Pelican Guide 2021

Pelican Guide

How To Use Your Pelican Guide

Your Pelican Guide is a valuable resource as you prepare for, participate in, and return from your PPM mission trip. In the following pages, you will find information about PPM, tools for planning the ministries your team will do on your trip, tips and tricks for how to get ready for your week of service, devotions to use on your trip, worship lyrics for connecting with your host church and team, and ideas on how to bring the mission home and remain engaged with the awesome things that God is doing all over the world.

Take some time to identify what’s available to you here and take note of what will be most useful on your trip. The guide is designed to be used individually by each member of the team while on your trip, with space to journal and record your thoughts. Make sure to label your guide so it doesn’t get mixed up with the others!

We are praying for each one of you who are coming to build up, encourage, and assist PPM’s partners. Thank you for joining us in this amazing calling!

The Wright brothers, discontent with simply dreaming of flying, took action and found a way.

After being imprisoned for 27 years, Nelson Mandela saw his life’s work result in the fall of Apartheid and his election to President of South Africa.

Noah built a massive boat in the midst of ridicule, saving the existence of mankind.

What do these people all have in common? What common attribute did they exercise in order to break the ceiling and advance our world?

They were risk-takers.

Risk without wisdom is foolishness, but taking a risk after you’ve counted the cost, that’s faith. That type of risk is what has put humans in the air, revolutionized nations, and even saved mankind. That type of risk is what led the disciples to follow Christ, and likely what led you to join this mission trip.

Praying Pelican Missions is honored to partner alongside risk-takers throughout the world. These individuals serve in many capacities. They are pastors, non-profit leaders, lay-leaders, and teachers. They give so much, laying it all out on the table to serve their communities. These risk-takers are changing the world, each in their own way, and each in their own community. Fueling them in their ministries is what PPM is all about. As you serve on your mission trip, you will be a part of fanning these flames through the local Church. We believe an investment in encouraging and uplifting the local Church is a kingdom investment that will bring lasting return. This is what you and your team are entering into.

We have never been more ready to receive you.

I say this not from a logistical standpoint (although rest assured we are ready here as well!), but from a ministry perspective. A foundational element of PPM is being face to face with people. We believe in the power of people coming together, uniting under the cause of Christ, to serve. We can’t do this without our partner churches and ministries, and we can’t do this without you. We can’t wait for you to join us in serving throughout the world. We’re ready, and our local Church and ministry partners are eager to serve alongside you as well!

No matter where you are serving on your mission trip, know that our PPM staff team is praying for you. We are praying for the work that God will do through you, and the work that God will do in you.

The truth is that being a follower of Christ comes with a lot of unknowns. Today, trust that our God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He will do. As you follow Him, as you step out in faith and trust Him, as you take action, as you take a risk - God will use you to change the world.

God bless you as you serve. May you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and may you strive to love your neighbor as yourself.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Jim Noreen President, PPM

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)

Who Is PPM?

We are so glad that you’ve chosen to serve with Praying Pelican Missions and our amazing partners. We believe strongly in the power of the local Church to be the agent of change for the Kingdom of God in their communities, and we exist to support the ongoing work of these church and local leaders. As you serve with PPM, you are joining in this mission. At the core of our calling are PPM’s pillars, guiding vision, and four areas of focus. They keep us centered on what God has called us into.

GENUINE PARTNERSHIPS

We believe in the local Church. This is our mission base. Each team is partnered alongside local ministries to encourage and assist them in serving their communities.

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS

Our heart is to be wholly invested in the communities we serve. Your team will have the opportunity to build lasting relationships with local churches and ministries by serving alongside them throughout the week.

GUIDING VISION

SUSTAINABLE MINISTRY

We remain under the authority and direction of the local Church to ensure each mission trip has a lasting impact. Our fully customized approach aligns your team’s gifts with the needs and initiatives of local ministries.

PPM exists to build up, encourage, and assist the local Church in serving and reaching their communities for Christ. As an interdenominational ministry, we seek to celebrate the variety of the Church while leveraging what binds us together as followers of Jesus Christ. There is no more powerful example of God’s love to a community than when His people come together to serve and advance the Gospel, all in the name of Jesus.

365 DAY MINISTRY

Praying Pelican Missions aims to give your mission team the opportunity to make a long-term, genuine impact in a local community. We intentionally partner with and support our church partners 365 days a year, investing in them as they invest in their communities. This is the context in which every PPM mission trip happens. Through the support of year-round staff, ongoing projects, conferences, training, and prayer, we continue in our calling to build up, encourage, and assist the local Church 365 days a year.

FOUR AREAS OF FOCUS

MISSION TEAMS

We aim to equip and empower our mission teams as they provide muchneeded encouragement and support to our amazing partners in the United States and across the world. We believe that face to face ministry is powerful, and that the global Church coming together to serve is a testament of God’s love to our world.

PPM GLOBAL

PPM Global aims to provide mission opportunities for the global Church to unite face to face; across all borders, demographics, and sociological boundaries. We believe that when we provide access for all to go, that collectively we will more effectively and efficiently reach the world for Christ. For more information about PPM Global, see pg. 66.

LOCAL STAFF

We believe that having staff who live locally in our mission trip locations is vital to continuing our mission 365 days a year. We aim to empower local and community-grown leaders that are already established, respected, and engaged in their communities.

DISASTER RESPONSE

In line with PPM’s heart to build up, encourage, and assist the local Church, we aim to be present with our partners in their times of greatest need. PPM is committed to providing long-term support after natural disasters, serving entirely under the authority of the local Church. For more information about PPM Disaster Response, see pg. 63.

The Name

When Praying Pelican Missions was established in 2003, our founders desired to give us a name that was both unique and memorable. PPM began with our first local church partner in the country of Belize, where pelicans are very common. In fact, pelican imagery is woven throughout the church in Central America, most often found carved or painted on altars and pulpits.

Additionally, there is an old legend that says in times of scarcity and famine, mother pelicans will tear off pieces of their own flesh in order to feed their children. This act represents the sacrifice that Jesus made for all of mankind on the cross, as well as the self-sacrificial service and giving we’re called to as His followers. With this in mind, our goal is to serve in a sacrificial way, giving of ourselves in order to benefit others, all in the name of Christ.

We’re So H.I.P.!

Yes, we know that “hip” isn’t exactly hip lingo these days, but we at PPM use this abbreviation to remind us of some key values that we strive to adhere to as a ministry.

H HUMILITY

It is our goal to approach everything we do with humility, recognizing first and foremost that all of this belongs to God, and additionally, that our heart is to uplift the local community, not our own objectives.

