Staff Mini-Retreat

Effective ministry is dependent upon our connectedness to Jesus. As we spend time in his presence, he fills us up deep within our being, empowering and gracing us for ministry. Creative ministry ideas, patience, wisdom needed to handle difficult situations, love for people, and the ability to speak life-giving words are all practical expressions of his power and grace. One of the biggest challenges that missionaries face is to maintain that connectedness to Jesus when there is so much need and there are so many things to do.
Last month we set aside a day for our staff to pull back from ministry and spend time with Jesus. We called it a mini-retreat. A wealthy Christian lady in the community allowed us to use her beautiful spacious vacation home for the day. We began the retreat with corporate worship and prayer. Then the staff were given five hours to pray, rest, read, journal, and worship.

It was also a great time for a group photo. Notice the jackets and sweat shirts. It's been unusually chilly this winter - hardly what you would expect for a tropical island.