Global Year

Global Year El Salvador starts strong!

2011-02-26T10:03:00.000-08:00

We have an awesome group of students in El Salvador. There are eight students from 3 different states and Canada serving the Lord together in El Salvador.

The students had a great time meeting with Pastor Johnny and Janet. They all seem to be adjusting well. Pray for them as they continue to serve the Lord in El Salvador.

Refreshing time in Thailand!

2011-02-26T09:52:00.000-08:00

Thailand was a wonderful time of fun and relaxation. Tiffany and Hannah seem to be enjoying themselves! Praise the Lord they are doing very well. I was amazed at their growth and maturity.

Hua Hin, Thailand was a refreshing time for our Global Year students. They spent two weeks working with the Pioneers in Bangkok and enjoying the beach resort of Hua Hin. It was awesome hearing the girls talk about their experiences serving and growing in Asia. They were challenged to finish this semester well. Pray for them as they learn the language, understand the culture, grow in their relationship with Christ and advance His kingdom throughout Asia!

Global Year Ireland

2010-01-21T17:19:00.001-08:00

The road leading to the Lacken House in Ireland.

The team enjoys a relaxing day!

Ludie and Barbara Creech are our Director's for the Gap Year in Ireland!

The Lacken House is where the gap students stay while doing orientation and team building.

Lacken House offices and apartments!

Visit to Indonesia

2009-07-09T07:21:00.001-07:00

Josh talking to his new team as he prepares to coach them to victory next season! The door has been opened for Josh to coach a college team...wow...what an opportunity for the kingdom!

Candace and I enjoyed much daddy...daughter time while I was in Indonesia. I LOVE her!

I got to see Jedidiah for the first time in his life. It was a blast getting to spend time with the grandchildren.

Joshua and Caleb loved riding the horses at the volcano. It was their favorite thing we did. I just walked beside them and took pictures.

From left to right: Candace holding Jedidiah, Caleb, me and Joshua. May our Father receive much glory from their lives!

Costa Ricas Gap Ministry at Score Villa

2009-06-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

The Score Villa opened to house short term teams from the states; now houses 36 gap students this fall along with a class room, dining area, TV room, pool, quiet room, etc.

The front gate of the Score Villa makes for a secure facility.

The pool gives the students a chance to relax and have fun.

The grounds are filled with beautiful plants and trees.

This quiet area in the back of the villa is an awesome place to do your devotions each morning.

GY Students in Costa Rica!

2009-04-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

The students are still taking Spanish four hours a day, four days a week. It was awesome to hear them translating for us and using their Spanish. Pray for them as they prepare to come home the end of May.

I had a couple of opportunities to teach the Word and encourage the students to finish well!

Free time is spent on the laptop staying in touch with home, reading, studying, journaling, working out, playing soccer, etc.

Pastor Paul, with the cream on his face, has been a favorite bible teacher every year. He has been a missionary in Costa Rica for over twenty years. He loves the students and they know it!

We had a wonderful time in Costa Rica!

2009-04-28T08:27:00.001-07:00

These five sweet girls are holding up the colored cards while Pastor Gabriel is presenting the Gospel in the park. Ten children prayed to receive Christ! Praise the Lord! Our gap students minister here every week.

Los Guidos is an area in Costa Rica where the Nicaraguans live. Pastor Gabriel goes to this area with our gap students every week to minister to them. We passed out bags of personal items and toys. May the love of Christ abound!

The zip line went from mountain ridge to mountain ridge. It was a ride across the valley of a rain forest. It was beautiful and adventurous!

Pictured above from left to right are David and Ashley Gantt, student pastor in NC, Johnny Condrey and Joe and Nancy Staley. pastor in NC, We conquered the zip line!

Thank you for holding the rope while we equip and mobilize students to the nations. Your partnership in prayer, encouragement, love and finances are reaching our students and the nations with the gospel. Thank you!

Global Year goes to Ireland

2009-04-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

Fields surround the Lacken House in Ireland, where the students will stay part of the time.

The double decker Red Bus allows the Gap Students to move around Ireland sharing the gospel.

Ludie and Barbara Creech, the Global Year Ireland Directors, invite you to Ireland!

