Hello from Boston!

It has been a full and exciting first day. It seems a long time ago that we met at Billy Bishop airport with our families and were sent off with Tim Hortons Boston Crème donuts in hand. Thankfully, our journey through the airport was smooth, quick, and delicious as we waited in the lounge, eating pineapple pork buns and joyfully practicing our songs for kids camp. All in all, our time in the airport was actually longer than our time in the air, since the flight took only about 90 minutes. We spent the time reading the plane letters so lovingly prepared for us by the Junior, Middle, and Senior School, and chatting with each other. Upon arriving in Boston, we grabbed our luggage and walked through the airport to meet our ride. We were greeted by Eric Briscoe, the Open Air Campaigners’ USA field director. We loaded our bags into his van and the girls were driven over to Lighthouse Fellowship church. Meanwhile, the boys ventured into the subway and slowly but surely made their way over to the church as well, with just a few wrong turns.

Upon arriving at the church, we were welcomed by Pastor Mike as well as an intern at the church, Baby. Though it was overcast and gray, we were warmed by their smiles and eagerness to meet us. They took us on a little tour of the church, which was built in the late 1800s, and we marveled at the stained glass windows decorating the sanctuary. After we had settled a bit, we were put to work making pizzas for dinner, led by Ms. Susan. Pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni, chicken, barbeque sauce, green peppers, onions – our pizzas had it all!

While the pizzas were cooking, we got to know several other members of the church and youth group, with the help of name tags, a ping pong table, and a volleyball. We chatted while eating, stepping out of our comfort zones to learn more about each other and connect. Then, Baby and Jenny, the church’s youth leader, organized some fun group games that had us running around, switching places, finding commonalities, and even aping around (acting like gorillas). While we wore ourselves out, more of the church members arrived, armed with board games and homemade treats. We shared a sweet time of fellowship, as both young and old, Canadian and American, played and ate Rice Krispie squares together. When the hour came to wrap up, many of us were surprised by how quickly we bonded with the people we met. Though it had only been a few hours, we felt unexpected kinship and closeness. We are looking forward to spending more time with them as they join us in our ministry and we hope to be both a blessing and encouragement in the days to come.

The rest of our evening was spent setting up our rooms, showering, and practicing for tomorrow’s worship. While the showers were either very cold or very hot, our spirits are high and our excitement has not waned. We met together for a short debrief to reflect on the day before heading off to bed, glad for air mattresses and new connections. Some words used to describe the day were surreal, welcoming, unexpected, and community.

Please pray for our involvement in the services tomorrow, for the worship, the sermon, and the youth service. Pray for Bernice as she shares on our behalf with the Cantonese congregation. Pray for continued connection and intentionality tomorrow as we meet new members and reunite with those from today. 

With hearts full,
Team Boston

你好，嚟自波士頓! (Hello from Boston!)

It was a rather chilly start to our Sunday, but nothing that a little hot water and corn tea couldn’t fix! First on the schedule was a time of personal inventory and devotions. This week, our team is reading through sections of Nehemiah. Chapter 1 led us to reflect on the intentional example of prayer provided to us in scripture, as well as the ways in which prayer can draw us closer to God, redirecting our attention and releasing our worries to Him. When it was time for breakfast, which we kept simple with cereal, yogurt, milk, and fruit. While some of the team cleaned up, others went to practice the worship set list. Then, at 10:00 sharp, we transformed into a team of hunchbacked Quasimodos as we rang the church bell. It was harder than it looked!

Our team was privileged to have a large role in the Sunday services. The service started off fittingly with a reading of Psalm 106:1 – “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Our worship team made up of Hannah, Joanna, Kailey, Mr. Chung, Leo, Zoey and JP led us well in several songs, and we enjoyed singing of God’s blessedness, might, and greatness. We heard updates from the missions locations in Asia and Afghanistan connected to the church before Pastor Mike officially welcomed us: “Family’s in from out of town!”. We have certainly felt the brotherly affection that the congregation is striving to show us and we are grateful that these brothers and sisters in Christ not only embrace us, but also encourage us and pray that we may be emboldened in our work here. Mr. Chung spoke on Acts 11, highlighting Barnabas’ gift of parakaleo in Antioch as he spoke the truth in encouragement and love. Following the service, we spent time in fellowship with the congregation, enjoying conversation alongside strawberry shortcake, blue Oreos, and crackers.

