I’ve been anticipating this month to arrive and it’s finally has! I am finally in NICARAGUA! You know how you have a special memory with someone in a place and when you return to visit that place, nostalgia gets the best of you? That’s exactly how I’ve felt so far this month in Nicaragua. Jesus and I have so many memories here!
You see, five years ago I came on a mission trip to Granada, Nicaragua with Adventures In Missions for a month. I didn’t know any Spanish nor did I have a desire to even serve in a third-world Spanish speaking country (I hated Spanish in high school!) but I felt the Lord leading me here so I came.
It was Nicaragua where the Lord gave me a love for the Latin Culture
It was Nicaragua where the Lord gave me a desire to be a missionary somewhere in Latin America.
It was Nicaragua where the Lord gave me a passion to start learning Spanish in order to tell these beautiful people the Gospel of Christ in Words and not just actions.
It was Nicaragua where the Lord captured my heart! (I was in a tree where I had been asking for a tangible love encounter with the Lord. The Kim Walker version of How He Loves came on. She started speaking and while she was speaking I felt a WHOOSH and butterflies in my stomach knowing “The Lord Loves! Jesus really loves me!” I started crying and became overwhelmed with love and joy)
Needless to say, I was excited to return.
While I was on the bus in Nicaragua, I took a break from reading Redeeming Love (READ THIS BOOK!) I looked out the window and it was dark. The stars in the sky were so beautiful! Our destination was Managua, the capital. I listened to some music and then looked back out the window and started seeing buildings and then I saw two teenage girls about ready to cross the street. My heart filled with joy. Nicaraguans! Then as we were passing the buildings all connected together with their doors wide open, lights on, people sitting in their rocking chairs just enjoying one another’s company so many memories came back to me from my time in Granada! Then I heard the Lord say:
“Remember this Allie?
Remember it was here where I gave you a love for the Latin Culture?
Remember it was here where I gave you a desire to be a missionary somewhere in Latin America?
Remember it was here where I gave you a passion to start learning Spanish?
Remember it was here where I captured your heart in that tree?!?”
I had a smile of content while still looking out the window seeing these beautiful people and this beautiful place and whispered out loud, “Yes Lord, I remember…except for one thing… this place is Managua, not Granada…”
Then the bus worker came by shouting “Pasajeros de Granada!” (Granada Passengers!) I perked up, repeated in my head what he had said, looked out the window and thought “This really IS the place where it was all started! This is Granada!!” Tears of joy started to come out and I started thanking the Lord for that special moment
Gosh, God is faithful! Five years ago is when this all started and now five years later I have earned a Spanish minor, graduated college, lived and taught as a missionary in Colombia for a year and now am a missionary traveling to 11 latin countries in 11 months sharing the Gospel of Christ not just with actions but WORDS as well!
I don’t think I can say this enough. GOD IS FAITHFUL.
This month on the race has been by far the most primitive and secluded.
-sleeping in our tents
-have no running water…only a pump
-25 minute walk away from our ministry sites
-a portable gas stove is our kitchen
-45 bus ride to the nearest grocery store
-bucket showers/bathing in the river
I absolutely love it! I seriously feel like the Lord is constantly hugging me and giving me reminders of how much he loves me. Also, when I look at these people sometimes I just start crying because it was THEM that gave me the love for latin america!
Thus far our ministry has been helping at a preschool, feeding programs, and playing soccer with the local kids. I love this simple life and getting to talk and know the locals.
This whole month I hear the Lord saying, “Remember this? Remember how I brought you here? Look at my faithfulness, soak it in, and keep on going! I’ve got big plans for you!”
