DAY 2 - CHURCH and a visit with the BARTELS
Hello from Colombia!!!
This is Mr.Yeo and I have the honour of telling you about our first Sunday here in Colombia, but to talk to you about our first Sunday I have to go back a couple of weeks. A couple of weeks ago we were meeting as a team, packing candy bags and discussing what we were going to do at chapel for our school. We were discussing the play the students would do and someone brought up 1 Samuel 16. Sheila commented that they had done that in a past year. Later in our meeting she informed me that I would be sharing a brief devotional. FEAR. I hate public speaking and had no idea what I would talk on. Instantly I thought of 1 Samuel 16 (one of my favourite passages) and said, "No, they did it as a skit recently and I don't know how it really goes with our verse". So I started to pray about what to talk about. I kept looking through my Bible, searching for what God wanted me to share but I could not shake 1 Samuel 16. I must have read the passage 10 times before I finally decided to listen to God. Did I mention I am a slow learner? God really emphasized each time I read it how important it is to have a heart after Him, just like David. He kept pointing out how it is not enough to just do what he wants us to, but we need to allow Him to do it through us. And if He is the one doing it, why do I have so much fear? I'm happy to say I obeyed him and shared from 1 Samuel 16.
Then we came down to Colombia and last night (Saturday) during devotions Kenneth Scott and I were discussing what we were reading and I told him I was reading 1 Samuel again because God wasn't done with me there. I spent time reading, praying and growing. Well we woke up and went to church and worshipped the Lord with our brothers and sisters! It was awesome to worship in Spanish, even though very little was understood, Even though our language is different, our God is the same! After worship the pastor got up to share God's word and he asked us to open up to 1 Samuel 16. Did I mention I am a slow learner?
I love that God knows what we need and gives it to us, again and again!!! The message blessed, encouraged and challenged me all over again to have a heart right before Him and to not rely on myself, on my abilities and strengths but to let Him do the work through me. It is only through Him that the work will get done.
Well, I'm back. We just stopped and had supper with Steve and Evie Bartel. What a blessing. They shared with us their testimony of how God called them to Colombia. They are amazing people and amazing storytellers but what really stuck with me is how they love the Lord and emphasized how we need to give Him our whole heart and trust Him completely. What a blessing it was to hear the work that God has done and is continuing to do in Colombia!!!
Hi, I am Mason Lavorato, talking to you from Colombia! This Sunday was an incredible day, honestly one of the best in a long time. One thing is for sure, this country is beautiful in so many ways. The land is like nothing I have ever seen before. True beauty of God's incredible world is evident everywhere. The people are lovely and kind. The Spanish language is one of the most beautiful languages. Listening to the church survice in Spanish, although I barely understood a word, I could still understand the impact God had in the world. Colombia is beautiful, but like all countries, there is poverty, suffering, and sin.
On Saturday, we passed through the "red light district" which is an where drugs are rampant and brothels are socially accepted. Driving through this place has been the most difficult part of the weekend. for me. We are so fortunate. We have been truly blessed with many great things in this world. We live where we do while there are thousands suffering just in Bogota! The children, who live in the streets of Bogota, seem as if they have no hope. It is truly difficult to stomach seeing the environment these kids must live in. They don't get to live a normal childhood. Many are living in abusive homes or on the street, fighting for survival or the right to live. I have worked with children as a coach, an older brother and as Spiderman for charities. Children are some of the most beautiful parts of this world. To see so many who live in horrible conditions, it's clear why God has called us to this place.
While we have been here, we've met some incredible people. Bertha and Luz Angela come to our home every day and cook incredible meals for 12 or more people. They are troopers. Clarita has traveled everywhere with us so far as a guide and translator. She is incredible. God has blessed her with patience having to help a bunch of goofy English speakers. Her kids are all strong servants of the Lord and their children are all so cute. Some other people who have been great to us are Judith and Alvaro, who are passionate, kind, and strong in the Lord. They pray very expressive prayers too. Our bus driver, Diego, is a saint. The man speaks barely a word of English and expertly drives us in a massive bus all over the city in insane traffic. There are lots of bikes and scooters blazing through traffic. He also sits on the bus while we are gone for several hours.
One of the greatest blessings for me has come in the form of two individuals, the Bartels. They are missionaries, who work with street kids, and are like no other people I have ever met. Their kindness and wisdom is inspiring. God has used them to change the lives of so many children. I want to have a relationship with God the way they do. Mr.Bartel, "Steve", has an incredible voice. He needs to have a podcast or audiobook. Overall, this trip has been like nothing else. I have been so blessed with this opportunity to come to such a beautiful country. I pray for guidance for the team. The team is a strong group of guys and girls. I am proud of the courage that everyone has. The leaders are also lovely. My Auntie Sheila is an incredible woman who has been a great mentor. Miss Lockhart is a strong woman with a great passion for this country. Mr. Yeo is an amazing man. He is so funny and a fellow Disney fanatic. I am looking foward to what lies ahead for the group.
