Front Line Report (July 9, 2012)

With over 180 iGo Global students currently on foreign soil, the front lines of the Kingdom’s advance overflow with good news. Please continue to pray for our teams as you read through some of the reports.

Where the Nations Have Gathered (Western Europe)

Brad Cardwell and I (Shu) are currently on location in Western Europe where we are getting to see the OK GO Students team, the TX SS team, and the JSI’s (overseas interns) in action. It is hard to describe the greatness of seeing these students embrace the core values and our teaching as they daily engage the work here in Europe among the nations. And by nations, we mean this in a literal sense. The nations are gathered in these gateway cities all throughout Western Europe.

The JSI’s are doing amazing work as they demonstrate servant leadership to the students on the two 1.0 teams. Occasionally I run into different people who think using students on the field is a little bit or a large bit crazy. I wish I could drag all those people over here and let them watch these JSI’s, especially the five students serving as the JSI leaders.

The Tip of the Sword (South Asia)

Our backpacking team in South Asia has checked in again after a few weeks out in some of the most remote villages on the planet. Their team leader reported that a native man volunteered to drive their team to numerous villages right about the time they were wondering how they would get to all the villages they had mapped. They had not asked anyone for help yet. This man just showed up and volunteered.

They were also able to share the good news of Jesus with about 15 people that had never heard His story while sitting in the Buddhist Temple in that village. This team has visited many villages in their time trekking throught the mountains of South Asia. As D.H. (the team leader) said, “Not every village has welcomed us or our message, but every village was brought before our Father.” Keep praying for them as they are used by Father to advance His kingdom.

Everything for His Glory (Central Asia)

We also received news from our team serving in Central Asia this week. Our team leader was glad to report that she had the opportunity to milk a cow and harvest eggs…for the glory of God, of course. Their team has been out serving in a remote village as well, teaching English to the people of that village as well as cooking meals (an extreme adventure in itself). They stay up late and rise very early to accomplish all their tasks, but the team has been able to share the love of Jesus with some people that have not heard the good news. They asked us to pray for their health as several of the team members have been fighting off various sicknesses.

And please continue to pray for all of our teams. This week we have more students serving on the field than at any other time this summer. Thank you for partnering with us in prayer.

Brad and I fought off jetlag by posing for a few hours as tourists.

photo

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Lance Shumake, July 9th 2012 | Posted in Brad, Insightful, Shu, Student Story, Team Update

Jami’s Trip to Paris

Paris, France. What do you think of? The Eiffel Tower? The Louvre? The Notre Dame Cathedral?

Yes, those monuments are all there, all a part of the city. But the suburbs of Paris are what caught my attention a lot more than the locations that attract tourists.

My idea, incredibly misconstrued, of what France entailed, was radically shifted and enlightened during the four days during Spring break that I walked and prayed with the M’s through these suburbs. In the district where we were, there are people from every country in the world except for three countries. It’s truly where the nations gather.

Walking through the market place, I found myself surrounded by North Africans from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt. Most of the North Africans don’t have jobs, except for the occasional man who maintains a janitorial position cleaning up after the markets end. The few Muslim women that I saw were almost completely covered, some showing on their eyes, a few more leaving their faces uncovered. I met South African women, with dark skin and painted faces, clothed in the bright colors of their traditional African dress. Occasionally I’d pass a Hindi woman, identified by the red dot on her forehead.

On Friday afternoon, at a few minutes past one o-clock, I saw four hundred men fill the streets of a particular suburb to listen to an imam teach and then corporately and simultaneously lift their voices and bend their backs to pray to a false God.

That’s the Paris I saw. That’s what I witnessed.

But I also met a handful of Egyptian Christ-followers who were clearly unveiled to the gospel, glowing from the reflection of Christ in their lives. I saw these families sharing the gospel in the varying Arabic dialects with some of their own people on the streets of these suburbs.

God’s work is ancient and existent in these suburbs of Paris, France. And I’m excited that some of our students are being allowed the opportunity to join God at work there and pray through the streets where people have heard about Jesus, but don’t know the truth about him.

Please join us in praying for God’s fame to continue to spread, especially in Paris, France.

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Jami Gainey, March 21st 2011 | Posted in Jami, People Group Info, Team Update

Reflecting on Tokyo Number Five

This was my fifth time in Tokyo…

My fifth time in a place where I’m familiar with the train systems and chopsticks;

My fifth time walking amongst the people I’ve come to love, small and polite, yet hopeless in so many ways;

My fifth time praying amongst busily-trodden streets, observing and attempting to emulate the cultural norms of cleanliness and silence;

And my fourth time revisiting where such a large part of my heart is and probably will remain forever.

