Teen Missions International: Not Your Average Summer Program

So here's the story (extended version) about the last post. In 2003 Punkin' went to Cuba with Teen Missions International (TMI). She had kind of a rough summer. But she said it was a good experience in that it "gets you over the whole girly image" and "lets God change your life." So I decided I was going to go the next year. And I did. I originally signed up for Honduras but it got canceled because too few people signed up for that one. So I went to Poland. I know. COMPLETE other side of the world. But God knew what he was doing...some of my closest friends are from that trip. And I got to tell a 16 year old girl about Jesus who had never heard before. Ever since then I've wanted to go back and couldn't, mostly because of tuition bills. But this summer that's going to change, and God-willing, I'm going to be an assistant leader to Hong Kong.

So here's a look at what TMI is like.

You register for a team at www.teenmissions.org. In a few weeks, you get your support package, with letters to send out to friends and family asking them to support you with prayer and financial support as well. There's a bunch of paperwork helping you keep track of how much money you've received and how much you still need, a list of prayer partners, and envelopes in which to forward the checks people send you to TMI. There are also prayer cards to hand out to remind people to PRAY. Prayer is a big part of Teen Missions. Gradually, through God's faithfulness, your support comes in. Due dates are relative with TMI, just so you know. In June, you leave for Bootcamp. Yes, Bootcamp. You spend slightly over two weeks being trained for your project - construction classes, singing, puppets, drama, special classes like backpacking or motorcyling for some teams, as well as Devos (devotions) every morning after the OC (Obstacle Course), learning to bathe out of a bucket, wash your laundry by hand, and sundry other interesting experiences. :D Every day of Bootcamp ends with a Rally, where we sing praises to the Lord, cheer for our team, listen to a report on countries around the world (known as Shake the World), and hear preaching from the Word of God.
Bootcamp ends with Commissioning, a candlight service where each team member and leader intending to go to the mission field lights a candle, signifying our willingness to take the light of the Gospel to the nations.
After Commissioning, teams fly out to their various locations around the world. Some teams minister through construction projects, attracting the attention of the locals enough to witness to them, and minstering to the missionaries there. Some teams assist in local evangelism through songs, puppets, and drama. Some build AIDS orphans rescue units in Africa, teaching the orphans to farm their own food and make clothes so they can live. Some dig wells.

All minister to the lost.

After the project time, the teams fly back to Bootcamp for Debrief. You see, TMI packs your days FULL. From 5:30am to 10:00pm. Never a second wasted. So it's kind of hard to go back to "normal" life where we think nothing of spending an hour on facebook. Debrief helps the teens adjust back to their home lives and helps them sustain the spiritual growth they've experienced over the summer. It also teaches them how to share their stories back home.

All this, with teenagers. Last summer over 1,000 souls came to Christ through the work of teenagers. And I was told I need to go to Bible college before God can use me. Uh-huh. Riiiiiiight. Somehow I don't think God agrees. God moves at Teen Missions. He changes lives. Through teenagers. When was the last time you felt the Lord move at church?

So this summer I will, God-willing, be traveling to Hong Kong with TMI. When my heart first inclined toward that team, I thought, Asia, Lord? Really? I guess I just never thought I'd end up there. But then again, I never thought I'd end up in Poland either. I'll quit trying to tell God what to do now. I'm done. He's perfectly capable without me.

I ask you to go to the Teen Missions website and pray about serving the Lord this summer on one of their teams. Go ahead. Ask God what he can do with you.

Leah