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Cambodia - Day 2

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There is something absolutely beautiful about music: it transcends language. This morning, the Go Team had the opportunity to attend a Cambodian church service, where they entered together in worship with a church full of Cambodian believers. There were no fancy lights, no elegant decor, just four walls and a roof and a room full of believers entering into worship. Though everything about the surroundings were simple, the presence of God was there. United together by the love for their Savior, the Cambodians and Americans danced and sang praises that filled the whole village.

As worship came to a close, Christa Baca, co-founder of Go International, took an opportunity to breathe life into the Cambodian church, challenging them to pursue the dreams that God has placed in their hearts. What the world needs to day is dreamers, not lofty dreamers, but dreamers who dream of a better world. Dreamers who do not merely dream selfish dreams, but dream for the sake of others. As Americans, most of us live in a culture where we are encouraged to pursue our dreams, however, for many Cambodians this is not the case. However, today marked a new day, full of new beginnings. Today, Cambodians both young and old alike made the decision to start living out their dreams. As the service ended, there was a freshness in the air; dreams were being awakened. It was evident that change was occurring in the hearts of the beautiful people of Cambodia.

Though the service had come to a close, the day was only just beginning. After the service, the team spent time playing with the children from the orphanage. As bubbles and balloons showered the atmosphere, the team and the children bonded. Everywhere you looked there were little Cambodian children hanging onto members of the team. The children were getting special attention as the team played games and danced in the street with them. However, it'd be safe for one to assume that more was happening than meets the eye. As conversations continue between the team members, it is evident that God has been softening the hearts of the team members for the fatherless. God is in the process of breaking the hearts of 27 individuals for what breaks His.

With several hours left before sundown, the team continued on their trek through the villages. Where they continued to spread the love of the Savior to the villagers through dramas, carnivals, and medical clinics. With each village that the team attends, there is a fresh excitement that comes to spread hope to those who have lost hope, to bring love to those who feel abandoned, and renewal to the brokenhearted.

It is truly beautiful to see the team come together as one, with pure hearts and one vision in mind. The team is creating change in their every movement and lives are being transformed.

The story continues tomorrow...

Written By: Lindsey Clark

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Cambodia - Day 1

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Early morning risers, the Go team woke up early and headed out to a village for their first day of ministry. Excitement filled the air as the team passed through the busy streets knowing that they were about to enter a village that may have never been visited by Christians who are spreading the love and gospel of Jesus Christ. Side conversations in the vans were filled with team members expressing how excited they were to play with the village children and minister to the people.

As the team approached the village, villagers waved by the side and followed the vans to the stopping point. There, the team unloaded and found themselves in front of a quaint Cambodian home, where waiting for them was a crowd full of men, women, and children. It wasn't long before the team pulled out face paints, watercolors, and bubbles in order to entertain the children. There was an invasion of smiles as young and old alike, were laughing and giggling alongside the Go Team. Little did the villagers know that the fun was only beginning; the Go team was about to reveal carnival they had set up. One could say that the carnival is essentially a "mobile Disneyland". Laughter filled the air as the team and the villagers were bonding over "Putt Putt" and "Pin the Tail on the Monkey".

After the carnivals, the team performed several dramas for the crowd that had gathered. While some of the dramas were humorous, others presented the gospel message in a compelling way. A stillness fell over the crowd as they watched the story of Jesus Christ unfold. Moved by these dramas, one could see it in the eyes of many of the villagers that truth was being revealed. Today, lives were changed, as several Cambodians gave their lives to Christ.

Packing up their bags, the team continued on to another village where they conducted another carnival as well as a youth service. As the vans headed back to the hotel for the night, the team chit chatted amongst themselves exchanging stories of their day and connections with different children and villagers... change has come. However, not just in the lives of the Cambodians, but in the lives of those on the team. A stirring is occurring in the hearts of 27 individuals- a stirring to see the love of Jesus be spread around the world.

Today was the beginning of something beautiful. Today, lives were changed because a few Americans decided to spend time in a nation that needed hope. Today, lives were changed because a few nurses and doctors gave medical attention to those in pain.

Tonight, our team goes to bed knowing that they are fulfilling the mandate of Christ: to go into the utter most bounds of the earth and "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28.18).

The story continues tomorrow...

Written By: Lindsey Clark Photos By: Lindsey Clark

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CAMBODIA - SAFE ARRIVAL

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After traveling more than 24 hours the team touched down safely in the capital city Phnom Penh. This morning they will continue their journey and drive 4 hours away to the province Kampong Thom where the bulk of the ministry will take place. Spirits are high and expectation is stirring as to all that God has in store in the coming days. While in route to Cambodia they had the opportunity to visit the shopping district of Mong Kok while on an extended layover in Hong Kong. The team was excited to get one more stamp in their passports and to pick up a few souvenirs along the way.

