Various people that I have talked to from home seem confused by the concept of Unsung Hero Month…like they’re not quite sure what it’s about…and what exactly we are doing. So…hopefully after reading this blog, you can say, “Ahhh, now I get it!”
According to AIM, an Unsung Hero is:
Men and women who are dedicated to serving some of the most impoverished populations in the world, yet rarely received recognition for their dedication and service. These givers may also live with meager conditions but give consistently from an abundance of God’s love. Their names may not be in history books, their acts unknown to the rest of the world, while unrecognized, they shake a generation and move a culture and ultimately build the kingdom.”
Our job this month is to find said Unsung Heroes in Nicaragua to help increase the network of contacts for future World Racers, as well as encouraging these ministries, and bringing greater awareness to their efforts for the Kingdom.
Obviously, if we have no specific regions to focus on, there could be a lot of ground to cover in a few weeks. That’s where these two things come in:
Listening Prayer: this activity is exactly what it says it is. You spend time in silence and worship before God, quieting your heart and voice before Him and (you guessed it!!)…listening.
Ask The Lord (ATL): Ask The Lord is basically the same or very similar, but I think the difference between the two is that with ATL, you tend to be asking and then listening with more specific thoughts or questions in mind. I feel that ATL may sooner lead to action.
But let’s not be nit-picky. 🙂 Regardless of definition, both of these are great activities to practice and it’s exciting to see how God works through them!!! I want to learn to include both of these things in a lifestyle of worship!
[End proverbial bunny trail here.]
So our team did ATL and Listening Prayer, seeking the direction (literally and figuratively) we should head this month. One of the first places God led us to was the capital city of Managua and a ministry called…
Alongside Ministries
We had the privilege of visiting the ministry site this past week. We rolled in the gate and were greeted by a pleasant house with a wrap-around porch in the shade of several tall trees.
Halle and Kathy August, founders of Alongside Ministries, greeted us warmly, and invited us to rest in the shade (which was much appreciated considering the heat). After a fabulous meal of hamburgers, plantain chips, and fabulous watermelon, we were able to hear their story.
This couple is originally from the United States, and moved here with their three sons 12 ½ years ago.
The road has not been easy for them as they have grown and expanded their ministry, but God has been faithful. In the beginning, Kathy was able to start a pre-school program, which helped establish relationships with children, and God has provided ever since. We were blessed by their testimonies of God’s faithfulness over and over in providing for the ministry (money, friendships, support from home) as they worked to meet the needs of the community around them.
Halle and Kathy place high value on establishing relationship with others. They believe the avenue that God has called them to use to do so is through sports and physical activities. They have constructed various buildings and fields for sports such as soccer, baseball, basketball, and sand volleyball. They are currently building a pool, which the Lord raised thousands of dollars for within a week! They hold various tournaments and other activities throughout the year, as well as hosting Young Life every Friday night for the youth of the community.
In addition, they have a public library and computer lab available for people of the community to use, and provide food for needy families.
At one point while she was sharing their story, Kathy said,
“You cannot lose by being obedient to God.”
Their ministry and their lives are a testimony to that. God has brought them to many forks in the road over the years and every time they have had a choice.
YES or NO.
And they have said “Yes.”
Heroes don’t always wear big capes and perform impressive stunts that awe others into amazement.
Sometimes they simply say, “Yes.”
And God says, “Perfect. I can work with that.”
Looking at Halle and Kathy’s lives, you can see that He has.