For lunch, members of the church prepared meat pasta, salad, cheeses, and bread. We needed to renew our energy for our time with Ember church, the Chinese congregation that meets in the building. They are a relatively new church, started in November, and they chose this location due to the high Asian immigrant population in the area. New though they may be, they are a special group and we are very glad we got to spend time with them. Part of our team was with the youth group, many of whom were teens that we met yesterday afternoon. We played icebreakers, sang some songs, and heard a message on the prodigal son from Mr. Chung. Meanwhile, in the main service, the rest of the team joined the adults for the Cantonese gathering. For some of us, it was our first time participating in communion, which was a nice surprise. The worship was especially touching, and we appreciated taking part in an exercise of writing down our burdens and sharing them with others. At the end of the hour, the whole team was invited up to the front. Bernice addressed the congregation in flawless Cantonese and then the people prayed for us, arms raised and voices strong. We mingled for a while, sharing stories and making plans to see each other again later in the week.

The rest of the afternoon was well spent learning tips and tricks from Eric. He shared stories and showed us how to better set up our storyboards, hangman games, and object lessons, then let us loose to practice painting and speaking. Minions and Sadness from Inside Out soon graced our boards. We are nervously excited to use them starting tomorrow. When we had worked up a good appetite, we took a little, slightly rainy field trip to our neighbourhood Applebee’s. It was fun to be out together, and it was especially fun because we got to celebrate Baby’s birthday! We enjoyed yummy dishes such as Bourbon chicken, steak, and fettucine alfredo, topping it all off with triple chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert. We skipped and sang our way back to church, then showered and relaxed before debrief. We gathered a garden of roses today as we experienced what it is to be a part of Christ’s global community, fulfillment in serving the Lord through our unique gifts, joyful worship in another language, and jamming with the youth. Though there were some thorns, namely the cold this morning, we are grateful for such a beautiful day.

POV Hannah: Today was a very fulfilling and prayerful day. I feel like we were all able to serve God with the gifts with which he has entrusted us, and I personally experienced a lot of joy because of that. Being able to see how other people were blessed by and grateful for how we served them today was amazing. It was also very encouraging to see how the people here are so open, and it reminded me how we are all part of one family in Christ.

POV Bernice: Today was AMAZING. God showed up in so, so many ways. I was able to share to the Chinese congregations about what we’re doing in Boston in Cantonese, and witnessing the community here praying over us was truly heartwarming. The Cantonese community here reminded me a lot of home and although I didn’t understand every single word, I still felt a sense of unity with everyone. The dinner was very amazing, fantastic, delicious, yummy, filling, and intentional.

Please pray for a restful night, that we may receive the sleep that we need to be attentive and effective tomorrow. Pray for continued unity and openness with each other and with the church community. To borrow from Nehemiah verse 11, “Oh Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant[s] today, and grant [them] mercy in the sight of this man”. 

Ready for bed, 
Team Boston

Today’s morning sun was a harbinger of a good day, starting us off with good spirits. Our group devotion centered on Nehemiah 2, leading us to ask ourselves, “How bold are my prayers?” We took time to practice praying boldly – for each other, for our ministry, for the community here, for those at home – before enjoying some hard boiled eggs, yogurt, cereal, and fruit. After breakfast, we snuck in a quick worship session as we waited for Eric and Chris, a member of Open Air Campaigners, to arrive. For those runner readers, you likely know that today the famed Boston Marathon took place in the city. We had a marathon of our own here at the church as we shared our testimonies for several hours. It was a special time of vulnerability, learning, and openness for our team, digging deep and bearing witness to the ways in which God’s love and faithfulness have led and marked our lives. While marathoners use gels and electrolytes to fuel their races, we turned to lemon Oreos and Bugles, which taste much better, especially when eaten at the same time.