Thank you for your continued prayers. We look forward to keeping you updated on all that is taking place on the ground in Cambodia. In addition to posts made here you can receive micro updated by following us on Twitter @go_intl or on Facebook. Feel free to share these posts to your social networks.

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CAMBODIA - TRAINING

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After months of anticipation, June has finally arrived. Go International and missionaries from across the country have gathered in Los Angeles, California in order to embark on an adventure half way across the world, in the nation of Cambodia. The group of 27 has one mission in mind: to bring a piece of heaven to earth, bringing the message of Jesus to the fatherless, oppressed, and hopeless. As the team met together in their California hotel, Christa Baca, co-founder of Go International, casted the vision for the trip, encouraging the team to “step onto the scene and be light in the darkness”.

It can be said that this team of people is “expectant”. As a few of the team members shared their heart and expectations of the trip, it was evident that despite the “darkness” of Cambodia, the team is expecting God to move in a beautiful and powerful way.

Jeremiah 1.5-10 says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations... " Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you", declares the Lord." I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I have appointed you over the nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.""

This team of 27 individuals are bonded by the fact that they are ready to see change in the lives of Cambodians. They are ready and willing to be used by God to breathe life into the nation of Cambodia, by going where He says "go" and saying what He has put on their hearts. With courage, the team is ready to go out into the front lines, and be a voice of hope to the villagers, fatherless, and oppressed, knowing that the Lord has appointed them for this moment in time. As the team gathered for morning worship, they sang “Our God is greater, Our God is stronger, God you are Higher than any other”. The song became an anthem for the team, as they were preparing their hearts to go out into the world and be a light in this nation.

Now, with only 5 hours till take off, the team is uniting together as one as they prepare dramas that they will be performing in the villages of Cambodia. To say that the team is eager, is an understatement, they are ready and willing: to go out into far ends of the earth and be ambassadors of Christ, ready to be a part of a beautiful story of Christ bringing redemption to a nation who has lost hope.

The story continues tomorrow...

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Fashion for a Cause

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Have you ever realized that fashion pushes the limits? As if it has no boundaries? It’s bold and innovative-  and makes an impact everywhere you look. What if your love for fashion could create the same effect.

Tonight. 80,000 Cambodian women and girls will adorn themselves in the latest fashions. However, instead of going out for a carefree night- they will be sexually exploited and sent home with a stranger who has bought them for the night.

Now. Fashion has found it’s cause. A cause that is: bold, innovative, and even a little provocative. Fashion is impacting the realities of victims of sex trafficking.

You can create change in the lives of these Cambodian women. Through the purchase of a Go Accessory you can be a part of a bold and innovative movement to help women escape the sex industry.

100% of proceeds from Fashion for a Cause go to stopping the sexual exploitation of women.

Items: Single Feather Earring: $10 A Pair of Feather Earrings: $17

To place an order please contact: FashionForACause@gointernational.tv Include your name, order, address, and specify pick up/delivery (by mail). Once your order has been submitted, you will be contacted with a confirmation, preference of payment method, and delivery date.

Once you have received your feathers- send us a photo of you wearing your “Fashion for a Cause”.

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Pizza with Purpose

Come by Top That! Pizza on Monday, May 2nd from 5:00PM 'til close and enjoy some delicious "Pizza with Purpose." Top That! Pizza will be donating 20% of the profits from each receipt when customers request to donate the funds to Go International.

Come get some pizza and help a greater cause! We hope to see you there!

Top That! Pizza 8393 South Memorial Drive Tulsa, OK 74133 918/994/4399

Go Geographic by Brittany Norris

The annual Mystery Mission Trip is something every Go Intern looks forward to being a part of. Last year the interns first stop was Cambodia where they visited several villages of Kampong Thom, bringing the the gospel in the form of dramas. One day, while in a village, the team was introduced to a woman who had just lost her husband 5 days previously. The translator explained that she was expressing her dream to move to the village we were in, along with her children, and away from their disease ridden community that took the life of her husband. Her reasoning went even deeper than that. She wanted so badly to move from their predominately Buddhist village to this specific village that was home to the local Christian church so that her sons would not be raised in the pagodas and instead, would be under the influence of the Christian church. She had been unable to relocate because of her financial situation. After the Go team heard of her need, we rallied together, and within 5 min, all the funds were raised for her to have a new hut built, which was even bigger than she had anticipated! All it took was two hundred and fifty six U.S. dollars, and she was able to have her desire met. Our team had not planned on being in that village that day, but God knew her and her family were in need, and He is the master of setting up divine appointments; even though the Mystery Trip was left a mystery to the interns, God knew all along not only where we were going, but why we were going there. Don’t miss the opportunities He’s setting up in your daily life, it may not be penciled into your schedule, but rest assured you’ll be blessed for making the time.

