Our mission trip to Kampala Uganda Africa is by far the best one we have ever taken. I am writing this years later and I have nice rich fruit for our labor there to testify about. Many of the people we took on this trip entered into full-time ministry right afterwards and in the years soon following. Tim and Cathy Delehanty returned from this trip and decided to move to another state (Ohio) to plant a new foursquare church that is still going strong today. Rob Schellert decided to join Youth With A Mission after this trip and later attended Kensington Bible Gollege in England and is now the Pastor of an Alternative Hardcore Church called The Glorious Undead. Kelly Delehanty went to college and is in the hopes of becoming a youth pastor. Nick Walsh went on to major in Mission in college. Freeshia Price decided to go to Life East bible college upon return. Sarah Biron was inspired by the missionary nurse in Uganda and returned to the USA to study nursing which is what she is now practicing in hopes of returning to Uganda one day to help with her new found skills.
I can not thank enough our host David Adams and his wonderful wife Sarah. They planned a wonderful trip for us and were so wonderful to be with. They set us up in a beautiful Bed and Breakfast with fruit trees and a view of a mountain and the city. David also took us on our day off River rafting on the Nile river. We never ever ever thought it would be as wild as it was. We rode on some of the largest rideable rapids in the world. WILD! Sarah set us up to do a school assembly in a muslim school! There were about 800 children in the auidence where Tracy taught a drama workshop to all of them with participation from them and the teachers and our mime team performed "modified" chrisitan mimes in bite sizes that they could swallow and would not get us kicked out of the school! It was huge and amazing. Another day we parked the van and skiped and danced with tamborines like the pied piper down red dusty lanes past shacks singing for everyone to come follow us to church. We set up outside and did music to start and people gathered on the side of the hill by the hundreds. While inside we preached to lantern light and people stood in the smelly sewage on the side of the building to listen in at the windows to hear Juan preach. It was hot but amazing as it turned into a full out healing service. We also were taken out into the bush where we rode on a bus down what seemed like a trail in the woods for hours passing huts and people walking with sticks on their heads and water containers. We got out to a remote church and were able to perform and minister to a wonderful bunch or people and hold a healing service at the end. They were so happy we came all the way out to see them. There are so many other adventures and places we ministered, schools, churches, etc. Just give me a call any time or come for a visit and I could keep you up all night with wonderful stories!
We would also like to thank Greg Fisher and his lovely wife Margrate who hosted us as well. Ministering at Kampala Foursquare Church was such a blessing after Cathy had been praying for you and your church for so many years.
ETHIOPIA, AFRICA 1998
I, Juan had an opportunity to serve God in the country of Ethiopia from July 30th - August 15th. I traveled with my father Richard who was recently featured in the Promise Keepers Magizine and Gebre Beyene, who pastors an Ethiopian church in New York City. We led several Leadership Training Seminars for full time ministers, elders and leaders of churches and para-church groups. These ministers were not able to afford the travel and food to attend, so we (and our supporters) payed for 300 pastors and leaders to come and be trained in practical areas such as evangelism, worship and prayer.
We also worked with local leadership to establish a Resource and Training Center there. We supplied them with training materials and tracts, as well as Bibles and refrence books.
I have never had the opportunity to reach out to people who are so much in need and are so committed to serving Christ. This country was devastated by a bloody civil war for over 20 years. In addition, it was hit hard by frequent droughts. Being in the 10/40 window, it is one of the least evangelized areas in the world. The few believers there were helped to mature and catch the burden and the vision to reach out to those around them who don't know Christ. We trained leaders to be rooted in the Word so that they become equippers, disciplers and visionaries for the Kingdom of God.
Along with the seminars, we traveled to various churches and encouraged the local belivers. We helped an amazing ministry to prostitutes that discipled, loved and trained women in the bible, sewing and pattern making so that they could start a new life.
We here in America are so rich compared to most of the world. Rich in material things, but also rich in teaching, preaching and other spiritual resources. I went to Ethiopia not as a sacrifice, but out of the abundant blessings God has given me. I was also simply trying to follow the golden rule, "do unto others, as you would have them do unto you". We may take what we have for granted sometimes, but rest assured that these people do not. They are hungry for more of God and committed to serving Him with whatever they have, however they can.
2 Corinthians 9:8-9 says "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, "He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever."
I am not called to be a suffering missionary and perhaps you are not either. But we are called to give to the poor where there is need. The muddy streets of Africa are crying for the love of Jesus and are in grave need. Thank you to those of you who supported me and allowed me to me to bring Jesus, Music, Love, Prayer and Salvation to many adults and children in this hurting country.
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ENGLAND ~ WALES ~ IRELAND
In the summer of 1997 Juan and I took Echoplex (an alternative rock outreach band) to England and Ireland for an on the edge-fly by night-who knows where we are going to sleep next night-missions trip with our new Creative Action Ministries that we started to bring performance ministry art to the world and to train churches to do the same to reach their own communities.
It was GREAT and it was HARD. It probably would have been a lot smoother if Hailey (two months old) and River (almost 2 years old) had not been along for the ride. But I can't say they didn't add a special something to our team:)
This 2 month mission tour started with training outside New York City and a flight into London where we worked with the awesome Youth With a Mission Dunimus Team in Brixton, London, ENGLAND.
After 3 weeks of living in a homeless shelter and ministering in churches, on the streets (like Trafalgar square pictured above) and in Hampstead Bible College with music, mime and preaching we drove our red minibus to Devon, South England to perform and minister at: Cross Rhythms Christian Music Festival.
From there we crossed over into Wales where we stayed at the Cymru Youth With a Mission Base. Before we could blink an eye we were off to Fishguard, Wales and on a ferry crossing the Sea for South Ireland.
As you can see, it's not like a ferry in the States. More like a cruise ship! We parked the minibus in the belly and tried to keep our fish and chips down on the top.
We had some wonderful friends from New Ross Christian Church help book us in Cork, Waterford and Kilkenny, Ireland. By this leg of the trip we were worn out. We had seen the Lord do many wonderful things around us and in us and we were ready to head back to the States. Yet South Ireland, and our wonderful friends there will be in our hearts forever.
MOB OF PARTIERS AT LEICESTER SQUARE,
LONDON, ENGLAND HEARD ABOUT A GOD
WHO LOVES TO HAVE FUN:
Leicester Square is full of clubs, pubs, and street performers. It was the perfect place to reach the masses The first night we performed our mimes, Although it was raining, the audiences that gathered were overwhelmingly attentive and receptive. On several other nights we performed our music as Echoplex. One night there was a church group set up next to us preaching with a megaphone. They were coming off somewhat harsh and antagonistic. The crowds would stop only to mock and express displeasure. We began to play our songs, share testimonies and see people really taking in what we were saying. Afterwards, the same people who were cussing out the church group next to us expressed how much they appreciated us and the love that we showed to them. One homeless man gave me a big hug and said “you guys are the best act out here tonight. Your message was great. It’s people like you who give us hope to go on.” We gave this man and many others free copies of our music tape. They were shocked and touched. We met a lot of partiers and just plain wackos but we met many more who were very open to talking about the Lord. Meeting German, French, Italians, Spanish, and English on our trip especially at Leicester Square made me think of when Peter preached on the day of Pentecost to people of many different nations.
Even though we were only ministering in that one particular location, we some how touched people from all over the world.
CARDBOARD CITY:
Cardboard City is an area under a bridge in London were around 200 people live in cardboard boxes. This isn't just a community of homeless people. Most homeless told our team they wouldn't dare to enter this area for fear of their lives. Our group took peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fruit as well as a message of hope to cardboard city late on night with the Youth With A Mission team that hosted us. (we discovered PB&J to a European is about as tasty as a corn nut and marshmeallow cream sandwich to us!) The area was so bad that some people were crouched on the ground with needles hanging out of thier arms. If anyone needed unconditional love they did.
PAUL'S BLOOD AND HIV SCARE:
A cardboard sign hung outside the building announcing “Free Concert! - American Band!” Friends from the homeless shelter - our home for 3 weeks were excitedly handing out flyers for our outreach concert about to begin across the street. Our team was setting up their instruments and converting the plumbing shop to a night club. Looking on from the second floor window of our humble abode, I saw something. In the excitement of the London, England city street, I saw Paul - a homeless heroine addict of 13 years - dash across the street with blood dripping from his hand. Soon after, he was at my door. He needed help. Paul pulled his hand from around his back. A thick piece of old nasty fabric ties around it dripped crimson red. Unwrapping the soaked fabric his blood fell into our old sink. It was evident that he needed immediate emergency medical help but my pleas with him to go to a hospital were futile as he was extremely fearful. Maybe he thought they would arrest him once they found drugs in his system; I don’t know. His finger was cut grotesquely deep and the skin pushed to the other end of his digit. I held him up as he began to faint and cleaned the wound with water. His skin had to be stretched back over the bone before being bandaged up. I was the only one there, so I held my breath. What followed was him pouring out his sad life story of rejection after rejection as I wiped the dried blood off his hands and arms with wet toilet paper.
I shared very little about Jesus with him; that came in the later days. He finally went to the hospital the next night because the pain was so great. The doctor said he almost had to cut off his finger. Paul’s finger will be permanently deformed but I pray it will be a reminder of the American missionary woman who showed him Gods tenderness. After he left that night I had a horrible realization of what I had done. Right before he arrived I had trimmed my cuticles and had fresh blood on three of my fingers. His blood was all over my hands. HIV. Thirteen years of needles and who knows what else. What would happen to my family if I were to die of AIDS. I couldn’t sleep. I felt so stupid. When we returned to California 2 months later I had a test at our hospital and it came back 100% negative. It made me think. I was scared; but, I was glad that if I were to die, it would be doing Gods work.
SPEAKERS CORNER, LONDON:
It's wild. There is an oddity in London's Hyde Park called Speakers Corner. It blows my mind! It's not the five people or so positioned around the tree shaded pavement who have the guts to yell, (and I mean yell) at the top of their voices their views on politics or religion.
