Worship Absent of Distractions

I don't remember the last time I played on a worship team. It must have been about 10 years ago, I was worried about screwing up. Doing worship and AV back home we tend to worry about the experience, we often ask ourselves "how do we remove elements that distracts us from worship."
During the very first worship set on Monday night, we were first blown away by the youth's willingness to sing. Then all of the sudden, the guitar of our worship leader started to cut out. But without skipping a beat, the youth sang louder. Then the keyboard started to cut out, too, and they sang even louder. I joked with the pianist that we don't needed to be here worrying about playing the right notes, the youths will sing regardless.
What distracts us are things that we allow to distract us. With a pure willingness to worship the Lord, the youths showed us that distractions are internal.

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Update

We're halfway through camp and what you see are the faces running on probably less than 5 hours per night. However, we are having a great experience, meeting wonderful new team members, and with them ministering to the youth in Panama.

So here's what been happening.

Day 1 - Monday, June 1
Day 1 of camp! We spent the morning running around completing the finishing touch on camp - decorations, lesson plans, and activities. We are exhausted from meeting 21 other team members and we are just about getting ready to meet another 180 people throughout the next five days. It's a daunting endeavour but we are excited at the relationships God will help us nurture and the stories and experience we will form with the students.

On Monday, we welcomed 180 kids into our midst and they are full of energy. Most of them are on vacation and are really excited to be here to spend with their friends, learn some English, and learn more about their faith and God. We opened up with some games with all the kids, had our first large praise and worship session, and ended off the evening with the camp's opening ceremonies.

Day 2 - Tuesday, June 2
Day 2 was our first full day of camp in which tested our physical and mental mettle. The first day grind was chock full of activities from morning devotions, morning sermon, english classes, squad competitions, free time with the students, workshops, movie nights and bedside fellowship and team meetings to wrap up the day.

Panama Day 2

Yesterday was a fruitful day of training, meeting our local Panamanian youth leaders (local servants), and team building.
Here is the demographic of this years camp:
Campers:              131
STM:                        25
Local Servants:     19
Total:                     175
44% first time at camp.

Pray for my squad co-leader, Daniel Richards from Houston, he out with the stomach flu. Pray that he's now better with a day of rest.
Continue to pray for Ralph, he is en route to Panama.
And continue to pray for energy, some of us are getting tired after a full day of training and prep.

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Panama Day 1

Arrived in Panama. Praise the Lord for the safe and uneventful flight. For me it is a familiar setting but many things seem new. Not only Panama City is a constantly growing and changing city, this year brought new teams - new team from NYCBC, Boon Church in New York, Southgate from Calgary, and Lord's Love from Vancouver. Even half of the team from Brooklyn Alliance consists of new members. This is the largest contingent of STM we've seen at English Camp, 26 of us in total. We spent most of the day yesterday learning each other's names (and making new enemy playing Coup, a board game is deception and deceit, haha).
It is because of the size of the team, I am worried for Ralph who is arriving tomorrow afternoon. No amount of prep work can prepare him for a new environment and to get to know your new teammates in one night before camp starts. Please remember him in your prayers for his safe travels and for his adoption in Panama.
As for us, the team is getting along with everyone else. Jennifer was glad to learn she's not the only girl. In fact, majority of the STM are ladies. The team have already got a taste of the Panamanian heat, sun, rain, geckos, and cockroaches. The biggest adjustment for us was the cricket that his in the cupboard of our bathroom that kept chirping all night long. Sleep is at a pronoun during camp. We will try to get as much as possible before the youths arrive on Monday. Pray for restful nights.
Today will be a full day of training.

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Quick Update

We made it to Panama!

Panama 2015 Ready to Fly

We've made it through the airport security checkpoint, waiting for our fight to Panama.

Prayer requests:
- After late night of packing for a few of us, pray for energy and a restful flight.
- Pray that we will not lose our focus while we are at the camp; instead of worrying about our responsibilities we are to allow God to work through us in sharing the Gospel to the students.
- We are excited to meet the other Short-term Missions teams soon, pray for unity as we serve together.

Partnering with Us

Financial: In total, this trip costs $7000 for the team, which covers most expenses such as travel, lodging, and food. Would you prayerfully consider supporting us financially for this missions trip by investing $50, $100, $200 or any other amount as God leads you?

Donations: Cheques can be made to North York (Chinese) Baptist Church

Prayer: 

Would you commit to regularly for our team, the other missionaries and the campers as we are engaged on this missions trip?

• Preparations for the trip (English Classes planning, finances, and team building). 

• Teamwork and unity between the various teams and the local 

• The gospel to impact the lives Panamanian churches 

• For loves of the youths in Panama