To quote Jayden, today we had a “majestic lunch”. Majestic chicken salad, majestic apples, and majestic carrots and pickles. Majestic. Properly nourished, we spent some time making final preparations for today’s kids camp. At 3:30, just as the sky cleared again and the sun poked out, we set out for the pahk, as the Bostonians call it. We split into small groups and walked around the neighbourhood, inviting children and families to join us at 4:00. Joanna and Steven signed kids in, compiling their information on an attendance card, and then sent them to sit on a tarp where Ellie, Kailey, and Leo were ready to receive them. Eric acted as our host to transition between activities as Zoey started us off with a hangman puzzle, Steven followed up with a song, Bernice continued with an object lesson, and JP and Hannah walked us through a storyboard painting of the story of Noah, and how God saved him. We helped the kids complete a story handout before snack time, and then Jayden closed off the camp time with a fun game. We were all impacted by how engaged and receptive the children were, both those who had come to a similar OAC camp held in the summer and those who were new to the area. The time was full of joy, connections, and smiles.

Afterwards, a seemingly mundane walk to dinner tuned into a highlight of the day as we chatted, skipped, ran, filmed, and enjoyed just being together. Mrs. Tam found us a great restaurant serving up big bowls of pho, and both the food and the conversation were warm and comforting. On the way back to the church, we did a quick run through Target to grab some snacks and matching shirts. In the evening, we showered and prepped hangman, storyboards, and object lessons for the rest of the week. During debrief, we discussed the day’s sneezes, unexpected moments and emotions. Passing the Kleenexes around, we talked about such things as the neighbourhood kids’ receptiveness, team bonding, lessons from testimonies, and baseball invitations. Never has it been so good to hear so many “achoos”. We ended by singing together, proclaiming as one, “Hallelujah! All I have is Christ”.

POV Zoey: Something that stood out to me today was the kids’ genuine craving to be open to us. I really enjoyed the kids’ presence and communicating with them, and I felt really close with them, especially my connection with Leah, Analyse, Esther, and Abby during the games and in the park.

POV JP: Today we were very blessed to be able to share in both the community of each other and of the people of Boston. We got to listen to each other’s testimonies and it was very special to hear each other’s stories, since it isn’t something that we get to do all the time. Because of that, we got to grow pretty close and now we’re more unified as a team. Another thing was the kids; we got to minister and evangelize to them and it went pretty well. God’s doing some great things here, hopefully through us.

Please pray for the weather tomorrow as we will spend the majority of the day outside, evangelizing and running day two of the kids camp. Pray for bold words, open hearts, and sensitivity to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Pray for continued unity within our team, as we have grown very close today and we desire to continue to grow closer not only as fellow teammates, but also as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Bonded,
Team Boston

In another answer to prayer, today dawned bright, blue, and beautiful. It was perfect running weather, especially when the route runs along Quincy Bay. During morning reflection time, everyone was busy writing, striving to preserve their thoughts, feelings, and observations on paper. In preparation of our first day of street evangelism, the group devotional centered around Nehemiah 4. Like the good men of the West of Middle Earth encouraged by Aragorn, we rallied around a battle cry together: “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes. […] Our God will fight for us” (vs 14, 20). We reminded ourselves of the armour provided to us through Christ as shown in Ephesians 6:10-20 and prayed for protection and boldness for each other. We ended our time singing “Battle Belongs” before heading up to a breakfast of chicken salad, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, fruit, and cereal.

The team had some time to prepare the different elements for kids camp, and then we all gathered to pray for the children who came to camp yesterday. Using the attendance cards, we lifted up the names of the boys, girls, and their parents. After prayer, Chris and Eric prepared us for street evangelism, demonstrating how to approach people, how to use riddle boards to draw their attention, and how to point others towards Christ. Then, we loaded up the vans and drove to downtown Boston. Once there, our team divided into two larger teams made up of smaller pairings. We set up two stations, prayed for boldness, and began to evangelize. You will have to ask the missions members about their own personal experiences, for there are too many stories to tell here. From marathoners to Muslims to Mormons, we were rejected by many, yet encouraged by more. We laughed and prayed, questioned and learned, spoke in Spanish, English, and French. We met individuals such as Sophie, Vincent, Chris, Elijah, Kenny, Ezra, Art, Linda, and Peypo. We aspired to be planters of seeds of God’s truth and love and we pray that the discussions we held, both lengthy and rushed, may lead these individuals to Jesus. Please partner with us in praying for those we encountered today on the streets of Downtown Crossing.

