We finished up our last couple weeks in Nepal and then headed out to Bangladesh where we worked with the YWAM base in two different areas. Half of our team worked with campus ministries with one of the largest colleges in the capital city of Dhaka, doing friendship evangelism and the other half [which i was a part of] worked in the YWAM offices there, helping prepare for the 25th anniversary of YWAM Bangladesh, making some 250 folders from scratch [no Staples around the corner there] and doing a few other different tasks to help them get everything they needed done before it started. While there we stayed at a hotel only a ten minutes walk from the offices which made it a super convenient location and also had a lot of fun exploring the city. We were only there for about 11 days, but we did have the chance to visit an English speaking church in the city, which was wonderful, and were able to see God, alive in the body of Christ there.
The last three days were spent at the conference center about an hour outside of Dhaka where the conference was held. We slept in long barracks-like rooms on mats under mosquito nets [note: mosquitoes LOVE Bangladesh apparently] to avoid being eaten alive in our sleep with about 50 other woman. Guys had the same set up. At the conference we worked as conference childcare, allowing the missionaries and YWAM staff who attended to enjoy the conference without having to find other arrangements. We had an awesome time with the kids, doing crafts, playing games, and singing songs.
We left to head back to Maui on the 17th and arrived on the 18th a little worse for ware after about 30+ hours of travel, but all in one piece. We spent the first couple days just settling back into "normal" life here and then had our first session of debriefing [which will continue all this week] this morning.
Tonight we had "Testimony Night" which is an awesome time for each team to share what God did through them on their outreach and to encourage the next outgoing school. We finished up the night with an amazing time of worship which really just put the focus completely where it needs to be... on Jesus!
Once we got back to base we weren't quite ready to be done so a big group of us grabbed a guitar, and a jembay and headed down to the beach for another worship session and some intercession. So AWESOME!
i really cannot believe that this chapter is about to end, and the time is coming when we must all move onto what God has for us next. 4 more days... unbelievable.
This has been a life changing experience to say the very least. it has changed my relationship with God and brought me to a place of deeper intimacy than ever before, it has changed the way i interact and communicate with others, it has given me direction for my future and a deepened passion for global missions, and its had an impact that will last for the rest of my life.
The other day someone asked me to give them a one-word summary of outreach and the closest thing i could come up with was "everything"... it definitely had it all!
This Friday will be the graduation ceremony for our Fall '09 DTS and then on Monday i am headed home. i will be leaving behind the amazing "family" we've become here, but i will be reunited with my beautiful family back home. Talk about BITTER-SWEET! my goodness! i know this was just one step in my future in missions. i am planning to come back April of 2011 to do the secondary school, SBFM, offered here in Maui and then going wherever the Lord so leads. We'll just have to wait and see... so for those back home, see you soon and i cant wait to share more! :)
love- chels.
