Nicaragua was full of blessings; it is full of blessings. Whether my team and I were prayer walking, talking to strangers, or living every day life – God showed up.
Because of how blessed this month was, I decided to share in a chronological order – to show how much God was there and with us each step of the way.
In a previous blog, “Everywhere I look, I see you,” I shared about our first few days of Rivas. God showed up through multiple different ways, and it only continued.
Each of our contacts seemed to intertwine with each other in some way, because we found different people at different places; another indication that God wanted us there.
A few times that God showed up during the next few weeks –
- My team and I decided to study John together each morning during breakfast. I loved seeing how God talked to each of us, all in our own unique ways. I learned so much about God, John, but also what God wanted to teach each of us through our studies.
- Through a new friend, we met Julieta and Mike. Julieta was the manager that lived at our new hostel Hostal Jardin Julieta. During our two weeks at the hostel, my team and I found multiple different ways to serve them, but also loved. Julieta and I spent time in the kitchen, and she loved it. I learned how to make special Nicaraguan chocolate bananas, but also gallo pinto – a rice and pinto beans dish.
- A few years ago, people were in contact with a ministry, but somehow it got lost in the busyness – my team and I were lead to that ministry led by Mike and Joan Vilasi. The ministry, The Helping Hands with Hearts for Christ, has a deaf school, feeding children, sewing, and computer classes. Another exciting note – they go to Lluvias de Gracia, which is contact that we heard about at the beginning of the month!
- During the first few days in Rivas, we met Marantha Church and they instantly became family. We were invited to go with the church’s Gospel Changers, a youth drama evangelism ministry, to a school for a day of ministry. They reminded me of a strong love for God – the selfless love of serving, the eagerness of telling everyone and ANYONE about the BIG God we serve. By the end of the day, over 100 people accepted/renewed their life with God. It was beautiful. It was a blessing being able to spend the day in prayer, while watching lives be changed in front of my very eyes.
- During our last week of ministry, my team and I wanted to do something at the park. We planned a few dances, a balloon painting with a freedom bible verse and invited our friends from Marantha to join us. The conversations we had with our friends from Marantha, but also throughout the park were blessings. We were able to talk to people about how much our Heavenly Father loves each person, and what freedom comes in knowing Him!
- During a prayer walk/scavenger hunt, a teammate and I were constantly filled with reminders and smiles. At the beginning, we passed a taxi driver, whom I recognized from church a few days prior. God wanted me to remind him that God loved him, so I let him know by buying him a cold milkshake on the hot, sunny day. EXCITING NOTE: Within just a few days, God has pursued him multiple times – 1. That Sunday was his first time at church 2. Me reminding him 3. He ended up driving a lady to our hostel so he saw us again 4. While driving the lady, she talked to him about God.
- While sitting at the park one day, an American sat next to us a few benches away. I leaned over to my teammate as whispers, “I am not sure how to start the conversation..” Her immediate response was, “where are you from?” and so I asked. That one question lead to a hour conversation about his life, his struggles, and not looking to God through them. God lead me to ask the hard questions, the ones I was too scared to ask. “Why aren’t you looking to God in this?” “Why are you taking the energy for yourself, and not giving to other people?” After the conversation I was able to pray for him, I asked God to pour an overwhelming abundance of joy, peace, and trust through the chaos; to remind him that He is there. A few days later, he called me out while I was walking with a few teammates, and I barely recognized him! I barely recognized him because of the change of peace, love, and joy throughout him – he looked different!
- A teammate and I decided to spend our last night at Marantha’s prayer night. Within the first few minutes of prayer, I felt an URGE to pray outside. Although I hated interrupting my teammate’s prayer, I had to ask her to come with. While praying outside, I kept hearing “I want the WHOLE church to be outside. The church needs to be praying for Rivas, on the streets; prayers for restoration, love, and peace to overflow throughout the city.” Because the church went outside, a man had the opportunity to talk with and pray for a homeless man. By the end of the night, we were all praying outside. We were praying for each other, but also for Rivas. There were tears, they was dancing, they was joy – God is going to use Marantha to bring a REVOLUTION to Rivas.
This is only a small part of what God did while my team and I were in Rivas. He has such BIG plans, and we were only part of a small piece!
Please continue praying for each contact/friend/brothers and sisters through Christ that we were able to meet, but also each person that we didn’t get to meet.
A revolution is coming to Rivas.
Each of these stories happened because we were in tune with the Holy Spirit, not because our month had the name “Unsung Heroes”. We should be in tune EVERY day, so we can all have stories, and moments like these. Each month is an Unsung Heroes month. Each day, whether at a set ministry location or not, we should be guided by the Holy Spirit. We should be meeting people who God has set in our path, we should be ready for God to do BIG things wherever we are.
