Due to drastically escalating costs our team has shifted our focus from Ecuador to El Paso TX. This will allow us to still serve and grow in a big way while being good stewards of the finances that God has entrusted us with. Please read the updated trip information below.
Lifepointe has a vibrant history of connecting students with missions. Starting in 2007 we traveled to the Navaho Indian Reservation in Arizona. In 2008 our team helped with post Katrina relief efforts in New Orleans. Next, in 2009, our high schoolers worked in the mountains of West Virginia doing construction projects. 2010 marked our first international mission to La Limonada in Guatemala City, Guatemala working in the largest slum in Central America. Last summer the mission team traveled north from Raleigh to Cleveland, OH to help a local church plant minister to the recession-hit community.
On each trip, we focus on the idea laid before us in 1 John 3:16-18 which says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Past mission trips have brought us closer together and allowed us to go and serve God in new and exciting ways. This year will be no different! In 2012, we are excited to have the opportunity to travel to EL Paso TX and partner with Paseo Christian Church to help advance the kingdom. They are a 5 year old church plant connected to Lifepointe through the New Thing Network of emerging churches. All of their staff have been called from around the states to go into this border city in the pan handle of Texas with the goal of “Helping people find their way back to God.” They are a highly missional church seeking to reach out to those who are lost in this community. Our goal is to help them do that.
We want students to return home knowing that God is bigger than one congregation, that He is alive and moving in our world and that serving the hurting can be done in our own back yard. We want to give them opportunities to respond to God’s call by saying “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). This El Paso trip provides all of those opportunities.
So what will we be doing there? In short, anything to help Paseo. Short term missions are not impactful to the people served unless they are partnered with a local long term ministry. Our goal is to help connect people to God by advancing Paseo’s vision. The main things that they have on schedule for us include arts camps for local kids and construction in a local building they are converting into an outreach community center. The community center is a building they were gifted and are converting to house offices, community meetings, band practices and youth meetings. They call it their “Hub.” What a great opportunity for a youth ministry that has two similar facilities here in Raleigh to help give to an emerging youth ministry in another part of the country? The arts camps will give us an opportunity to reach kids who are hurting and left alone as well as connect them back to the church. In the past Paseo has seen anywhere from thirty to a few hundred kids at these events.
How are we getting there? Where are we staying? What’s the plan? We are flying from RDU through Dallas to El Paso. Once we land we will rent vans as our ground transportation. We are staying at a church that has opened their doors to us for a marginal fee and showering at the YMCA. Meals are generally going to look like cereal for breakfast, a bag lunch we make in the morning and dinner provided by Paseo. All of this has allowed us to get the cost down even in light of current airfare. The $875 total for each student includes all airfare, transportation, food and, most importantly, the cost of supplies for our mission work. Construction and art supplies are not cheap and I am pleased that our team will be able to assist in financing them for Paseo.
This trip will be a difficult one emotionally and physically but nothing that you cannot do with Christ. You may be concerned about safety given its proximity to the border. Paseo has a track record of running trips safely and we will be vigilant to keep our team safe. Each student should have a passport in case a safe opportunity arises to serve on the Mexico side of the border however that is not something that we will force just to say, “we went to Mexico.” Our plan now is to serve entirely on the United States side of El Paso.
Given the cost of the trip Lifepointe is committed to ensuring that money does not stop a student from going on this trip. We do expect each student to do an individual fundraising initiative before they are eligible for assistance through group funds. This will include letter writing, participating in smaller student/parent led fundraisers and community service. This plan will require action on the part of students however it will still be achievable for them. Participating in the fundraising plan will make students eligible for Lifepointe funds as part of the “Change Our World” handle of “Catalyst.”
What can you do to get ready?
- Register and pay your deposit today. (REGISTRATION CLOSED)
- Start saving money. Christmas and birthday money? What can you sell? What small jobs can you do? Don’t put this back on your parents. Show them you can contribute to this trip.
- Pray. What seems impossible to us is totally possible with God. Pray for the details of this trip, our team, the people of Ecuador and your fundraising efforts.
- Learn Spanish. This isn’t required however if you want to learn Spanish, it would certainly be helpful. At least pay attention in Spanish class instead of doodling.
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