Global Encounter Ministries organizes mission trips for youth groups in three inner cities in the U.S. - St. Louis/East St. Louis; Kansas City in Missouri and Denver, Colorado. We provide a lodging site (the floor of a church with meals and showers) and a ministry site (church, park, apartment complex). We also provide training the first weekend and great speakers and worship band for the week.
Many groups have partnered with us year after year. Some go back to the same ministry site and develop a relationship with that church or people in the area. We are so thankful for these youth pastors and students who pour into the children and adults they are in contact with that week.
I am privileged to get to talk to these youth leaders as they plan their mission week and try to answer their questions in the months leading up to their week. Every year we get to meet new youth groups and be reunited with familiar ones.
My weekend is usually very busy with registration and other duties and I don't get to sit in on much of the training sessions, but when I do get to hear the speakers later in the week, I am always encouraged and blessed.
Our band this year was amazing. Tyler Skrobonja's Band is a group of college students from First Baptist Church Arnold. We have used this group in the past at Arnold for a service occasionally and have watched these young people grow into outstanding musicians with a heart to lead true worship. Actually four of them were interns with us for the summer. But when we were in each city, all six went out on the field with the youth groups every day. We always assign a couple of interns to each ministry site to help and these band members had such servant hearts that they wanted not only to lead worship each evening, but serve alongside the students at their VBS.
I also have to say we had an outstanding group of interns, as well. They start working with Brad Russell the first of June each summer and work through the end of the last project.....some work a week or so . They have so many duties and the list is pretty overwhelming at the beginning of summer: journals, t-shirts, ministry sites, directions, showers, lodging...the list goes on and on. But they are so creative and always get the job done with excellence.
Speaking of Brad Russell, I really don't know what we would do without him. He is the college pastor at FBCA and has such an impact on those college students as well as our interns that he leads for 9-10 weeks every summer. Brad's love for the Lord and passion for serving Him makes him an incredible asset for Bob Caldwell and Global Encounter Ministries.
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| FBCA, St. Louis, MO |
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| FBCA, St. Louis, MO |
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| Northgate, Kansas City, MO |
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| Northgate, Kansas City, MO |
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| Aurora FBC, CO |
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| Aurora FBC, CO |
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VBS Prep, Aurora FBC, CO |
I am so thankful to the Lord for giving Bob Caldwell this vision so many years ago and he and Joy have stayed true to the Lord's purpose and leading to build His Kingdom. I am also thankful that in April, 2000 they let me join them in this journey.
Just a few stats from this summer's mission trips:
27 church youth groups plus other churches involved for a total of 40 churches total in the three cities.
537 missionaries on the field in the three cities.
1500 + enrolled in the VBS's in the three cities.
1200+ ministered to on one day in the three cities
At least 104 came to know Christ during those three weeks.
Praise to the Father!!
Memo to self: thicker air bed next year......
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