I

INTEGRITY

We strive to approach everything we do with integrity, remaining focused and grounded in our identity in Christ and the mission we’re called to.

P PRAYER

At the root of all we do is a firm foundation in prayer, giving everything over to God to lead and direct. We aim to be people led by prayer!

So whether you want to use our hip verbiage or not, we hope that you understand and align with the heart behind it. As you prepare for your trip, we ask that you commit to a posture of humility, integrity, and prayer alongside us!

Policy Agreement

Before you begin your mission trip, it is important to take a few moments to understand and agree to the PPM participant policy agreement. This Policy Agreement is a required form found within your online participant account that all participants must agree to in order to participate on a mission trip with PPM. The following commitments outline the promise that you are making to your team, your partner, and PPM while you serve:

1. As a representative of my own community, PPM, and above all else, Jesus Christ, I will behave at all times in a manner that brings honor to these institutions.

2. I am aware that my words and actions are noticed as a guest in the partnership community. Therefore, I agree to act and speak in a manner that glorifies the name of Jesus Christ. I want everything I do or say to draw people to Jesus.

3. I will be spiritually, physically, and mentally prepared for a mission trip that will stretch me and mold me. I will do everything I can ahead of time to prepare myself for a “trip of a lifetime.”

4. I understand I am a guest in the community I am visiting. I will respect and follow the traditions and customs of the local people and leaders. For example: if the way I dress offends them, I will change. If I am offered food, I will graciously accept it with a “thank you” and a smile.

5. I will not criticize the culture, efficiency, work habits, food, traditions, etc. that I am exposed to during my time on the trip. I have come not to judge, but to learn and to share the person of Jesus through my words, actions, and deeds.

6. I will respect and follow the PPM Trip Leaders and Group Leader, and his/her decisions.

7. I agree to have a servant attitude at all times. In all tasks and ministries, I will focus on finding where I can use my gifts and talents to encourage and assist others.

8. I will use words that encourage and build up my team members and those in our host community at all times. This means I will refrain from gossip or words that bring dissension and take focus away from the goals of the trip.

9. I will have a positive attitude at all times. Every trip has its challenges and unforeseen circumstances. People could get sick, items lost, and plans changed. I realize that there are times I will need to be flexible and look at challenges as opportunities to be a witness for Jesus Christ.

10. I will refrain from pursuing romantic relationships during the trip. Even if my spouse or significant other is on the trip with me, I will make every effort to spend time with each person in the group and interact with all team members.

11. I will attend all team meetings and fulfill the responsibilities I have agreed to before, during, and after the trip. If I am not able to attend a meeting, I will proactively be in contact with my Group Leader as to what I missed.

12. I will refrain from initiating conversation regarding politics and speaking negatively about them during the trip.

13. I will abstain from using, consuming, purchasing, or possessing alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, other smoking-related products, and illegal drugs while on the trip.

14. I will not steal, commit any crime, or do anything illegal while on the trip.

15. I will meet all medical, logistical, and legal travel requirements. For international travel, I will follow all import and export laws. I will not attempt to bring any illegal or banned item/good into or back from the location in which I will be serving.

16. I acknowledge that I will not bring a weapon, including firearms, on my PPM trip.

17. I will follow the travel, supply, clothing, financial, and medical guidelines, etc. set forth and explained to me prior to the trip. I am responsible for knowing and following everything in the PPM guide and explained at the group meetings.

18. If, in the future, I desire to return to the community and location on a mission trip to visit any of the connections or ministry partnerships, I must do so through PPM or receive PPM’s written permission to do so. This will enable the overall vision for the ministry as agreed upon through PPM connections in the host community to continue.

19. I realize that to attend this trip and represent Jesus Christ on the mission field is a privilege, and if I abuse that privilege, that abuse constitutes the right for my trip to end prematurely.

I agree and acknowledge that if I violate this Policy Agreement in any way, PPM or a PPM representative, at their sole discretion, may remove me from the mission trip and send me home at my own expense.

Welcome To The Mission Trip

We are so excited to be serving with you! During this trip, you’ll experience many things. You’ll have the opportunity to be a learner, server, and listener, among other things. At the very beginning, it’s important to prepare both your heart and your mind for what lies ahead.

THREE VITAL THINGS TO REMEMBER ON YOUR TRIP

PRAYER

Prayer is one way of communicating needs, thankfulness, and worship to God. We want to encourage you to connect with God early and often during this week. Pray for your teammates, your host pastor, the local community, and your family back home. Pray that God will help you find ways to encourage and invest in the people surrounding you this week.

FLEXIBILITY

Learn this now: our plans during the week might change. Going on a mission trip is about coming alongside the people and leaders we are serving. This requires us to trust God with our plans. We have to allow Him room to construct moments of ministry that may disrupt our schedule. When we let go of our plans and allow God to take the lead, He often does the amazing and unexpected! Don’t hold back. Jump in and get ready, because God is planning something special.

ASK QUESTIONS, DON’T MAKE STATEMENTS

Throughout your trip, you’re going to have a ton of opportunities to get to know people on your team, from your host church, and in your partnering community. First things first, remember that a smile and a “hello” can go a long way! But we’ll let you in on one basic tip that can change the game: ask questions,

RELATIONSHIPS

The ultimate goal of your trip is to show people the love of Christ and the hope found in the Gospel. This happens best through relationships. Even if you don’t speak the same language, love and compassion go beyond words. We encourage you to focus on the people, not the projects. While you’re working, look for ways to engage with people in the community who are experiencing the moment alongside you.

ONE QUICK TIP FOR CONVERSATIONS

don’t make statements. A statement such as “It’s such a beautiful day!” while kind and positive, doesn’t give a lot of room for someone to jump into a conversation with you. But if you flip that statement into a question, “Don’t you think it’s such a beautiful day?” you still keep that positivity and kindness, but offer an easy entrance for someone to join into a conversation with you.

Remember, most of the time people want to join in conversations. Humans naturally gravitate toward community and connection, but we all have a tendency to shy away when it feels a bit awkward at first. So be brave, take a step out of your comfort zone, and make a new friend out of a stranger!

Staying Present

Remaining in the moment and present while serving is crucial to ensuring that you are open and available to participate in all God has planned for you while on your trip. Here are some of our best tips to help you cultivate mindfulness while serving:

MAKE TIME

While you’re sure to have devotion time in large group settings on your trip, ensure that you’re still personally connecting with the Lord each day. Spending time in prayer and reading scripture can happen at any time, but some natural times to find a minute to dive in are before breakfast, during lunch, and before bed.

