mountains and the altitude is over 8500 feet. The average yearly temperature is around 70 (F) for the high and 45 (F) for the low. The temperature doesn’t vary much even though Bogota is only a few degrees from the Equator. Pastor Bob Gray dubbed it, “the land of perpetual spring.”

There is tremendous growth of the church in Bogota, as well as throughout Latin America. It’s interesting to note that the largest Wesleyan Church in the world is Bogota North Church. God is on the move! A number of years ago, North Church started a training center on the church site. But because of tremendous growth, North Church asked the Training Center to move off site. Through the hand of God moving on their behalf, they acquired an unoccupied building not far from the current church site. The building is an incredible blessing to the School, but is in severe need of remodeling for use as a school.

The main mission of the Latino Bible School is to epuip future pastors for their call. The training center not only equips pastors in Colombia, but pastors for the entire Latino speaking world. Our role will be to come alongside them and offer our support in manpower, as well as supplies. On our last trip we demolished several walls, replaced the water tank for their water supply. We also cleaned and tiled a large portion of their student center, as well as, mudded and built a few walls.

So…here’s the two-fold opportunity...

We are currently raising funds for airfare, meals, accommodations, and supplies while there. As of press, we will need to raise $1500 dollars each to pay for the trip. Anything over and above what we raise will be used on the trip for supplies to continue in the work. Gifts of any size are accepted!

There is also an opportunity for you to join us in prayer! We are required to have no less than 25 prayer partners before leaving for the trip. The most powerful thing you can do is pray! Join our prayer team and pray for the team’s safety in travel, strength and stamina. The power of prayer is an amazing thing and is critical to the success of this mission

If you would like to join the team in financial support, make checks payable to Fountain City Wesleyan Church and mark the memo “Bogota.” All donations can be receipted if you so desire. You can give any funds to Sue Firth-the church office manager, or me. Please don’t put them in the offering, as they might get lost in the shuffle.

If you’d like to join our prayer team, please let us know so we can keep you abreast of all of our prayer needs!

Thanks and God bless you for any support you can offer!

If you have any further questions, you can contact the church by calling: 765-935-4353.

Until The Day of Christ...

As I've been praying for the upcoming trip to Bogota, Colombia, I thought of a certain scripture that might help us in this season of raising support.

Philippians 1:3-6 says: "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

I've heard the book of Philippains called the "Go get 'em" book. The team of 12 others and I are quickly approaching our first deadline. This Easter Sunday we hope to make our first marker by raising half our support, which is $750. In todays economy, that seems like an impossible amount to raise! I know I will be able to raise the funds, however I have moments where I ask God where it is all possibly going to come from.

The thought for today is this, God will indeed see what He's started in me (and you) to completion. It is His plan that I get to participate in and join Him in what He is already doing. All of us on the team are in the same boat. Trusting God is not always the easiest thing to do, as sometimes His silence is deafening. But, we can know without a shadow of a doubt that He will complete what He's started in each of us. He's an awesome God, and it's a sweet place for us to be.

I am totally convinced that prayer is the answer. When we talk to God, He will move on our behalf! He already has the plan laid out and our part is to connect with Him. So, as we continue to struggle with, "am I possibly going to be able to raise this money?" The answer is, "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion!" (Emphasis mine)

So, for anyone that happens upon this, I would ask you to pray! How am I to participate in this ministry? There also comes a time to move, but I'll have more on that later! I've heard it said, "the funds are all there, it's in our wallets." It's already provided for us, prayer is the key! How's the prayer list coming!