West Coast Life Church in Murrieta, California has decided to partner with Go International and support the cause of orphans on September 24th by holding an Orphan For A Night. Check out some of the photos from the people that have committed to Take the Pledge at West Coast Life Church.
If you're in the Temecula/Murrieta area and are interested in attending Orphan For A Night, contact West Coast Life Church at (951) 696-2229; www.westcoastlife.tv.
Fall is around the corner and the time for new beginnings has quickly approached us once again. Five years ago this month, the Go Internship started with a handful of ambitious individuals chasing God’s heart and plan for their lives. Now, a new group of young and expectant interns arrive to place their hands in the new year’s work and make their mark in the lives of those around the globe.
Starting off this year, we carry on the beloved yearly tradition of the Go Weekend- continuing for it’s fifth and quite possibly; it’s most creative time yet. This fun-packed and thought-provoking voyage is merely the beginning of things to come.
Congratulations to Sarah Hunt on her Engagement to Michael Twyman! Sarah Hunt has interned for 2 years at Go International and is currently a member of the Go Staff. While at Go she has been a key individual of the office management and planning. Since she joined on as an intern she has traveled to six different countries and participated in a variety of different ministries. We are so happy for her here at Go and wish her the best of luck as she begins this new journey of her life!
Hello! We are back in Panama City and we had an awesome free day in the city! This past week in San Blas has been nothing short of amazing and miraculous. Each team’s efforts, from the water project to the medical clinics to the children’s carnivals were successful! It’s amazing to see God do so much in such a short period of time through a group of people who’s hearts are so willing to be used. Tomorrow we are flying back into Miami and we will have more in-depth update on all the projects that took place during our travels. Thank you so much for your prayers.
Today we arrived in Panama City and have already picked up where we have left off in Miami. Our training has continued at a vigorous pace, but our team members have risen to the challenge. The team's positive outlook and enthusiasm is shown not only in the daily demeanor, but also in how they approach their training as a sacrifice of love for the Kuna people. The air is charged with hope and compassion and we haven't even arrived to the islands yet! Along with each team there is an integral part to play. With everything from the water systems being installed to the medical clinics teaching the locals and even the Evangelism teams loving the people; it is apparent that every individual is taking on their role with a sense of duty and commitment. Only one more day until all the projects begin and only one more day until the Kunas experience the love of Christ in action!
Just as a heads up, we unfortunately will not be able to do web updates while we are on the islands. Although we love getting to share daily photos and stories with everyone back home, we are so excited to have this rare opportunity to reach such a primitive group of people. Since we will be without internet connection while we're on the islands, we will be doing daily updates by phone to our Trip Update Line, which you can call at 1-866-992-2554 ext. 4. We will continue our regular web updates when we return to Panama City on the 27th of June.
Hello! Everyone has arrived safely in Miami and the energy is running high with each of the team members. We started off with orientation following dinner and we finished the night with a pool party and a lively game of water volleyball! All of us are very excited and have high expectations for what God is going to accomplish through each individual during this trip! For updates while we are on the islands please call: 1-866-992-2554 ext. 4
The medical team on the islands is all about sharing basic health and hygiene with the Kunas. There is a radical difference between our health standards and theirs, causing many health issues for the people. Things like washing your hands before meals, or not breathing in smoke isn’t common knowledge like it is in the United States; these are the kind of things Matt Arbo, a first year intern at GO, helped educate the people on. This week’s blog we will get to talk to him first-hand and learn all about what a day on the medical project looks like.
Brown- Tell us one of your favorite stories from a day on the medical team.
Matt Arbo- Well, I’d have to say my favorite story was the first day that we set up the clinic. The line was like three miles long; well… probably not three miles, but it was BIG. It was so cool to see the turnout for the clinic and to see so many people get help. I remember being able to help this little baby girl by giving her a nebulizer treatment. I felt kind of bad because she was crying the whole time, (laughs) but I knew I was helping her. I wish we could have done so much more, but I know what we got to do made a huge impact.