REMOVE DISTRACTIONS

Do your best to silence your devices like your phone, tablet, computer, etc. If you can disconnect from social media, work, and the constant needs of the everyday, you’ll find yourself more firmly rooted in the here and now.

LET GO OF EXPECTATIONS

Remind yourself that a flexible attitude is crucial. Let go of the planned itinerary. When we allow ourselves to follow the leading of the Lord, we may find the schedule flexing or even changing plans last minute. Don’t shy away from those changes. Lean into the moment, let go, and watch how the Lord can guide your steps to something even greater than you had planned.

PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Each morning, list three things to the Lord or to a friend that you are grateful for (ex. food to eat in the morning, clean clothes for your body, and a hot cup of coffee that feels like home). This simple practice will help you set your mind on a positive path as you begin your day.

JOURNALING

Don’t forget to journal! One of the most important things you can do to stay present and process all that is happening on your trip is to write it down. Write down the lessons you’re learning and the experiences you’ve had and how they’re challenging you. When you get home, you’ll be so grateful you took the time to journal every day!

Stay Healthy

Wear shoes at all times. Discreetly use hand sanitizer before each meal, and wash your hands often.

Keep a face mask handy for any times you’ll need it.

Avoid fruit that can’t be peeled.* Avoid brushing your teeth with or drinking water from the faucet.*

Be wary of the animals! Ask your trip leader what you need to know.

Keep your lodging location clean and zip up your belongings each day.

Hydrate often! Bring a wide-mouthed water bottle so it’s easier to refill.

Quickly inform your trip leader of any injuries or illnesses.

Apply sunblock frequently. The sun can be much stronger than you’re used to in many of our locations.

Your Host PastorServe, Connect, And Support

I was ready to retire and walk away from ministry. I thought I was done and felt burned out. But then I hosted a PPM team. They reaffirmed my calling, sparked a new hope in me, and I am now committed to ministering this church and community until the Lord tells me otherwise.

-Pastor Cruz, Puerto Rico partner pastor

Let’s be real. While many pastors around the world are thriving, feeling supported, and energized, many feel like Pastor Cruz in the first part of his story above: exhausted, burned out, and maybe even ready to walk away from their calling.

Pastors and ministry leaders are in a position of spiritual leadership, which means they are sharing in the burdens of those they lead. They don’t share burdens out of obligation, but out of love, passion, and care. They adopt the heartaches of their community as challenges to overcome. The life of a pastor is extremely rewarding, but it can be lonely at times.

Pastors need people who will pour into them with no strings attached. In other words, if you can find ways to sacrificially love on these church leaders and support them as they give their all, the ripple effects of their renewed hope will span community-wide.

“The teams this summer with PPM brought revival and healing for our congregation. We saw more life, laughter, and fun during those weeks. We are excited to see what next year brings!”

-Pastora Diana, Washington, DC partner pastor

So how can you and your team be a positive encouragement? Show up, support, and pray. Take note of the pastors and other leaders around you on your trip. You have the opportunity to bring fresh energy to their ministry. This is one of the most inspiring and affirming gifts you can give to them as leaders.

We have outlined a few suggestions to get you excited about serving your host pastor/leaders. We believe God is giving you an opportunity to invest in the heart of a pastor. If you do, you will leave a lasting mark on the community where you are ministering this week.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• How long have you been in ministry?

• What types of ministry is your church involved in?

• When you think about your ministry, what gets you excited?

• What would you love to see happen in your community?

• What are some of the struggles you face every week?

• What’s the best way to do outreach in your community?

• How long have you been serving in this location?

• (If married) How long have you been married?

• How many kids do you have? Grandkids? What are their names? What do they do? Where do they live?

• What’s your favorite thing to do to relax?

• Do you have any advice for me?

BRING A GIFT

Your host pastor will be opening up their church and community to you and your team! A gesture of gratitude goes a long way. Ideas may include having your team make a card and signing it, giving the pastor a photo of the group, or providing them a small gift. This can be anything from something you make during the trip to something you bring from home. This is a great way to help the pastor remember you!

INVITE THEM ALONG

Our host pastors and local ministry leaders love spending time with the team! Invite them along as your team enjoys the location in which you are serving. This doesn’t have to be just the pastor; invite their family along too!

BE INTENTIONAL

Time will pass quickly on your trip, and you’ll be busy! Make an effort to be intentional in connecting with your host pastor. Sit with them during down time and talk to them about their experiences. Take time at the beginning of the week to listen to your host pastor’s story.

PREPARING

Whether you’re at a school with students, a park with neighborhood kids, or hosting a Vacation Bible School at the church, a basic schedule for ministry time may look like this:

Introductions

• Give name tags to children

• Separate groups based on age (as needed)

Opening (30 minutes)

• Welcome

• Skit

• Daily Bible verse

• Dismiss to rotations

Station Rotations (10 minute each)

• Music

• Games

• Crafts

• Snack

• Bible story

Closing (15 minutes)

• Songs

• Daily Bible verse review

• Prayer

Kids Ministry

GAME IDEAS

• Duck, Duck, Goose

• Freeze Tag

• Red Light/Green Light

• Field day activities (sack race, three-legged race, relays)

• Sports (soccer, frisbee, jump rope)

• For more ideas, see the next page!

CRAFT IDEAS

• Shaker (paper plate, dry beans, staples, decorations)

• Friendship bracelet (embroidery thread)

• Puzzle (construction paper, crayons, scissors, sandwich bag)

• Beaded cross or fish (pipe cleaners, plastic beads)

• Puppet (brown lunch sack, markers, yarn, construction paper, glue)

HUDDLE UP

Each day, take the time to huddle up with your team after kids ministry time and discuss what worked well and what may need to change the following day.

BE ENGAGING Parents

Parents may be curious about what their child is learning. This becomes an excellent opportunity to share the love of Christ with them as well.

Older Teens

Teens as old as 16 or 17 may join in on the fun. Please welcome them with open arms. Including them gives them a chance to learn about Jesus while helping organize and direct younger children. They get the chance to lead and have responsibility, and the younger kids have someone to look up to within their own community. It’s a win for everyone!

Very Young Children

It’s not unusual for a baby or toddler to tag along with their older sibling to children’s ministry. If this is the case, consider having one of your team members run a nursery during the VBS time. If the older sibling who brought the child requests that the younger sibling stays with them throughout VBS, that’s okay too. Prepare to be flexible!