The Lacken House is the headquarters for OM and the Global Year Ministry in Ireland!

Pray for the Global Year Students as they prepare to spend 8 months in Ireland. Part of there stay will be at the Lacken House (above) and the rest of the time the students will live with a local Irish family. They will immerse themselves in the culture, grow in their relationship with Christ and share the gospel throughout Ireland.

Pastor Johnny, the mobilizer!

2009-01-07T13:53:00.000-08:00

Pastor Johnny was awesome at X-treme Winter in Gatlinburg, TN (Dec. 27th - Jan. 2nd). He,along with, Tony Nolan, Ergan Caner and Josh McDowell preached the Word to 15,000 to 18,000 students. The musicians were Relient K, Third Day, The Barlow Girls, Rush of Fools, Newsong, Disciple and Unhindered.

We (Natalie, Taylor and Nathaniel and I) had the privilege of sharing with students, parents, student pastors and pastors about the incredible opportunity of a Gap Year. Pastor Johnny was our biggest fan and promoter. Every time he shared a challenge to do a gap year from the platform, our table (booth) was crowded with interested folks.

We are filled with anticipation from such a busy and fruitful experience!

Sarah's Gap Year experience!

2008-12-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

The gap program in Costa Rica was honestly the greatest experience of my life. It was something that was definitely out of my comfort zone and a hard step for me to take, but it was so worth it. God used my time there greatly to teach me so many things and grow me into a better follower of Christ who is more open to His will. One of the greatest aspects for me was all the people I was able to meet. I was scared to leave my family and friends behind in the states, but God totally provided me with a whole other family in Costa Rica with the people of Score, the people from my church there, and the other students of Gap. We bonded so quickly and so strongly and they are all now my forever friends. Another thing I really enjoyed was learning the Spanish language. It was definitely difficult at times, but it helped a lot to be completely surrounded by the language so that you were continuously practicing. One of the coolest things for me was when I got to use my Spanish for ministry. I had gone to costa rica on a missions trip my junior year of high school and my group had done some door to door witnessing. At that time I had needed a translator to speak to the people. But during Kosmos I had the opportunity to do the exact same ministry, but instead I was the translator instead of the person who needed translating. Throughout the year we had also done some ministry on our own, and those were really cool times as well because we were able to just talk to the people and witness to them in their own language. I really enjoyed my experience in Gap and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about my time spent there and my Costa Rican family members that I miss so terribly! God changed my heart and life through my Gap experience and my time in Costa Rica really showed me how sweet life can be when we follow God’s plan for our lives!

Score Villa Costa Rica

2008-11-22T17:58:00.000-08:00

The Score Villa is where the Gap Students live in Costa Rica. The photos from top to bottom are 1) the Sophy Muller quiet room, 2) laundry area, 3) kitchen, 4) class room/dinning area and 5) back yard. They only have two more weeks before the Christmas break. Pray for safe travel home and a Christ filled Christmas!

Update from CR

2008-09-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

READ THE UPDATE FROM AMY, THE RA (RESIDENT ASSISTANT) IN COSTA RICA: I have included a few pictures of some of the happenings over the last couple of weeks. Independence Day celebrations downtown last week were a lot of fun for all of us. We were able to experience a lot of the culture of Costa Rica with lantern walks, parades, and typical dress. This past Monday we celebrated our first group of birthdays with a Toga party! Yes, it was as hilarious as it sounds! Everyone dressed in their own version of a toga and we had cake and ice cream and played several rounds of musical chairs! (It's amazing the things that you enjoy when you have nothing else!)

God is continuing to show Himself! We are having many wonderful opportunities to work with the youth groups here in some of the local churches. This weekend we will be with a youth group working at an orphanage and also working in a nursing home.

Gap Student Orientation

2008-09-10T17:24:00.000-07:00

This photo shows the right side of the Gap Year Costa Rica class of 2009. The students who just arrived in Costa Rica this week are from 12 different states (NC, GA, TN, Al, IL, IA, MN, NY, VA, WV, KY, OH). Having spent the past few days with the students, I feel confident that it is going to be an incredible year of learning, growing, adventure and ministry. It is your prayers and support that is making it possible for these students to experience this awesome oportunity.

