Global Aid Network Mission Reports

July 15, 2010 

Today the GAiN team traveled to two villages. In each village we sang songs, performed 2 skits, shared the gospel, visited with the people and passed out school supplies to the children. 
The adults in each village were able to get new clothing for their families and while they picked out the clothing the children watched a movie about Jesus. 
We all really enjoyed getting to know these families. They were such a sweet group of people. One of the mothers in the first village (her house had recently burned down and she lost everything) was so excited we had come that when we left she sang us all a beautiful song. 
Everything at each village ran very smooth and we were all blessed by these wonderful people. 
Praise God for His work today!
 

The Global Aid Network team to Kenya arrived in Nairobi on Saturday, May 29^th. Some of the team members had been on the road for more than 24 hours. We have journeyed to Kenya to minister in the Marurui slum just outside of Nairobi and then travel to minister to the Maasai. Our partners in Kenya are Joshua and Tabitha Kagunyi who run a ministry called Joy Evangelistic.

It has been a wonderful few days of ministry. We will try to check in again later from Maasiland.  Thank you for praying for our mission.

February 2010: CarePack Day

February 2010: God’s Complete Provision

When Sheree asked me about playing guitar for this trip, my first thought was that I hoped to raise enough money to buy a guitar and leave it in country. As the trip came closer it became obvious that I was going to need to take my own guitar, which I would not leave. I needed a lightweight case that was sturdy since it was not clear as to whether I would be allowed to carry it on or if I would have to check it underneath the plane. 

I was amazed by how advanced guitar cases are now, since my last one was bought in 1978. I remarked about this great guitar case on facebook and the person who helped me find my guitar in 1978 encouraged me to consider buying a less expensive guitar to take  considering the guitars had improved as much as the cases in the last 30 years. 

I researched guitars on the internet and decided that a particular guitar would be the best one to buy and use as my ministry guitar. I reasoned that if I spent $400 on a guitar then I could keep it and use it on a yearly basis when traveling. I bought the guitar, strings, picks and humidifier to help with the Siberian weather. 

The following day, Sheree forwarded our team an email from an orphanage that we had never visited. The email mentioned that the orphanage was in need of a guitar. I knew immediately that the guitar I purchased less than 24 hours ago was not going to be mine to keep. I have to confess that I was less than excited about the revelation because the guitar was really cool and it had stretched my budget to the limit. I was sure God would want me to keep it. After all, I was going to use it for ministry. As much as my mind tried to rationalize all the reasons to keep it, my spirit knew it was never mine to begin with.  Only God would have me research the perfect guitar with a plan for me to give it away.  I called Sheree and told her to mark that need off the list. God had already taken care of it. 

March 10, 2010: Two Teens Serve in Ukraine
Priscilla Melton:
“On Wednesday, we went to two sites.  The first site was a boarding school for women and the second a boarding school for children.  The first place we visited was so sweet.  To see all the women there just dancing and having a good time brought tears to many faces. I found it so incredible that even though the people were disabled in some way, they were still happy and tried to live their lives as best as they could.  I know for me it would always be hard to be happy if I was disabled, but not them, because they are legit.  

I did not need a translator to interact with these women.  It was enough to just hug them, listen to what they had to say to you and pretend to understand what they were saying. It was hard to leave the women because I knew  they did not have a family to go home to, but what we can continue do to help is to pray, pray, pray, pray!

The second site we went to was a boarding school for children. I knew I was going to fit right in because right when Taylor and I walked in we sat by a group of boys between the ages of 8 and 10. We started making up handshakes with them and they were so sweet from the beginning and they did not even know who we were!   Luckily, when our groups broke up into different rooms, I had the room with all the little boys. I had the opportunity to learn more about them and spend more time with them.

There was one boy in particular that I bonded with. In many ways he reminded me of myself. It was so weird to watch how he acted and handled situations because he responded just as I would.  It was especially hard leaving that boarding school. I wanted to stay with that little boy forever and ever. 

