©  Focus on Jesus.  Focus on Souls.  ©

August 6, 2001 - Monday

Some team members went on a day tour.  Some stayed behind.  I decided to have a cool-down day to do the trip notes and discuss with Jim about the Santa Ana Street Outreach.  Things will get hectic after arriving home.  It's great to have a whole day all to myself and reflect on the Lisbon trip.

Lori felt sick in the morning and became better in the mid afternoon.  We settled the hotel bill.  I walked around the right side of hotel to hunt down a store called PostNet, which provides postal and internet services.  I was able to do some on-line banking and read some news.  On the streets, we have seen a lot of Mercede-Benz taxis although the taxi I had taken yesterday was not a Benz.

The Final Team Meeting

At 7:30 p.m., we had a team meeting.  Jim said he had not been home for few weeks.  He was expected to put out fires at Outreach Ministries of Alabama (OMA).  He must be under tremendous pressure to take care of his OMA director's responsibility while leading and ministering a group of 22 on a mission trip.  Jim reminded us again what we need to do when we go home.  We need to lift team members up in prayers.  We need to pray for our pastors.  We should say nothing to harm him but to let him know we have grown on this trip.  Jim said that it's not so much the Gifts of the Spirit is in power but the Fruit of the Spirit is in power.  When we demonstrate Fruit of the Spirit the Gifts of the Spirit will be manifested.  Jim thanked and complimented each one of the team members.  We thanked him, too.  Then, we prayed for those members who needed specific prayers.

Our Team Leader - James Summers

Jim is a God chaser and humble minister.  He met Jesus in 1965 and was called into ministry in 1967.  In all the meetings and informal discussions, he shared his 30+ years of experience of working with drug addicts, alcoholics, homosexuals, and others with life controlling problems.  He gave everyone his book "Journey from Fear to Faith" to share his challenges in walking with Christ.  He ministered and encouraged the team to continue in humility and lift our church pastors up in prayers.  Jim's words strengthened us all.  I learned Jim has been leading all US teams for the international Awake crusades.  He and Steve have been traveling together for the past six and a half years. 
 

Cathedral of Bones

On this trip, Jim was most strongly impressed, I thought, by the "Cathedral of Bones."  Probably all members coming as the first group were.  The travel agency must have thought of us as a religious group and therefore took the first group to Spain and Portugal to see as many religious spots as possible.  The first group had Cathedrals and monasteries up to their eyeballs.  The Cathedral of Bones was decorated by the remains of 5000 Catholic monks.  Their skulls were displayed on a top shelf around and within the building.  At the Cathedral entry, it said, "We are waiting for yours."  Jim is a humorous person.  When Steve had come to meet with us on the first crusade day, Jim cried out, 'Oh, Father Steve'
 

What's Next?

Many team members on the Awake Portugal team have been to Awake Japan, Korea, Singapore, Germany and New Zealand.  They and Jim knew one other well.  In late October, Together In The Harvest Ministries (TITHM) will have a partner's conference in Dallas.  Most of us will attend.  At first, I did not plan on going.  (Travel expense has been overwhelming this year.)  Three weeks ago, while asking the Lord to confirm on go or no go, I felt the Lord said, "Go."  So, I will go.  Of course, with great expectancy on discovering what His new training for me. 

Through the Brownsville revival and working with Steve, the Lord has engraved the truth of repentance deep into my spirit.   Repentance comes before God moves.  I pray that Father continues to bring spirit of repentance mightily onto all people in every land.

I'd better cut the reflection short.  May you have been inspired by what the Lord has done on this trip.  May Father stirs your spirit deeply and intensifies His calling on you.  May you joyfully and willingly respond to His calling to bear fruit - fruit that will last [John 15:16].  Amen.