We have been in Guatemala for over a month now and we have less than a month left before I arrive back home.
Before Guatemala, we were in Nicaragua for 2 weeks. Half of our squad had parents come visit us for a week to do ministry together and to grow a deeper relationship with each other. My dad was able to come out to Nicaragua. Our ministry consisted of a variety of things. We visited homes to invite people to the local church and we prayed for them. We dug 40 holes so that the farmers could plant and we did many other small projects. We had ministry in the mornings and had the afternoons off for adventures. My dad and I decided to spend time in downtown Granada, we did a tour of some of the islands in Nicaragua, and we zipped lined through a forest.
On our last day, everyone went to a lagoon and made some crazy dives.
I created a highlight of our adventures days but not the ministry that we did. I decided this because I wanted to be present in everything we did.
Here’s the video!! Check it out!!!
On April 5, Seth Barnes who is the founder of AIM and The World Race came to visit us for the day. In the morning, he spoke to us about creating a safe place physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I agreed with everything he had to say and wanted to speak to him after. I spoke to him about what happened exactly 7 years earlier, that my mom passed away. I went on about taking Law Academy in high school which led me to major in criminal justice for my first year of college. Most importantly I told him that I am a 6 on the enneagram. I am always looking out for people and making sure everyone is safe. The guys and myself haven’t done a great job creating a safe place for the 32 girls on this squad. Us guys felt like we haven’t done enough for them, we weren’t loving them well through the eyes of Christ, and established a safe place for vulnerability to take place and to break down walls. Our community wasn’t striving because weren’t united as 1.
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ephesians 4:4-6
That night all 8 guys stood up in front of the girls and apologized. We told them that we placed a 60 day challenge (60 days left of the race). We will be intentional in everything we do. We will keep each other accountable. We withhold our mission statement which states: As a unified community, we will walk in a posture of praise and rest in a posture of reverence, putting on the love of Christ, reflecting His heart in action and Identity. May we stride in the pace of grace, renewing our minds by choosing his fullness.
Each and everyday the guys (I included) wake up at 6am to seek out the Lord in His word and in intercessory prayer.
We have seen healing in relationships, physical healing, and healing of oneself (overcoming depression and anxiety).
One of the biggest questions of my life:
What does the future hold?
30 days left out on the field, I begin to question where am I going to go after this?
I feel like I am back in high school! Can’t believe that has been almost 2 years ago!
Approaching the age of 21, I thought I would have some foundation of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
There are a couple things I could put my focus into and say that’s what I am going to do. Could be creating more videos and make a career out of filmmaking. Could be creating an Christ like environment/community in a place where Christ isn’t known. My passion is sports ministry. My dream is to make American baseball or other sports international among the Asian/African culture. While I was in Lesotho, I had the opportunity to create a game of baseball with some kids. These kids would be amazing, if they had a tee. In a small village in India, I asked around and was able to get a couple of college guys to play cricket. Everyday at 11am they came to our house asking to play!
I am currently contacting many organizations and people who are involved sports ministry but not having much luck. I just have to remember that God is in control.
If you have any ideas or people I can contact, please comment below or contact me!! Thank you!!(:
Our squad was recently challenged to create a vision for ourselves in the future. Meaning what do I want my life to look like and how do I want to leave a impact. So here is mine
Vision: being in and creating a unified Christ like community that will walk in obedience, reflecting His heart in action, strive each day to be vulnerable to surrender in His spirit and be filled by His fullness. We will be in remembrance of His sacrifice, denying ourselves to reach out our hand to shepherd one another. Devote ourselves to be in intercessory prayer for we are children of the Lord almighty. Staying hungry for righteousness, growth, and praise. Pursue the renewing of our minds and acting audaciously for the kingdom of God. We will be fishers of people because we are not ashamed of the majestic name, Jesus Christ.
We need to create or be in a driven focused community that has God as the prize and not the trophy in mind.
Our ministry here in Guatemala is at a small private Canadian English school. The grades range from pre-k to 2nd graders. The school is currently building a another section for 3rd graders. Our job is to serve the school in any way we can. So we aid the teachers, make notebooks for kids, organizing school supplies, carpentry, and gardening. Occasionally some of us go out to help build a house or a fence in a different community. I haven’t been able to capture much of our ministry through a camera but we do have the weekends off.
Our weekends consist of hiking a volcano, going to the beach, spending time in Antigua, and much more. Recently a group of us went to Guatemala City to see Avengers: Infinity Wars!! I highly recommend!!! If you do not want to spend the time watching all 18 marvel movies before you watch it, there is a video out there that sums up all you need to know in just 25ish minutes!!
I created another video of us surfing at the beach!! The sand was insanely hot!! You could get a 2nd degree burn because of it! Anyways here is the spectacular video!!
Prayer request: the finishing of the race and beginning to live in America again. For health and for my future!
