Chris Chandler

Hello and welcome to Team Bangladesh 2010's Blog! My name is Chris Chandler and I am one of the ten members of Team Bangladesh. I'm so pumped to see how God is going to use our words and actions to speak to the people of Bangladesh/Nepal!

A little information about myself...

I'm a sophomore Business Administration major, Biblical Studies minor.
I'm from a suburb outside of Chicago called Hoffman Estates.

I have an older sister, Emily, and two wonderful parents, Ron and Connie.

I am on the APU Men's Club Volleyball team.

I'm going to be a Resident Advisor next year for the freshmen men in Engstrom Hall!

These past couple of months have been quite the adventure. I'm amazed at how things have panned out and how blessed I am to be serving with this team. Our two leaders, Corinne and Justin, have been nothing short of amazing and I can honestly say that I love getting to know every member on this team.

Something I have been learning since being on Team Bangladesh is how often we put God in a box. Who are we to say what God can and cannot do? He created the universe and yet we still question him. It is this "philosophy" that I now have of God. God is not limited to our own human constrictions. God is God and we are not and with this understanding, anything is possible.

With that being said, I believe that we are going to be blown away by what God is going to do with us. I believe that people will be healed, miracles will happen, and people will come to know Jesus. By the time we leave Bangladesh/Nepal, we will have seen God move in ways that seem absolutely illogical to the human mind. BUT, we are still in need of your prayers!

Prayer Requests

• That God would use us to speak to the people of Bangladesh/Nepal
  
• That we would focus and rely on God for strength


• That the people of Bangladesh/Nepal would be receptive of our message


• That we would unite as a team under one purpose-to bring the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth
  

Thanks so much for following our trip and I cannot wait to tell everyone what God is doing!

-Chris

Lizzee Leslie

Hi my name is Elizabeth (Lizzee) Leslie and I am extremely fortunate to be a member of Team Bangladesh. I am both thrilled and terrified as to what is going to come, but I know that God is calling my team and we are here to answer.

Let me tell you a little about myself:

I am a freshman Political Science/Pre-Law major at Azusa Pacific University and I am loving it!

I grew up in the wonderful rainy state of Washington

My family consists of the two most amazing parents Christie and Laurence, two older sisters Candice and Anna, and a younger brother Spencer ( and four dogs.)

Doing a mission trip has always been in the back of my mind, something that I have often "thought" of doing but never really something I would act upon. But something changed in me, I don't feel as if I was "called" to join a team and I certainly didn't just wake up one morning and say "I am signing up for a team today!". So what was the reason for my decision to go? A broken heart, my heart was broken for victims of sex trafficking, my heart was broken for a country and its people that I knew very little about. For my heart to be broken like that was completely new to me and I couldn't just ignore it. Unlike others God didn't call me to go, He broken my heart so badly that I didn't have a choice but to go.

But this trip isn't about going and "helping" these people, it is about working along side them in hope of creating a better life for them, simply we are there to serve them in anyway we can. This trip is one that will change my life, I don't know how but I know that it will. This is going to be a long, sometimes hard and sad journey and I want to share it with you.

Smile Big,

Lizzee

Justin Blomgren

Jus·tin (jus′tin)

noun

a masculine name

It is of Latin origin, and its meaning is "just,upright, righteous".

I am a leader for Team Bangladesh. With a mixture of great success and great failure, I am one who has tried to live a life that has lived up to the meaning of my name. Human trafficking is an issue that has captivated my heart for the past six years, and I have made it my life goal to make some sort of dent in this global crisis. Leading this team is an attempt to continue my aspiration to move past comfort and challenge myself to think beyond an egocentric lifestyle.

In the words of my hero Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility"

I currently work as a Residence Director for Smith Hall, an all male freshman dormitory at Azusa Pacific University. I am a man of simple pleasures: Reading, discussing, running, painting, cycling, and kayaking.

Angela

Hello Everyone!
My name is Angela Lucero and I have been blessed by being placed on team Bangladesh with these nine other amazing people. I'm a freshman global studies major here at APU, and I am absolutely loving it. This has been a year of transition, to say the least, but the Lord has truly blessed me through it. I have an amazing family who is behind me 1000% and lives in the bay area. It has been hard being away from them, but they are so excited for me and this trip.

This missions trip to Bangladesh will be my first intensive missions trip as well as my first time out of the country. I'm beyond excited to dive into a new culture and to see and be a part of what God is doing over there. My prayer is that through this trip the Lord will change me and break my heart for what breaks his. I cannot wait for this trip. I have already been so blessed and learned so much from my team and the Lord, and we haven't even left the United States yet! Thank you so much for your prayers and support. I really appreciate it.

