My team and I have had a wonderful first couple days in Peru, but I have had it on my heart to share a couple stories from home as ministry didn’t stop when I got home from the World Race!
While playing on a sand volleyball court with some friends, I met a couple who was on the path to marriage but had different religious views. The guy was super interested to know more about Jesus, but didn’t really know the gospel. I shared with him a bit and pointed him to some books in scripture: Matthew and Ephesians and to the books: The Art of Listening Prayer and The Meaning of Marriage (you should check them out too!!). His girlfriend knows Jesus but was still imposing some religious rules on what they needed to do in order to be married. I encouraged them and prayed with them, that they might stand on the solid rock of Jesus together.
I celebrated a friend’s birthday at a balloon festival in Georgia, and I met a girl from Venezuela. My friend, Sydney, and I have huge hearts for Venezuela so it was so sweet to talk with our new friend and pray for her, her family and her country. Another encounter at the festival was an older man, who sat near my group as we watched the balloons. We got on the topic of what God thinks about him, and he said how disappointed God must be in him, as he thinks he never does anything right in life. He kept saying how lost he was, so I asked if he wanted to be found and what it might look like to be found. He didn’t really have an answer but thought it was interesting question. Sometimes we focus so much on how lost we are we don’t even consider the possibility of being found. He has heard a lot of the truths of what God thinks about him but doesn’t quite believe it yet. I am praying that my friend knows and believes what Jesus says about him.
Some friends and I went to Walmart on a late night-last minute grocery store run, and upon arrival met a woman named Kathy who was outside needing some help. We stopped and talked with her and this woman knew the bible, she recited an entire psalm from memory, yet she had been told all her life that she was not beautiful and was instead worthy to be on the street. We hugged her, looked into her eyes and told her truth, prayed with her and bought her some food.
While praying for Kathy some women came up and started praying with us too. After praying I wanted to talk with them as it was fun to have someone join in prayer with us. We started talking about God and what he has done in each of our lives and the things we believed in. We talked about how God heals people and actually how fun the bible is to read when you ask God for new eyes for his word. I’m praying she has brand new eyes to see who God really is.
It’s so fun to share stories like these, as it a highlight of my day, and for the other person, and I think God thinks its pretty fun to—to watch His children come together in love and encourage one another. I hope these stories encourage you too!
God bless//Dios te bendiga,
Jenny
