Commissioning
Big, dark, billowing rain clouds made a huge arc to the west and south of the South Denver area... Oh yeah, it is definitely going to rain. Grilling outdoors is certainly not as fun in a downpour, but we’ll manage. The biggest worry is: Can we fit all the people who have come to pray over and lay hands on Team Peru into one place in the Alexander’s wonderful home?
But God is good, all the time, and the clouds just kind of skittered around us or simply evaporated as they approached our sacred ceremonial grounds.
Walking around to the clumps of students, you could sense anticipation and energy - giggling silliness abounded, but also a not quite full acceptance that in less than 36 hours we would be boarding a plane that would serve as the first leg of God’s Peru adventure for us.
Mrs. Vaughan began the formal part of the commissioning with familiar, but absolutely important reminders (Passports!, no leggings, no bro-tanks, who’s taking meds? Do we have the Who’s in your group of five?), helpful hints (What about those little snack bags?! And dryer sheets to make your coming home clothes smell nice, even in the midst 8 days worth of stinky clothes - Who knew?), and her giddy excitement over our little info packets that would slide into our lanyards.
And then food! Oh, glorious brats...with cheese! And those beans! And pasta! And burgers! And desserts - tiny little cups of creamy goodness and fruit-n-cream cheese-topped squares of sweet and tangy heaven!
But it was when we reconvened to focus on the eternal purpose for which we were there that not only the reality of the trip began to set in, but the eternal importance did too.
“Man your stations...Bring her to life!” These are the words spoken by a ship’s sponsor on its commissioning day and is first run up to full power. Mrs. Vaughan’s words helped us to see that with God as our sponsor, our trip is being commissioned by God Himself. This is His work that He has invited us into to serve the people whom His heart is fully turned toward: the orphan, the powerless, the voiceless. Culminating with group and family prayer to implore the grace, protection, and blessing of Our Heavenly Father on this unique and pre-ordained group and its service, all that was left to be done was try to get a bit of rest and finish (or maybe begin!) packing.
But God is good, all the time, and the clouds just kind of skittered around us or simply evaporated as they approached our sacred ceremonial grounds.
Walking around to the clumps of students, you could sense anticipation and energy - giggling silliness abounded, but also a not quite full acceptance that in less than 36 hours we would be boarding a plane that would serve as the first leg of God’s Peru adventure for us.
Mrs. Vaughan began the formal part of the commissioning with familiar, but absolutely important reminders (Passports!, no leggings, no bro-tanks, who’s taking meds? Do we have the Who’s in your group of five?), helpful hints (What about those little snack bags?! And dryer sheets to make your coming home clothes smell nice, even in the midst 8 days worth of stinky clothes - Who knew?), and her giddy excitement over our little info packets that would slide into our lanyards.
And then food! Oh, glorious brats...with cheese! And those beans! And pasta! And burgers! And desserts - tiny little cups of creamy goodness and fruit-n-cream cheese-topped squares of sweet and tangy heaven!
But it was when we reconvened to focus on the eternal purpose for which we were there that not only the reality of the trip began to set in, but the eternal importance did too.
“Man your stations...Bring her to life!” These are the words spoken by a ship’s sponsor on its commissioning day and is first run up to full power. Mrs. Vaughan’s words helped us to see that with God as our sponsor, our trip is being commissioned by God Himself. This is His work that He has invited us into to serve the people whom His heart is fully turned toward: the orphan, the powerless, the voiceless. Culminating with group and family prayer to implore the grace, protection, and blessing of Our Heavenly Father on this unique and pre-ordained group and its service, all that was left to be done was try to get a bit of rest and finish (or maybe begin!) packing.
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