As you might know, my family and I have joined with others from our Church, First Church United Methodist Community to go to Honduras on a Mission trip. The cost for each of us is $1800, and our Church has agreed to pay half, and we will need to pay the rest.
I wanted to start by telling how exciting this is for us, and what this Mission trip means to me. God is at work here in many ways, and each of us will take away many heart changing memories.
However out of the group, I am the only Veteran. I served in the US Army where I once jumped into Panama during Operation Just Cause. Any violent clash driven by military power can be life changing as well as create awful moments and things that must be done. I have some skeletons in my closet from that time period I served there in combat like conditions. Though the skirmishes were often and short, I was involved in a few serous firefights as the second element on A.O.
This is God's Mission first, and those children are our purpose no matter what task needs to be done to help them. It doesn't matter to me what task I am asked to do, I will do it with love in my heart and God on my mind. God teaches me all the time, and I find my life to be centered around God's will and love.
Yes, it is true, once I carried a weapon into the region, it was my job, and yes I did my job. But I also have paid a price, the true cost known only by other Veterans, and my wife. For me, this is a full circle Mission from God. This time I am going with a heart filled with love and kindness, and the Holy Spirit filled in me. I know Craig and Gretchen had the job of picking the team, but I believe that God had his hand all over this and Craig felt the same after I explained this to him.
I believe that God has brought me and this Mission together, and in my heart, I believe I will be able to leave down there what I brought back with me in 1990. I plan to bury that skeleton down there forever. I have been wanting to remodel that closet and downsize it anyway.
Knelled down in the middle with some of my Comrades, I was a highly decorated Soldier at that time. I would later be awarded many Medals honoring different acts of service I performed. One of the most valuable Medals to me, I was given was Soldier Of The Month, Battalion Level. This was for shooting a Full Bird Colonel with miles gear while trying to get his E.I.B (Expert Infantry Badge). He was low crawling through some grass, however it wasn't effective and would have been shot by the enemy. He failed honestly that day, the following day he did well and was awarded is E.I.B.
I wanted to start by telling how exciting this is for us, and what this Mission trip means to me. God is at work here in many ways, and each of us will take away many heart changing memories.
However out of the group, I am the only Veteran. I served in the US Army where I once jumped into Panama during Operation Just Cause. Any violent clash driven by military power can be life changing as well as create awful moments and things that must be done. I have some skeletons in my closet from that time period I served there in combat like conditions. Though the skirmishes were often and short, I was involved in a few serous firefights as the second element on A.O.
This is God's Mission first, and those children are our purpose no matter what task needs to be done to help them. It doesn't matter to me what task I am asked to do, I will do it with love in my heart and God on my mind. God teaches me all the time, and I find my life to be centered around God's will and love.
Yes, it is true, once I carried a weapon into the region, it was my job, and yes I did my job. But I also have paid a price, the true cost known only by other Veterans, and my wife. For me, this is a full circle Mission from God. This time I am going with a heart filled with love and kindness, and the Holy Spirit filled in me. I know Craig and Gretchen had the job of picking the team, but I believe that God had his hand all over this and Craig felt the same after I explained this to him.
I believe that God has brought me and this Mission together, and in my heart, I believe I will be able to leave down there what I brought back with me in 1990. I plan to bury that skeleton down there forever. I have been wanting to remodel that closet and downsize it anyway.
Knelled down in the middle with some of my Comrades, I was a highly decorated Soldier at that time. I would later be awarded many Medals honoring different acts of service I performed. One of the most valuable Medals to me, I was given was Soldier Of The Month, Battalion Level. This was for shooting a Full Bird Colonel with miles gear while trying to get his E.I.B (Expert Infantry Badge). He was low crawling through some grass, however it wasn't effective and would have been shot by the enemy. He failed honestly that day, the following day he did well and was awarded is E.I.B.
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