Well folks, I know it’s been a while! With having the longest travel days of my life (seriously.. you can’t even imagine a 21 hour fight) and then starting my first week of ministry and then having my parents join me on my second then moving to the AIM base where we will be staying the next two months.. it’s been hard to sit and write a blog!
Parent Vision Trip happens once in every Race, where us, the racers, have an opportunity to invite our parents for a week of ministry! (You are not obligated to invite your parents). For the past seven months this week felt very far away, especially while in Nepal during Christmas. After Christmas my mindset changed and it seemed in my mind like I would never see them again, sounds sad but true. When this week approached I could hardly believe it’s been over six months without them already! And here they are! In the flesh! After six whole months apart I had the amazing privilege to work alongside my patents to further the kingdom and serve those here in Guatemala! How cool!
Our first day of ministry consisted of all our teams and our parents putting on a carnival for the kids in a village that our boys team will serve at for the next two months. Our next day was our free day for the week. We attended a local church in Antigua—English service (been a long time since I’ve be able to go to one of those!). After the service my family plus some of my best friends and their parents, had a classic after church lunch right in Antigua! We spent our afternoon zip lining with a few of volcanoes upon the mountains. It was such a joy to be with some of my best friends and my parents, laughing and having fun all day!
The next two days my team plus our parents had the honor of installing stoves into peoples homes (now they don’t have to breathe smoke in all day!) and install water filters where my parents had the honor of sharing the gospel during the presentation of how to set up the filter! It’s a beautiful representation that Christ is like our water filter—taking away and forgiving all our shame and dirt and junk! He makes us clean and pure!
I would highly recommend PVT to any Racers and parents! But I also understand we are all on different journeys with God and our parents and depending on what you’re going through on the Race, PVT might not be for you.
My mom described the week as, “PVT was a wonderful experience to see Lexi and how she was doing. I enjoyed seeing some of the ministry that she and others would be doing. I especially enjoyed seeing her interactions with the team and squad and the friendships that she has made. And I felt reassured at how organized AIM was.”
During free time my parents treated me to
ice cream and more ice cream! We had such special talks, a cuddle session with my mom, a little shopping, and a funny, relaxing chocolate* massage with my mom!
I can’t believe at how soon I will be home with my parents again! I know one of the first things we will do is run to Whits! As much as I truly can not wait for that, my heart already feels broken over this journey slowly coming to an end.
Until the end, I will continue to give all of my heart into ministry and continue to pour into the friendships formed on my squad!
What a blessing it was to have my parents alongside me for a week, but unlike when I said goodbye to them in September, this time I knew even when they left I was still with family.
