Page 5 - News Spring-Summer 2025
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It occurred to me at the time that I ought to speak to had simmered down but I then needed to opt out due to
either Chris or to the Executive Director Iain Mair about family circumstances. In 2024, Graham Beckett (National
what I’d felt. However, I did what so many of us do; the President) asked me if I would like to join him and the
stiff upper lip came out and I told nobody, probably team in Chile, November 2024 and again I said “Yes,
not even Sarah. I’d figured that a) I’m not well travelled please!” After all, it had finally come back around full
and getting on a plane by myself was a disaster waiting circle.
to happen, b) assuming I’d boarded the right plane I How did you feel about applying, were you nervous,
would no doubt be a useless witness for the Lord when
I got there and c) these sorts of things are best left to excited?
the members who I’d come to know over the years and I had a mixture of nervousness and excitement as I
admired; GO Trips were surely not for someone who completed the application form. I admit there was
stuffed things into padded envelopes and prayed it some nonchalance too as I had half expected that
arrived at its destination (for I worked in the Stores some event might occur meaning the trip would be
at that time). cancelled, or that my GP would recommend against
the trip upon reviewing my records when I sent
Anyway, it was several weeks, maybe a couple of months, over the medical release form. As I read through the
afterward when I was working away in the Stores staring
at the wall calendar at all the numerous appointments application questions, each time there was a part of
me thinking “can I actually do this?” and that perhaps
that lie ahead when Iain Mair came in to see me. He ShareWord Global would review the application and
said, “how would you feel about going on a mission think I’m not made of the right stuff.
trip?” Immediately I felt that even though I had kept
my Moldova feelings to myself, God had actioned them How did you feel when you knew you had been
regardless. Without considering everything mentioned accepted to attend the trip?
above, I just said “Yes please!” When I received the acceptance email I thought “have
Later down the line Iain told me that the trip was to be they made a mistake?" Once that had passed, I felt
in Chile, November 2019. Sadly, the trip didn’t go ahead happy and excited because I knew a team of us were
and was cancelled considering the protests and riots going to an unfamiliar place with the intention of
happening at the time within Santiago, which would have spreading the Good News of Jesus and seeing God at
been our base. So, I aimed instead for Peru, early 2020 work through us and at work in the nation of Chile.
which ended up being cancelled for obvious reasons! What preparations were required in the months
We then aimed for Serbia, mid 2023 which was cancelled leading up to the trip? Did you receive any training
due to a tragic shooting in a Belgrade school. It all started in advance of the trip?
to become something of a running joke that whatever
trip I had planned to attend was inevitably going to be ShareWord Global (SWG) were very helpful right
cancelled simply due to my presence. We aimed again from the beginning. In terms of the practicalities,
for Serbia late 2023 after national tensions and concerns they provided a check-list to all trip participants. In
terms of what to expect during the GO Trip itself we
received a copy of one of SWG’s booklets “GO Trip
Guide – International Edition”; this runs to 138 pages
I THOUGHT “HAVE THEY and contains lots of preparatory advice pre-trip.
MADE A MISTAKE?" As our focus is to make connections with people and
to chat about the Gospel message, knowing Jesus in a
personal way and spending time in prayer in the run
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