This is Mr.Yeo and I have the honour of telling you about our first Sunday here in Colombia, but to talk to you about our first Sunday I have to go back a couple of weeks. A couple of weeks ago we were meeting as a team, packing candy bags and discussing what we were going to do at chapel for our school. We were discussing the play the students would do and someone brought up 1 Samuel 16. Sheila commented that they had done that in a past year. Later in our meeting she informed me that I would be sharing a brief devotional. FEAR. I hate public speaking and had no idea what I would talk on. Instantly I thought of 1 Samuel 16 (one of my favourite passages) and said, "No, they did it as a skit recently and I don't know how it really goes with our verse". So I started to pray about what to talk about. I kept looking through my Bible, searching for what God wanted me to share but I could not shake 1 Samuel 16. I must have read the passage 10 times before I finally decided to listen to God. Did I mention I am a slow learner? God really emphasized each time I read it how important it is to have a heart after Him, just like David. He kept pointing out how it is not enough to just do what he wants us to, but we need to allow Him to do it through us. And if He is the one doing it, why do I have so much fear? I'm happy to say I obeyed him and shared from 1 Samuel 16.
Then we came down to Colombia and last night (Saturday) during devotions Kenneth Scott and I were discussing what we were reading and I told him I was reading 1 Samuel again because God wasn't done with me there. I spent time reading, praying and growing. Well we woke up and went to church and worshipped the Lord with our brothers and sisters! It was awesome to worship in Spanish, even though very little was understood, Even though our language is different, our God is the same! After worship the pastor got up to share God's word and he asked us to open up to 1 Samuel 16. Did I mention I am a slow learner? 
I love that God knows what we need and gives it to us, again and again!!! The message blessed, encouraged and challenged me all over again to have a heart right before Him and to not rely on myself, on my abilities and strengths but to let Him do the work through me. It is only through Him that the work will get done.Well, I'm back. We just stopped and had supper with Steve and Evie Bartel. What a blessing. They shared with us their testimony of how God called them to Colombia. They are amazing people and amazing storytellers but what really stuck with me is how they love the Lord and emphasized how we need to give Him our whole heart and trust Him completely. What a blessing it was to hear the work that God has done and is continuing to do in Colombia!!!
Hi, I am Mason Lavorato, talking to you from Colombia! This Sunday was an incredible day, honestly one of the best in a long time. One thing is for sure, this country is beautiful in so many ways. The land is like nothing I have ever seen before. True beauty of God's incredible world is evident everywhere. The people are lovely and kind. The Spanish language is one of the most beautiful languages. Listening to the church survice in Spanish, although I barely understood a word, I could still understand the impact God had in the world. Colombia is beautiful, but like all countries, there is poverty, suffering, and sin.
On Saturday, we passed through the "red light district" which is an where drugs are rampant and brothels are socially accepted. Driving through this place has been the most difficult part of the weekend. for me. We are so fortunate. We have been truly blessed with many great things in this world. We live where we do while there are thousands suffering just in Bogota! The children, who live in the streets of Bogota, seem as if they have no hope. It is truly difficult to stomach seeing the environment these kids must live in. They don't get to live a normal childhood. Many are living in abusive homes or on the street, fighting for survival or the right to live. I have worked with children as a coach, an older brother and as Spiderman for charities. Children are some of the most beautiful parts of this world. To see so many who live in horrible conditions, it's clear why God has called us to this place.
While we have been here, we've met some incredible people. Bertha and Luz Angela come to our home every day and cook incredible meals for 12 or more people. They are troopers. Clarita has traveled everywhere with us so far as a guide and translator. She is incredible. God has blessed her with patience having to help a bunch of goofy English speakers. Her kids are all strong servants of the Lord and their children are all so cute. Some other people who have been great to us are Judith and Alvaro, who are passionate, kind, and strong in the Lord. They pray very expressive prayers too. Our bus driver, Diego, is a saint. The man speaks barely a word of English and expertly drives us in a massive bus all over the city in insane traffic. There are lots of bikes and scooters blazing through traffic. He also sits on the bus while we are gone for several hours.
One of the greatest blessings for me has come in the form of two individuals, the Bartels. They are missionaries, who work with street kids, and are like no other people I have ever met. Their kindness and wisdom is inspiring. God has used them to change the lives of so many children. I want to have a relationship with God the way they do. Mr.Bartel, "Steve", has an incredible voice. He needs to have a podcast or audiobook. Overall, this trip has been like nothing else. I have been so blessed with this opportunity to come to such a beautiful country. I pray for guidance for the team. The team is a strong group of guys and girls. I am proud of the courage that everyone has. The leaders are also lovely. My Auntie Sheila is an incredible woman who has been a great mentor. Miss Lockhart is a strong woman with a great passion for this country. Mr. Yeo is an amazing man. He is so funny and a fellow Disney fanatic. I am looking foward to what lies ahead for the group.
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