DAY 9

A word from Pastor Chris ~ "There's nothing like 24 hours of travel without sleep to bond a team!"

A word from Scott ~  "Man, what an awesome time in Venezuela!  Unity is such a big part of a mission team.  Having several churches represented on this team  and having the unity we had was great to see.  When we see some of these kids that have been coming to this church for years and then see their moms and older siblings come to Christ is awesome to see.  We did see physical healing as well.  Francoise, the pastor's wife, had a hysterectomy and had a severe infection.  She was bloated and in extreme pain some three months later.  We prayed for her on Monday and on Wednesday she had no pain and no bloating and was moving around at a normal pace chasing her three daughters.  Thank you, Jesus!  I just want to thank Pastor Chris and my brother, Chris Nelson, for pushing me and stretching me.  I love you guys!"

DAY 8

A word from Seth ~ "Patacones....Gloria de Dios"

A word from Meagan ~  "I had the privilege of conducting a workshop today for the teachers and volunteers in Pavia.  This was the first time I have ever led a workshop.  I had an absolute blast.  Our translator, Henry, helped me make it a little more fun.  I learned so much from him and the rest of the team in Pavia.  I only hope I was able to give them a fraction of what they gave me."

A word from Chad ~  "The goat meat was amazing!  I may consider switching from deer hunting to goat hunting : )"

A word from Pastor Chris ~ "Finally got those bathrooms wired just in time to use them before we leave!  Oh well, the next team should enjoy them immensely!  Many more tears today as the children hugged us goodbye and cried as they said their farewells."

DAY 7

A word from Seth ~ "The last service is always hard.  It's hard thinking about it being the last time I may get to see many of the people even if I know I will see them again in this life or the next.  What's even harder is seeing the tears in the eyes of the children because they don't want us to go.  They wouldn't let go of me as they gave me their last hugs.  The feeling was mutual because I didn't want to let go either.  I received gifts including bracelets and letters from some of the children and it broke my heart to have to go.  But I have enjoyed everything about this trip and I look forward to going back to Pavia in the near future."

A word from Meagan ~ "I will never forget the faces of the precious children and the tears that were shed this night.  I can't quite put into words how I felt.  I pray that God calls me back to Pavia soon."

A word from Pastor Chris ~ "Around the world you can meet complete strangers and find a common ground in Christ and instantly you are brothers and sisters in Christ.  I am humbled by the price this pastor and his team have paid to minister to the children of Pavia.  I have a new family in the Pavia church and they have a permanent place in my heart.  On a lighter note.....I'm hoping the parasite I picked up will not have a permanent place.  Thank God for Cipro!  Oh!  And the new fans and lights are all working and the new breaker box is installed.  My electrician assistant years are finally paying off.  Now hopefully I wired everything correctly.  Seriously, I have never seen so many open wires in my life!  Our team did awesome working so hard and with joyful attitudes!"

 Apparently, this Iguana was supposed to be dinner

one night, but since he was looking sickly our hosts

decided it might be best to make another choice.

DAY 6

A word from Seth ~ "Going to the brothel this year was very different.  Last year the demonic presence was very strong and I felt it as soon as I walked in the door whereas this year, the evil forces seemed to have died down significantly which showed me that God is changing things in Pavia.  Another major aspect of this trip that was different from last year was being on top of the mountain looking over Pavia.  Last year Pavia was all brown and looked dead.  It looked like the valley of dry bones that is talked about in Ezekiel.  However, being at the top of the mountain this year, I saw lots and lots of green grass and trees as I looked out over Pavia.  Pavia now has life and God is showing me that Pavia will continue to get better and warms my heart to see it."

 A word from Meagan ~ "This was an amazing night for me.  After service during prayer, a 7 year old girl named Valerie came up to me.  Our translator, Henry, told me that she wanted to have a relationship with Jesus and she wanted me to lead her to Him.  She said that she had wanted to come up to me the night before when Chad and I gave our testimony, but she was too shy.  We prayed with her and lead this precious child to Jesus.  This was the first child that has ever come up to me and wanted me to lead them to Jesus.  That night I felt God speak to me.  He put in my spirit that this was the first of many children that I will lead to know Him.  All I can say is, 'It was worth it!  Amen!'"

