CBC Students Bring the Love of God to Belize

CBC-Colorado students performing a Jesus-centered drama at a boys' prison in Belize. (Click to enlarge)In January, ten second-year students from Charis Bible College in Colorado journeyed to the Central American nation of Belize for a mission trip. The team, led by Charis instructors, Dan and Penny Funkhouser, was hosted by full-time missionaries, Craig and Tina Rumbley, the Co-Directors of the CBC-extension school in Belize. The Colorado team spent a week with the Rumbleys and their students ministering in local venues.

The Colorado team participated in door-to-door evangelism, ministered to children in an elementary school, visited a prison for teens and spent time ministering to patients in a local hospital. Student ministering live on the radio in Belize. (Click to enlarge)In addition, the team also enjoyed the opportunity to minister at the Bible school, and on a secular radio station.

CBC-Colorado student, Cindy Pearson, was right at home ministering in Belize, and based on the lives she was able to touch it would seem the Lord had ordered her steps. Cindy has spent the past two years as a CBC student, but for the ten-and-half years prior to her arrival in Colorado Springs, she lived and worked in China. On the ground in Belize, Cindy had more than one opportunity to minister to Chinese residents in the area.

For Cindy, one of the most touching moments Shop owner Li Lian and CBC student, Cindy Pearson. (Click to enlarge)of the trip was her encounter with a local shop owner, a Chinese woman named, Li Lian. When Cindy entered Li Lian's shop, which was located in a poor, crime-ridden neighborhood, she was surprised by the extensive security gates and iron bars protecting the goods in the shop; the only unguarded area was the immediate entry into the store. During Cindy's brief visit, Li Lian shared that her family had moved away, and she was all alone. Feeling compassion for the shop owner, Cindy told her that God loved her. Cindy could tell that her simple words had penetrated the woman's heart. She asked Li Lian how she felt, and Li Lian responded by saying no one had ever told her that before. After praying for Li Lian, Cindy said she CBC student, Rick McFarland, with Duncan, a new creation in Christ!
(Click to enlarge)wished she could hug her. In the blink of an eye, Li Lian grabbed the keys, unlocked the security bars and came out to give Cindy a big hug. Simply sharing a few words and an embrace with Li Lian let her know God's love for her was real.

During the team's last day of ministry in Belize, they split up into smaller groups and ministered in a nursing home and to patients in a hospital. Colorado student, Rick McFarland, led a person to the Lord in each place. At the nursing home, Rick and his small group of students ministered the gospel to an elderly man named, Duncan. After listening attentively to the gospel, Duncan said the he had never received Christ and chose to do it at that moment. Afterwards, when asked how he felt, Duncan said he Louisa's face before Jesus.
(Click to enlarge)felt "clean." When Rick's group visited the hospital, they talked with a young, teenage girl named, Louisa. As Louisa was waiting for surgery she, like Duncan before her, listened attentively as Rick shared the gospel. And, like Duncan, she received Jesus as her Savior. "As she was receiving Christ, her face lit up and a smile came to her face. We had two extremes that day; one elderly man, now ready to pass over to heaven, and another prepared for a lifelong ministry for the Lord. Louisa's face after receiving Jesus. (Click to enlarge)Praise God!" exclaimed Rick.

Who came away from these missionary experiences with more blessing, those being ministered to or the students doing the work of the ministry; it's hard to tell. One thing is for sure, God was honored and each person has a testimony to share for His glory.

CBC Colorado Students Minister in Belize

CBC team leader, Dr. Delron Shirley (left), stands with Craig Rumbley, Director of CBC-Belize, as they minister to a local man dressed in aboriginal tribal array. The man makes a living having his picture taken with tourists. (Click to enlarge)In February, Charis Bible College-Colorado sent its fifth team of second-year students on to the mission field. This team, led by CBC Instructors and missionaries, Dr. Delron and Peggy Shirley, went to Belize and were hosted by full-time missionaries, Craig and Tina Rumbley, the Co-Directors of CBC-Belize. During the week, the Rumbleys provided the students with many opportunities to experience hands-on ministry. Regardless of the type of outreach, the students had many unique chances to share God's unconditional love with the people of Belize.

The team spent one morning walking through the city distributing free sandwiches and ministering to the homeless in the alleyways and in the city park. While ministering in the park, the team encountered an elderly man named, Gilbert; he was sitting on a tree stump. He had spent much of his adult life in the United States, but had come back to his native Belize in his retirement years. Through a series of events Gilbert had wound up alone. When the students met him, they asked how he was doing. His response was, “Well, I’m not doing as well as you are.” Jeanne praying for and laying hands on the sick.
(Click to enlarge)During the conversation that followed, Gilbert mentioned that he was trying to stop smoking but just couldn’t kick the habit. One of the students, Jeanne DuBoise, asked if he was born again, and Gilbert responded that he was and told the team which church he attended. Knowing that it was a Bible-believing, evangelical church, they knew that Gilbert understood what they were sharing with him. Then Jeanne asked him if he had been baptized in the Holy Spirit, and he responded that he had not. She explained some of the Scriptures about the Holy Spirit baptism and then asked him to join her in singing a worship song. As Jeanne sang, she shifted into worshipping in the spirit—in unknown tongues. Immediately, Gilbert was also speaking in a heavenly language! When the team walked away to minister to others, they were confident that Gilbert was now free from the power that had held him and that he now had a new source of victory.CBC-Colorado student, Marcelo Duarte, speaking in front of a group at a prison in Belize. (Click to enlarge)

