Upcoming Missions Trips
Since 1999, Youth and Discipleship has been sponsoring missions trips to Poza Rica, Mexico, with an emphasis on children living at the Casa Hogar Alfa y Omega Orphanage. Hundreds have traveled with coordinator Tony Lane, experiencing a wide variety of ministries and service opportunities. These short-term missions trips are part of the program that used to be called STEP, now referred to as Global Expeditions.
In response to the Great Commission, these trips afford children, youth and adults the opportunity to experience another culture, utilizing their talents, gifts, and abilities, as they seek to express God’s love in any language. A variety of opportunities fill the itinerary of these trips including, ministry and service work at the orphanage, feeding the hungry, ministry and service to 13 families living in a trash dump, ministry in local Mexican churches, training and leadership seminars, physical work on the property of the orphanage, ministry in an Indian village up in the mountains outside of Poza Rica, participating in a concert in the public plaza in the middle of the town, planning a Quinceanera for girls at the orphanage, etc. In January, the emphasis is on sharing Christmas gifts with the children, teens, and adults at the orphanage. There is also some sightseeing, including the El Tajin pyramids, and staying overnight in Mexico City for shopping and staying on the Zocalo square. Forty-six people of all ages will be a part of the team on July 7-14, 2011. The winter trip is scheduled for January 6-13, 2012.
In addition to the trip to Poza Rica, there is also a missions trip planned to Nogales, Mexico on August 18-25, 2011. This trip will focus on the new orphanage being built with funds raised from the 2010 YWEA project. The orphanage is opening in August and will be dedicated while the missions trip team is there. A variety of ministry opportunities will be included on the itinerary during this week of evangelism, outreach, compassion and care.
Additionally, there are opportunities for international training, which have been coordinated for several years. Teams of pastors, youth pastors, children’s pastors, worship pastors, and discipleship pastors, as well as lay ministers and leaders come together to provide practical church training in various international locations. For three years, teams have been going to Manila, Philippines to provide training for students at ASCM and also for the metro Manila region at the Dasmarinas Church of God. The 2012 trip is scheduled for January 30-February 7.
October 26-November 2 is the date of the international training event trip to Bucharest, Romania, where a team will be training students at the seminary, as well as local church pastors and leaders. All trips still have space available.
For information on how you can be a part of one of these Great Commission missions trip teams, call Tony Lane at 423.478.7229 or e-mail [email protected]. Or, visit cogyouthanddiscipleship.org.
