Everyone and everything has a story. It doesn’t matter who or what you are, there is a story behind it all. And for me, the story is the best part. I love to know the ins and outs of who and what is going on. I want to know the heart of the matter.
There are so many times where the story behind something or someone has changed my perspective on that person or that thing, and I would love to share about those perspectives.
Pan de Vida is a non-profit organization focused on helping the less fortunate. Their mission, first and foremost, is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ but also to meet their needs through hunger relief, education, health, shelter, microbusiness, and emergency relief. I have enjoyed every minute of working alongside this ministry because I have seen their heart in all the work that they do. I have personally met several people who have gone through the program and now are volunteers or working at Pan de Vida. I have also seen the love that all the other volunteers give to each one of the beneficiaries. But most importantly, I have seen the heart of the staff everyday voicing their love and compassion they have for working at this Christian organization that wants to help those who need help.
Fabi and Mabi… their mission is to serve missionaries and they do it well. Their heart behind it is that anyone who comes into their house is family. They treat us like daughters here but also give us space to do the work we need to do here at the house and at our ministry. Not only do they serve us, but they also serve in the ministry they are a part of called Inca Link. They both are full of faith in the Lord that overflows on each one of us in this household.
God moments are real. When God tells you to do something or places something right in front of you, you better act or you will experience God’s push. For instance, one morning while my team was waiting in the terminal to board the bus a lady that was in line just stood out to me. She had the cutest haircut and was wearing a mustard color corduroy pants. I didn’t know why she stood out to me so much, she just did. And then, as I was getting ready to board the bus to go back home, there stood the same lady. Just like that, I knew God had placed her in my day twice so that I could talk to her. Ironically, I ended up standing beside her in line as we were waiting for the bus so I just started talking to her in Spanish. I of coursed asked her if she knew English, but she did not. Luckily for me, I could understand 80% of what she was saying, and if I didn’t pick up on what she was saying, Tabitha and Ashley were there to help. We talked with Glorita until the bus came and when we got on the bus we all got separated. As I was riding the bus, I kept hoping that I could stop her on the way back and pray for her. With that being said, as we got to the terminal she stopped me, so we continued to talk. She tried to invite us back to her house but we couldn’t because we had other plans. But I did ask her if I could pray for her and she said yes. She wanted prayer on how she could better seek God and serve him. There have been so many more encounters like this one this past month that have either been through ministry or through just relying on the Lord and stepping out in faith. Some have included talking to Uber drivers, talking to other squad mates, talking to a lady at Pan De Vida whose life literally was paved by God, or meeting an American while climbing a mountain who was so inspiring. I have been blessed by each encounter and will forever hold on to these moments forever.
Team time with my fire poppy ladies… Every day (except for off days, of course) we have an hour or so planned for time to just spend with our team. We have several different things that we can do each team time, but my favorite is just to learn more about my team. Especially what is happening in their life and heart and what God is showing them. I led a team time a couple weeks ago and all we talked about was prayer requests and/or what was on their hearts. It was such an encouraging time together and allowed us to focus on living and seeking God together as a team. I spoke a little about doing life together as a team by sharing a passage of scripture, Acts 2:42-47. I had just read this passage the same morning in my time with Jesus and felt it was of utmost importance to share with my teammates. I enjoyed hearing and sharing with my team.
Mentors and leaders and coaches, these people that I have listed give up their time, money, and so much more to invest into the lives of everyone on the squad. I look up to each and every one of them, and I absolutely love to receive their uplifting encouragement and spiritual guidance.
I absolutely love stories and the reasons why everything is the way it is. I want to understand more and more. I feel like that is something God has blessed me with and I cannot wait to know more. I want to know more about who Christ is, the people of this world, and the world that we live in.
With all this being said, if God lays it on your heart to tell me your story or a part of your story, I will receive it with joy. You can contact me through Facebook messenger or even through my email [email protected].
