Archive - June 2019

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June TEAM Eats: Rellenitos de Platanos from Guatemala
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From Basketball Drills to Bible Studies
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What It’s Like to be Raised by Missionaries
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When a Middle School Dropout Finds Jesus at Camp [June Prayer Focus]

June TEAM Eats: Rellenitos de Platanos from Guatemala

In Guatemala, people eat this fried dessert that is a combination of plantains, chocolate, sugar and black beans. See the full recipe below!

While I was in language school in Guatemala, my teacher had the class do various activities outside of the classroom in order to learn Spanish in specific situations. One of the activities we would do as a class was cooking together. Rellenitos de plátanos were one of the first recipes we made, and they continue to be one of my favorite Guatemalan foods. A typical Guatemalan breakfast consists of eggs, black beans, a piece of soft cheese, fried plantains, tortillas, and coffee. I find it interesting that these snacks/desserts include some of the same ingredients from breakfast — just making…

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From Basketball Drills to Bible Studies

A basketball coach stands with a basketball on his hip as he watches campers run basketball drills.
Basketball camp was enough to get Rico and Carmelo interested, but a missionary's willingness to answer their questions is what really made an impact.

Rico and Carmelo may have been cousins, but they could hardly be more different. Where Rico was quiet and serious, Carmelo always had something to say — and it was often a joke. But they did share two things in common: a love of basketball and a longing for real answers about their faith. Like most Italians, the boys grew up in the Catholic Church. It was a critical part of their culture. But when a kid asked their priests questions, they were often met with a similar refrain: You don’t need to be thinking about that. Thankfully, friends like…

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What It’s Like to be Raised by Missionaries

A girl plays with a soccer ball on the beach at sunset
Growing up on the mission field presents kids with experiences and challenges that give them a unique perspective on the world.

For most kids, getting grape jam instead of strawberry jam on their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches isn’t a big deal. It might even just be a matter of personal preference. But when Marti Williams got grape jam as a kid, she knew it meant something else entirely. Marti grew up as a missionary kid in South Africa. And at a young age, she knew when her parents had extra financial support — because she and her siblings would get treated to strawberry jam. During leaner months, they got by just fine with grape. But looking back, Marti sees the…

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When a Middle School Dropout Finds Jesus at Camp [June Prayer Focus]

A group of Christian campers in Mexico
Join us this month in praying for Christian camps happening around the world. Ask God to guide the many missionaries leading the camps!

Francisco was a middle school student. He was at an age when most boys should be learning and growing. But that wasn’t his story. At school, Francisco struggled with learning. And at home, his family struggled to make ends meet. So the decision seemed natural: Francisco would drop out of school and find a job instead. But the only job he could find was dangerous. And paid him nearly nothing. So before long, Francisco stopped studying or working altogether. Without an education, his future looked bleaker every day. Francisco did have one thing going for him though: He’d been attending…

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