By lunchtime, we were ready for any sort of food, but were particularly excited to eat chicken fingers, fries, special sauce, and Texas toast in the golden booths of Raising Cane’s. Maybe it was the hunger, maybe it was the company, or maybe it was the chicken itself, but the meal even surpassed our expectations! We hit the road again, travelling back to Quincy for our second afternoon of kids camp. There were many of the same kids, but also several new additions to the crew. Chris served as our team leader, directing our order of activities as Kailey directed a very competitive game of hangman, Zoey had us hopping around in song, Jayden performed a magical object lesson, Ellie and Joanna babbled their way through the story of the Tower of Babel, and Bernice took us back to kindergarten with a parachute game of cat and mouse. The children were equally receptive to the lesson as yesterday and we especially enjoyed staying afterwards to play basketball, baseball, tag, and spin until we couldn’t stand straight.

The day was not over yet as we were invited to join the members of Lighthouse Fellowship for a delicious potluck, complete with rice, salad, mac & cheese, hamburgers, burritos, crockpot lasagna, and Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars. While eating, we talked with the individuals, some now familiar and others new faces, sharing stories of our lives and learning of theirs. It has been wonderful to feel such kinship and welcome from our hosts, which was on full display tonight. Pastor Mike invited the team to share more about who we are, why we came to Boston, and what our experience has been like so far. Different churchgoers prayed for us after each anecdote, praising God for what has already been done and encouraging us in our days yet to come. For tonight’s debrief, we reflected and shared on the ways in which this morning was both an answer to prayer and a time of learning. We were reminded to put down our nets, no matter our hesitations, trusting that Jesus will provide the fish.

POV Leo: Today was an amazing day. I experienced many new things, and I feel like a flower coming out of its shell. I got to spread the gospel on the streets of downtown Boston and it really just showed me that knowing the gospel is a privilege and it is a joy to be able to share that with others. It was really comforting to see other Christians and it truly felt like we were all brothers and sisters in Christ, even though we were all the way in Boston. And I almost spilled some random girl’s drink.

POV Ellie: Today was our first day of street evangelism and I’ve been really anxious about approaching random strangers and trying to Jesus them (if you know what I mean), but God completely answered my prayers and I was able to talk to people with total comfort and peace of mind – which was nothing short of a miracle. There were many rejections and mistakes (at one point I started copying the Boston accent without even realizing…), but the conversations I did have were sososo worth it. From talking to a lady from the Church of Latter-Day Saints about the spirit realm to meeting other Christian teens and having prayer huddles, it was eye-opening to realize that all these people on the street have joys, struggles, and beliefs just like mine, and the fact that I am able to be a side character with ten minutes of evangelism airtime in the story of their life is SUCH a blessing in itself. God has been working in so many ways within and through our team, and it is truly awe-inspiring to see!!

Please pray for continued good weather tomorrow for another day outside, and for the continued good health of the team. Pray for safety as we travel to and around Boston University, and for courage to approach and engage with many people. Pray also for the children who will come to kids camp, that they may be excited to learn more about God’s word and that they may hide these words in their heart.

Maybe a bit sunburnt,
Team Boston

The streak of sun had to end some day, and, unfortunately, today was the day. However, to paraphrase the musical Les Misérables, a little fall of rain could hardly hurt us now! In this morning’s devotion, we read from Nehemiah 5, and Mr. Chung led us to think about how we can consciously work with each other, not against each other, especially as our tiredness builds and some of the excitement of being together all the time begins to wear off. We sang together to end off our session: “Yet not I but through Christ in me”.

