Here are some personal highlights from this year’s Vineyard USA Mission Leaders Meeting:
South America Meeting – All the partnership leaders working in South America got together last week with the goal of networking and seeing how we can help each other love the people of South America. I personally made some good contacts in the meeting which, Lord willing, will help me encourage and bless the Vineyard Church in Paraguay.
As an added bonus, one of the national leaders of the Brazilian Vineyard Churches attended the meeting and shared about the move of God throughout Brazil (they have over 20 churches and 40 church plants!). She also encouraged us to keep communicating with each other as networking and trust can take a long time.
On a lighter note, this meeting was rudely interruptive by a black bear who wondered past the conference room’s windows – causing chaos as everyone scrambled for their cameras!
Yearly Reflection – One that that came out last week as we talked to friends was the joy in our voices. Last year during the MLM conference, we were pretty beat up and wore out… Being so close to everything, we had forgotten the amazing things that Jesus had done in our lives over this past year. Chatting with friends and catching up with them provided an outlet that brought God’s blessings to the forefront of our minds and hearts. Thank you Lord!!
Worship – It was wonderful! No instruments to play; no chairs to set up – nothing to do at all but worship the Lord and dance with my son. Refreshing waves of pure water. 🙂
Relationships (New and Old) – May God pour our His blessings to Vineyard USA Mission Task Force and the Mission Office workers (you know who you are!) for planning a conference that allows for relationship building. My heart was constantly filled up as the Lord strengthens friendships and created new ones.
There is just something about hanging out with a bunch of people with the same heart, mind and passion. 😀
Human Trafficking – While I have been on the edge of the human trafficking issue for some time now, I haven’t really dove into the problem as I was not ready to give my heart up… however, a friend of mine was hosting a seminar on the human trafficking – so I decided to listen it.
Wow – talk about having your heart broken! Not only are the numbers mind boggling (14,500-17,500 people trafficked into the USA per YEAR), but the heart felt pain and sorrow of real live stories… well, it was enough to make me rethink the way I look at things. I may even need to start studying the problem and solutions a little more this next year….
On a related note, thank the Lord for a church family that is actively engaging this issue versus turning a blind eye towards it. We are called to care for the things Jesus would care about – and he cares about the women, children and men who are sold into slavery every single day. May the Lord guide us as we seek to set lose the captives!