UK-USA Ministries summer interns are here!

It has been a very eventful week for UK-USA Ministries here in the Tees Valley! The weather has been gorgeous so everybody has a spring in their step. @Birkdalehouse (yes, follow our house on Twitter!) is jam-packed with 7 University students who began arriving last Saturday! We have one more arriving next weekend to make our first intern team complete! (We have affectionately dubbed them the “A~Team” for alpha!) We are so excited to have them here with us because they create a crowd and a buzz everywhere they go! Throughout the summer we will be posting some of their thoughts of life and ministry in England on our site so I thought I would give you a quick glimpse of each one of them. I included their blog links so you can see pictures and read about life here in the UK through their eyes!

Chris Lopez is a graduate of Liberty University and comes to us from Spring, Texas.

Sterling Montes is a student at Westmont College and comes to us from The Woodlands, Texas. http://sterlinginengland.wordpress.com

Jason Polley is a student at The University of Arkansas and comes to us from Rogers, Arkansas.

Nick Walton is a student at The University of Arkansas and comes to us from Tulsa, Oklahoma. http://thatsmintmate.wordpress.com

Laura Gassaway is a graduate of The University of Oklahoma and come to us from The Woodlands, Texas. http://www.joyfullysurrendered.com/blog.html

Savannah Ellis is a student at Belmont University and come to us from Nashville, Tennessee. http://sendeskimokisses.blogspot.co.uk

Elaina Blando is a student at The University of Arkansas and come to us from Kansas City, Kansas. http://eblando.blogspot.co.uk

Miriam Poole is a student at The University of Arkansas and comes to us from Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

http://mirideari.blogspot.com

They are an amazing group of students full of life and so passionate about the gospel and God’s call on their lives to be here this summer! Throughout each week they will be serving in five different communities as well as helping out in several one time projects. Each Tuesday evening we will be in Ingleby Barwick, Wednesday nights we will be in Thornaby, Thursday nights we will be in Billingham, Saturday afternoons we will be in Preston Park, and  Sunday evenings we will be in Ropner Park! They will also be helping out at Cafe Church on Tuesday nights and other local church youth group events! So their schedules will be jam packed! To start things off  this week we climbed to the top of Lord Stones Wednesday night as the sun was setting. Lord Stones is one of the higher points in the Cleveland Hills that overlooks the Tees Valley and one of my favorite places to climb and listen to God as the wind rushes across the top.  I wanted them to see the vastness of the valley and to catch a glimpse of the area they will be working in all summer. We closed out our time at Lord Stones with an amazing time of prayer together. As we prayed, darkness fell over the valley and the lights of each village and town below us began to sparkle. Chris Lopez read these words from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew Chapter 5:13-16~

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Powerful imagery and a great reminder of all that we want to be here in this place. We are all called to be light in a place shrouded in darkness! We are praying that this summer people will be drawn to the Light as we are out in the community hosting sports camps, serving those in need, and teaching God’s Word in schools, youth groups, and home bible studies! As often as you think of us, please pray for the “A~Team” and UK-USA Ministries!

In HIS JOY,

Mike