Breakfast was an exciting affair, complete with leftover dumplings and cool ranch Doritos dipped in strawberry Greek yogurt. Try it! You may love it, too! The students recorded short videos to send home and also practiced and prepared for upcoming lessons. 6 members of the Ember youth group, as well as Jenny, joined us as well, which was a lot of fun. We sang of how great our God is and then prayed for the kids camp children one by one. After a snack of chips, we loaded our supplies into the vans and headed out to Boston University.

At the university, we set up in two locations. It was much colder and damper, but we were armed with our riddle boards, some object lessons, surveys, and determination. We took the Ember youth under our wings, as it was their first time doing street evangelism, and we were impressed by their boldness and engagement. While in some ways it was a more difficult crowd, the team managed to speak to many individuals and hold meaningful conversations with people like George, Esther, and Aameen. One of our students had the incredible experience of praying with a young woman named Rachel to put her faith in Jesus Christ. God is moving in powerful ways here in Boston! When our noses were red and our toes were frozen, we returned to the church for supermeat sandwiches and snacks.

The park was much emptier today when we arrived for kids camp, but we continued on, nonetheless. We were thrilled to see a few familiar faces waiting for us and to have several more children run over to join us once we began. Leo (and his hangman dog Cleo) started us off well, Ellie helped us shine in song, JP wowed us with an object lesson, and Kailey and Zoey walked us through the story of Abram and Sarai. As there were more of us today and fewer kids, we were able to invest more in each of them, which was special in a different way. Joanna’s game may have been the highlight of the hour as we tried our luck with Pie Face, many ending with whipped cream everywhere.

Tonight was extra special as our team, along with Chris, Eric, Pastor Mike and his family, went to Fenway Park to see the Boston Red Sox take on the New York Yankees! While many of the students didn’t really know what was happening out on the field, we cheered, sang, and danced in our seats, enjoying clear dark blue skies, loaded fries, and Sweet Caroline (ba ba ba!). The Red Sox didn’t have their best showing, but it didn’t matter as we had fun together in fellowship. Back at the church, we opened the ice cream shop, identifying what ice cream flavour today had been for each of us. Some experienced sour cherry mixed with lemonade, others icy matcha, while others still fried chicken ice cream filled with strawberry and mango. There were many different elements and moments that made each person’s day unique and unforgettable.  

POV Jayden: Today was very cool. I loved how the team all came together in unity as well as how the baseball game was very cool and majestic. Evangelism was very good, and I prayed for all the people that I talked to and I hope that they come to Christ. It was very majestic. It was very fun seeing everyone get pied on in kids camp and I hope that the next couple of days is as fun and intentional as it was today.

POV Joanna: Today was a day of mint chocolate chip in a McFlurry cup with a plastic spoon. I watched the jumbotron for more time than I did the actual field during the baseball game. We cleared a can of whipped cream playing Pie Face and everyone got pied except for me and Ellie. Evangelism was much better than yesterday because I was far away from Mrs. Bennett – I upgraded to Mrs. Tam (Mrs. Bennett typed this and she approves this message). I did not scare anyone and I did not jump in front of anyone. I had wonderful deep conversations, wonderful talks in the van, and that’s all I have to say.

Please continue to pray for our team’s health and energy. Also pray that we would continue to be united and work well with each other. Pray for tomorrow as we enter our final day of evangelism, both for us who will be sharing as well as those who will be receiving the message, that their ears may be open and their hearts may be willing. Pray for our time with the youth, that we may further the connections already made and walk with them well as they seek to bring God’s love and light to their city.

Officially Red Sox fans (except Mr. Chung),
Team Boston

The gorgeous weather returned today, even warmer than earlier in the week. After yesterday’s dip in temperature, we were very happy to see blue skies and bright sun again. Our morning devotion came from Nehemiah 9. We were challenged to remember who God is and what He has done in our lives, to not forget the ways in which He has proven his goodness and faithfulness time and time again. One simple, tangible example of God’s goodness today came in the form of French toast casserole made by Dan, a friend of Pastor Mike. It was delicious! We were also blessed to have church member Arlene join us this morning just to chat and help us feel at home.