SCATTERBALL

Equipment: Soft foam ball

Group Size: 10 or more Scatterball is dodgeball with a twist. To start, everyone must have a hand on a single soft foam ball. The ball is thrown up in the air, then everyone scatters. Players try to grab the ball in the air or off the ground. Whoever has the ball can only take two steps. After two steps, the player must throw the ball, dodgeball style, at another player. If the ball hits a player, that player sits down right where they are. They can still play, they just can’t move from their seated spot. If a player is hit by the ball and catches it, then the throwing player sits down. Sitting players can snag the ball any time it rolls by and can throw it at standing players to try to get them out. The game ends when only one player is standing.

Simple Games

CAT AND MOUSE

Equipment: None

Group Size: 10 or more

Begin by having the entire group stand in a circle and hold hands. Pick one person from the group to be the “mouse,” and another to be the “cat.” The person who is the mouse will move to the middle of the circle. The person who is the cat will move outside the circle. The aim of the game is for the mouse to get outside the circle and avoid being caught by the cat. The mouse must stay moving while inside the circle, but he cannot stay inside the circle for more than ten seconds. The cat cannot come into the circle, but he can reach into the circle to tag the mouse. The circle players have to try to keep the cat away from the mouse by letting the mouse in and out of the circle. They can also block the cat’s attempts to grab the mouse by standing in the cat’s way. If the mouse is caught, the mouse becomes the new cat. The old cat takes the place of a player holding hands, and another player becomes the mouse.

NINJA, BEAR, HUNTER

Equipment: None Group Size: Pairs

This is a blown-up version of Rock, Paper, Scissors. This game can be played with any three characters as long as they can be acted out. First, the entire group breaks off into pairs. The two players will stand back-to-back and count to three. On the count of three, both players turn around and immediately strike one of the following poses: Ninja (the crane pose from The Karate Kid), Bear (two hands raised above the head), or Hunter (hands in the shape of holding a bow and arrow pointed at the opponent).

Who wins: Ninja beats Hunter Hunter beats Bear Bear beats Ninja

These games go quickly and are most fun when players make noises representing each character. Have each duo play best out of three, then find a new partner.

Relationship > Results

One thing you’ll hear around PPM quite a bit is that, at the end of the day, the most important thing to us in missions and ministry are the people. From the local pastor to community members to your team, the people you come into contact with during this week of serving with us are the “why” behind what we do. Yes, your schedule may be packed with projects and activities, but the goal of every part of your ministry is uplifting and encouraging others in the name of Jesus.

One of our favorite stories at PPM comes from our president, Jim Noreen, from his early days of leading trips with PPM. He shared this story in the Youth Cartel’s book titled 5 Views on Youth Ministry Short-Term Missions:

I’m always preaching to our teams that do service projects that they are just a means to show that you care in a different way. The reality is that the local people around you could do the task a lot quicker, and likely a lot better, than most mission teams can. Teams are often used to do the grunt work, hiring local workers to do the skilled labor. In the end, it’s not the work you get done, but the relationships that you build along the way that really matter.

Well, on one particular trip in Haiti in 2010, I had forgotten some of those core principles. A couple of hours into the project, I saw the team members sitting around, interacting with some of the locals.

On the schedule, it was construction time and I was concerned that I wasn’t doing my job by facilitating the ministries that we had planned. I looked around to see what I could get the team involved in and then proceeded to try to set an example. I walked over to where the locals were mixing cement and lifted an 80lb sack of dry mix to add to the pile. With the sack on my shoulder, I heaved it onto the previously dumped out bags. If you’ve ever worked with cement, you know that its dry form has the consistency of powdered sugar. POOF. My 80lb sack landed right in the middle of the previously dumped out bags, sending a cloud of dry mix into the air. I looked up with an “oops” rolling off my lips to see three local workers now as white as snow, covered in dry mix that was sticking to their sweat-drenched skin. The staredown they gave me sticks (pun intended) with me to this day. I looked around me to see the team happily interacting with the local people and a group of workers justifiably angry at me. “Man, that was stupid.” Those were the words that I verbally uttered as I walked away sheepishly. I was right with those words, and so wrong with my actions. What the team was doing was what Jesus would have been doingprioritizing the people over the projects. In that moment, I was grateful for grace.

No matter what is on the schedule during your mission trip, keep your eyes open and be prayerfully aware of the people that God places in your path. He has good plans for all of His people. He may be calling you into deeper faith and trust as you serve, and He may use you throughout that process to be His hands and feet to someone, even if the itinerary calls for something different. Jesus’ purpose on earth was for people, so let’s do the same in prioritizing relationships over results.

Devotions

Stories - we’ve all got them. Unique and one-of-a-kind, no two journeys through this life are exactly the same. You have shown up on this trip carrying a story of your own. Throughout your life, you’ve most likely experienced extreme highs and some very difficult lows. Yet through it all, these twists and turns have led you to this point today on this mission trip. One thing is certain: no one knows your story like you do!

The PPM staff, host pastor, cooks, church members, and every person you will meet this week all have a story as well. Their stories are all unique, with their own highs and lows, learning and growing and ultimately being brought to this day and this mission trip.

You know what is beautiful about our stories? The endings have yet to be written. Our stories are far from over as we are all in process to become more like Jesus and live as He did, every single day. This week, you continue your story, stepping into all that God has for you.

This week, we are going to explore an incredible story from the Bible, the story of Joseph. As we delve deeper, you will see that he lived a life of dependence on God. He continually needed God to show up, to protect, to deliver, to redeem, and to restore. Through the extreme low points he endured, he never gave up his trust in the living God, and God never left his side. As the story of Joseph unravels this week, we want you to reflect on your own life. Where are you at in your story? Are you trusting God completely? Are you in the pits of despair or has your story rounded the corner and you’re seeing God’s redemptive work at play in every aspect of your life?

No matter what chapter you’re on in your own story, we pray that you will discover that God is with you, and He has never left.

GENESIS 37:1-11, NIV

1 Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.

2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line.

Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Day 1: Chapter 1

SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis 37:1-11

Every story has a start. Joseph’s story starts out with obvious drama between him and his brothers, telling us that he was Jacob’s favorite son. Being born to Jacob late in life, Joseph held a very special place in his father’s heart. His love for Joseph was so great that his older brothers saw it plain as day and it left them feeling resentful and jealous. His story also begins with the additional knowledge that Joseph had a gift to receive dreams directly from God. How special! Joseph knew he was called to something special and Jacob knew it too. Even at the age of seventeen, God was preparing Joseph for an incredible journey. At this point, Joseph couldn’t see the ways that his life would play out, but God was divinely setting him up to save all of Israel.

