We were so honored and thrilled to once again have a wonderful team from the Nolen Hills Church of Christ out of Nolensville, TN join us. They always come with layers of talent to serve our communities with medical services. The team was divided into 3 distinct groups this year. The main group spent their week in a village by the name of Candelaria, where they served 100’s of people with medical consultations, eye exams, glasses, and prescription drugs. The larger groups always set up a temporary clinic in a school or community center and serve the surrounding populations during the week. This team loves to bring special treats like toothbrushes, toothpaste, eye drops, sunglasses, and the beloved handmade bracelets that a group of young people make during the year to share. There is always plenty of smiles on faces as this team lovingly listens and responds. The team consists of ages from late childhood to more seasoned adults. It’s wonderful to see how the various generations interact and work together as one family serving others.
The other two groups were smaller groups of 4 people, along with translators and our own DESEO team members, who went into the schools that we serve to give medical consults and medications to the children. They are a fun group, who make the children feel comfortable and cared for. In the afternoons, this group had the privilege of taking birthday parties to some of our sponsored children in their homes. When a child sponsor sends extra money for the child’s birthday, we create a party and take it to their home. Some of these children have never had a birthday party, so one can imagine the joy this brings.
The team is aptly led by Brad and Rachel Russell, long-time MUR collaborators. Their servant-leader style creates a positive experience for the team members as well as our team and especially the community.
Belton Church of Christ
A week after the Nolen Hills group left, we were blessed to receive the Belton Church of Christ youth group. They were well accompanied by adults and their youth leader couple, Bruce and Katy Beaver. Phil and I have had the honor of knowing Bruce and Katy for around 15 years and they have been consistent in bringing teams every 2 years to work with children. It’s a wonderful experience for their teens as they give of themselves and their time to bless the lives of the school aged children they serve. They always prepare a Bible skit and bring along exciting and fun crafts for the children. While there might be a slight language barrier, the language of love and acceptance always wins. The smiles on the children’s faces as they interact with the team is priceless. This group served nearly 1000 children during the morning hours of the week they spent here. In the afternoons, they conducted a basketball camp in one of the communities we serve. This group also spent some special time with the students at Project Moses, teaching them English, something they truly love. As usual, this group, as well as most groups, always make time to challenge the Project Moses students to a friendly soccer match. We love to see the bonds of friendship that form through these activities.
As with all our visiting teams (Brigades), we highly value our partnerships with each group. The impact of our mission is enhanced exponentially when servants come alongside us to serve.
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