Many of you probably know my friend Nick Johnson. He grew up in Birmingham, AL and attended Metro COG for a while before his family moved over to a2 Church. I have known Nick for several years now as he was part of my youth group before I moved here to Mexico. Right after my DTS (Discipleship Training School) and my first experience with MA (Mission Adventures) in 2007 I was able to come home and share with our youth group about YWAM and everything I had been a part of over that previous 9 months. Nick was in that service and first caught a glimpse of what God had in store for him in the future.
His next glimpse came when, as Mission Adventures Manager, I asked Darrell Garrett to come and speak for a week of MA in the Spring of 2008. Darrell brought his son Britton and Britton's best friend, Nick. Britton & Nick skipped a week of school to hang out with us as junior-staff for the week going out with teams and experiencing MA first-hand. His passion for Mexico and MA grew.
Fast forward a few years to Nick's high school graduation. Instead of heading straight to college, Nick has decided to come to Ensenada, Mexico to complete a DTS with YWAM. Following in my footsteps, after his completion, Nick stayed on and staffed Spring 2011 Mission Adventures. After a short visit home during the month of May (which I had also done back in 2007) Nick again found his way to Ensenada, Mexico and is currently staffing our Summer MA Ministry. Below is a short glimpse into his life and experiences with Mission Adventures. I couldn't be more proud of my dear friend Nick Johnson! And to think, God used me in a tiny way to help Nick find this passion. I love being used by God.
His next glimpse came when, as Mission Adventures Manager, I asked Darrell Garrett to come and speak for a week of MA in the Spring of 2008. Darrell brought his son Britton and Britton's best friend, Nick. Britton & Nick skipped a week of school to hang out with us as junior-staff for the week going out with teams and experiencing MA first-hand. His passion for Mexico and MA grew.
Fast forward a few years to Nick's high school graduation. Instead of heading straight to college, Nick has decided to come to Ensenada, Mexico to complete a DTS with YWAM. Following in my footsteps, after his completion, Nick stayed on and staffed Spring 2011 Mission Adventures. After a short visit home during the month of May (which I had also done back in 2007) Nick again found his way to Ensenada, Mexico and is currently staffing our Summer MA Ministry. Below is a short glimpse into his life and experiences with Mission Adventures. I couldn't be more proud of my dear friend Nick Johnson! And to think, God used me in a tiny way to help Nick find this passion. I love being used by God.
photo courtesy of Jennifer Bollenbach
WOW…what an amazing week. On the 20th of June, 51 people from Washington, California, Montana, Ohio arrived in San Diego ready to come down and serve for a week here in Ensenada and left June 27th after a life changing week. I lead a team of 10 amazing students from a youth group in Ohio through a week of outreach and ministry throughout the city. I was so incredibly blessed to see these kids serve others and be a tangible expression of Jesus’ love at orphanages, colonias, churches, and at the base interacting with the other students. I got to talk to all of them about their experience throughout the week and every single one of them left different with their lives changed in some way. Some received healing for the first time in their lives as they were able to forgive, one heard the voice of God for the first time, one considered himself born again in his faith, and all of them learned more about themselves, God, and the world.
They also touched so many peoples’ lives in the city, mainly children, during their outreach. They shared the gospel and made God known to kids at an orphanage, a part of a neighborhood, and through daily programs at a church we worked with for 3 days. It was so great. Apart from my Ohio group, there were 3 other youth groups as well as one family that came down to serve! The other 2 youth groups and the family shared the gospel and did lots of physical labor with other local ministries just like my group. The youth group from Montana built a house for a family in need and changed their lives forever.
All glory be to God for the work done through these kids and adult leaders alike, and a special thanks for these people that were willing to surrender themselves for a week to bring the kingdom of Heaven down to Earth. God also reminded me to everyday die to myself and keep seeking him and his heart for the people I would meet everyday and for his vision for the ministry we would be doing that day. To be obedient and step aside and let God work through us. Man it was such a great week and I’m sad it had to end. Oh well…this will happen almost every week till the end of August!
They also touched so many peoples’ lives in the city, mainly children, during their outreach. They shared the gospel and made God known to kids at an orphanage, a part of a neighborhood, and through daily programs at a church we worked with for 3 days. It was so great. Apart from my Ohio group, there were 3 other youth groups as well as one family that came down to serve! The other 2 youth groups and the family shared the gospel and did lots of physical labor with other local ministries just like my group. The youth group from Montana built a house for a family in need and changed their lives forever.
All glory be to God for the work done through these kids and adult leaders alike, and a special thanks for these people that were willing to surrender themselves for a week to bring the kingdom of Heaven down to Earth. God also reminded me to everyday die to myself and keep seeking him and his heart for the people I would meet everyday and for his vision for the ministry we would be doing that day. To be obedient and step aside and let God work through us. Man it was such a great week and I’m sad it had to end. Oh well…this will happen almost every week till the end of August!
RSS Feed