Maybe Joseph was set up to fail from the very beginning, being marked as “different” by his father’s lavish love. Maybe he was a bit too cozy in his comfortable life while the older brothers were out working in the hot sun. Maybe he shouldn’t have flaunted his robe of many colors in front of them, making them feel even more resentful. Maybe Joseph should not have been so naive and held his tongue instead of telling his brothers about his dreams of them bowing down before him. Regardless of the “maybes,” one thing is certain: through it all, God was using every high and every low to write an incredible story of redemption and faithfulness in Joseph’s life.

JOURNAL

The start of your story may have been filled with joy and happiness, or maybe it was full of neglect and shame. The good news is that the beginning of your story does not have to be how it ends. God’s not done writing it yet! He can and will redeem it, if we trust Him and follow His lead.

Whether you’re old or young, a king or a shepherd boy, favored or despised, Romans 8:28 says that “God works all things for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” There will be highs and lows in life, but we know that God is faithful through it all.

God has given us all a part to play in life. What if we start to see every part of our story as just that, a part? Let’s trust God’s Word, that He can turn it around and write an incredible story this week, using His power of redemption to bring the most glory to His son, Jesus.

KEY QUESTIONS

• Do you ever wish that God would have started your story differently?

• In what ways has God already redeemed the beginning of your story?

• In what ways do you pray God will continue to redeem your story?

Find 3 words that sum up the beginning of your story. Then, pinpoint a moment of redemption you’ve experienced and how that changed your story.

GENESIS 37:12-36, NIV

12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 13 and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.”

“Very well,” he replied.

14 So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.

When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”

17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’”

So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.

19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”

21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.

23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— 24 and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.

26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.

28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30 He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”

31 Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32 They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”

33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”

34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave.” So his father wept for him.

36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.

GENESIS 39:1-2, NIV

1 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.

2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.

Day 2: Written Promises

SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis 37:12-36, Genesis 39:1-2

Joseph’s story continued in a downward spiral as his brothers were motivated by jealousy, hatred, and greed. They saw him coming from a distance and planned to kill him. Luckily, Reuben stood up for him so that he wouldn’t be killed. Instead, Joseph was thrown into a pit (another save by his brother, Judah, who felt that they couldn’t kill their own flesh and blood) and later was sold as a slave for 20 shekels of silver and shipped off to Egypt.

To explain Joseph’s disappearance, the brothers had to come up with a believable story to share with their father. After ripping up Joseph’s special robe and dipping it in goat’s blood, they shared the lie that they found the blood-drenched, ripped, colorful robe and needed their father to positively identify if it was indeed Joseph’s. In a normal story, it may look like Joseph’s life was over, but as we jump to Genesis 39, we see that God was with Joseph. He never left his side. Not only was He with Joseph, but Joseph was prospering in all that he did, serving in the home of the Egyptian master, Potiphar!

Put yourself in Joseph’s shoes for a moment. You’re doing what your father asked you to do, checking in on your older brothers. As they see you coming, they plot your murder, but then have a change of heart and throw you into a pit and sell you as a slave instead.

JOURNAL

Without knowing the end of the story, it’s easy to question why God allowed these things and believe that the enemy won. But all the while, the Lord was present with Joseph through the ups and downs. He had a plan of His own. There is nothing in this passage from Genesis about Joseph doubting God’s plan for his life. Maybe he did or maybe he didn’t, but that doesn’t really matter because God never faltered. God’s promise to never leave us or forsake us is a living promise, and that means we can claim it just as loudly today as Joseph could back then. Even if we are thrown in a pit or betrayed by our kin, we can trust that the Lord is never absent from His people, us!

This week, know that God is with you. You are serving His people and proclaiming the name of Jesus in your words and actions. It is a promise you can hold on to! When times get tough, when things do not go as planned, you can turn to a God that is never absent!

KEY QUESTIONS

• Have you ever had a time when all seemed lost, but God was with you?

• In what ways was it evident He was with you?

• How did/does that impact your faith or your testimony?

Write down how God has been with you in the past so that your faith can be built up to face the adventure that God has you on for the remainder of this week.

GENESIS 39:3-23, NIV

3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!”

8 But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9 No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10 And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

11 One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. 12 She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, 14 she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. 15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.

But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Day 3: Plot Twist

SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis 39:3-23

As we read yesterday, the Lord had been with Joseph from the beginning. Even his master in Egypt noticed that the Lord was with him. Take a moment and let that sink in. Another person could tell by the way that Joseph lived his life and how he worked that God was with him! Joseph had found such favor with Potiphar that he was put in charge of his entire household and estate.

But, like many good stories, there was a big plot twist. Things were going incredibly well for Joseph until Potiphar’s wife noticed how handsome he was. By sticking to his beliefs and values, Joseph was able to dodge the temptations in front of him, but not without Potiphar’s wife grabbing his cloak and spewing out lies about Joseph. The next thing Joseph knew, he had been thrown into prison! He could have grown angry and resentful, turning from God and giving up on his faith. Instead, he continued living his life with integrity and trusted God.

Let’s not rush past the repeated hurt and betrayal that Joseph likely felt. He easily could have just given in and turned his back on God. But instead, time and time again, Joseph remained steadfast in his faith. Even in prison, the Lord was with him as he was granted even more favor from the warden of the prison!

JOURNAL

Are you seeing the roller coaster of highs and lows in the life of Joseph? Many times, we think that the Christian life just goes from mountaintop to mountaintop, joy to joy, as we become more like Jesus through it all. But that’s not reality and that isn’t the life that Joseph lived either. It was a life of highs and lows, but through it all, he continued to look for the faithfulness of God. God never promised an easy life, but He did tell us that it would all be worth it. The God of the mountaintop is the same God of the valley!

God was writing a story that no one else could make up for Joseph. God was walking with Joseph through so many valleys and allowing him to be in circumstances that he probably never imagined. Most of these things surely came as surprises to him, but he still held onto the promises of God and knew that the dreams that he received early on in his life would later lead him to his destiny.

KEY QUESTIONS

• Have you ever experienced a plot twist?

• How do you handle the rollercoaster of highs and lows in your life?

• Do you lose faith in the valleys?

• How can your mountaintop experiences with the Lord help prepare you for the valleys?

Think about the highs and lows you’ve been through in life and the lessons you learned through those times. How can those lessons apply to your week here on the mission field?

GENESIS 40, NIV

1 Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt. 2 Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them.

After they had been in custody for some time, 5 each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.

6 When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why do you look so sad today?”

8 “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.”

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

9 So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream. He said to him, “In my dream I saw a vine in front of me, 10 and on the vine were three branches. As soon as it budded, it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes. 11 Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, squeezed them into Pharaoh’s cup and put the cup in his hand.”