Prayer requests:
-that the Lord will coninue uniting us as a team
- for the people of Bangladesh
-for His presence in our lives as well as Bangladesh

God Bless,
Angela

Eddy

HELLO I am a part of Team Bangladesh! I love this team and I am excited that my life is parallel with these amazing people at this moment and that we will go together to serve the people of Bangladesh.First let me introduce myself my name is Eddy Martinez and I am a Psychology major i have one more year left at Apu. After this i plan on doing something more globally minded or stay back and work towards my counseling degree. I have grown up in the church and this will be my first intensive mission. I am an Resident Advisor here at Apu and I am having a blast with it. I currently am just getting ready for this trip and finishing the semester off.

I am really excited for this trip and i pray that God will just use me to the fullest and that i will gain a globally minded perspective. On our trip we are working from poor people with a Mother Theresa organization to children who have been subjected to trafficking or are at risk. This definitely will be hard to see and experience on the trip. For me, to look into there eyes and see a reflection of pain and hurt that people have caused them will open my eyes to these things but it will also renew my perspectives. I want to gain a more self-less attitude and be able to speak for these people who cant. I also cant do anything other than be excited that i will spend this time with a wonderful team that is awesome and amazing in every way.

Prayer requests

• God will use us and be the center of our work in Bangladesh.
• We will be vulnerable and bond with each other as a team, so that no outside obstacles will hinder us from our work.
• We will come back changed and Globally minded.
• The people of Bangladesh that we come in contact with will be engulfed with Gods love and compassion when we are done with our work there.

With love,

Eddy

CALLEE!

Hello Hello!

My name is Callee Maria Jaques and I'm so blessed to be on this team! But before I brag about how great they are, a bit about me. I'm from Chino, CA where my wonderful family has a dairy farm. I have an older sister, brother-in-law, and two older brother that I adore... most of the time :) My parents are pretty awesome too. Love you all! I've grown up in a Catholic home that has shaped my beliefs and outlook on life. I'm finishing up my junior year/second year in the nursing program. I keep myself busy with hospital rotations, studying like crazy, soccer intramural, position as a Campus Life Intern, and now preparing for this amazing mission.

This is my first mission and second time being out of the country. I'm excited to experience a new culture and see the work God is doing there. The amazing organizations we are assisting is what pulled me into this trip. Mother Teresa led a selfless, Christ-centered life and seeing the mark she left in Bangladesh will be unforgettable. The terrible world of sex-trafficking has become more apparent to me these last few years. It breaks my heart that women and children are subjected to this life all over the world. It will be an honor to work alongside the men and women that dedicate their lives to rescuing them.

And I couldn't see myself sharing this experience with any other group of people. I LOVE MY TEAM! God has given us a strong foundation of unique gifts and selfless passion. I am confident in our team, confident in this mission, and confident in the plans He has for us!

Prayer Requests:
-Keep Christ the focus in this trip
-Learn how to communicate His love to the people of Bangladesh and Nepal
-Financial support (THANKS TO ALL THE SPONSORS)
-Being culturally competent, in other words, not making an idiot of myself in another country


With love,

Callee

Miss Corinne

Hello!

My name is Corinne Paget & I am co-leading this mission trip to Bangladesh!! I will be graduating in May after three years of college. I am an accounting major and have accepted a position at an accounting firm in Irvine beginning July 19th-- Just weeks after flying home from South East Asia. I grew up in the Church and have been actively involved since a young age. My first overseas mission trip was during the summer of 2007. I traveled to Perth, Australia to help serve alongside WYAM. My other major mission trips include Mexico and Amsterdam. I am from Redding, in Northern California and I am the oldest of 4. I currently am an RA at APU and work at University Relations as the business intern.

The Lord pressed mission leadership on my heart during Missions Chapel. I chatted briefly with Justin at the information meeting, but I didn't know him at that time. I spoke with a mutual friend who later introduced me to Justin on his (the friend, Rory) own accord. I interviewed and everything fell into place. Interviews were phenomenal. Several applicants, including many boys, which I guess is unheard of :) And we found our perfect 8 and ta-da!!

This process has been life changing already. I absolutely adore everyone on my team members.

The Lord's hand is obvious in every area of our team and our plans. For instance, surprise! We're going to Nepal for 3 weeks :)

Story: Yesterday was my 21st Birthday. The evening prior was our team meeting & they surprised me with flowers, a poster card, and cake! &&& get this, the next day in the middle of my scavenger hunt I was lead to Justin's where an unbelievable painting was waiting just for me. Each color represented a team member & scripture of the importance of each member of the body and I cried :) and I received cards from many of them, so I cried more. Anyways, Justin, Angela, Lizzee, Callee, Taylor, Kyle, Eddy, Stephen, and Chris bless me every time I see them. If I could I would be with them every day all the time. God is just so good to me.

