April - May 2008

April and May have been great times of preparation, but the most memorable was the Kentucky Derby.

I left The DR for Kentucky April 24 and right away began working at Church Hill Downs. Every Year GO Ministries partners up with a company that sells merchandise at events such as the Kentucky Derby. This year we had close to 100 volunteers selling merchandise in order to raise money for GO. Financially it was a huge success for GO and the company appreciates our service enough to want us to continue doing it. It is a huge undertaking for GO trying to organize all those volunteers as well as housing, but it is worth it.

The best part is to see so many people come together from different churches and different states.

I was fortunate enough to stay with my friends the Rogers. Jeff Rogers organized everything on GO's end of things.

My good friend Jolleen flew all the way from Oregon to hang out with me and work the Derby. (I think I should win a prize for having recruited the furthest friend)

Also staying there was Brent Bellinger who was an intern with GO last summer from Michigan.

As well as Lisa and Michelle from Crosspoint Community Church in Nashville who partner with Moise, a Haitian pastor here in the DR.

So we had missionaries, partners, interns and friends all under one roof simply to work the Derby.

Jolleen and I worked in a trailer with some great young men from a Youth group in Illinois. Caleb and Grant are part of Eastview Christian Church who not only bring a team of over 60 mostly youth every summer, but also partner with two different pastors.

Different parts of the Body serving for the same purpose. To bring Glory to God, reach the lost, and encourage believers.

That is what it is all about.

"What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Gather of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven-- and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all -- life healed and whole.

I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put with every kind of aggravation in thee meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of His victory."

~ 1 Peter 1: 3-7 Message Translation

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER FOR DERBY 2009 PLEASE CLICK ON THE GO DERBY LINK IN THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN.