Hey Y’all! Wow, I cannot believe that today marks two months of being on the mission field on the World Race. I wanted to post a blog giving you all an update of what has been going on and what I have been doing here in El Salvador, so here it goes.
Our First Debrief Happened: Debrief is one week where all 6 teams on my squad come together in one location to share with each other what has been happening and process everything that we have been experiencing. We have one week of Debrief in each country that we visit. Our El Salvador Debrief was held in El Tunco, a small beach town on the coast. The week was full of worship, laughs, love, and lots of growth!
Team Meek has moved locations!: After Debrief, my team was notified that we would be changing locations for the rest of our time in El Salvador. Team Meek joined Team Dauntless, another all girls team on my squad, at their location at El Tunco. We all live at a church here called La Red. We have been here for a little over one week now. Ministry has been great! We work with a local orphanage, leading discipleship classes for the teenage girls and playing with children. Last week I was privileged to lead the girls’ discipleship lesson! We also watch children at the church during services and group meetings. We also help with projects at the church, such as painting, maintaining the grounds, and helping install a new kitchen. Starting next week, most of our ministry will be hosting a kids “Summer School” program at the church! In El Salvador, the children our out of school in November and December. La Casita, the program we are helping with, teaches the kids classes in Reading Comprehension, Computer Skills, Art Skills, and English. In addition to the classes, the kids are also provided a meal and are given a Bible Lesson each day. Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare to lunch the program!!
Antigua Weekend Trip: Last week, Team Meek and Team Dauntless decided to spend our off days from ministry to step out and explore another country. We took a two-day trip to Guatemala! While there, I had the opportunity to climb Volcan Pacaya, the most active volcano in the Americas. Not only did I get to climb it, but the volcano is still hot enough that we were able to roast marshmallows over the top of the volcano! ? so cool! We also we able to attend a Guatemalan Kite Festival! Each year, a festival is held and massive kites made from bamboo and paper are flown to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed. These kites were literally as big as a house and took teams of 12 to 15 men to fly them! It was such a wonder two days that the Lord blessed us with to bond with each other as new teams living with one another. Even though we did not partake in ‘scheduled’ ministry, God provided us all with opportunities to minister to each other as well as to the people in the community of Antigua.
What God has been teaching me: Wow….I never knew that it was possible for a person to learn so much in only two short months! God has been revealing himself more and more to me with each day that I have chosen to let Him lead me. He has been and always will be so faithful! I could write for days on all the specific areas the Lord has grown me in in the past two months. But when it comes down to it, He is really in all aspects teaching me to have Faith in Him. He has shown me the beauty that can come from giving Him everything that I have: all my time, all my thoughts, my past, my present, my future, every little concern or fear, every word before it comes out of my mouth, every step that I take….He has shown me the beauty that He can bring from everything If I fully trust it to Him.
I have mentioned in one of my other blogs that my relationship with Jesus is like a dance. Jesus is the love of my life and He has given me a desire for Him that I cannot explain, but I just can’t get enough! Right now in my dance with Him, he is rejoicing with me! I have followed His steps and learned how to twirl and spin with him without stepping on His toes or focusing on the room around me. While He is so excited and is rejoicing with me, He is now asking me to continue further. We have the basics down, a simple twirling around the room. Now he is calling me learn more advanced moves. Harder steps, quicker movements, maybe even add a jump in there…What? You gotta be kidding me. I am so happy with just twirling around the room and swaying, if we learn the harder stuff Jesus, I my step on your feet again! Or even worse…what if I fall?
Thankfully, Jesus understands me. He is the love of my life after all. He is teaching me to trust Him. He is teaching me to never take my eyes off of him, even when the dance gets more complicated, regardless of what is going on in the room around us. I can always dance with Jesus, and there will always be more complicated steps to learn. Jesus has been so patient with me as I learn the steps that come so naturally to him, that he has always known. I still stumble and fall sometimes, but he always picks me up and invites me to dance with Him again, such a loving and perfect gentleman.
And now….I enter months three of my Race and my last month in El Salvador…..WHAT?!
I can’t believe it! The time is flying by. I have been so blessed with this time so far.
I want to take the time to thank all of my supporters, I would not be able to be here if it were not or your support and constant prayers. You have done so much to make this mission possible and I thank God for you daily. I would like to ask if you could please continue to keep me, my team, and the people we encounter in your prayers. The weekend trips and awesome ministry opportunities are incredible, but life on the field can be hard at times. Growth can be difficult; ministry brings an awareness of the world that can sometimes be too real to stomach. And Satan’s attacks are so real. He attacks with lies, illnesses, and methods of deceit in ruthless attempts to stop the work of the Kingdom. While the power of the Lord will always prevail, we are in need of you as our prayer warriors!
Thank you again for your support! The Lord is ever so faithful, and I am excited to see how He continues to expand His kingdom!
Stay tuned for more updates!
Love,
Whitney?
