So our month is at an end and I figured a good way to sum it up would be with some highlights:
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Being man month has been a great time, different from every other month on the race. Whilst we have been able to spend brief times together as a group before, having focussed, extended time like this was great. We were able to affirm each other as men, as leaders and as followers of the Lord and it was such an encouraging time of being built up.
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The fun stuff, although not the focus of the month, was great too – visiting the Mayan ruins in Tika national park and swimming in the lake (which is apparently known for having crocodiles in it…) afterwards was a great bonding time, and being able to go to a nearby hotel and use their swimming pool was a great way to relax on days off.
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We went to a lot of churches and I loved being able to be a part of a skit as the thief next to Jesus who repents, being dragged in roughly by guards and beaten, before being crucified and watching the same happen to the bad thief and Jesus, before repenting and being taken to heaven by Jesus.
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I also loved being able to duet songs with one of our contacts, covering the English myself and looking to her for the Spanish – always wells received and such a joy to lead.
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Going into schools and churches where a gospel message was given and seeing dozens of people across the month respond to it and receive Christ was undoubtedly the best thing that we saw – naturally this is what we do it all for and so having a month of seeing a lot of reaping, where many previous months have been part of the sowing or watering, was such an encouragement.
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We also enjoyed leading a sports day that saw a number of churches get involved and work together – a huge step for the area where a lot of the churches choose to do things alone and where there isn’t much unity. Although there is not necessarily discord there is not a united front and so it was a privilege to be a part of a ministry that is actively addressing that and working to improve the situation.
There were other things we did with our time, but these are some of the main things that I will remember when I think back to my time in Puerto Barrios*.
*Well, there may be something else too… watch this space…