By the time the Ember youth arrived, we were full of maple syrup and cinnamon, ready to tackle whatever came our way. We sang “Ten Thousand Reasons” before each picking an attendance card and praying for the children in the kids camp. We had the chance to ask Eric and Chris about their experiences of street evangelism over the years, the good, the bad, and the unexpected. They have so many stories to tell and much advice to give, so we listened attentively, grateful for their wisdom and experience. Then, it was time for our final session of street evangelism. We headed out for Northeastern University where we set up in multiple locations. Several of us wandered around campus with purposeful surveys while others stayed near the riddle boards. Overall, we felt more confident in approaching and engaging with strangers, taking what we have learned in previous days. We interacted with people like Amy, Sandra, Simon, John, and Prosper, sometimes for an extended period of time and sometimes for just a quick conversation. We are learning how to pray throughout the process and how to shrug off rejection with a genuine “Have a great day!”. Upon reflection, we recognize how far we have come in these past few days, by God’s grace.

We ate a homemade lunch of tuna sandwiches, chips, and carrots dipped in leftover Raising Cane’s sauce under the blue Boston sky. We had a lot of fun connecting with our new friends from Ember church, who now feel like old friends. Next up was kids camp: day 4. There were more people than ever out enjoying the afternoon, so, consequently, we had our largest turn-out yet! Ellie’s skunk hangman, complete with secret water gun squirts for wrong answers, was a big hit with the crowd, then Hannah’s song, Joanna’s scary trap object lesson, and Jayden and Steven’s lesson on the story of Lot kept the children engaged. Following snack time, Leo reignited the competition of boys versus girls with a few rounds of tug of war. Suddenly, the whole neighbourhood was there, cheering for their chosen team. In the end, the girls triumphed over the boys, narrowly winning the tie-breaker. Post-camp, we enjoyed spending time on the playground with the youth and kids, playing tag, climbing the structures, and simply having a lot, a lot of fun.

At the church, we were treated to a yummy meal of rice, noodle stir fry, sweet & sour pork, salmon skin, and salmon rice balls, lovingly prepared by some of the women in the Cantonese community. We have been so well taken care of by everyone here, and this was just another instance of our family in Christ showing us God’s love. Following dinner, we broke into smaller groups with the members of Ember youth to debrief the past two days together, identifying our highs and lows and sharing the unique experiences that have come out of evangelising side by side. It was very encouraging to hear how much everyone has grown and learned, and we pray that this experience may be a catalyst for change not only for this youth group, but also for many in the city of Boston.

After showers, ping pong, and final preparations for the last day of kids camp, we had a time of team bonding, armed with a pool noodle encouragement stick. While we could have spent many hours speaking truth into each other, we used this time to share special observations and start conversations that we hope will continue in the days and weeks to come. Through laughs, tears, and group prayers, our little team family drew even closer as brothers and sisters in Christ.

POV Kailey: After ending on a late night yesterday, I was surprisingly energized in the morning and very excited to go to Northeastern, and very excited for the kids camp because the sun would bring more kids than yesterday. Though there were many rejections at Northeastern, I had a few meaningful conversations that led to one person asking for a church location. Regarding the kids camp, it was the best day in my opinion because of how many kids showed up and how energized they were to hear all the things we had to say. During the time that we usually hang out with them after, it felt like everyone was playing together, and it was nice to see how they trusted our team and Ember youth; it felt like I have known the kids for so long, even though it’s only been a week. Thank you for praying for me and the team!

Please pray for us as we enter our final day of ministry tomorrow with the kids camp and youth group. We are dreading saying some tough goodbyes and wrapping up our time here, but we are so grateful to have made such deep connections. Pray for the children who have been attending the camp, that they have ears to hear the Gospel message and that they find a home in the local church here.

Encouraged,
Team Boston

This is a very short note to communicate that we are doing well and are preparing to travel home, less enthusiastically than we were when we prepared to travel here. It has been a long day of sun, blessings, pizza, emotions, and worship, and we can’t wait to share all about it tomorrow in a bonus update. Thank you for eagerly awaiting to hear from us.

