Republic of Georgia

I have been to the Republic of Georgia on three different mission trips. Whenever I tell people this they generally look at me with a blank stare as if to say, "you live in Georgia." Then I go on to explain to them that it is a country in the former soviet union.

The first trip that I took to Georgia was in 1995. It was just a couple of years after the soviet union fell so the air of democracy was still fresh at the time. We spent ten weeks there running camps for refugee children, doing open airs, preaching in church, teaching in Sunday School and visiting corps members homes. It was the most intensive soldier training I have ever seen. It changed my heart and life. From that point on I knew that I wanted to be involved with life changing ministry.

The Second trip that I took to Georgia was in 1999. My fried Curtis was working there at the time as the Divisional Youth Officer. A group of friends and I had put together a band to play some songs at our youth councils here in Georgia, USA. I started to think about the kids in Georgia. Our youth councils could drop thousands of dollars on a weekend event. Our brass bands take trips each year which cost thousands of dollars. Why could we not spend some money to send this band over to georgia so their kids could enjoy what our kids take for granted? Well, I put together a proposal, and I began to realize how political things can get in a headquarters city. But I knew that this would be a good thing so I stuck with it. And God opened the doors and the trip happened.

We spent a month there ministering through our music but also through relationships. I saw my friends find they same love for Georgia that I had. I saw kids ministered to through out music. I saw a vision accomplished.

My third trip I went back to Georgia by myself upon the request of Gia and Eka Salarishvilli. They were corps officers of the Rustavi corps and they wanted me to come up with ideas for them in their teen ministry. What I saw on this trip broke my heart. Water was only on from 6am-8am each day. The School systems were inefficient and corrupt. Unemployment rates were extremely high. Hopelessness was prevalent.

On this trip I met three boys who were around 12, had never been to school, begged for money all day and then used the money to buy bags of glue to sniff. They were filthy dirty. As a shower every day american, it was difficult for me to love them. But I heard God saying, "Touch their poverty!" It was his voice that broke my heart. I reached out and have never been the same since.

Short term mission trips can change people's lives. They can add a depth of perspective and character not achievable in the states. I have heard some say why do we spend so much time sending our youth off on these "adventures?" It is because "God loves the world so much that He sent His only son that whosoever (this means the dirty street kids on drugs who don't have an ounce of hope to hang their hat on are as eligible as the businessman down the street) will may be saved."