Month 1
When: August
Where: Santa Ana, El Salvador
Who: Iglesia Mas Que Vencedores; Melvin and Dina
What: Taught English and P.E. in a school, sports ministry, preached, participated in dance ministry, went to children’s hospital
(One ministry we worked with at the church was the youth group. We played minute to win it games, worshipped, and had a message. These were also some of the kids that we danced with in the dance ministry. Some of these kids were so on fire for the Lord, and it was so awesome to see! Our last night in El Salvador, or close to it, the youth surprised us with an ice-cream party! It was so much fun! I still miss these kids from my very 1st church on the Race.)
Month 2
When: September
Where: Chimaltanango, Guatemala
Who: library, elementary school; Logan, Patti, AIM Base
What: helped with art projects at library, taught classes (English, art, cooking) in elementary school, went to special needs orphanage, worked at a health clinic
(In Guatemala, it was all-squad month, but we split up into ministry triads. My triad did several things during the month, but one of them was working at the library. The lady in the middle is Patty, who was the person I considered our ministry host for the first part of the month. She was SO SWEET!!! She gave us Spanish lessons, and we helped her with her English. At the end of the month, we all had coffee and she told us her story. She is someone I will never forget!)
Month 3
When: October (Happy Birthday to me!)
Where: Zolano, Choloma, Honduras
Who: His Hands for Honduras; Iglesias Cristo Centro; Gregorio and Francisca
What: helped with feeding program by having Bible lessons, playing games, singing songs, etc., sang at church
(These are some of the girls from the feeding program. Children were a big part of the church! Every service kids would play these tamborines during worship. They tried to teach us to play them, but that usually just led to a lot of laughing!)
Month 4
When: November (Happy Thanksgiving!)
Where: Granada, Nicaragua
Who: REAP Granada; Scott and Jen, Caitlin, Kristen, Nathan
What: went house to house to provide prayer and encouragement, helped on farm clearing fields and digging holes, sports ministry, went to children’s hospital, prison ministry
(Riding in the back of trucks is super common in Central America, but my team didn’t really get to experience it until Nicaragua. It is usually so much fun…some drivers are a little crazier than others, though!)
Month 5
When: December (Merry Christmas!)
Where: Quasi Crow, N’Douci, Côte d’Ivoire
Who: Marselin, Ezekiel, Richard, the prophet
What: preached, sang and danced at church, evangelism in several nearby villages, children’s ministry, prayer for people in the community
(The village we lived in was a big farming community. One thing they grew was cacao…chocolate! Everywhere we walked there were cacao beans drying out in the sun. We got to taste them once, and it wasn’t too bad!)
Month 6
When: January (Happy New Year!)
Where: Cape Coast, Ghana
Who: Acts II Collective/Hoops Care International; Uncle P
What: led basketball and small groups, evangelism, children’s ministry, led devotions for family
(I pulled out my phone and the kids flocked over…HELP!!!)
Month 7
When: February (Happy Valentine’s Day!)
Where: Pokhara, Nepal
Who: Maya Guesthouse; Tomas, Nicea, Sanju
What: dance bar ministry, woman’s event, evangelism/encouragement and children’s ministry in the slums
(One aspect of our ministry was working in the slums. We would usually have one or two groups going house to house evangelizing to, praying with, and encouraging people. Another group would do kid’s ministry. The last time in the slums we passed out food to most of the kids and people in the area. This is one little girl enjoying her sandwich and cookies!)
Month 8
When: March
Where: India
Who: Rescue Pink
What: led an after-school program for girls teaching English and playing games, interviewed women in the entrepreneurship program and pregnant and nursing mothers groups, preached
(These girls were who we spent every afternoon with. I picked a goofy picture, because it truly shows their personalities and the laughter that each day held. I miss these girls so, so much!!!)
Month 9
When: April (Happy Easter!)
Where: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Who: AIM Base, Hope Home
What: worked at an orphanage for special needs children
(Our ministry this month was working in a special needs orphanage, but every day we also visited the “drink lady.” Even though she spoke very little English, she didn’t need words to express her joy! I’ll miss my black tea with honey!)
Month 10
When: May
Where: Tioman Island, Malaysia
Who: None
What: built relationships with people and had conversations about Jesus with them (ATL)
(Adventure can be ministry, too! One day a local, well kind of, took us to see a waterfall! So fun and so cold!)
Month 11
When: June
Where: Bandung and Bali, Indonesia
Who: Steve and Jane, Laila (Bandung); None (Bali)
What: women’s prison ministry, Hangout at the English Center, worked at a safehouse for former prostitutes, built relationships with people (Bandung); beach ministry (Bali-ATL)
(This is one of my favorite people from Bandung! She is full of joy and humor and we share a love of donuts and macaroni and cheese! I miss this little bundle of sass, and I can’t wait to visit her again!)