A word from Chad ~ "Going to the brothel was the most challenging part of the trip and left the largest impact on me.  The reality of poverty hit me the hardest at the brothel.  Just seeing the atmosphere that the kids were living in was heartbreaking.  However, it was uplifting to see the joy in the kids' faces through the games, songs, and gifts.  I will definitely be praying hard for that particular area to be reached because it is a challenge for the church to reach out to that area on a regular basis."

A word from Pastor Chris ~ "Once again I am left speechless by the situations that children find themselves in through no fault of their own.  It's hard to imagine a more difficult environment than this.....living with your mom in a brothel.  Having a chance to bring just a little joy to the beautiful faces of these children was so worth every part of being on this trip!"

DAY 5

Today was a pure workday.  The team woke up to a quick but delicious breakfast of Arepas, eggs, bacon and Cheese Wiz.  Yes, Cheez Wiz!  The store that would be closest to what we know as a BJ's or Sam's Wholesale stocks the stuff in multiple isles.

A word from Tech ~ "I've never seen so much Cheese Wiz in my life!  If I was still in my childhood, I would think I had died and gone to heaven."

After breakfast, the team went straight to work finishing the wiring for the fans, speed switches, and light switches.  The breaker box was rewired to more efficiently distribute the power throughout the building.  There is now a second main breaker box installed so that the power company can run a new power line to the building.  There were a few issues found in the bathroom plumbing for both bathrooms, so part of the team began devising a plan to fix it though it is complicated because it is in concrete.

Two new projects were started.  There was a new room being created for a sound booth in the rear of the church.  This involved tearing out the concrete walls from above a storage closet.  The team also began to lay new concrete for new stairs at the front.

Church services were wonderful.  On Monday the church witnessed the return of one of their young leaders from a year ago.  He had been absent since December of last year following some very public disagreements.  In a private moment following the service the pastor was a perfect example of our Heavenly Father in telling the young man, "I will never invite you back because this is your home.  You are always welcome."

Tonight there were several more who committed their lives to Christ.  One young man was brought by the young gentleman who returned the night before.  Another girl was a 19 year old whose sister has been coming here for 7 years.  Their mother committed her life to Christ on Monday night.  These 2 lives have been changed all because of a very young girl who started coming here years ago and gave her life to God.  There were a total of 3 commitments to Christ last night!  God is so good!

The team experienced an awesome dinner following church services.  We had fresh fried snapper with rice, salad, and fried plantains.

A word from Muriel ~ "On Monday night, hands were laid on the pastor's wife for healing following surgery 3 months ago from which she is still having pain and swelling.  She reported tonight that she is feeling great!  No more pain and the swelling has gone down.  She was able to wear pants that she has not been able to fit into since before her last pregnancy.  Praise God!"

DAY 4

Sunday morning began with an intimate church service with the team, Pastor Perez's team, and a limited number of youth and adults.  It was wonderful to spend that time worshiping the Lord together.  The family that had been preparing all of the food for the team saw their oldest son make a decision to accept Jesus into his heart.

We then had breakfast together and had planned to climb a mountain and spend some time up there, but the weather did not permit it.  We instead worked more on completing the bathrooms, added in the final lighting, and began to work on installing ceiling fans in the sanctuary.

That night we had youth service.  The service began with worship.  Chris Nelson quickly spoke about being marked and how Satan tries to mark us for death but explained how God has something better.  He used the newly installed lights, water, and fans to illustrate by saying they would be a light in Pavia and the Holy Spirit would blow his power throughout the land.  He also said that God wanted to clean them of their sins and give them rest (like in the bathroom).

Pastor Chris preached a message on our value in God's eyes.  He used the three stories in mark about the lost sheep, lost coin, and the prodigal son as examples.  He told them that they all had value and that God would search for them because of their value, but like in the story of the prodigal son, they had a choice to make if they wanted to be found.

DAY 3

The team woke up at 7:00am and began the day with prayer and worship with Scott sharing a quick message.  Then they had breakfast and started the work day.