12 “This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. 15 I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.”

16 When the chief baker saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation, he said to Joseph, “I too had a dream: On my head were three baskets of bread. 17 In the top basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

18 “This is what it means,” Joseph said. “The three baskets are three days. 19 Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head and impale your body on a pole. And the birds will eat away your flesh.”

20 Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand— 22 but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation.

23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

GENESIS 41:1-13, NIV

1 When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, 2 when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. 3 After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. 4 And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.

5 He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. 6 After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—thin and scorched by the east wind. 7 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.

8 In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 12 Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.”

GENSIS 41:25-43, NIV

25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream.

27 The seven lean, ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.

28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.

33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”

37 The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”

39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

Day 4: Redemption Arc

SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis 40-41:13, Genesis 41:2543

After Joseph had been in prison for a while, both the cupbearer and the baker of the king were thrown in prison by Pharaoh. While there, both of these men had dreams that troubled them, and they freely shared them with Joseph. Joseph, using the gift that God had given him, interpreted the dreams, and in a miraculous and tragic turn of events, both dreams came true.

As every story of redemption goes, there came a moment where Joseph began to see a way to get out of prison. Joseph had asked the cupbearer that after he was restored to his position, would he remember Joseph and his false imprisonment. Unfortunately, the cupbearer forgot all about Joseph for two years. Yes, Joseph sat in jail for two more years waiting for his redemption!

It was after those two years that Pharaoh had a dream that he couldn’t interpret. The cupbearer finally remembered Joseph and called for him to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Seeing Joseph’s intelligence and his brilliant interpretation, Pharaoh gave Joseph the job to be in charge of the whole land of Egypt, preparing the harvest for times of famine throughout the entire region. He was not only restored to the level of his previous position, he was promoted even higher! Remember the little dreamer that was thrown in a pit? He became one of the most powerful men in Egypt!

JOURNAL

How did Joseph get to this pivotal point in his story?

Joseph used the gifts that God gave him. As a young boy, he received dreams from God and was bold enough to know he was hearing from the Lord. He shared those dreams with his brothers, who did not receive them well. As we learned earlier this week, his brothers’ bad response to Joseph’s God-given gift ended up leading Joseph on this whole journey, which ended in this new position. Joseph could have sat in jail and decided not to help the cupbearer or the baker, but instead, he kept the faith and used the gifts God gave him.

You are about halfway through your mission trip with the end in sight. Are you using the gifts God has given you? If you are an encourager, encourage! If you are a server, serve! If you can speak, then use the voice God has given you! If you can swing a hammer, swing away! Leave this trip with no regrets, giving glory to God for the gifts He’s given you. When you step out in faith, maybe even trying something new that God put on your heart that is out of your comfort zone, He will be with you and bless you through it!

KEY QUESTIONS

• Have you had a redemption arc?

• What God-given gifts do you have that you need to use on this mission trip?

• How can you put them into practice today and in your

Write three gifts that the Lord has given you and how you could use them on this trip.

GENESIS 41:47-49, NIV

47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.

GENESIS 41:53-57, NIV

53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”

56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt.

57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.

GENESIS 42:1-20, NIV

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” 2 He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

3 Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. 5 So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also.

6 Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked.

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.”

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. 9 Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”

10 “No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”

12 “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”

13 But they replied, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

14 Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies! 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 17 And he put them all in custody for three days.

18 On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. 20 But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

Day 5: On the Verge Of Forgiveness

SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis 41:47-49, Genesis 41:5357, Genesis 42:1-20

Joseph was now in charge of Egypt and had implemented a strategy to build a supply of grain to sustain the seven years of famine. Just as he dreamt, seven years of abundance was followed by seven years of famine.

As the famine hit, Joseph’s father, Jacob, sent ten of his sons to purchase grain in Egypt, while he kept his youngest son at home so as to not risk losing another son. Little did Jacob know that who he thought was his deceased son was now the governor of all of the land of Egypt! Another huge moment of redemption was about to take place in Joseph’s story as he was given the opportunity to forgive those who had hurt him.

The moment came and the ten brothers bowed before him. As Joseph recognized his brothers, the Bible says that he concealed his identity and treated them harshly, ending with putting them in prison. A few days later, Joseph took it farther and released all but Simeon so that they could go back and get his youngest brother, Benjamin. Joseph was testing his brothers’ integrity and motives, because of the harsh treatment they had given him years before. Genesis continues to tell us that eventually Jacob allowed Benjamin to come to Egypt, which ended in Joseph tricking his brothers and not allowing Benjamin to return to his father.

JOURNAL

Imagine the emotions and feelings that Joseph was experiencing throughout all of this. Should he trust his brothers? Did he miss them? His dream had finally come true as his brothers bowed before him, yet did that free him from all of his past hurts?

What would you have done? Based on your own upbringing and experience, you may want to take revenge. Joseph could have had them locked up, tortured, or even killed them. Instead, he tested their motives and waited for the nine brothers to return to Egypt with Benjamin.

Forgiveness was on the verge of breaking through, but could it happen? Could Joseph get past the wrong done to him; the hurt, the isolation, the loneliness, the abandonment? Or would he take this moment for revenge and return evil for evil?

KEY QUESTIONS

• If you were Joseph, how would you have responded to seeing your brothers that hurt you in such a horrible way?

• How do you wish that you would actually respond?

• As you read the story of Joseph, you may need to take a moment to release to the Lord the people who have wronged you.

Do you have someone you need to forgive? Write out a prayer asking the Lord to help you and give you strength.

GENESIS 45:1-15, NIV

1 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!

5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. 9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.

10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. 11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’

12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. 13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”

14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.

Day 6: Promises Fulfilled

SCRIPTURE READING: Genesis 45:1-15

The moment finally arrived when Joseph was standing before all of his brothers. Full of emotion, he ordered everyone but his brothers out of the room. Here we see the integrity and character of Joseph up close and personal. His own brothers were terrified in his presence, knowing he held their fate in his hands.

In this moment, he says words that are hard for us to understand outside of the grace of God. He proclaimed to his brothers that they did not have to be mad at themselves for selling him as a slave - he forgave them. Joseph knew that it was the way that God intended to save the people in that region. Genesis 45:7 says, “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”

As a young boy, Joseph submitted to God’s plan for his life. His story was a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, but it wasn’t without purpose. Was it easy? No way! Was it worth it? For Joseph it was. He rose to great power

JOURNAL

and impacted the nation of Egypt. Genesis 46 and 47 tell us how Joseph was able to bring his entire family to live in the land in Egypt. His mission in saving the people of Egypt was not just for the Egyptians, but the land of his birth as well: his home, his family, his people!

