Dear Members & Attenders,

In 2007, our first daughter church struck up a partnership with a missionary couple in Nicaragua, Robbie & Murray Lathrop. What started as a short mission trip has turned into a wonderful friendship, and a growing shared sense of mission. Our daughter church, Christ Community, started this, but quickly we and other churches in our network started taking their own trips.

This means that the Lathrop’s now have a network of churches behind their efforts. And we have a shared missionary project in Nicaragua that further unifies our network of churches here in Polk County.

I’ve now been down twice, on trips to Nicaragua that have been rich and life-changing. There is the chance to see another country (with live volcanoes). You meet believers in Jesus. You see how joyful they are, when they live on about 1% of our average annual income (that’s NOT an exaggeration)! You get to be helpful yet they also help you – which is how the Body of Christ should work anyway.

These trips have been invaluable in shaping my own living and sense of mission. Helping build a “home” in a 3rd World setting that’s smaller than your living room throws things into perspective. And learning from brothers and sisters in those settings also helps to keep me humble. I have a LOT to learn, and God has been kind to give me brothers and sisters who see things and know things I haven’t yet. But they’re now part of His work in my life!

At Trinity, Dwight & Jayna Smith lead this work – and they would quickly tell you that mission trips to Nicaragua have profoundly changed their lives. We have 5-6 slots open for this summer, July 22-29, and if you would like to inquire about signing up, you can reach them at jaynadwight@hotmail.com.

Things to pray for:

– Give thanks to Lord for His global mission – that His love for sinners stretches to every tribe, nation, and language group (see Revelation 5:6-9).

– Give thanks for the Smith family in their leadership role at Trinity. Pray for their protection, their stamina, their growing wisdom, and their graciousness as they lead our entire Missions Ministry, and not just trips to Nicaragua.

– How have you ignored the bigger picture of God’s work in the world? Confess your short-sightedness – and your lack of love for the lost – asking Jesus to forgive you and to change your heart.

– Ask the Holy Spirit to give you discernment in what He would have you do. Pray for wisdom as to how you can support missionaries financially, how you can pray consistently for believers and ministries outside of the United States, and how hopefully someday that you could go on a trip yourself.

Tim Rice, Lead Pastor & Director of Church Planting
Trinity Presbyterian Church
301 N. Florida Avenue
Lakeland, FL 33801
863-603-7777
www.trinitylakeland.org