United as the Body of Christ

Stardate: Sunday, May 15th, 2016

Captain's Log

This morning we went to church at Sendero De La Cruz, which was just a short walk away from the house. Sandra and Cesar, two of the Guatemalan missionaries, led the way and helped translate the sermon, as the service was entirely in Spanish. It was a eye-opening experience; so many people were so open with their emotions even in public, which is often something we seek to conceal in America. There were people dancing, crying, singing, and praying opening and often simultaneously. The message the pastor gave was on the Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. There is a strong sense of community and love for all believers across cultures and countries as people smiled and greeted us even though we could not necessarily communicate in the same language.

After walking back from church, we enjoyed so delectable grilled cheese. Ginny shared a lot of cultural insights with us to further help us prepare for the week ahead. We planned out our Faith Lesson crafts and skits, which we will use throughout the week. Our memory verse that we're focusing on this week is Ephesians 2:8-9: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." We want to share the message of justification through Christ's sacrifice as well as the importance of sharing that message with others.

We closed out our day with a devotion led yours truly (Mikayla and Dorothee) in which we read from 1 Corinthians 12, talking about spiritual gifts within the Body of Christ. This is a good reminder for us going into the week as many of us will be leading and serving in ways that are new and unfamiliar to us. God is using us all in incredible ways, some of which we might not see the results of yet, but that does not mean He is not working through us, and He will continue to do so throughout this whole week and the rest of lives.

-Cap'n. Mikayla Engel and Cap'n. Dorothee Belli