Love

"Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if we dont feel guilty we can come to God with bold confidence. and we will recieve from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him." - 1 John 3:19-22

Last weekend we had our UPG (unreached people group) LTE (life transforming event). The internship was broken into tribes and missionaries. the graduated interns were the government. Our campus is on over 40 acres and so we went into the back 40 acres and we camped out there. It was to give us the feel of what it is really like to be a missionary reaching an unreached tribal group. or just what it is like to experience to be a tribal group. The tribal groups are actually tribal groups around the world too. so it was pretty cool that the tribes were actually real tribes but played by our interns.

I was chosen to be in a missionary group. we had to go through a fake customs and buy tents with fake money. there were 4 girls and 4 guys in my group. and we found a sweet spot in the middle of the forrest to set up camp. we had to make our own campfire too. it was really interesting to set up and camp outside by ourselves.

After we set up we then had to find the tribal group we were assigned to. The tribal groups got to make up their own language (they all had to learn it and us missionaries had to learn it when we met them - in order to understand them), their own God, customs, and family background. But also researching the tribe so they can be based off of the real tribe.

We went out to find our tribe and it was crazy. My brother was the chief and my sister was the chiefs wife. They were the yerukala tribe in southern india. Indo (the chief) actually has a background of being tribal. hes from indonesia and his dad was a tribe leader. so he talked to his family and incorporated alot of words and phrases and customs of his home tribe.

Tadok (no)
Bowlay(yes)
Solom(hello)
Puti bago (bad foriengers)
ect..

So we spent the night friday night camping out, and then saturday we had all day to talk to them. except on saturday it rained. which was a horrible experience but it really made me realize how hard the missionaries and tribes in real life really have it.

Their God was named veshnu. We ended the LTE early because the rain was horrible. We actually didn't have covers for our tents so our tents got flooded. my things are still wet. but the one thing that'll really stick with me was on friday night. We sat around the camp fire at our tribes site and they had tied up two of our guys to trees. and we were sitting on the ground. They proceeded to do a tribal danc to their God and to offer gifts to their God. they then told us to bow down and praise them. We then proceeded to say no. no we will not worhsip your God. they then got up in our faces, yelling in their languages and pointing at us. AT that point i felt a sliver of what it mustve been like to be shadrack meshak and abendigo. To know that there is power in Jesus name and once you stand  up for him you really dont care about what happens to you because you know God is soveriegn and good and that nothing in this world is as precious as him.

It was really cool because our tribal group took this seriously and so did our missionary team. ive heard of tribal teams taking it too far and making their tribes eat sardines. sit in lakes, and breathe fire smoke. but thats why they aren't aloud to do it this year :) but it was good i got alot out of it.

Saturday it snowed...again. for the 3rd time this semester. PRAISE GOD. i love the snow!

I am also going to israel this summer for my mission trip. were going to be working and ministering to the people of israel, people of jordan, and iraqi refugees in jordan. which im so excited about! ill be printing out support letters soon. and if you interested in supporting me.. even the little bit, let me know! or you can go to http://www.globalexpeditions.com/ and click on donate. then type in 2570715. and donate!
Please pray before you do and keep my group in your prayers as well. we'll be going from july 10th -  August 5th. more later..! :)

i have to go get ready for bed and modgepodge (make a collage) with my roomie. :)

i hope everything is going well with you all! your in my prayers!

oh and ps! last week and this week Global expeditions is working from 2-10 everyday (Except weekends) because the Lord is bringing in more misisonaries and more honor academy interns. Instead of coming from ATF's with 500 lead cards (lead cards are what teenagers sign during ATF's to say if they'd like to be called for more information about going on a mission trip) and we are now coming back with between 1,000 and 1,500 cards! praise God! we are looking to take about 3,000 missionaries on the mission field this year which is almost 3 times what its been in the past.

I know the Lord is going to do something big this year and im starting to see the fruit of it already!

if you'd like to send me and email its : laura.haase@teenmania.org

have a great night :)

God bless!