Who are your people? Your people are your family, your community, your school, your church. It’s almost time to return home and continue living on a mission. This week, you have poured out your life through service and ministry. As you go home, just like Joseph, remember your home! The same opportunities for service and ministry exist in your hometown. The opportunities may look a little different, but God desires for you to use your gifts, talents, and abilities at home as well. An effective mission trip transforms your heart so much that you take it home and impact those where you live!

KEY QUESTION

As you prepare to go home, what plans and strategies can you make to impact your home, community, and church?

Make a commitment to serve in your home community once you are back. Write three ideas of ways you can serve.

Continuing The Mission

Mission trips are a unique experience. They are a time of growth, challenge, joy, and exhaustion. Memories of this trip, whether they be of your host church or of your fellow team members, will last a lifetime. But what if you could take those experiences and memories home with you? God’s calling on your life does not start at the beginning of a mission trip and stop at the end. The gifts and talents you utilized this past week will go home with you, and we hope you’ll continue to use them to continue to do Kingdom work wherever you are! Here are just a few ways you can continue to build on this experience, even after you head home.

STAY CONNECTED

You’ve spent the last week serving, laughing, playing, and maybe even crying with the people on your team. Sometimes those very same people become the closest mission field once we go home. Personal connection is such an important part of being part of the body of Christ!

Stay in touch with those around you. Support each other in your walk through everyday life. Showing God’s love to the people closest to you is a great way to practice spreading the Gospel to everyone.

FIND NEW WAYS TO SERVE

Which part of this week most affected you? Was it working with kids? Painting a room at the church? Serving someone a meal? Whatever it may have been, those opportunities don’t stop when you go home. Find a local food pantry or after school program and volunteer there. Engage with your local church. Intentionally uplift and encourage the ministry leaders in your life back home. Ask your team leader how you might be able to use your passions to serve your church and community!

KEEP

DOING THE LITTLE THINGS

Chances are at some point this week you made an impact on someone without even realizing it. Something as simple as a smile and a wave can be a small but powerful way to show God’s love to someone. When you get home, keep your eyes open for the people around you that might be having a tough day and find a way to be uplifting. A genuine “Hey, how are you?” can go a long way!

KEEP THE MEMORIES ALIVE

Remembering how you felt during your time on the mission field is an excellent way to encourage yourself to seek out those experiences at home! Every once in a while, revisit your journal entries from this mission trip. Post a photo from the trip occasionally on social media to remind yourself and those around you of the events of this trip. Whether it was working on a project or praying over someone, those memories will serve as a powerful reminder of your week. Don’t forget to tag PPM as well so we can share in the memories (see ways you can keep up with PPM on social media on pg. 61)!

The Story Isn’t Over

As this week comes to a close, returning home and re-engaging with your home community, church, school, or workplace might leave you feeling a little let down. Even as you get back to the daily grind, be encouraged! The truths and promises found in the story of Joseph that we went through during your mission trip still hold firm. Joseph’s story was a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, but God’s sovereignty was the thing that remained constant. In the midst of wrongdoing, heartbreak, betrayal, abuse, imprisonment, and hopelessness, God was not absent. He used the hard times to mold and prepare Joseph for His greater plan. So remember, no matter where you are in your story, God is with you and He’s not done with you yet.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

The promise is not that God will give us everything we want and make things good by our own standards, but that He will make things actually good. Actual good means that we are never alone in our stories, that we can trust the good Author, and that He will provide us with what we need when we need it.

It’s completely normal to return from a week of serving God and feel a little let down by the return to “normal life.” But the purpose of your mission trip is not to be an aside or asterisk in the story that God is writing in your life, but a chapter that contributes to the narrative. Let the week you spent serving Him affect the chapters that follow. Don’t let your mission trip stay a one-week experience that you then flip the page and move along from. Let it change you, change your habits and behaviors, and change those around you at home. Let it bear fruit in your life.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Our prayer for you is that you remain rooted and grounded in your identity in Christ, knowing that each of us are still a work in progress, clay in His hands as He molds us more and more into His likeness. As we remain rooted in Him, we pray that our branches are ever reaching toward what He might have for us next. God is never done writing your story, and that means that He has even greater things planned for your life from here on forward.

Trip Reflection

When returning home after a mission trip, one of the bigger challenges can be figuring out how to talk and share about what you just experienced. You’ll likely get asked, “How was your trip?” and in order to do justice to what God did in and through you during your trip, a simple answer of “It was good” won’t do.

Below are some ways to process what you experienced on your trip to help prepare you to talk with friends and family when you get home. Zero in on times where you felt God moving and that challenged your perspective. People want to hear about your personal experience, so think through what you want to hold onto!

List your top 10 highlights from your mission trip: 1. 2.

As you look through those 10 highlights, pull out three themes or general concepts that run through those highlights:

Theme 1:

Theme 2:

Theme 3:

Taking those three themes, craft one sentence that encapsulates your biggest takeaways from this mission trip:

Use that sentence summary to answer those who ask you how your trip was, and allow that to open up the door to sharing in a deeper way all that God did!

Going Deeper with PPM

Interested in going deeper with PPM? Here are 3 great ways to expand your ministry beyond a week-long mission trip.

EXPAND YOUR PARTNERSHIP

We believe in the power of genuine partnership. Integral to the word “partnership” is investment from both the mission team and the host partner. Work with your team to find ways to expand your partnership throughout the year. Examples may include supporting a local church initiative, joining together in a year-long prayer journey with your host partner, or even participating in a reverse mission trip where you become the host partner.

JOIN THE PPM TEAM

Each year, we bring on over 100 seasonal leaders who lead mission trips for anywhere between 3-8 weeks all over the world and throughout the United States. There are several different options for staff positions. To learn more about serving on staff with PPM, see the next page!

SUPPORT PPM’S 365-DAY MINISTRY PPM works with your host and ministry partners year-round. Our commitment to you and our partners is that we will continue being a resource to them throughout the year, providing them with support, networking, and face-to-face investment 365 days a year. To purchase a limited edition t-shirt that will support this work, see pg. 59.

SERVE WITH US AGAIN

Join the PPM Staff

Each year, Praying Pelican Missions hosts teams in over 30 locations across the US and internationally. In order to host these teams well and enable them to serve their local partnerships to the best of their abilities, we need a strong and dedicated staff. It takes a creative, hard-working team to facilitate the logistics of the trips and to walk trip participants through the experience. Our staff are one of the key ingredients that make our trips successful. PPM seasonal staff typically serve on trips for four or more weeks, primarily during the spring and summer months. We are always looking for fun, dedicated, Jesus-loving staff to make our trips amazing!

