Missions

2019 Mission Trip Report
Mr. Bryan White - Dean of Discipleship

As I sit back and think about our 2019 international mission trips, I believe that it is safe to say that they were a huge success. All in all, we took four teams comprised of 101 people to three different countries in Central America and were able to support ongoing ministries, encourage missionaries, provide medical care to impoverished communities, serve the “least of these” and offer the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others through both word and deed. Each of our teams this year had a three-fold focus: 1) God’s glory, 2) our growth, and 3) others’ good. Though each team ultimately took a different route, they all experienced God doing great things both in and through them.

Belize “Team A”
This team launched a new partnership with The Belize Project, a partnership that has been many years in the making and has many ties to BCS. Led by Dr. and Mrs. Shawn Brower this team had the opportunity to minister in a variety of capacities including:
Jacob’s Farm (Men’s Rehabilitation Facility) - Here the team did a great deal of site improvement work to the farm and also ministered greatly to the men who call it home.
New Life Presbyterian School - While at New Life the team conducted literacy testing, worked to improve areas of the school, trained teachers, built relationships with students and staff, led chapel and participated in a community wide field day event. 
Ruth’s House (Safehouse for Abused Women and Children) - The team helped to build a security wall / fence around the facility that would help to secure the location and provide for the safety and well-being of families in need.
Throughout the week this team also had the opportunity to build relationships with, encourage, and share the Gospel with men, women, and children throughout the Orange Walk and Corozal districts of Belize.

Belize “Team B”
Though this team had originally planned to go to Haiti, God had other plans that were ultimately for His glory and our good. With the unrest in Haiti we made the decision to move this team to Belize as we knew that there was plenty of work to be done there. Led by myself, we had the opportunity to participate in several different ministries including:
The House of Dorcas (Safehouse for Abused Women and Children) - Our team worked to improve the physical plant of the House of Dorcas including constructing a ceiling, sealing areas around the roof and exterior and painting / weatherproofing wooden portions of the home.
San Antonio Government School - While we were here our team was able to help the school construct a fence that would provide for the safety and security of the students there. People from the community came out to help and it was great to see Americans and Belizeans working side by side. Our students also did literacy testing, established a feeding program for the poor, and built relationships with many of the students and families there.
Presbyterian Medical Clinic - Dr. John Collier led this aspect of our ministry as he provided much-needed dental care for patients in the Corozal district. Several of our students pitched in and helped him each day as they shared the love of Christ through dentistry, even leading some of their patients to faith in Christ. 
Cornerstone Presbyterian High School - At this location our team painted several outdoor structures as well as led chapel and spent time building relationships with high school students. Our team also was able to encourage the principal at the school and help her to brianstorm how to establish a culture at the school through which the Gospel could thrive and she could reach more of her students. 
This is a large part of every trip that we do, but this team did an especially great job of leading and loving one another. It was a joy to watch this occur before my eyes as I watched individuals grow in their faith, strengthened by the ministry of the saints one to another.

Panama
In our second year in Panama our team there continued to build upon the relationships established on our first trip. Our team followed in the footsteps of our partners there and ministered throughout the Panama Canal region including serving amongst indigenous tribes. The team that traveled to Panama was able to minister in several schools in the area as they developed programs for children and teens in order to share the Gospel in relevant and engaging ways. They were also able to serve and love on the homeless of Panama City, sharing the love of Christ through acts of mercy. 

Guatemala
We recently returned from our 15th mission trip to the Guatemalan highlands of Huehuetenango and are so excited for the direction this trip is taking. In Huehuetenango we partner with a church and school who are seeking to change the lives of boys and girls through a Christ-centered education. Our team partnered with them to offer medical and vision clinics that not only served those in their community, but also brought in a myriad of new faces who were able to learn more about the school, the services they offer, and the awesome God the school serves. We also engaged in children’s ministry and site improvement projects that further the ministry and mission of the school.

One of the highlights of this trip is that we often not only see God doing things through our team, but also using the team to minister to one another and see his will accomplished in the lives of our team members. Team devotions are always a highlight as students share how they are seeing God’s redemptive grace in their lives and this year was no different as our students grew as a result of sharing their testimonies with one another. 

With four successful trips having returned we are so blessed to be able to join God on mission in cross-cultural settings and excited to see what he has in store for us this next school year. We are constantly looking to expand our missions program for the sake of God’s glory among the nations and the spiritual well-being of our students. Please pray for us as we continue to pursue God among the nations!
 

Briarwood Christian School Student Missions
Summary Report 2001-Present

“To think God would use BCS as an instrument by which He would bring honor, glory, and
praise to Himself and allow us to be close enough to watch Him work evokes awe and worship!”Anonymous

Selected passages from Psalms provide the context for this Summary Report about God’s grace to and through BCSSM:

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to your name, O Most High. . . .” Psalm 92:1

“Come and see what God has done; He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of man.” Psalm 66:5

Twenty-nine BCSSM outreach initiatives since 2001 have been instruments of blessings that evoke thanksgiving to the Lord. The following facts give a brief overview of the impact and
value of BCSSM and the locations of our ministry:

Peronia, Guatemala: 2001 to a Christian School and Church
Huehuetenango, Guatemala: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 to a Christian School and Church Comas, Peru: 2004, 2005, and 2006 to a Christian School and Church Cedro Galan, Nicaragua: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 to a Christian School and several Churches Monjas, Guatemala: 2007 and 2008 to The Shadow of His Wings Orphanage and the Monjas community

•  1,021 Participants (Students, parents, Alumni, faulty, staff, friends)
•  2,337 Decisions for Christ
•  2,865 Persons have received Dental Care
•  13,404 Persons have received Eye Exams and/or were provided glasses
•  24,640 Individuals have received Medical Care from licensed physicians
•  24,578 Individuals have received medicine through pharmacy services
•  6,782 children have been taught, loved, and encouraged through ministry
• 318 teachers have been encouraged, affirmed, and provided professional training Missionaries in each location have been supported, affirmed and encouraged!

Construction initiatives include several school classroom additions at schools, help in building an administration building, painting classrooms, digging a foundation for a Church, helping to develop a playground, help with preparing the foundation for a Pastor’s home, and many other examples of construction support, and providing financial support for
student scholarships and construction for Christian schools.

Various kinds of equipment and supplies such as student desks, school supplies, technology, playground equipment, and school library support have been given through BCSSM Outreach.

The witness of the missions teams working to help poor people in rural villages has had meaningful influence on many people. We believe God will also use the deeds of mercy and love to impact many hearts. Our goal is to implement short-term missions in ways that have long-term impact on those served and those serving! We are trusting God to expand support of missions in churches in the future because of the vision for missions BCSSM participants gain from their experiences.
Intangible Impact and Influence Student, faculty, staff, parent, and grandparent participation in BCSSM has enriched BCS culture. Relationships among participants have also been enhanced from the shared experiences through BCSSM. Participating in short term missions and witnessing God’s Spirit at work in Third World environments have evoked transformation in perspective, values, and gratitude in the lives of virtually all BCSSM participants.

Prayer Requests

• Continued leadership for BCSSM Outreach
• Continued participation in global outreach from students, parents, alumni, faculty,
• and staff
• Ministry sites that provide wonderful outreach opportunities to meet spiritual and
• other needs of people
• Safety as we travel and serve in cross cultural environments
• Thanksgiving for God’s grace to and through BCSSM
• Short-term missions initiatives will have long-term impact.