Brown- That sounds awesome, Matt! So, are there any requirements if someone was interested in being a part of the medical team?
Matt Arbo- There are no requirements to be on the medical team. The more knowledge you have in that field the better, but we’ll take anyone who’s willing. There will be nurses and doctors there doing the check-ups and prescribing drugs, but we can use people to work at the pharmacy, to check blood pressures, get general health information and stuff like that.
Brown- Before you went on the trip, did you have any interest in the medical field?
Matt Arbo- No, I didn’t necessarily have an interest in the medical field, but after going, I saw what an impact it made in people’s lives and all the doors it can open for ministry. I definitely left with more of an appreciation for it. Dr. Niko was the head of the medical team, dude, he was super funny and a lot of fun to work with. He was always helpful with all the questions I had, so I learned a lot working with him. He was just an all-around fun guy to work with.
The Kunas don’t have access to basic over-the-counter meds like aspirin or pre-natal vitamins for pregnant women, so when they hear about being able to obtain this stuff for free, we create quite a gathering. Like I’ve said before, their language has no word for love. Saying, “God loves you,” won’t mean much, but showing it will be what makes a lasting impact. The medical team is part of giving something to the people that keeps giving once we're gone. Just a few more weeks!
This past Thursday we very fortunate to have Bob Harrison, a.k.a. Dr. Increase, come and share with the interns about his life ventures. Well known for his financial lessons and the “Increase” conferences he hosts across the country, Mr. Harrison decided he would begin the discussion with a quote from Donald Trump. When Mr. Trump was asked about his success and how he has achieved what he has in life, his response was, “You’re going to be thinking anyway, why not think bigger”. Although Mr. Harrison talked about many life lessons that were powerful and relevant, I want to talk about just a couple of them that really “hit home” with me and changed my way of thinking. In all honesty there was just too much wisdom and too many topics for me to write about in a single blog. The lessons that were presented could of created a yearlong curriculum. So let’s start with the power of habits. Mr. Harrison made this excellent statement; “The habits you have now will close or open doors for you”. Don’t deceive yourself, if you are not living the way you want to be right now then you aren’t going to magically change five years down the road. This is just another reminder that the little things and little decisions in our life create the most substantial results, desirable or not. “Your life will consist of the habits and routines you choose to have,” he said. “If you are faithful in little things, then you will be faithful in big things.” After this he gave us some of his most important Healthy Habits:
1. Faithfulness in everything that is given to you.
2. Do more than what is expected.
3. Live your life by schedule and routine, but always be ready for interruption.
Another significant point that he presented was just how critical it is to be faithful. Let’s be transparent for a moment. Life can be dull. This is when you need to ask yourself, “What do I believe that God really told me”? When you are dealing with confusion, go back to the last time you had clarity with what God told you. Commitments are crucial to success. Hold on to the word that God has given you. For me, it’s the only thing that gets me through those moments of doubt and insecurity. In the words of Mr. Harrison, “It’s amazing how fast God can create change if you just hang in there." The third one is, “Circumstances only have the power that you give them”. The moment you decide that circumstances will no longer have control over your decisions is the moment you have power over circumstances. If you let circumstances dictate what you do, they will continue doing just that for the rest of your life. God’s promises are greater than your circumstances. The last one and my personal favorite is… (drum roll please). Don’t worry about money. “The fact is money is always behind,” expressed Mr. Harrison. Behind what? What he meant by that is, money always follows those who take advantage of opportunities. Strategies and ideas create money and opportunities. God will give you the strategies and ideas that will bring money to you.
I believe that all of these points are vital to success in life, but it is up to you whether or not you apply them in your life. Remember what Mr. Trump said, “You’re going to be thinking anyways, so why not think bigger”.
“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.
Photo by Go Apprentice: Katie O'Toole
What a better way to play with kids then with carnival games! Watch as Matt and Jon explain just how we'll be traveling from island to island doing the "floating carnival" games!