Written by Brittany Norris Photo by Katie O'Toole

Go Geographic: Cambodia Intiative

This summer, GO International is taking a group overseas on an 18 and older mission trip to Cambodia. Although we have several different initiatives taking place while in the country, I want to highlight a particular project we’ll be doing with an orphanage based in the village of Kampong Thom. They have the capacity to house 80 children, but they currently don’t have the resources to feed that many. Usually, orphanages operate off of a monthly sponsorship program. Although sponsorship is helpful, supplying them with the means to provide for themselves would be much more effective. That’s why this summer Go International will be purchasing a farm on a 120-parcel plot of land right next to their housing complex. This farm will consist of chickens, quails, fish and mushrooms. This vital project will also lower the monthly sponsorship rate, making it much easier to have financial support. The Math.

-On average, sponsoring an orphan for one month costs $40.

-This would make the yearly figure approximately $480.

-If the entire orphanage had sponsorship for 80 children from birth to the age of 18 that staggering cost would amount to $691,200.

The Solution.

The cost of the farm is only $12,000.

$12,000 is certainly much cheaper than $691,200.

Together, by building this farm, we provide 3 meals a day for 80 orphans at a fraction of the sponsorship cost. This farm will also be a source of revenue, resulting in it being self-funded. With a gift of $100, you can sponsor one of the land parcels and be a part of the solution by providing a way for an orphan to have shelter and food.

To apply now click here: https://www.easytithe.com/f/?k=6W2Q7FXXSZK4NC4B

To donate now  click here: https://www.easytithe.com/dl/

To join our prayer team click here: https://www.easytithe.com/f/?k=VJJETQ9MH6XB3PN6

Written by Brittany Norris

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Go Geographic: Ecuador

In June of 2008, Go International made a trip towards the Equator, to the city of Quito, Ecuador; a beautifully developed city surrounded by mountains and amazing views everywhere you look. With warm, dry, temperatures in the day and cool, pleasant climates during the night, this location was all the more enjoyable.The capitol of Ecuador, Quito is home to roughly 2.1 million people. Those we met were very welcoming, friendly and eager to hear everything our group had come to share with them. During our travels, the Go International team spent some time working with a large local church in Quito. Our group helped in their youth ministry- preaching, praying and speaking into the lives of the students; also, later in the week, a couple of our staff members were able to have the opportunity to speak in an adult church service and minister to their hearts as well. The church also set up some ministry time for our group at a local children’s hospital, where we dressed up as clowns to paint faces, make balloon animals, and brighten the days of the children who were ill and had to spend their days away from home. Another day we were able to partner with this same church and distribute food to some of the poorer parts of Quito as well as some of the impoverished villages outside of the city. After the 2-3 hour drive into the mountains to the Quechua Indians, there was a stark realization of the differences between city and village living; not only technologically, but socially as well. We had to use 2 translators to communicate from English to Spanish and Spanish to Quechuan. Although the people in the village were more shy and reserved than the city residents, they were happy our team was there. When we gave the salvation message, it was clear that very few people ever traveled up the mountain to reach them, so we began to explain God’s message from the very beginning of time. It was quite a culture shock as the women, covered with their large tribal pieces of jewelry, and the men wearing their hats, (who were all significantly shorter than even our shortest team member) surrounded us with attentive ears, waiting for the words being spoken to be translated through 3 languages. It was a moment to soak in as we stood on a mountain top, removed from the rest of society with only fog in the distance as 40 of the 50 families in the village raised their hands to receive Jesus. Our encounter with these people was definitely one our team would never forget. One of our staff members, Lauren Morris, walked away from the trip focusing on the significance of ONE person. She later explained a memory to me from the trip. “After talking to one of the men in the village for almost an hour I remember on the bus ride back thinking: ‘If I hadn’t come and spent forty-five minutes just talking to that one little man and getting everything translated, would anyone else have ever made that effort?’” she said. “Would he ever have accepted Jesus?”

And that’s what it’s about. Even if the only person we ever made any difference for was that one little man, the entire trip was totally worth it, knowing that his life was forever changed and that he accepted Christ into his heart.