Please pray for our team as we wrap things up here, that we will be efficient in our packing, intentional in our reflecting, and diligent in our prayers. Pray for a smooth morning of travel to the airport and for a swift process of check-in and boarding.

In prayer,
Team Boston

Friday morning brought with it some extra motivation to JP, Hannah, Kailey, Zoey, Bernice, Mr. Chung and Mrs. Bennett to get up early and run to the boardwalk – the best way to start the day! Team devotions brought an end to our journey through Nehemiah as we read through chapter 10. We read about giving our firsts to the Lord and Mr. Chung encouraged us to think about the things that we will commit to doing, not alone, but in community. Afterwards, we spent some time working on chapel plans, as we will be back at PCA before we know it and we want to be prepared to report well on all that has happened during this week.

Breakfast brought with it the familiar favourites, as well as some leftover tuna salad and the exciting new addition of cinnamon Chex; we finished the whole box in no time at all. Properly Chexed, we traded off cleaning the common room and recording short videos to send to Lighthouse Fellowship to serve as both an encouragement to the congregation in their ministries and a thank you for the ways in which they supported our ministry. When Eric arrived, he walked us through how to use a small, wordless booklet to share the gospel message more personally with the children at kids camp. The team has been impressed by how many methods and tactics he has to share the good news.

Then it was time for some touring in downtown Boston. The boys went on the subway and had a much better experience than their first taste of Massachusetts public transportation. With Eric as our guide, we walked a few stops on the Freedom Trail such as the Old South Meeting House and the site of the Boston Massacre. We also visited the location of a shoe store where famed evangelist D.L. Moody gave his life to Christ. By lunchtime, we had made our way to Quincy Market where we dined on hot buttered lobster rolls, clam chowda, pasta, pizza, and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. We had some time to purchase souvenirs in the surrounding shops before reuniting once again outside the Barbie café. The girls were determined to make one last run to Target, so we had to get a move on in order to get back to the church in time for kids camp, speed walking and skipping through the streets. Happily, our mission was a success!

Day five of the kids camp brought many new kids to the green mat, as well as the consistent crew who had joined us each day so far. Alongside the Ember youth, Steven lead the hangman, Kailey and her backup crew had us moving in song, and Hannah brought out a crown of thorns for an object lesson. Bernice and Leo’s storyboard started with the story of Lot and led us to the truth of salvation, after which we had time to read through the little booklets with one or two children before praying with them. We were so glad to hear of the kids’ desire to follow God and turn away from sin. The culminating event of the week came next, as we formed a humble yet happy parade up to the church made up of our team, children, teens, parents and grandparents. Anyone who came was treated to a pizza party and a time of fellowship. It was wonderful to see the room full and to share a meal. JP led a difficult yet engaging hangman where the parents eked out a win, much to the kids’ dismay, and then Eric painted a storyboard communicating the good news of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, and how we may partake in eternal life through His sacrifice for us. Joanna and Steven announced the winners of the big prizes, given to those children who had earned the most points through attendance, Bible memory verses, lesson handout completion, and outreach to friends and family. We were thrilled to cheer on William, Aidan, Kimi, Leah, Adorah, and Luna in recognition of their participation as we have so enjoyed getting to know them and have grown to love them this past week. Thanks to the Sending Team, we were able to send off each child with a little gift and a blessing.

Once the kids and parents had left, we headed downstairs for youth group, starting off with an epic pool noodle fight. We led a few rounds of line charades and then Mr. Chung brought out the chapel game say it on beat. The Ember worship team led us in song before Jenny shared briefly, focusing on how when David faced Goliath, his faith and boldness reignited the army of Israel. She likened our team to David in that during our time together, God has been able to use us to reignite their youth group. The feeling is certainly mutual and we are so glad that we have been able to serve them in this way. Jenny shared a few sweet photos of our days together before inviting representatives from the team to come up and share with the whole group. She asked why we participated in missions, what we have learned, how we have seen God, how this experience has changed our view of others and/or ourselves, and how it has been to be without our phones for a whole week. The panel left us with some wise words and takeaways: Step out of your comfort zone. Be prayerful. Just do it. He’s here. Do your best and He’ll do the rest. What scares you the most will teach you the most. After prayer, we worshiped again, jumping and praising the Lord. We spent some time just hanging out and being together before we had to transition to a time of goodbyes. Hugs turned to hug circles, which turned to prayer circles, as the youth, Canadian and American, encouraged each other, lifted up praise for the time they shared, and asked God to bless and keep their new friends.