GY Graduates 2008 quotes

2008-08-01T15:20:00.000-07:00

David:…the maturity that I got from being with so many people with different personalities. I’m also very happy about learning the language. I worked in Lo Guido and loved every second of it. Above all…I give all glory and honor to God!

Blake: I would say the single largest blessing would be my Costa Rican family I stayed with. They have both helped me grow spiritually and with my Spanish. Also the people in the churches and our teachers have been a huge blessing.

Heather: I have made so many wonderful and lifelong memories this year. Being a part of a Costa Rican church and just building relationships with the ticos has been a wonderful blessing. The excursions that we went on as a group were a lot of fun. I have grown a lot spiritually and as a person. I will never forget the friends I’ve made…we are so much like a family.

Brittanie: I’ve really loved this year in Costa Rica. Its been a huge life-changing event…Being able to go and learn about a family and be totally in the culture. The time in Guacimo taught me to be thankful and learn that the world is bigger than just my life. During that time is when I learned a lot of my Spanish because they didn’t speak English. Another thing is the great relationships that were made.

Brittanie: This year has been a wonderful experience for me. I enjoyed all the trips to the beach and rainforest. I love seeing everything in the country. I am going to tell the people I talk to about tall my culture shock.

Paul: I was able to go from not knowing any Spanish to being able to talk to anyone. Being able to do ministry in Guanacaste with my church. Learning from Noel and Mary.

Alex: I’ve really enjoyed getting to know everyone hear, within the group as well as with the Ticos. I’ve made friendships that I will never forget here. I have enjoyed all the trips and the experiences that we have shared together. God has really touched my heart and my life in this time here in Costa Rica.

Dannett: Ministry time at the park talking to homeless people and really sharing to them what I believe. The times with everyone just getting to know them and hanging out with them. The times I spent at the villa and really getting in the Word for hours and prayer time.

Gap Students Costa Rica 2008

2008-07-13T06:08:00.000-07:00

A few of the students just finished breakfast and we were heading out to ministry. I was able to spend three very productive days getting to hear the hearts of the students and talk about their "what's next" plans for when they return to the states. Eight of the students have plans to go to college this fall. Three of those students will major in spanish. They all translated for the mission teams that came down the week of graduation. They were awesome! We saw over 1000 people saved that week. Praise the Lord!

The Condrey's

2008-07-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

God has clearly blessed and called us to equip and mobilize young people to the nations. Natalie and I were married on Feb. 14th, 1981 (27 years ago). It is hard to believe that we have been married 27 years. We have seven wonderful children, Seth and Candace are married and have their own families and ministries. We could not be more pleased at God's blessings in their lives. We have three incredible grandchildren and two on the way.
The photo above shows the five youngest, from left to right, Nathaniel - 15 yrs old, Taylor - 17 yrs old, Jonathan - 20 yrs old, Isaac (in front of Jonathan) - 9 yrs old and Hannah - 12 yrs old. All of our children are saved and following Christ. Natalie and I have no great joy than to hear that our children are walking in truth (III John 4).

Vision for Global Year

2008-07-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago I read a study that 85% of churched teenagers graduate high school and leave the church. After hearing this statement, I began to pray and pursue opportunities to make a difference. Eight years ago Pastor Johnny Hunt challenged me to send high school graduates to a bi-lingual bible institute in Argentina. That same year, I sent nine graduates from Siloam Baptist Church, where I was serving as youth pastor, (today, 5 of the 9 are in full time ministry and 8 of the 9 are faithfully attending their church). Since then, almost 300 students have been to the bi-lingual bible institute in Argentina.
Four years ago, Ron Bishop and I started a Gap Year Ministry through Score International. The first year we mobilized five students to Costa Rica to learn Spanish, immerse them in cross-cultural training and ministry. Since then we've sent over 100 students to Costa Rica. The Lord put in our hearts the vision to mobilize and equip 10,000 young people to reach the nations.
The last seven years of serving as College and Missions Pastor at FBCW has been awesome. God has given us the privilege to serve now as a missionary out of FBCW with ministries like Score International, Operation Mobilization, Pioneers, Daybreak Development, Build the Nations and many others. We are currently mobilizing young people to the nations through Global Year, Inc.