But I’m learning that God’s changing my heart. Rather, he’s broadening it.

This year’s Texas Super Summer Global trip was incredible. As usual, my role varied from any role I’ve been in the previous four times I’ve served in Tokyo. From one week student to intern, to intern leader, to assistant coordinator, to head coordinator…God consistently teaches and stretches me, pushing me out of my comfort zone, and reminding me of my depravity, and his Holiness…and how I should glory not in my own pitiful status, but in the sufficiency of His scriptures, the beauty of His gospel, and the hope that only comes from Christ.

And this summer, like the previous ones, I was reminded that he doesn’t need me for this work…but he chooses to allow me to join him in what he’s doing.

Amazing. Humbling.

Our team of 123 individuals – made up of high school and college students, as well as adults, was incredible. Incredible. Never have I experienced a one-week team more understanding and joyful in the truths of scripture.

My prayer became that each of us would grow in a deeper understanding of bottom line truth: God, give us all a passion and desire for your glory. Make us jealous for your fame and glory among the nations.

And through the actions and words of our team, it was evident that God answered that prayer, for his glory.

Here are a few quotes from our team throughout the week:

“I was to the point where I was asking, ‘God, why are you making me weaker? I know the road is hard, but I also know it’s not about me. No matter how much I’m breaking, I know you will be exalted.’”

“No matter the darkness, God’s name is going to be exalted, and we can’t stop that.”

“I just want to encourage you to keep praying because it works and God wants us to keep crying out his name.”

“Ancient work is coming.”

Two of the core values we teach include Ancient Work and Joy of the Sower. We teach that God’s work is ancient – he’s been wherever we’re going to serve long before we arrive, and he’ll continue his work there long after we leave. Evidence of this is all throughout scripture, and we specifically teach it from Acts 8 and 10. Understanding this truth and living it out allowed the students to experience joy in their ministry – joy in prayerwalking, joy in meeting people, joy in sharing the gospel, and joy in simply being allowed to join God’s work in Tokyo, Japan. Joy of the Sower is something we teach from John 4. We impress upon the students that there is joy in sowing as much as there is joy in reaping, sometimes more in the former. Understanding that it is God who saves someone, not us, the students were joyful in simply being a part of the process of people coming to recognize and acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior. Grasping these two core values together showed the team’s grasp of the bottom line – of being about God’s glory rather than anything else. They were okay with not being the one with the fabulous story at the end of the day. They were okay with not being the one with the fabulous story, period. Grasping bottom line truth leaves no room for pride or selfishness…and that’s what I saw in this year’s Texas Super Summer Global team.

This was my first time to walk from beginning to end with a group of students…through the recruiting at camps, to reading their applications and learning about their struggles and strengths, to fighting through the fundraising process, to packing and losing their luggage at base camp. It was incredible to be reminded that these trips are the ones where our leaders originate…these trips are sometimes the beginning of God ruining the lives of students who will forever strive to live a bottom line life, wherever they are and whatever they’re doing. As Shu said during his teaching at base camp, this truth is so much bigger than our team.

It’s so much bigger than our trip.

It’s so much bigger than Tokyo.

It’s so much bigger than me and my passion for the Japanese people.

It’s about HIM and HIS glory and desire for his name.

And even though I’ve heard this truth and attempted, however feebly, to pursue it for the past five years of my life, this year brought a deeper understanding of it which challenges me and sparks within me a deeper joy than before.

I loved watching these students, seeing them be ruined for God’s purposes instead of their own, observing them grasp truths and struggle through application of those truths, and having them unknowingly challenge and humble me in the process.

And so for the first time ever, I’ve felt like God’s stretched my passion for his glory in Tokyo beyond the borders of that island, and outwards towards being jealous for his name everywhere.

For the first time I’m okay with never returning to Tokyo, if that is God’s will.

Because it’s not about Tokyo.

It’s not about the Japanese people.

It’s not about me.

It’s about God’s fame being spread everywhere.

And I’d love to do what I do anywhere on the face of the earth. Walking with these students and learning from them and growing with them is incredible. Wherever God allows me to do this, I’ll be joyful and obedient.