Not only is being a part of PPM’s staff impactful, but it’s fun too! Check out what a couple of last year’s staff members had to say about their experience as seasonal staff:

“A highlight of my summer serving with PPM was meeting the incredible ministry partners that are serving in their own local communities. I would recommend you serve with PPM if you’re interested in growing in your faith and as a person!”

-Camden Patterson, Assistant Trip Leader in the Carolinas

“This was my first summer as an Assistant Trip Leader with Praying Pelican Missions and I couldn’t think of a better way to have spent my summer. I mainly got to serve in Chicago and Memphis over a 6-week period, and I cannot emphasize enough how much of a blessing it was to see the ways that God was at work through the people and the communities there. I was someone who was deeply impacted by a PPM mission trip in the early years of my faith, so getting the opportunity to speak truth and be a light to mission teams was something that I was really grateful to be able to do. I would encourage anyone who is feeling a call to pour into others and be the hands and feet of Jesus to consider serving on staff with PPM. God is at work in incredible ways and as His followers, we get the opportunity to be a part of bringing His restoration and healing to the ends of the earth.”

-Garrett Frey, Assistant Trip Leader in Chicago and Memphis

Interested in applying? Ask your mission trip leader or visit ppm.org/employment for more information.

Stay Connected

KEEP IN TOUCH

You are part of the Pelican family! We invite you to engage with us in various ways throughout the year.

Fill out our short mission trip survey. You will receive this via email after you return home, and it can also be found in your Pelican Account. We want to hear how your trip went!

Connect with us via social media. Utilize #thepelicanlife as you share stories from your trip and as you continue to serve those around you at home.

Come serve with us again. We’d love to do ministry with you long-term!

Power of Partnership

At PPM, we consider ourselves to be bridge builders, and we make it our mission to build connections that unite the local Church in ministry. Here is what one of our local church leaders said about working with us.

IT’S

THE LOCAL CHURCH

“After taking several PPM trips to various locations in Costa Rica, Haiti, and Mexico, it’s clear to me that the pastors at the local churches that PPM partners with know the needs of their communities better than anyone else could. While running a camp in northern Costa Rica, building bunk beds in Haiti, and delivering groceries in Ensenada, Mexico, I met pastors who cared for not only their church members, but also the communities surrounding their churches. And they wanted to use us, the mission team, as a vehicle to help deepen those relationships. On our most recent trips to Mexico, it was clear that the local church was the essential piece linking our group to the people that we were able to serve. We can’t wait to get back to Ensenada to help Iglesia Monte Sinai continue its mission of food distribution in the community!”

-Tim Desilets, Hope Community Church

If your team would like to be featured in next year’s Pelican Guide, contact info@ppm.org with stories from your trip!

Disaster Response at PPM

When disasters strike, the Church is often on the front lines of response and relief efforts, and we are committed to them in their greatest time of need. Churches are consistently working with local authorities and organizing grassroots efforts to meet the pressing needs of their communities. We as an organization are devoted to coming alongside these efforts, providing the necessary resources, support, and help to advance the work of our local partners.

Over the course of the past five years, PPM has supported church partners through numerous natural disasters including hurricanes, flooding, and earthquakes. Through donations given through our network of partner churches and past participants, we have been able to provide essential supplies like bottled water, food, tarps, sandbags,

generators, chainsaws, and whatever else is needed. Throughout the recovery process, PPM continues to provide support through volunteers like you that provide countless hours of debris cleanup, rebuilding, roof replacement, food distribution, prayer ministry, and more.

Recently, we have been serving in the Gulf Coast area working closely alongside Pastor Ikem after Hurricane Ida hit in August 2021. Pastor Ikem’s community had minimal damage, but the communities surrounding him were greatly impacted. He has been leading the way as we connect with additional pastors and communities throughout the region hit by the storm. He says, “Having PPM on the ground with us is huge. When we see the teams with us, it inspires hope. After a big storm, hope is needed to see that the future can be bright.” As we continue to help reignite hope in

these communities long after storms have passed, our goal is to continue to encourage, support, and uplift the local Church as it works to serve the community.

It is our goal to be ready to respond right away in the event of a natural disaster so we can serve our partners quickly and well.

To learn more about PPM disaster response and how to get involved, visit ppm.org/disaster-response.

Kenya

Israel Key) Ghana Brazil South Africa

Kenya POST-TRIP

Israel

Where PPM is Heading

Over the past 20 years, PPM has mobilized tens of thousands of short-term missionaries, serving across 30+ locations, primarily in the Western Hemisphere. As we dream and plan for the future, we are doubling down on our calling to connect the global Church for the purposes of reaching our world for Christ.

As we look ahead to the next 20 years, we have big dreams. Dreams that we believe will strengthen the Church and inspire unity. At the heart of this vision is to see more people come to know Christ as the Church comes together to love and serve their communities. Specifically, by 2030 we are striving:

• To increase our active church partners from 450 to 1,500 across all 6 inhabited continents.

• To mobilize 30% of our total trip participants from locations outside of the United States.

• To have 90% of our full-time operations staff live in the primary locations in which they serve.

We believe strongly that the local Church is the catalyst for change in local communities throughout our world. We are stepping out in faith in order to fully lean into what we believe God is calling us to. We invite you to continue to engage with us in this mission, and we thank you for the impact that you have already made!

PPM TODAY

WE’RE

PPM Global

Imagine: a church in Guatemala, after years of receiving mission teams from the US, sends a team of its own to serve on a mission trip in a remote area of the country. Or, an inner-city team from Memphis sends a team for the first time to serve in Costa Rica. Or a team from Kenya goes on a mission trip to serve in Ethiopia.

Part of the vision for the future of PPM is offering greater access to shortterm missions for the global Church to unite face to face; across all borders, demographics, and sociological boundaries. In practice, this looks like providing better opportunities for groups around the world to partner with churches both in their own home countries and abroad, as well as providing better access to mission trips for underrepresented communities within the United States.

Through providing intentional and subsidized opportunities, we hope to see the typical barriers that prevent people from engaging in mission trips broken down and access opened up. This will enable us to not only serve a greater range of trip participants, but allow us to partner in areas of the world that we can’t access as easily due to cultural or financial barriers. We have already hosted several teams on the mission field from outside the US - teams from Costa Rica, Haiti, and Puerto Rico - and we are excited to see this grow!

For more information about how you can help fuel this ministry, visit ppm.org/global-access-fund.