Prayer requests:

• Great, constant communication.
• Wisdom, guidance.
• Acceptance and openness to what has not been experienced before
• Time for Sabbath, prayer, and quality Jesus time.

A little about Me and Team Bangladesh

Hey everyone!!
I’m Kyle Sawyer and for those of you who don’t know me I will introduce myself first as well as than tell you all about our trip!!
I’m a freshman here at APU and I’m a History and Political Science double major. These subjects have been passions of mine for awhile now and I have felt God’s calling into education specifically as a professor of history and so that is my eventual career goal. I also enjoy a good philosophical and political debate! In terms of my history before APU, I’m from Chandler (Queen Creek), Arizona and went to Chandler High School. I was an AP student there and enjoyed my time and feel I gained a great education and foundation for my knowledge from there. My church fellowship in Arizona was Chandler Christian Church which is a non-denominational church with a Wesleyan background.
Now that you know a little more about me I feel I should tell you where my passion for Bangladesh originated. My passion first started at a Christ in Youth camp a couple summers back where we watched a documentary (Baht) about sex-trafficking in Southeast Asia. This documentary deeply impacted me and gave me a fire to help those in such a situation. My next step in this journey was actually an educational one, I began learning more about economics in my high school comparative governments class and we discussed the rising economy of Bangladesh and the hope this has provided the region. This hopefulness is something I believe is an amazing thing but can only be fully realized when coupled with a faith in Jesus Christ. When I than saw the booth for Team Bangladesh at our missions fair, I felt drawn to it and knew that’s where I was called to go and so I applied.
From this I am so excited for how God is going to use us this summer. While many of the details are stilling being ironed out and difficulties have been encountered I know God is doing great things in the region and feel so blessed to be a part of that. Our team I know can’t wait to be a shining light of God’s love to everyone in the region, they will know us by our love.
I have so much more to say but I will leave the rest for further posts but I will also post some (but certainly not all) of our prayer requests.
-Hope for the People of Bangladesh
- A continued spirit of love and joy from God to emanate through us
- Financial support (Thank you so much to all those who have donated so far)
- That we will be well-received by everyone we encounter
- Protection from spiritual, mental, emotional, and even physical dangers which we may encounter
In love,
Kyle Sawyer

Hello All!

Hello beautiful friends and family!

Kemon Aachen? (That means “How are you?” in Bengali) I hope this blog finds you well! I appreciate all your support whether it is in the form of finances, prayer, or encouragement. Praise the Lord, we have raised over 30% of our total financial need! We are so thankful for your love and the opportunity to share our journey this summer with you!


Our team (minus Callee) at the training retreat a couple weekends ago.

For those reading this who don’t know me: I’m Taylor McCord, a Junior Marketing major here at APU. I work in the same office our team is going through, the Office of World Missions (which I absolutely adore) and I hope to one day work for a non-profit. My desire is to use my marketing skills to bring glory to God and help the oppressed and poor in our world. Jesus made these types of people of utmost importance in his ministry on earth and I strive to follow his example. These people must not be forgotten, but that takes people bringing awareness to others and providing them with the means to take action.
I have a passion for traveling and learning about new cultures. I’m so blessed and privileged to have this opportunity to travel to Bangladesh with such an amazing group of people. There’s no mistaking God’s hand in bringing our team together. I am so excited to see where the Lord leads us, and the ways he will, and already is, growing and stretching each of us individually. I can’t wait to meet the people of Bangladesh and Nepal (we will be splitting our time in both places) and hear their hearts and life stories. I hope to be transformed by the new culture I experience. I do not want to come home the same person, returning to my typical, daily routine.
Recently, the Lord has been teaching me patience and the importance of taking time from the busyness of life to just sit with him and listen. I get so caught up in the things I must accomplish throughout the week, that I forget to be still with the Lord. It is so essential to make time to spend with the Lord, as with any other important person in my life. I want to hear his voice and I know he has radical things to tell me.

Love,
Taylor


We love each other and we like to snuggle! :)














Prayer Requests:
-For our team to continue to bond on deeper levels
-For open hearts in both the team and those we will be serving
-To develop spiritually and keep the Word of the Lord close to our hearts and minds

Upcoming Fundraisers:
-Date Night with Team Bangladesh on Sunday, March 21st . http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=333253382335
-April 11th. Warrior Dash. If 25 people volunteer (including the 10 of us), we receive $1,000! http://www.warriordash.com
-A cake walk, dunk tank, and some homemade bracelets in the works… be excited!