It was a traditional holiday for a national Ukrainian poet that day so at the end of our time we watched almost all the kids put on a special show for us. It was so cute and awesome!”Taylor Brock:
“Today, Thursday, our first stop was a boarding home for women ages 20-90 with mental disabilities.  They loved our all too excellent rendition of the “Hokey Pokey” song and some even joined in.  The beanie babies we passed out were also a hit.  When we were allotted time to split up into our groups to talk with the ladies, my group found a miniature, bright-eyed 60 year old lady. As she began talking with us, I started to wonder how it could be that one person could experience so much tragedy in their lifetime.  This lady’s parents had died and her two sisters never visited her.  Through her tears, she told us that all she wanted was someone to talk to.  With the great language barrier, all we could really do was pat her, cry and smile. There are no language barriers for the Lord.   The second site was a social rehab facility for boys. My group went with the younger boys who listened well to our presentation. They were all smiles during our game time.  The time went by very fast and we were soon saying goodbye through a series of epic “high fives” and “pound its”.  

Mr. Zook told us that most of the boys were in the facility because of theft and I believe it because they seemed to have absolutely no trouble stealing our attention and our hearts.” 
 

March 11, 2010: Serving in Ukraine
On our recent trip to Ukraine, we visited two different sites.  The first site was a home for about 135 handicapped women ages 20-90. Our team had a wonderful time of singing, sharing and presenting gifts to the women there.  Regardless of the age, school supplies and beanie babies are so appreciated.  But more than that, we found everyone loves to be visited and loved.  One dear lady shared with Jessica and Taylor how her parents were dead and she had a couple sisters but they have never visited her.  It was a sad story and we could not help but shed tears as this dear lady also was crying with us.  What an opportunity to be able to reach out and touch these ladies with Christ’s compassion.
The second site was a youth detention center for boys ages 11-14.  All 20 boys were there for some act of breaking the law.  One boy was there because he was hungry and had stolen some food so he could eat.  Most of the others were there for theft, drinking or hanging out on the street.  We also heard one story of a boy who used to be here because he had stolen some things for survival.  His dad was in prison for killing this boy’s mother and this boy had witnessed his father murder his mother.  Each boy had a story of their own and we noticed that the younger ones had more smiles than the older children. The older children tended to not make eye contact and it was harder to know what was going on in their lives. But we had an opportunity to explain to them how much God loves them in spite of their circumstances or their actions.
We probably will never know what happens as a result of the songs that were sung, the words that were shared, or the smiles and hugs that were exchanged today. But what we do is that God took those songs, words, prayers, games, smiles and hugs and somehow communicated His love through them as we were obedient in going out and being His ambassadors.
We are so proud of these kids and know that God is working in each of their lives.  Thank you for your prayers.  
 

February 2010: Red Bus Team

In 2007, we had 2 sisters in our small group, Dasha and Susha.  At age 9, Dasha saw her mother being shot to death in the forest.

Six months later in 2008, we met them again. By 2009, they had ‘aged out’ at the orphanage.  The orphanage director assured us that they were in trade school but we still prayed for them and continued to worry about them.

This year Dasha and Susha heard the Global Aid Network team was returning to their city. They came to the orphanage as guests.  Dasha is now studying to be a secretary and Susha is studying to be a cook.  God of course placed them in our small group again where we were able to have a blessed reunion. We laughed, we hugged and we cried with them. This was God’s way of showing us that they were OK.

February 2010:  One Voice

At the Son of Truth Church that we visited, we were asked to give a small presentation so we decided to sing “How Great thou Art”.  While we were singing, the congregation started to sing with us and for a brief moment it did not matter what language was being spoken.  This is one story I have been sharing with my friends and family since we have been back.  It reminded me of the verse about when two or more are gathered in Jesus’ name than he will be there also.  I sure felt God’s presence during that time of praise and worship with our Russian Christian brothers and sisters.  I think maybe it was a glimpse of what heaven will be like; we won’t have any language barrier.  During that song we did not even need a translator. I will never forget singing praises to God with our fellow Christian brothers and sisters in Russia. 

 

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