Written by Brittany Norris

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Speaker of the Week: Tim Gray

Your dreams always begin in your heart,” declared Tim Gray. “Move with what is in your heart and act on it!” This week we had Tim Gray, a former pastor and current business owner come talk with us. After his opening statement he began to talk about Nehemiah. If you don’t know who that is, don’t worry, I had to clean out the proverbial cobwebs from my mental attic to remember this story myself. Nehemiah had a mission in his heart… to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Now there was something unique about this work; it was considered holy even though Nehemiah wasn’t a priest. This was particularly odd in Jewish culture at that time. Following this discovery Mr. Gray made a statement, “Ministry isn’t only in the church; ministry is doing what God has told you to do.” He later shared about his experiences in college and how he had declared his major 7 different times! He told us that he didn’t know exactly how he was going to do what was in his heart; he just knew he had to start somewhere. This was encouraging to hear, as a young person who deals with the common struggle of knowing exactly what steps to take to fulfill your dreams. Although we may not nail it down perfectly in the very beginning, be willing to take action. There’s an old saying, “You can’t steer a ship that’s anchored”. In other words, “Take that step”. Success will follow the dream as long as you act on it.

What is it that is in the recesses of your heart? What’s that something that excites you when you think about it? Ask yourself these questions and let those thoughts roll around in you as you allow your desire for this dream to grow each day. Following that, take a simple step in that direction even if it seems trivial. If I got anything out of our time with Mr. Gray, it’s this- It’s Worth It.

Speaker of the Week: Christy Mitropoulos

Starting off the afternoon, Christy Mitropoulos began with a simple statement, “I want to talk to you about the incredible grace of God”. Energetic and enthusiastic about her topic of discussion, she directed us to Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. Elaborating on this choice verse, she told the interns that, “You have to be OK with who you are. There is a difference between ‘doing’ and ‘being’,” she said. Looking intently she continued, “Striving for approval from God will keep you from entering into His rest”. Giving us some personal stories from her own life, she began to unfold the beauty of God’s grace. “Allow yourself to live free from condemnation and guilt.” Continuing with her transparency, she explained her experiences with her husband’s recent passing. “When something tragic happens in our lives, we often begin to question God and His will for our lives. I want to tell you something very important… God’s Word is true even if our circumstances don’t necessarily seem like it.” It’s true. It can be very difficult to experience certain circumstances and still remain faithful to the Lord. We may not understand everything in our life and that’s ok. That’s the beauty of faith, isn’t it? It’s blind and bold and most of all, it’s devoted.

Speaker of the Week: Johnnie Hampton

“Let me start out with a scripture that has been a milestone in my life, Proverbs 3:5&6 – ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight,’” John Hampton, the founder of Hampton Creative said. It was a refreshing introduction as Mr. Hampton approached the interns to speak this year (his 2nd year in a row). Before a list of accomplishments or achievements, before establishing some sort of recognition with the group, he simply stated what God has meant to him. “Trust in God,” he said as he began to unfold his life story. Moving on in the conversation, he talked about dreams and repeatedly centered on this one statement: “Don’t allow yourself to get offended. When God gives you a dream, it might be something that has never been done before and there will be any number of people that will tell you- ‘You can’t do it.’” As the interns focused on our guest, he continued, “Remember these important first two statements and don’t let the world form you into its mold; if God has something for you that the world doesn’t know yet, be obedient to Him.”  After several life testimonies affirming God’s faithfulness, he finished with one more principle- “Know what season of life you are in”. Similar to what Mr. Harrison said when he shared with the interns, Mr. Hampton swept over the importance of seeing life for the season that you are in. Finishing, he once again attested to God’s faithfulness with a testimony from his personal life and the scripture, Romans 8:28 – -Johnnie Hampton-

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Speaker of the Week: Jamie Saunders

This past week, Jamie Saunders, an international missionary and consultant, sat down with the interns and simply discussed their dreams with them. Taking their questions and providing very knowledgeable feedback, he helped the interns visualize their dreams and goals in an enthusiastic and practical manner. Although many subjects crossed the discussion table, there were a couple of key points that were made many times: No matter what dream you have, simple or complex, there is a key ingredient we all need for it’s success- money. Knowing this from personal experience, Mr. Saunders followed with a second, more compelling statement: “With or without money, you’ll always need the Creative Process. Even if you had money, without the creative process, you would probably spend the money on things you don’t need,” he continued. In return to all of his helpful questions, the interns began directing some of their own towards Mr. Saunders. After carefully answering them, he finished his time by telling the team stories from his life and once again encouraging the interns to pursue their dreams. It was a refreshing time, reminding the team of their value and their responsibility in this life.