if you want to walk on the water, you have to get out of the boat

July 13, 2004

and so the six-week journey begins. i'll be away for a missions trip with CTI music ministries from july 13th - august 25th. weekly updates can be found on the CTI website about what's going on with our team: http://www.ctimusic.org/index2.htm

below is my prayer letter.

It is my joy and privilege to inform you of my upcoming mission trip with
CTI Music Ministries from July13th to August 25th, 2004. The first two weeks
will be spent meeting my nine team members and training (learning songs,
etc) with them in Willmar, MN (CTI HQ) and the remainder of the trip will be
spent doing ministry work (mostly concerts) in five different Carribbean
Islands. We will be 'island-hopping' over the course of our 4 weeks on tour
in the Caribbean. We will be going to the Cayman Islands, Barbados, Grenada,
St. Vincent and Antigua. When we get there, we will be joining up with
Donovan Thomas who is the National Director of Youth For Christ/Jamaica.
Donovan and the YFC are putting on youth conferences dealing with subjects
such as suicide, abortion among others and we will be a part of those
conferences in some way, either leading worship or doing concerts or
whatever it is that they need us to do.

Who is CTI?
CTI is an organization that sends music teams of young people overseas to
share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with youth through contemporary music. They
are an associate ministry of Youth for Christ International and have been in
existence for over twenty years. We will be working with a partner ministry
already established in the country we visit who will be responsible for the
follow-up of new Christians after we leave.

Why CTI?
The mission of CTI to reach the lost through contemporary music really
resonates with my heart. Music ministry is a huge passion of mine. It's one
ministry that I truly get excited about and a ministry that I believe God
has gifted me in. So to partner with CTI this summer is truly a blessing and
I am excited for all the things that God will do through us. I am supposed
to be the bassist for this trip.

How can you help?
I am sending you this letter to ask you for your prayer support, for my team
and I and for the people of the Caribbean. We are looking for intercessors
that will make a commitment to pray for us, either daily or whenever
possible. Our prayer items are as follows:

Personal prayer items
. Healing and strength to my hands, wrists, forearms and elbows, In late
January, I developed RSI [repetitive strain injury] in my left hand and in
June in my right hand as well. RSI causes pain in the affected areas [ie. in
the hands, back in the fingertips, in the wrists, etc.] and as a result I
cannot perform a lot of activities that I used to do, including bass
playing. Recently, I discovered that I had developed tennis elbow in both
arms as a result of misguided advice from my physiotherapist. I have tried
everything humanly possible over the past few months get my hands back into
shape. One might ask how I can participate in music, ministry if I can't
play bass? According to my doctor, he believes that I can play bass for
about thirty minutes to one-hour, but this is just theoretical. I'll see
when I get to CTI headquarters. In the case that I cannot play, CTI knows of
my situation and will allow me to do other things. Despite all of this, I
know God has called me to this trip this year and am excited to see what He
will do. I have struggled endlessly with RSI over the past few months and
debating whether or not I should go on this trip, but God had affirmed with
me time and time again that I am to go. Perhaps God may heal me, or He might
not. In any case, I am simply responding to His call, whether I am able to
play bass or not.
. Not be a stumbling block to the rest of my team. As stated before, because
of my injury I cannot do a lot of activities so I need to rely on my team to
help me do a lot of things (like lift things, move things, etc.). Because of
this, I don't want my other team members wishing that someone else went.
. My health. I currently have some kind of sinus cold and have been
recovering for about two weeks now - hopefully fully recovered for the trip
. That I wouldn't get too home sick - I have never been away from my family
for such a long period of time
. Time to prepare for my upcoming school year - I need to bring some work
with me so that I can submit a proposal the first week of school (this is
required from all fourth year students)

General prayer items
. team unity (none of us have ever met before and considering that we will
be together for six weeks, unity is of utmost importance)
. Quick adjustment to the hot weather in the Caribbean (temperatures like
that are difficult for anybody, but especially for me since my body doesn't
handle hot whether very well) as well as the environment of the Caribbean
(bugs, food, etc.)
. Sensitivity to the culture of the people in the Caribbean
. Love - that we would be able to demonstrate the love of God through our
actions and words to each other and the people that we meet
. for the hearts of the people that we meet, for open mindedness towards the
Gospel
. protection against any spiritual attacks that might come our way
. for our mental and physical health, that we would remain healthy for the
duration of the trip
. for our team leaders, Cindy Detmar and Steve Schmalz - for wisdom,
leadership and discernment
. for God to bring glory to Himself through our team

Thank you
I cannot wait to see all that God will do this summer through this ministry.
Thank you for your support and partnership!

Yours in Christ,

Leo Chan