The new lights were installed in the sanctuary, which is now at least twice as bright as before.

Yes, this is Pastor Chris!

 

The plumbing for the bathroom was finished, and dividers were installed for the showers and the toilets.  Also, exhaust fans were installed on the walls after cutting holes in the concrete walls and welding custom-made frames for the fans.  After much work the exterior piping had all been connected, and there was running water in the church for the first time.

Although Pastor Gerson, his family, and his team were excited about the running water in the church building, the team felt it was more of a priority to get running water to the Perez home located behind the church.  Up to this day, the family only had access to water brought in by truck stored in 200 liter containers.  

The usual way to use water from these containers is to fill a bucket and then use a small vase to pour it on yourself to bathe, or in the toilet to flush or the sink to wash the dishes.  This water cannot be consumed and if you can't afford it, you do without.  

Due to logistics, this was the final task of the day.   At the end of the day, Gerson and Francoise were able to provide their children with showers with running water in their home for the first time in their lives.

Later this week, the team plans to install a device that will heat the water and provide warm showers for the family on cold Pavia nights.  It is very possible that this church and the Perez house are the only buildings in the whole area with running water. 

After a fruitful day of work, the team enjoyed a delicious pasticho dinner (similar to lasagna).

A word from Pastor Chris ~ "So Jesus loves the little children of the world.  He sees every one of them for He said, "the angels never stop seeing the face of the Father."  Investing in neglected children is in the very heart of the Father and while it is difficult to bear under living conditions that are challenging, the joy from serving the children goes far beyond any inconvenience.  Thank you, Lord, for Pastor Gerson and Francoise and their heart to serve the least of these."

A word from Muriel ~  "After hearing the story from Chris Nelson about his accident back in March and seeing the photos in the paper, he should not have survived.  He was hit by a bus whose break had gone out.  He is living proof that God was with him.  He would not have survived such a horrible accident had he not been protected.  Seeing the kids on Thursday night at the kid's service and their reactions to the dental demo, I was amazed at their knowledge of dental care.  Seeing their excitement of being given a toothbrush, floss, and toothpaste was awesome.  Some kids were brushing before leaving!"

A word from Tech ~ "I've been in Venezuela for two weeks now and have had many great experiences.  I've been blessed by the people I've met and been in contact with, but there's one thing that sticks out the most at this point - the look of joy on the faces of a mother and her daughters when they see the running water for the first time and the sound of the father's shouts of happiness as water pours from a shower in his home for the first time."  

A word from Scott ~ "It was so good to see Francoise when for the first time she had running water and plumbed toilet and showers.  God is awesome and faithful.  I'm looking forward to sharing more later."

DAY 2

Most of the team slept in to about 10:00am.  Tech had actually stayed up and watched the sun rise as most of Pavia came to life.  Meagan woke up to the rooster calls at 8:30 am thinking she had slept well into the afternoon and was surprised to see a group of horses directly in front of Mi Casa de Oracion feeding.

A word from Meagan ~ "I woke up to check out the church building and found horses strolling around the streets in front of the church.  I then looked around and took in the unique horses and beautiful mountains and was reminded of how blessed I am to be here."

We had a wonderful breakfast of eggs, ham, and toast with Venezuelan coffee - Mmmm!  After breakfast, the team sat down with Chris Nelson as he shared how Pavia played into his calling as a missionary in Venezuela and shared the story of how he met Pastors Gerson and Francoise Perez and their three daughters.  They then shared their story and their call to pastor a church in Pavia.

Francoise told the story of how they had come to the point where they believed that their time with the church was over.  They had gone as far as to plan a farewell service where they would say goodbye and close the doors for the final time.

At this point in their lives they had no money or food to feed their family, the church had no money, and the church was not growing in the way they had expected.  Their church body was only made up of children, all of whom were in need of food, clothing, water, and other necessities.  

Most of these children are abandoned or neglected by the one parent they may know.  Others have never met their parents.  