It's not the professional hecklers who stand in the crowds and try to make the speakers get off the subject or just cry and run away. It's the audience. All you need is a loud voice and something to say and you will have a crowd bigger than most churches on Sunday morning (one hundred or none depending on your ability to draw a crowd). I had a go at it by sharing my testimony - no one can heckle that - and then Juan and Matt followed. We had around 150 ears thoughtfully listening. Juan and Jerome even rapped a Christian rhyme before presenting the gospel to everyone, the crowd ate it up! Later that week we taught the evangelism team of Kennsington Temple out mime and as a result of them performing it, there were many, many people who made a decision to follow Christ. Ohhhh what a sight it was to see over 10 small groups of people huddled around around speakers corner praying a prayer of commitment to Jesus.
THE MASKS WE WEAR - MIMES TO MUSIC
People in London saw our mimes to music and were faced with a decision. We used masks in "King of Hearts" which told a story about how we hide behind masks of glamour, joking, anger, and religion. When the masks are removed we find self hate, depression, fear, and blindness to peoples needs. Christ tears away our makes us free from hidden bondages. The second mime called "The Tree" shows creation and how we are enticed by money, drugs, alcohol, and lust. Ultimately by choosing these things instead of God in main character - (Rachel Galloway) becomes in tangled in black sashes that represent bondages until Jesus chooses to be crucified for us and takes them off. But that's not all, when He removes our hurts He gives forgiveness in the form of a white sash that the lead character then offers to the crowd.
Amazed at the powerful visual of their own spirituality the audience is confronted with a decision. A decision to remain bound or be made new. Their choice.
IN SOUTH IRELAND...
SHAKING CITY HALL IN KILKENNY, IRELAND:
We were exhausted, discouraged, undure of being shut down as we set up our music equipment on the front steps of City Hall that Saturday morning. All hope was lost when the generator we rented wouldn't work. But God had taught us well along the way on this trip so we gathered together and prayed. The result was more than we could have imagined in our wildist dreams. We were able to plug the sound system into a shop nearby. The crowd came so quickly and excitedly the road was blocked within minutes.
The police came, but not to shut us down, just to clear the road. The church who invited us were busily handing out free pamphlets about eternity to everyone in the crowd as the lads in Echoplex (our outreach band) proclaimed the love of Jesus boldly. I witnessed to people in the crowd for just 45 minutes and was able to minister to 19 people. Not just give them a pamphlet but really listen to and pray for their needs. After the concert 75% of the audience stayed for 1 hour to talk with our team.
Almost each of us had eight teenagers at a time crowded around us to hear more about having a personal realtionship with Jesus. They didn't want to leave. We prayed with 11 to receive Jesus into their lives and ministered to many more. The Mayor of Kilkenny's teen son was there and excitedly received Jesus into his live for the first time. Later that day we invited all the youth who prayed with us to the home of an awesome church elder so we could encourage them to get hooked into the congergation that invited us.
STREET CONCERTS IN DOWNTOWN CORK, IRELAND:
Our lads were set up outside the front of the Celtic Christian Church three nights in a row until 10 pm when the police would arrive and nicely shut us down. This was good because the large crowds we drew from the streets would then come inside the church to hear us minister in music and mimes some more! The most effective part was the church members joyfully sharing with the audience.
Downtown Cork
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IRELAND
We have taken 2 teams to Ireland. One in 1996 of 20 people for 2 weeks and one in 1997 over the whole United Kingdom as well as Ireland for almost 2 months.
The following photos are from the 1996 trip.
This is our great team from Texas, Northern California and New Jersey. We took an alternative band that ministered in the pubs and on the streets as well as a Celtic Christian Play that we performed in Catholic & Protestant churches.
(That's us on the far left)
The photo is not the best but the play was very powerful. Rev. Shawn Small created the story line from the book of Hosea. The backround music was from the movie Braveheart. Sword fighting with the Lord vs. the powers of this world that would intice us to leave our first love, made the passionate love of Jesus for his bride come to life.
The draining, boring, sad life of a missionary! We did a lot of ministry which required some fun time too. We are taking a wild boat ride to some islands just south of Ireland. When we got to them, some of the teens dived off of the boat and raced to shore in the ice water! What an adventure!
This is me baptizing Nick and Alicia at the end of our missions trip in the freezing cold Irish sea. After they went under, we body surfed back to the beach together.
Just CLICK on the red balls below to see photos and hear more about each mission trip!
JUAN & TRACY have led and participated in numerous mission trips to:
Click on the red balls below to see many more pages and photos of Juan and Tracy's wonderful world missions adventures!
UGANDA/AFRICA 1999
ETHIOPIA/AFRICA 1998
ENGLAND ~ WALES ~ IRELAND 1997
MEXICO 1988, 1995, 1997
IRELAND 1996
San Francisco, USA 1995
New York City, USA 1992
WEST INDIES 1992
United Kingdom 1990
New Orleans, USA 1989
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO MADE MANY OF THESE MISSIONS TRIPS POSSIBLE BY YOUR PRAYERS AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT!
