Disaster in the Making

It couldn't have been a more perfect day: three friends, Sugarbowl Ski Resort, fresh powder, warm sunshine, snowboards, and a whole lot of inexperience.

After our not-so-graceful dismount from the ski lift, Dawn, Dez, and I sat at the top of a bunny-slope - or so we thought. We quickly realized our dreadful mistake; this was NOT a bunny slope and it was all downhill from here (in more ways than one). You see, we had never been snowboarding before (Dez and I had never even been to a ski resort), we've never had lessons, and we refused to go with any of our experienced snowboarding friends. "Why?" you may wonder. Well, basically, we didn't want to be humiliated on camera! So we three klutzes bonded together to conquer the mountain by ourselves. Unfortunately for me, I soon learned that pride really does go before a fall....

The next thirty minutes were spent watching others snowboard and trying to figure out how we ourselves could do the same since we had yet to even conquer the first step - standing up. I finally stated, with all the courage I could muster: "Well, I saw this snowboarding video on YouTube last night and they said...." The rest is history.

Dez quickly caught on to this harrowing sport. Dawn and I, on the other hand....well, let's just say it didn't come naturally. I finally figured out how to pull myself up on the board and take off down the hill. The only problem was, we didn't know how to slow down or stop. Thus, once I got up on the board, there was no stopping me! As Dez likes to say, "Carissa was head over heels for this sport! Literally." While going full-speed down the hill, my attempt to slow down ended up in a disastrous crash. After landing full-force on the back of my head, I lay dazed on the ground as a migraine and nausea washed over me. I quickly thought, "Okay, what's my name? Where am I? Who's the president?" Since I was coherent enough to think of these questions, I decided I would probably live to tell of this experience

My trip to the emergency room confirmed my suspicions: concussion and whiplash. The next four and a half weeks included nearly three weeks of bedrest, and nearly constant migraines, nausea, motion sickness, and ginger ale (one of the few things I could stomach). Today, six weeks later, I am very glad to be feeling human again! I have so much to be thankful for; including a family who rearranged their schedules to drive me to school/work and read my homework to me, friends who prayed for me, a greater appreciation of life, and loose-fitting clothes! (I lost two dress sizes). Most importantly, this experience has seriously strengthened my faith; I never felt discouraged because I KNEW God was using this experience to change my character (which could use a good overhaul every now and again) and make me a ton more empathetic towards others who are suffering! Truly, God works all things together for good (Romans 8:28).

But just in case you were wondering, I've decided that my next snowboarding attempt won't be until heaven. I think it's safest that way. :o)

Gandhi - Eight Blunders of the World

1) Wealth without Work

2) Pleasure without Conscience

3) Knowledge without Character

4) Commerce without Morality

5) Science without Humanity

6) Worship without Sacrifice

7) Politics without Principle

8) Rights without Responsibility

Honduras - August 2009

Honduras. The very word conjures up vastly different images. For some, you may picture riots, political turmoil, and primitive conditions. But for me, I reminisce about lasting friendships, passionate prayers, amazing miracles, heartfelt worship, breathtaking scenery, and, of course, delicious mangoes! 

 

In August 2009, twenty-two missionaries from the Granite Bay Church Plant and Sacramento Central Seventh-day Adventist Church set out for the adventure of their lives. Many well-meaning friends inquired, “Haven’t you heard about the political turmoil there? Why are you going to Honduras?” We went because we felt called by God. We went because He had a purpose for us in a little town called El Suyatal. We went because we were on a mission; a mission to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” We claimed the promise that our all-powerful God would be with us “even to the end of the age.”  (Matthew 28:19-20) By the end of this mission trip, we could confidently proclaim that our faith was not in vain.

Before we even left for Honduras, we faced our first obstacle. We had to raise $30,000 in order to construct a dormitory for the Central American Bible School students (a one-year program similar to AFCOE). This is obviously a large sum of money, especially in our tumultuous economy. But we were quickly reminded that the power of our God is not limited by our economy! His riches are always greater than our need. God bountifully supplied the money we needed and more. We are truly grateful for everyone who gave sacrificially for this cause!