Follow Matt and Jon as they delve into the Kuna's history and discover the significant importance of coconuts on their islands!
Arizona Weekend April 22-26
The intern year is coming to an end so at last the Go Interns traveled to Arizona for the thrilling, annual weekend getaway! This trip is an amazing time of team bonding and an excellent opportunity to bring awareness to the life changing projects they are involved in. Starting off the first day in Arizona they went to a wilderness park for mountain hiking and beautiful scenery, followed by a cookout and an evening full of games. This fun continued into Saturday as we filled the day playing volleyball and basketball as well as running a funnel cake stand in the center of town to raise funds for Panama.
Sunday morning they had the opportunity to take part in Community Presbyterian’s church service, share a drama that they do overseas, and spend time with the people of the church talking with them and telling them about all the current undertakings going on at Go International. That same morning they also visited the First Assembly of God Church and joined them afterwards for a silent auction, as well as a bake sale auction as a fundraiser for the church members joining Go for Project Panama this summer! Later that evening they came back to First Assembly of God and led the entire service as the Go Band led worship and Greg and Christa finished the night with an inspiring message of encouragement.
The fun-packed weekend trip to Arizona was probably the best one yet, with lots of laughs, good times, and memorable moments as a team!
By Go Apprentice: Katie O'Toole
Check out the interns in their latest outreach as they get their hands dirty on a little construction work at
Common Ground Church's new location.
If you’ve ever considered joining the Go Internship or interested in finding out what we’re all about, join us at our next Open House Event. During Open House you can have a look around our Offices, meet the founders, Greg and Christa Baca, the Staff, and this year’s current Interns. This is the perfect time to have your questions about the program answered.
Open house begins at 4:00PM from 4:00-4:15pm tour the offices and take a look around. From 4:15-5:00PM Greg & Christa will be sharing about the program. Hear from current interns about the direct impact the program has made on their lives. Feel free to bring a friend or two, grab a starbucks on the way over, and come chill and hang out.
The offices are located: 12814 S. Memorial Suite 120 & 122 Bixby, OK 74008
Ever have something come up in your life and you didn’t expect it? Maybe things didn’t work out the way you assumed they would or there was something that you couldn’t predict, something that eluded you. I believe this reality of life is a reality within us as well. Just as there are things in life that are around us that we don’t notice, there are also things about ourselves (e.g. personality traits or character flaws) we simply don’t notice. Maybe we are proud or arrogant or maybe we are self-centered. Oh, here is a tough one to swallow; perhaps we are or have been bitter.
Jim and Pam King began our discussion today with Psalm 19:12, “Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults”. When God tells us to change something in our lives it’s because He love us. In the words of Jim King, “God’s goal is to improve us”.
Let’s take a moment and think back to a childhood memory. For me, I was 7 years old, it was summertime, and I wanted to ride my bike. So my parents let me. The catch- my bike had training wheels. How can I say this… Training wheels aren’t cool; especially when all your friends are already riding their bikes without them. I was convinced that my parents were trying to humiliate me. So in my defiance I took a joy ride without my training wheels and it wasn’t long before I ended up in the ditch on the side of the road crying. Crying for whom you might ask? Yes, I was crying for my parents. There was something my parents knew that I didn’t when they told me to use those training wheels. Just like the saying goes, “You have to crawl before you can walk”. If I would of listened to them then I could have avoided a lot of shed tears and even more shed blood. I tell you this because I believe it is so vital to be open to God’s correction. Just as the word of God says in Hebrews 12:5 & 6 – "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son."
I believe that Jim and Pam King struck on something that is very simple, but very powerful once you take it to heart- God is your source and He has your best interest at the forefront of His plans for you.
What does Easter mean to you? This is the question asked by the interns to some of the downtown Tulsa locals. Hear the answers and see the faces of a few of the individuals they came across that afternoon.