On the night they were having their farewell service, only five children showed up.  They took this to be a sign that they were correct in closing the doors.  There were not many children there, and they didn't think that they had anything to give.  After closing the doors for what they thought would be the final time, two children came down the hill wanting to speak with them.  Gerson said that the child walked up and said that he wanted to ask him for something.  Gerson thought to himself, "We have nothing and there is nothing that we can give to this child."  But he proceeded to ask the child what he wanted.  The boy replied, "Can I have a hug?"  This was the defining moment in their ministry and the reason that their foundation is called Fundacion Abraza un Nino or The Hug a Child Foundation.  They also shared more of their personal story and struggles and how God has always provided.

This time of sharing allowed the team to truly connect with God's plans for Pavia and the people who they would be serving alongside.

A word from Chad ~  "After a much needed nap and breakfast, we had the privilege of hearing the amazing and touching testimony of Pastor Gerson and his wife, Francoise.  They are truly faithful and dependent on God.  I have already learned so much from them and have been challenged to work on advancing my faith to the level that they are on.  The evening services with the kids have been uplifting.  They shared so much love with us all.  I know that God has much more in store for us while we are here and I can't wait to experience more.  Thank you for all of your prayers."

This time of bonding was followed by lunch, and the team began to assess the work that was to be done.  

There were newly constructed bathrooms with toilets, sinks, and showers but no running water.  Getting the water to run to the different apparatuses was one of the major goals along with new lighting in the church.  The team began the work and discovered a few minor issues.  They worked out a plan for the next day and prepared for the children to arrive.

At this point, no one was sure of how many children would come.  Many cannot make the trip if they are not able to get a ride.  The church-owned van is very unreliable and they never know if it will start.  They say it usually works if they need to pick up children to bring to church or take them home.  But if they need it to go buy groceries or do anything for themselves, it will not run.  They were able to go get the children and about 250 children showed up.  

The children were able to welcome Seth and Missionary Associates, Scott and Tech, back to Pavia and then get to know Muriel, Chad, and Meagan and welcome them for the first time.  They were then introduced to Pastor Chris.  With Henry translating, he spoke to the children about not being afraid because they have a Father in Heaven who's always with them to protect them. 

 

The message was followed with Muriel demonstrating and teaching the children how to properly brush and floss their teeth.  

The service concluded with Pastor Gerson's team handing out the toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss that YOU helped provide.  Hundreds of hugs were given as the children left to go home.

DAY 1

The team arrived safely into Maracaibo about 40 minutes behind schedule.  They didn't have any issues going through customs and began what was expected to be a 4-5 hour trip to Pavia.

 

At around 3:30am, only one hour away from arriving, the van hit a giant pothole, and blew out two tires and bent the rims.  It was another hour before the necessary repairs could be made and the team was on its way again.  

They arrived in Pavia at about 5:30am and promptly went to sleep as the sun began to rise.

A word from Scott ~ "We have had a great time here in Venezuela from watching Chad and Meagan's first flight to my first double tire blowout from a pothole the size of a crater at 3:30am in the middle of nowhere.  It has always been hard for me to sleep in a car, but trying to sleep in a van crossing 97 speed bumps and the air conditioner being so cold you could see your breath is nearly impossible.  God is doing some great things here in Pavia, and it just breaks my heart that I can't get here sooner full-time.  We saw over 250 kids, gave out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and a lot of hugs.   Pastor Chris is keeping us laughing and the team is unified in Christ.  We are eating some great food and a lot of it!" 

WELCOME to the Venezuela blog!

We are so excited about this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people in Venezuela and will be posting updates here periodically throughout our trip.   

As we are now making preparations for departure, we would like to share with you some ways in which you can be a part of this journey.

• You may click on the THE TEAM tab at the top of the page to find out more about the 2011 Venezuela Team and the OUR  MISSION tab to find out more about how they will be serving in Venezuela and the missionary they will be serving alongside.  You may click on the OUR BASE tab to find out more about our sending church, RFA.  

• If you wish to receive team updates by email, submit your email address in the FOLLOW BY EMAIL tab on the right sidebar and email updates will conveniently be sent directly to you as they are posted.

Thank you for prayerfully joining with us as we minister the love of Jesus to a hurting world!

THE VENEZUELA TEAM