Speaking Frankly...My thoughts on Spain...

Artsy picture of the Church
The Sky
Bobby (the international cornhole association president) teaching David how to play
David at the top of Montserrat
Cibele waiting for Lunch
Michael getting ready to do some work
Pretty Cross
David teaching the boys to make paper airplanes
Noa was probably my favorite child
Although this guy was pretty awesome too!


I've honestly been avoiding writing this post and the thank you letter to all my contributers for quite some time now for a couple of reasons. 1) I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole Trip and 2) Maybe I am sure but I don't like what I have to say.

I would like to preface everything I'm about to say with this statement: The Director of the church in Spain said we did a great job, that we accomplished everything and more that we came to do, and we did exactly what they wanted from us.

That being said...

I don't think I'll go back. I fell in love with the people over there, the church is full of people with such great hearts and such love for the lord and I would love to go back to visit. I just don't think I could go back on another mission trip.

I just don't think it's my place to serve. There were a lot of parts to this mission trip that I was uncomfortable with. Yes the Bible says to lead people to Christ, to become Fishers of Men, but I've never been one to force that on someone. I've always sort of lead by example. I don't think there was any part of this trip where we were physically making people go to church, or not leading by example. I guess it's just a different kind of mission trip.

We spent a lot of the week going on Prayer Walks through the different Cities. While no one, including myself, will argue that the power of prayer is anything but massively strong, I just feel like prayer walks are one step away from that guy standing on the corner of Andrew Young and Peachtree in his purple pimp suit screaming about how we need to find the Lord Jesus or we'll all go to Hell. We aren't screaming out, but we're walking around the City, praying out load and asking God to change the hearts of the people in that city so that they can come to know him. Sounds great, feels a bit like a polyester pimp suit.

We spent a lot of the week discussing the Catholic Religion, a lot of the conversation was centered around the fact that the Catholic faith has a disconnect from God and his people. However I felt like we were missing the big picture. Yes, these people choose to worship God, our god just as much as it is theirs, in a different way, but isn't the important thing that they are worshiping? That they believe that Christ is their savior and that he died on the cross for us? I guess I just feel like I don't really care how you choose to worship God as long as you are doing it.

I can't wrap my head around a God that would choose to have millions of souls go to Hell just because they don't have the opportunity to know him, so I choose to not believe that. I choose to believe that all our religions worship the same lord, if you look back in history you can see how they all stem out from each other. The difference is that I also believe that God sent his son to die on a cross and save me from my sins. That does not make me better than anyone, that does not make me a perfect or sinless person. I still make mistakes, I still falter, but I have someone that I can run to and lean on when that happens.

I just feel like I might have been better used going to Africa to dig wells, or going to Mexico to build houses.

In the end you live and you learn and I'll know for my next trip.

Again, much was accomplished, and the church saw their biggest turn out ever the Sunday after we left, I just guess I would love to be able to show a before and after picture to everyone. We went over there to run a workshop on small groups, we did that and it went really well. We cleaned up the area surrounding the new church and cleaned inside the old church. Those were great accomplishments. The trip went REALLY well. If you gave please don't think your money didn't go to great wonderful use, I'm just still trying to sort out my thoughts on all of it.

LSB