In the last two weeks I have introduced you to Awe Star Ministries, a missions organization based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma that takes America's youth to the four corners of the world. I have also shared with you a beautiful testimony from my dear friend Casey Jackson regarding her recent experience with Awe Star in Suriname.
For this final post, I would like to throw back the curtains and give you a look at what a day in the life of an Awe Star Missionary might look like. Hopefully this will answer a few questions you might have, and even open up your heart a little more to traveling with this amazing Ministry!
1. Leadership
The leadership in an Awe Star team is a tight and organized structure. They are the elite of our Alumni and friends - those who have been prayed over with great consideration, and trained the most to be certain they are prepared for their positions. Starting with the Country Coordinators who lead the team through practical planning, in charge of finding housing, food, ministry sites, and medical care when necessary. Next are the Team Directors, who spend most of the day keeping the team focused on the goal at hand, and leading them from ministry site to ministry site. The Mom's and Pop's function as the third and final tier of leadership, acting as small group leaders and guides for the younger members of the team.
2. The Drama
Awe Star's key tool of ministry is Freedom, an eighteen minute pantomime. This drama is set to exciting music and a voice over narration in the native language of the country. It tells the story of a Gentle Ruler who brought life to the People of the Land, and who sent his son the Good Prince to save them once their hearts had been turned away by the Dragon. It has epic sword battles between Good and Evil Knights, and shows the defeat of the Dragon at the hands of the Good Prince - thereby winning the freedom of the People of the Land. (In case you missed it last week, you can watch the Drama in English here.) It has been performed all over the world, in the dirtiest of marketplaces, to the most pristine school buildings.
3. Ministry Teams
After the Drama is performed, students break up into teams of three or four. They each have one of these three tasks: 1) Ministry Team Leader, who is the primary speaker for the group, seeking out people in the crowd to share the truth of the Drama with. 2) Prayer Person, whose one job is to keep the conversation covered in prayer. 3) Distractor, who takes care of anything that might be distracting from the present conversation. These three students work together to bring the good news of the Gospel to the people who have stayed to watch the Drama - and some of those who haven't - connecting them with a local church, and praying over them.
4. Teachings
Throughout the trip, the team spend ample amounts of time in Scripture. They work through studies designed specifically for them as individuals, and attend larger lessons with their entire team. Those lessons range from "How to treat each other as Men and Women in Christ" to "The importance of making each act an act of worship". The team focuses their hearts through so much time spent in prayer, and find strength in the time they spend worshiping. It is impossible to leave an Awe Star trip without having learned something that struck you to the heart.
And there you have it. Broken down into the four basic structures, in my opinion, of an Awe Star trip. There is plenty of room here for the interpretation of each trip - what you will see, eat, wear, do - but as for the pillars of what make each trip distinctly Awe Star, this is it.
This Christmas, Awe Star will be returning to Mexico for its twice-annual missions trip. They are looking for applicants - for people just like you - who have a willingness to serve, get their hands dirt, and a desire to see lives changed. Check it out, call the office where they will be more than happy to answer any questions you have. But above all remember this: We have all been called to "Go and make disciples" - and now is the time to step out.
You simply cannot know the impact this will have on your life, and I promise - with a willing heart, it will be amazing.