We had three main projects to accomplish during this mission trip: build a dormitory, present children’s meetings in a Vacation Bible School format, and conduct an evangelistic campaign. When we arrived in EL Suyatal to work with the Vida International volunteers, we were under the impression that the dormitory foundation had already been completed and was ready for us to begin the bricklaying for the walls. However, that was not the case. Our dedicated team of workers spent most of the next two weeks building a secure foundation by digging trenches, shaping rebar, and pouring concrete. This back-breaking work was heroically accomplished. Since our departure, the Vida International volunteers have continued making great progress on this building. The first floor walls have been constructed and they are now working on the second story. This dormitory will soon house dozens of students spending one-year of their life devoted to evangelism training and outreach! 

Initially, our children’s evangelism team was planning on holding a children’s program every evening while the adult evangelistic series was in session. But a few days after our arrival, the Lord worked an absolute miracle. Due to the challenging political situation, the teachers in the nearby elementary school were not permitted to teach. Because of the friendship that one of the Vida International Bible workers had with a teacher, an amazing door opened for us. Our group was invited to come to this elementary school for three hours every weekday to present health talks, English classes, Christian music, and prophecy Bible studies! Approximately 300 hundred children listened attentively to the life-saving messages presented by our team. In addition to this work, our team also conducted the children’s evening meetings. Around eighty children would pack into the small Adventist church to hear more about the God they were learning to love. Our team cherished the time they spent interacting with the children by singing songs, working on crafts, and studying the Bible. One team member’s heart was particularly touched when she heard an orphan boy singing “This Little Light of Mine” in Spanish as he played in the dirt streets. 

We could easily fill a book with all of our recollections about the incredible miracles worked in and through the adult evangelistic series! Vida International had several Bible workers who had already built friendships with a couple hundred of the 2,000 precious souls in this small town. They had already laid the groundwork for our evangelistic series. Each night, nearly every chair was filled with people seeking to understand the Word of God! I had the opportunity to be the speaker for all eleven evangelistic meetings. It was such a blessing to see the attendees attentively listening as the truth about the great controversy, salvation, and Heaven was presented. You could see that the Bible was bringing freedom to those who had lived all of their lives in fear of death and damnation. What an amazing privilege to speak the Word of God to souls thirsting for that which only God can supply! By the end of the series, twenty-two people made the decision to follow in Christ’s footsteps by keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath. Several individuals asked to be baptized so that they also could die in the watery grave and be raised to a newness of life in Christ Jesus. Praise God! 

Because we were in Honduras during the rainy season, the driving rain was frequently our greatest enemy. During the evangelistic series one night, a torrential downpour unleashed its fury. It beat heavily upon the metal roof, making it entirely impossible to hear the health talk being presented by a Vida International volunteer. At that point, it was pointless to attempt to preach. Not even the blaring sound system could compete with the torrent of rain pounding on the roof and leaking onto the chairs below. We knew that there was only one way that our evangelistic series could take place that night…if God worked a miracle and stopped the rain! Our team quickly gathered in the back of the meeting hall to seek the Lord in prayer, claiming His abundant promises. It was such a blessing to be with these godly people from Sacramento Central SDA Church and the Granite Bay Church Plant. We were all united in prayer truly seeking the presence and power of our almighty Creator. The time came for the Gospel to be preached. As I walked up to the podium, the rain continued to pour vehemently. But the moment I began to speak, it was as though someone turned off the faucet. The rain stopped! For the rest of the meeting, the storm cleared and the whole audience was able to readily hear the message that God had for them that night. Glory be to God! 

There were miracles upon miracles that we could share with you! Without a doubt, God called us to Honduras. He touched not only the lives of the precious souls in El Suyatal, but He also indelibly touched our lives! It is such a humbling privilege to know that the God of the Universe cares about us and wants us to be His ambassadors! Please take a moment to prayerfully consider this question. What is God calling YOU to do today in order to spread the Good News of His salvation?