Because, like so many of our students proclaimed in Tokyo, God doesn’t need me anywhere. He allows me to join him specifically in places where he’s already at work. Why not have joy in that?

So my passion remains for Tokyo, but it stretches out far beyond the regions of Yokohama and Chiba and Saitama.

And I’ll love going with students wherever God allows us to join him.

Not my preference, but His glory.

So, like I end the majority of my tweets, so I end this entry:

I love my job.

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Jami Gainey, January 27th 2011 | Posted in Insightful, Jami, Team Update

South East Asia Team Update

The following update was sent to us recently by L, a student currently serving in South East Asia with one of our teams. Because of security reasons, the names will be represented by first initial only.

Dear Friends -

I want you all to know I am so thankful for you all and your prayers. I am lifting you up. I love this country; the stars, the mountains, the taxis, the culture, it’s all so laid back. It is a blessing and honor to get to work with and know the missionaries here - they are wonderful people. The local Christians are another blessing I cannot believe. To get to hear their life stories and the things they have undergone for the sake of His name is incredible.

Father has led us to meet some great people and has given us amazing opportunities. Be in prayer for P, a monk in a temple we have visited. Father is moving in this man’s heart. O is also someone specifically to be praying for. He is a friend of the missionaries here and there are great things happening in his heart as well.

And then there is S, someone Father led us to directly. The team was on our way to a temple but somewhere along the way, we got lost. After checking the map we finally found our way, or so we thought. After making it to the temple we realized that this particular temple was not even our map, we had made it to a different one by mistake. What a blessing it turned out to be! Here is where we met S and an entire group of people eager to learn English. They asked us to come and teach them everyday. This seems to be a wide open door for the team here to share the gospel and we are praying about what this should look like. Father is so big and so good.

Don’t be mistaken however; this is a country of darkness trying to resist the light. Tomorrow 300 youths will be ordained as Buddhist novices, on their way to becoming monks, and there will also be 4 monks ordained. A novice told me today that one of his precepts to follow is that he is not allowed to sing! Oh that the Father would put a new song in his mouth! Pray for this generation. Pray that this generation would not walk in the way of their fathers but that they would be a generation set apart to Him.

In John 14-16 Jesus says over and over again that whatever we ask in His name, He will do it. Please join me in asking Him to faithfully direct yours and our paths daily to the people He would have for us to share with. He will do it. He will do it for His glory and for our joy! (John 15:1-11)

We will leave in a week to go trek. We will be out 3 weeks. I anticipate this being hard for me in every way. But I also anticipate it being good in every way. Please pray for me, specifically pray 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. I really do need your prayers during this time. Thank you.

- L

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Emily Martin, June 30th 2010 | Posted in Team Update

KS/NE Team Report

Two weeks ago I boarded a plane to Tokyo, Japan with 30 other iGosians from Kansas & Nebraska. None of us knew the plans God had for us or the ways he was going to use our desire to ‘Make Him Famous’ in those ten days.

Throughout our time in Tokyo God consistently reminded us of how everything is in his control and works to bring him glory. Several of us had many significant conversations through 5ME (five minute English). One of the greatest things about 5ME was getting to see everyone develop their stories. At the beginning of the week so many of us encountered people that knew absolutely nothing about the Bible or Jesus Christ. When asked they would respond, “No, I don’t understand.” Everyone had to find new ways to explain what Christ had done for us without the typical “church lingo.” (ex: saved, sin, Jesus, bible, Christian, ect.) It was so life-changing to have to struggle through my own story of how Christ changed my life and why I am a Christian. It became even more real and personal all over again. Getting to see the students going through the same life-changing experience was epic. We will never be the same.

God used us in Tokyo two weeks ago to prayer walk and pass out material. He used us to have great conversations with people on the trains, in coffee shops, and at the parks. We were willing to make new friends and are still talking to some of them with the intent of “sharing the gospel as well as life” with them. We visited some of the tallest buildings in Tokyo and prayed over the whole city. We even got the opportunity to visit the largest temple in the city where we saw people seeking a false god. It was easy to see God’s grace being poured out among a people desperately seeking truth. God showed us his love for the people of Tokyo, but he also showed us his deep love for us.

We have seen that God is in control and he is working his will in Japan so that in his perfect time his name will be known everywhere. What a day that will be when Japan becomes known as a country that follows Christ. Would you join us in praying for this incredibly large unreached people group?

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Sarah Arnett, June 23rd 2010 | Posted in Sarah, Team Update