LeavingFootprintsinNations

Thefutureisverybright!Iknow;youveheardtheoldclichcountlesstimes.Bynow,itsprobablylostits
punch. But, this time its so true! Proclaiming those words reveal the global impact weve seen, heard,
andexperienced.Whatsourbasis?Well,BrotherandSisterHowell,SisterPoitrasandIhaveexperienced
firsthandNextSteps2014,AYCSriLanka(Howells),andAYCGhana(Poitrases),andweassureyouthe
futureisverybright.(Theoldclichstrikesagain!)Wecantellbylookingatthenoteworthycaliberand
characterofparticipantsintheseprogramsthatwerubbedshoulderswith,prayedwith,interactedwith,
andsawinactionreachingtheirworld.TheyloveGod,lovepeople,andloveeachother.
Our general director and his wife, Brother and Sister Howell joined our
general youth president and his wife, Brother and Sister Michael Ensey
with the twentyfive participants in the AYC group in Sri Lanka. Brother
Howellwasoverwhelmedwiththeyoungpeopleastheysharedhowtheir
trip impacted, challenged, and changed their livesfor eternity. Life
challenging!
Then, Brother Howell
traveled on to the Next
StepsPrograminprogressin
Togo, West Africa. There,
twelve Next Steppers, and
four AIMers (along with three missionary families), Africa
regional director and his wife, Brother and Sister
Richardson, with Sister Poitras and I, were involved in the
three weeks of crosscultural and intercultural studies,
which is followed by five weeks of extensive practical
experience. Pentecost Kids Crusades were held several
weekends.Already,atthetimeofthiswriting,overninety
have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Five were
baptizedinJesusname.Anotherhighlightoftheprogramwasavisittoalocalorphanagewithmorethan
sixtyfivekids.Lifechanging!

NextStepsGhana(Above)
BrotherHowellinAltarServiceinTogo(Below)

HereiswhatoneoftheNextStepsparticipants,CourtneyBoyd,saidinhermonthlylettertome,Atthe
altarcall,wewereallprayingforkids,butthenIneededtostepawaybecauseIgotalittleoverwhelmed
andclaustrophobic.Isteppedwithmybackagainstthewalls,akabambootiedtogether,andclosedmy
eyestobeginpraying.Allofasudden,God'sreverentandholypresenceovertookmeandIwastrulylost
inHim,andIfelldownonmyknees.
Forsomereason,IrememberopeningupmyeyesrealquicklyandrightwhenIlookedupIlockedeyes
withthislittlegirl.Shewasafewrowsawayonherkneespraying,andassoonaswemadeeyecontacta
tearstreameddownherface.Imotionedforhertocomeover.Soshegotonherkneesbesideme,hands
raised,andIbeganprayingoverher.Then,prayingledtotravail.NextthingIknew,herheadwasnuzzled
in myside,andshewasspeakingin tonguesandbawling.I'llneverforget that.EVER.I don'tknow her
name,butI'llalwaysrememberherandthatmomentGodgaveus.Thisplacehashumbledmesomuch
morethanmeresyllablesorwordscouldeverportray.Irefuse,absolutelyrefuse,togohomethesame.
Lifeimpacting!

BrotherHowellandBrotherKofiMawusiPreachingtheHouseDown

WeleftBrotherHowellandourmissionaryteamwith
the group, after program graduation, and rushed to
Ghanatomeetwiththefiftyyoungpeoplethatwere
partofAYCGhanaworkingwiththeNickSiscofamily.
On that Friday night, we listened intently to young
people as they shared their experiences. One young
lady said, I came to Africa thinking it needed me.
WhatIfoundwasIneededAfrica!Inthepreviousfew
days twentyone had received the Holy Ghost. A
security guard at one of the hotels was witnessed to
byoneoftheyoungpeople.Heagreedtobebaptized
inthehotelswimmingpoolinthemiddleofthenight.
TheBookofActslivesonintheactionsofhundredsof
youngpeopletravelingoverseaseachsummer.Infact,
AYCisexperiencingtheirhighestenrolmenteverthis
year.Itcontinuestoclimbeachyear!AddtothatNext
Stepsandthevariousdistrictsthatsendoutteams.

AYCGhanaParticipants(Below)
Apairofnew
shoeswas
presentedasa
goingawaygift
foroneofthe
missionary
wives.The
questionwas
asked,Howdid
youknowmy
size?The
answer,We
foundyour
footprintinthe
sandand
measuredthat.Hundredsofyoungpeoplethissummerhavelefttheirfootprintsinnations,and
nationshavelefttheirmarksonheartsofhundredsofyoungpeople.Lifealtering!
Someoneinthearchivesoftimehassaid,Achurchwithoutyoungpeoplehasnofuture.Achurchwithout
oldpeoplehasnohistory.Thegenerationsbringtogetherourpast,present,andfuture.Historyintersects
withfutureproducingaglorioushopefilleddestiny.Go,GeneralYouthDivision!Go,GlobalMissions!Go,
UnitedPentecostalChurchInternational.Go,takingthewholegospeltothewholeworldbythewhole
church!
AYCGhanaParticipants