For more information about Vida International, please visit their website: www.VidaProjects.org

Costa Rica

I wrote this article for The Quiet Hour in 2006 after completing an evangelistic series with them. http://www.thequiethour.org/Page.aspx?pid=357

Costa Rica—the very words bring back amazing memories of many lives changed, including mine.

I wasn’t ever expecting to travel to Costa Rica, much less in September 2006; but the Lord had something else in mind. A friend of mine called and asked, “Carissa, how would you like to preach an evangelistic series in Costa Rica? The series starts in just over two weeks.” I was completely shocked! My friend was scheduled to preach an evangelistic series there through Share Him, but she was no longer able to participate. She was hoping I would take her place. After praying about it, I sensed the Lord’s leading and felt impressed to follow.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went to Costa Rica. I’m 18 years old and had to travel there by myself. I could not speak Spanish; and I didn’t know a single person in the whole country…but I knew that the Lord was with me. I stayed in a town called Guapiles, which is in the rainforest. There were about six evangelistic sites in that area and about fifteen participants from the States. I think my first bout of “culture shock” hit when I tried to take a shower! No such thing as hot water in that part of the country!

After being in Costa Rica a few days, we decided to tour the sites where we would be preaching. We pulled up in front of this little white church, exactly the image that pops into your mind when you think of a traditional Adventist church. Someone yelled out, “Hey Carissa, I think this is your church!” I sent up a quick prayer and said, “Lord, I hope not!” Might sound like a strange request, but I was really hoping for that “missionary experience”. The Lord definitely answered my prayer! I ended up preaching in a large warehouse. My nightly attendance included bats, dogs, cockroaches, and frogs! It was definitely an unforgettable experience.

Every night before I preached, I would spend time surrendering to Christ and praying for the meetings. I was always so nervous before speaking, but as soon as I stood on the stage and prayed, peace would just “wash” over me. It was powerful to feel the Holy Spirit working through me to touch the lives of others. One woman remarked, “I can see Christ in you!” “Lord, how unworthy I am yet so incredibly grateful for Your powerful presence,” was my heartfelt prayer.

One of the subjects the devil hates the most is what the Bible truly says about the dead. The night I discussed this topic was no exception. To start off, I was in the back of the warehouse greeting the visitors when I noticed the church members seemed concerned and upset. I wasn’t able to understand their concern because I didn’t speak Spanish. I ended up asking a local church member named Sylvio. Sylvio only speaks and understands enough English to translate children’s stories, but is in no way fluent. He replied that my translator hadn’t arrived yet. I was so busy, I had not even noticed! He said, “Carissa, what are you going to do?” What was I going to do?!! I don’t speak Spanish, the visitors had already arrived, and the program was starting. We couldn’t send them away without hearing the Word of God! Amazingly, throughout this whole situation, I felt a great peace. I just knew the Lord had this under control. I turned to Sylvio and asked if he would translate for me. He was shocked! He said he could never do that! But the Lord impressed me to say, “Sylvio, I still believe in a God who works miracles! I still believe God can give you the gift of tongues. I believe that the Lord will give you the power to do what He has called you to do.” I knew these were not my words! After praying together, Sylvio said he would do it. But I suddenly remembered I had not prayed for my translator. I didn’t know if maybe something had happened to him. I looked up after saying a quick prayer…and there was my translator! Almost immediately, we got on the stage and began preaching. But that wasn’t the end of my night! I noticed a new visitor sitting towards the back of the warehouse. I began to speak about the dead, demons, and ghosts. All of a sudden, the new visitor begun to frantically scream and shake his fist at “something” above him, then yell at “something” supposedly next to him. The lights unexpectedly began to flicker…and then went out completely and engulfed us in nearly complete darkness. This definitely added to the ambiance of the night. All the while, I was attempting to preach! It turns out, the man was the ‘town drunk’ and there had been an electrical problem. The devil was trying to distract the audience from the Word of God, but once again his efforts were thwarted.