During a hospital visitation the team went to various wards and had many opportunities to minister to patients and their families. As they ministered, they shared the message of the completeness of Jesus' work; salvation, healing and the message of deliverance from fear that often attacks those suffering. As the team prayed, they saw new hope and peace manifest on all the people's faces. Some patients showed visible signs of healing in their bodies. "One gentleman, for example, was unconscious—almost comatose—as we began ministering to him and his family. However, as we moved to the next bed to minister to another patient, we heard some excitement around his bed and looked back to see the patient talking and CBC-Colorado's Belize 2012 mission team. (Click to enlarge)laughing with his family," said Delron.

CBC-Colorado student, Marcelo Duarte, had this to share as he reflected on his time in Belize, "God was faithful in confirming all that He had spoken in our lives (Marcelo and his wife Sandra). We were able to minister on different occasions and in different settings and were blessed to see the signs and miracles follow the Word proclaimed. Thank you Jesus."

CBC Colorado Sends Team to Belize

CBC Colorado recently sent a mission team to serve in Belize. (Click to enlarge)Craig and Tina Rumbley, Co-Directors of Charis Bible Institute (CBI) in Belize recently hosted a mission team from CBC Colorado. The nine-person team led by CBC instructors, Lawson and Barbara Perdue, spent a week with the Rumbleys ministering and sharing the unconditional love and grace of God with the people of the small Central American nation.

While on the ground in Belize, the team had the opportunity to minister in a variety of settings. They participated in door-to-door evangelism, hospital visitation, and visited an Evangelical elementary school as well as a youth hostel (a prison for teens). The CBC team shared the Gospel with elementary school children.
(Click to enlarge)In addition, the team was thrilled with the opportunity to minister at three churches, the Bible School, and on a secular radio station.

“Great seeds were planted during this trip. We saw walls come down that we have been working against and praying against for a long time. The students were such a blessing,” Tina explained.

One former Mennonite pastor, whom the Rumbleys have been working with for two years now, experienced a breakthrough in his legalistic mind-set while listening to the CBC students' testimonies and Lawson’s teaching on grace from the book of Galatians. He came forward at the end of the service to share his heart transformation. The team was able to minister to the children after the service. Here the boy in the orange stripes is receiving Christ as he prays with CBC student Mark Anthony. (Click to enlarge)“Hallelujah!” Tina said, “We had been telling this pastor the same thing for two years, but when Lawson spoke, his heart was softened and he repented! Praise God. We believe his church will grow in a new direction now!”

While at the youth hostel the CBC team ministered to teens charged with murder, theft, and rape; kids in desperate need of God’s unconditional love. The missionaries and the CBI-Belize students spent some time doing skits and sharing the Gospel, and then followed up their presentations with questions. If the kids were willing to answer the team's questions, they were rewarded with pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. The team had the opportunity to minister in a youth hostel (a prison for teens). There they saw the Word of God melt the hearts very troubled kids. (Click to enlarge)Following the group meeting, the prisoners were ministered to one-on-one, and some received Jesus as their Lord. Some of the teens were given Bibles, but many more were requested than the missionaries had available. Later in the week the team went back to the hostel to deliver Bibles for all who had asked for one.

A CBC-Colorado student named, Mary Jane, shared a highlight from her time at the youth hostel, where she was able to minister to a young man approximately seventeen-years-old. He shared an experience where he had been trying to get away from the police by swimming across an alligator infested canal. As he swam he realized he wasn't going to make it across, and he cried out, CBC students and team leader, Lawson (blue shirt) prayed for many during their visit to Belize. (Click to enlarge)“If there is a God, please save me!” The boy gained stregnth and energy and got across to the other side unharmed. He asked Mary if she thought it was truly God who saved him. As Mary ministered to him about the unconditional love of God, the young man decided he wanted to receive Jesus as His Savior and be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Praise God!

At the elementary school, another CBC-student, Mickey sat outside and ate lunch while the children played. A seven-year-old girl came and sat down next to him and smiled. Loice smiled back and prayed in tongues over the girl. Some of the young ladies at the elementary school. (Click to enlarge)When the bell rang to go inside, Loice told the little girl that Jesus loves her, and the girl hugged him and then ran off to her class. “There is a saying, ‘preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words,’” Mickey said.

During door-to-door evangelism, Craig and several CBC Colorado students were able to pray for a very weak, sickly man. He lived in a small, dark and dirty shack and was lying on a bed made from a wooden shelf. The following Sunday, the man showed up at church with his mother, and he appeared to be much stronger and healthier.

The Belize trip was a fantastic display of God’s unconditional love. The CBC mission team, Craig and Tina and their students, were all abundantly blessed by sharing the nearly-too-good-to-be-true-news of the Gospel, and seeing the lives transformed by its power.