Team Abandon left the city of Huehuetenago and safely made it back to Guatemala City where we regrouped with the rest of the June Squad. We spent two days lodging at the local seminary there, waiting for each of the teams to make it back from their ministry sites. It was a heart felt reunion and definitely a much needed time to share the experiences that had occurred within the past weeks. We had originally planned on going directly to our next ministry assignment, but when the news of the political trouble in Honduras surfaced, we had to change our travel plans. The entire June squad rerouted and made our way from Guatemala City to the city of Antigua. Going there truly was a blessing and being there provided some much needed squad debrief, restore & recharge time. What was also great about being in Antigua was that we were able to spend a few days with the October 2008 squad…they are almost finished with their trip (only 2 months to go for them), so we were able to receive a lot of wisdom and encouragement from the seasoned racers, as well as pray and worship together.
When we finally received the OK to travel through Honduras, we packed up our backpacks and we were off again! This month Team Abandon is being paired up with Team Fuego for our month of ministry. I know our team was both excited to be paired up with another group since we spent the last month alone, but at the same time, we were concerned about what living together would look like, since we’ve already become familiar with each of our own little quirks, ways to approach each other, etc-.
Well, after two long days of travel, we finally made it to our destination: Candelaria, Nicaragua. I originally thought we would be in an urban city, but the plans changed. We’re actually in a small rural village just outside the town of Chichigalpa. (Close to city of Leon) This month we’re working with New Song Ministries and living at their ministry/church site. The ministry is headed by Pastor Tommy and his wife Linda. They’ve been running this ministry here for about 7 years. After years of planting churches in North Carolina, God called them here. Working alonside them is an awesome man of God, James Robert who goes by the name Diego. His story is an incredible testimony to the calling of God to serve the people in Nicaragua. His obedience and desire to pour into the lives of the people here has impacted me and my entire team. Stay tuned for more on that story in a future blog! Tommy, Lina and Diego all have such tremendous hearts for serving the community and teaching the message of God’s love and grace, a concept very foreign to so many here.
When we finally received the OK to travel through Honduras, we packed up our backpacks and we were off again! This month Team Abandon is being paired up with Team Fuego for our month of ministry. I know our team was both excited to be paired up with another group since we spent the last month alone, but at the same time, we were concerned about what living together would look like, since we’ve already become familiar with each of our own little quirks, ways to approach each other, etc-.
Well, after two long days of travel, we finally made it to our destination: Candelaria, Nicaragua. I originally thought we would be in an urban city, but the plans changed. We’re actually in a small rural village just outside the town of Chichigalpa. (Close to city of Leon) This month we’re working with New Song Ministries and living at their ministry/church site. The ministry is headed by Pastor Tommy and his wife Linda. They’ve been running this ministry here for about 7 years. After years of planting churches in North Carolina, God called them here. Working alonside them is an awesome man of God, James Robert who goes by the name Diego. His story is an incredible testimony to the calling of God to serve the people in Nicaragua. His obedience and desire to pour into the lives of the people here has impacted me and my entire team. Stay tuned for more on that story in a future blog! Tommy, Lina and Diego all have such tremendous hearts for serving the community and teaching the message of God’s love and grace, a concept very foreign to so many here.
Taylor, Jess & Tiffany planting plantain trees on the ministry site /// Team Fuego & Team Abandon doing life together!!
Working alongside Linda has also been very dear to my heart. She is very much about being led by the Spirit and pursuing Him with everything! She also cares very deeply about the women in the community and desires so much for them to grow in their understanding and wisdom of who their Father is and the love he has for each one of them, uniquely and intimately.
Linda along with one of the other missionaries who is currently serving here, Jesslyn, organized a Women’s Day of Beauty, which we held yesterday. This was an opportunity to invite all of the women in the neighborhood to come out for a day of pampering. In the evening Pastor Tommy gave a message to the women about inner beauty and what God sees as beautiful in a woman…not the outward adornments, whether it be clothing, make up, jewelry, etc, but rather the condition of the woman’s heart. The clothing God desires His chosen, holy and dearly loved women to wear are compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)
Here is a video that my brother Warren from Team Fuego made from the event. Enjoy!
