Is This Heaven?

No--It's Puerto Rico!

I continue to be amazed at how much I learn through my times in Puerto Rico.  Two recurring themes during my stays have been on grace and love.  When I first started, I had said I was willing to serve where the need was, and the greatest need for PPM at the time was in Puerto Rico.  This has been only the second full year that we have been leading mission trips on this tropical paradise. It has definitely been a learning process on how ministry and partnership looks on this beautiful Island.  

When I started leading PPM missions trips into Puerto Rico, I had no idea what to expect.  One thing we have figured out quickly was that the people are just as generous and gracious as the other Caribbean and Central American Countries that we serve in.  Even though there has been a heavy influence from the US, the people of Puerto Rico have not lost their relational roots.  Every time I return for a mission trip I see selfless acts of service and love.  From a church pausing their Sunday service and waiting for a half hour for one guest.  To a leader of a prayer meeting following through on her “commitment to God” and running the prayer meeting with the “pelican team”, even though her sister had passed away the day before.  These selfless acts are small examples of what I witness when leading mission trip to Puerto Rico.

I remember one particular week when we were taking a Christian school from South Dakota to the Eastern part of the Island.  As happens when traveling with a large group of people, we were running late on arriving to the church on the first day.  I call up the church organizer to apologize for the delay and Elba replies “ you take your time, we are enjoying each others company and are excited to receive you”.  Our team arrives at 8 pm on a Saturday to thirty of the church members playing music, clapping, and shouting as the team walks off the bus.  The acts of love and grace did not end after the first day.  In fact they intensified everyday.  The church of over a hundred members strong, had half of the church working alongside “the pelican team” throughout the week.  Families opened their homes to 20 strangers on multiple occasions, came alongside prayer walks, and worshiped with.  By the end of the mission trip one of the adult leaders described the week as “a living example of heaven, a time of extravagant love”.

I continue to be amazed by the “extravagant love” that I see while leading mission trips to Puerto Rico.  Of watching “Pelican teams” arriving with the US task mode and being totally challenged by the fact that is not what you do.  It’s who you are doing it with and for.  

Fundraising Update

Thanks to many amazing people we are nearing our fundraising goal for 2014.  With 35 more people giving $100, we will be fully funded!!  Thank you for your prayerful donation.
The GamFamSix