Our long day was not over yet as we still had to debrief. We sat and listened as Mrs. Bennett ran through the details of each day: the places, the food, the people, the scripture, the learning, the fun. We were amazed at how full this week has been and how God’s presence has accompanied us through it all. In response, we sang Gratitude, louder than a church choir, unabashedly and harmoniously, full of thanks to our God who is so good. We took some time to prepare for re-entry, anticipating questions that may be asked and emotions that may come, before reading John 15. We have a desire to abide in Christ and be fruitful, not to apart from Him and wither. The better part of the next hour was spent in spontaneous worship, lifting our voices together and not wanting to stop. The students gathered to pray for each other and for the children that we met this week, and then spent time together as a family in Christ. Eventually, we went to bed to get a few hours of sleep.

This morning, we have been furiously packing as well as thoughtfully reflecting. We want this missions trip to end well, and we want to be faithful and abide when we return home. As we have seen in Nehemiah, the people of Israel were united for the mission of building a wall, but, as we read today in chapter 13, once that task was complete, it seems as though they forgot the Lord and strayed from Him. We have been united in our mission here in Boston, and we wish for that unity with each other and with Christ to continue on Canadian soil. We do not wish to forget. We ask ourselves how we can see our everyday circumstances as a missions field, knowing that we can only do this when we rely on God.

Once packed, we received a final blessing from Lighthouse Fellowship in the form of fresh bagels and Dunkin’ Donuts goodies. Arlene and her son Mike, members of the church, have often been accompanying us behind the scenes this week and they graciously provided this special departing treat. Paired with a mishmash of our remaining fruits, veggies, and cereals, it made for a great breakfast before a closing time of prayer with them alongside Eric, Baby, Pastor Mike, and his son Sam. Following a great big group hug, we were driven to the airport by Mike, Eric, and Baby, and lovingly sent on our way. Currently, we are at our gate after scavenging for Chick-fil-A and Whalburgers. We are tired, but bursting with stories that we can’t wait to share.

POV Steven: So much happened today (Friday): I got the opportunity to do the hangman in kids camp, which was awesome. I got to see the curiosity of the kids while they were learning the gospel. Later, it was very delicious to try Boston lobster rolls with a side of Ben & Jerrys. It was a bittersweet feeling having the last meeting with the youth. I prayed that they will continue encouraging others in faith as they have encouraged me.

Please pray for a safe journey home. Pray for good conversations with our families and friends as we share of what God has done in our lives and continue to process all that we have learned. Pray that we may remain firm in our faith and abide in Christ, bearing much fruit. Please also pray for Lighthouse Fellowship and Ember Church, that the seeds planted in and around them this week would fall on good soil and be carefully tended.

Almost home,
Team Boston

We had a sweet reunion with our loved ones yesterday and a comfortable night’s rest in our own beds. Thank you for journeying with us this week. We are so thankful to you, our supporters. We would not have been able to go if we were not sent. 

Before leaving the church, Eric shared a Word with our team from Acts. 

“… remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35

Eric encouraged our team to remember that, during our week in Boston, we gave much to the children at kids camp, the people on the campuses and streets of Boston, and to our partner churches and their leaders. As a result of our outward focus, the Lord blessed us inwardly with a rich fellowship with His people, a deep joy and an intimacy with God himself. 

This is our prayer for you, our supporters: just as you gave to support our Boston team through your prayers, finances, and encouraging words, may God abundantly bless you inwardly. 

Gratefull,
FTeam Boston