I was disappointed about one thing though…I didn’t get to join in the children’s program! My friend, Darleen Sanford, was teaching there while I preached. The ratio was about one adult to 30 children. But the Lord blessed in spite of the overwhelming numbers. Even though I couldn’t understand what the children were singing, I could hear the passion for Christ in their voices.

The Church that supported my site only has about 20 members. It was a tiny but loving church. Many of the members came faithfully to the meetings. One member in particular really stood out to me. Most people would remember Freddy for his vibrant blue eyes and huge smile. He and his daughter came consistently to the seminar meetings. But Darleen and I were curious as to why we had never seen his wife. We finally found out from a church member that Freddy’s wife was not a Seventh-day Adventist. In fact, she would not even go to social functions with Adventists. At the end of the sermon one night, Freddy came up to me with his arm around his wife, Rosa. We were so glad she had come to the meeting that night. Their little baby was sick, so we prayed for him. Rosa came to several of the subsequent meetings and we visited her in her home. The last day I was in Costa Rica, Rosa approached me and said she was going to be baptized the next Sabbath! I was thrilled! This precious family is now united in Christ!

Words cannot possibly express what an amazing blessing I received from this trip. Not only was I blessed by the people of Costa Rica, but also by the other speakers in the group from the States. Things like praying for each other in times of need…or getting up at three in the morning to take me to the airport. I learned more about Christ through those in the group.

I am so thankful The Quiet Hour sponsored me. If not for them, I could not have gone on this trip. They (and those who support them) made it possible for five people to be baptized from my site and at least ten to have made the decision to be baptized. The Quiet Hour made it possible for 80 visitors to come to this warehouse and hear the Word of Christ, maybe for the first time. It was such a privilege and amazing opportunity to share Christ with the precious people in Costa Rica. I look forward to seeing many of them in Heaven someday very soon!

The lion, the prince, and the Troy-boy

"Eat me! Eat me!" he shrieked in delight. "Are you sure?" I asked. "YES!" he screamed as a smile lit up his face. "Here we go again," I thought as I snatched Troy, tossed him into the air, bounced up and down, and tickled him as he giggled in delight. To Troy, my two and a half year old nephew, "roughhousing" and "being eaten" are synonymous. "Ah, the joys of being an auntie," I mused.

Later that day, I took advantage of my Christmas break by cuddling up on the couch with lemon-honey tea, a fleece blanket, and a good book. As a single, young adult, I'm frequently given books about how to have godly relationships. Today's read was, "The Laws of Dating." Rule number six adamantly states, "Don't date someone that needs to be rescued..." "So much for the damsel in distress awaiting prince charming," I laughed to myself. My musings were cut short by the whimpering of my eight month old niece, Savannah, who had been playing contently by my feet. I gently scooped her up and began to amuse her by reading in a goofy voice while making silly faces. All the while my sister snapped pictures and my nephew watched on...

"Read please!" Troy asked, while dropping the dating book into my lap. A few days had passed since I had entertained his sister with this "delightful" book and now he wanted in on the fun also. "Oh mercy!" I thought. "How do I make this book kid friendly?" I quickly racked my brain trying to remember all the children stories I had ever heard."Once upon a time," I finally began,"there lived a beautiful and caring young woman..." The story continued to unfold to my nephew as he listened attentively with eyes open wide - a surprising feat for a toddler. "She worked so hard and no one thanked her for her efforts. Her only joy was in her daily horseback rides on Shasta, her large, cream-colored mare. She..uhh..." I stuttered as I created the story as I went - finally settling upon her near demise by a fierce lion and a prince's daring rescue. Not one for violence, I quickly informed Troy that the naughty little lion was scolded by the prince for scaring the poor young woman. He was sent home with his tail between his legs. At this, Troy became noticeably upset. He loudly interrupted my story. "No! NO!" he shrieked to the imaginary lion. "Eat ME! Eat me! Please?"

Someday, I need to remind Troy of the true meaning of "eat." But not today. Today I am just going to smile to myself and enjoy the sweet innocence of youth.