The squad and I have been part of various types of ministries within the organization “Cuidad de Refugio” this past month in Medellin, Colombia, of which included: Vacation Bible School, Evangelizing, homeless ministry, Men’s/Women’s ministry, going door-to-door to invite the neighbors to services and programs, interceding in prayer, washing and cleaning anything and everything, organizing and planning events, church services with the homeless, and also distributing food bags and pouring into families in the slums in Manantiales. Needless to say, a lot was going on during our time there… so many different opportunities to pour into people to spread the love of Jesus Christ.
And I am beyond grateful to God for every moment and experience.
Cold showers, living in tight spaces, living out of the same pack for a month (and for another 10 months), are all physical/materialistic things that contributed to fulfilling my desire to be forced out of my comfort zone… and I would say I have been thriving. Working alongside the Cuidad de Refugio organization was a stellar start to this journey. Pursuing the manna that God has given us for the day, living in community with members of the body of Christ, and most importantly, having a fruitful impact in the city of Medellin.
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In Luke 16:10 it states,
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”
“Faithful in the little things.”
Reflecting back on this past month in Medellin, I would say the overall arching theme of what God has been teaching me is to be faithful, true, loyal and steadfast in what God asks of me. The importance of being faithful in the what-we-often-call, “little things.” But in all truth, these “little things” bring kingdom changes.
I came into this season with a desire to see miracles happen. To see Jesus change lives every moment. To see chains and bondages broken in the name of Jesus. To see healings happen before my eyes. I wanted God to show me and to use me in crazy ways. But I didn’t necessarily realize that sometimes we won’t see an immediate ‘end result’, but rather, sometimes God is using us to plant seeds. Maybe we are the first, or the 5th, or the 16th person to witness to someone about Jesus and it takes 17 times to see something happen. So, even though I might not witness a miraculous healing or a sudden transformation every single time, it doesn’t mean that God isn’t working and that my life isn’t being used for making an impact in God’s kingdom. Not in the least. Rather, I am a worker of the kingdom and an ambassador of Christ, ready and willing to share the Gospel and the power of Jesus’s blood to change lives at any moment through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ. I trust that God will water and grow the seeds that have been planted, whether through me, any of my other squad mates, or anyone else God uses.
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Quick testimony of how God can use you to plant seeds in any given moment. Before we left Atlanta in January, each member of the squad was given a small stitching of a cross to give to someone we encountered on the journey abroad. Here’s the story of where my cross landed.
Remember how I said little things make kingdom changes? For instance, If God asks you to talk to your uber driver, you talk to your uber driver.
On Saturday, February 2, Aleesa, McKenzie, and I headed to the hostile in Medellin and we met Daniel, our uber driver. Oftentimes before the arrival of the Uber, I pray to God that if He wants me to speak to the driver that His Spirit will guide the conversation and will lead and make an opportunity.
Since I ordered the uber this time around, I ended up sitting in the passenger seat. So I now know that I have one of two choices: to either sit in silence or talk to the driver. Sensing the Spirit leading me to start having conversation, I began by asking him if he knew any English, thinking he probably didn’t since most people I encountered in Colombia didn’t. To my surprise, he responded with a “yes, I do”.
Things I then discovered about him: he apparently worked on cruise ships in the Caribbean Islands. As far as traveling in the States, he has only been to Miami (due to working on the cruise ships and Miami was sometimes one of the stops they made).
…My spirit was getting antsy. I knew God wanted me to get past the small talk and get down to what really matters: eternity. Given that I am on a time limit, I just went for it.
“Do you have a faith?” I asked.
“Si,” he responded.
“Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ?”
“Mehh… more with the archangels, the main one being Michael. I believe in the archangels and speak to them more than I do with Christ.”
…At this point, I had never previously heard of this type of belief and I was praying to God in my mind, ”Okay, God…now what do you want me to do/say?”
“Alright, so… what do you mean by that, Daniel? You speak and pray to the angels but not to Jesus? What do you believe?”
He said he didn’t really know himself. But, he believes in the archangels and their power… And that Angel Michael is the legion and the commander of all the other angels. He proceeded to tell me that there are seven of them and he showed me his tattoo of a sword on his arm, which represents the sword of the archangel Michael.
After asking him a few more foundational questions about his beliefs, I simply asked him if he read the Bible. He said, “no… it is one of the most translated and misinterpreted books in the world.” I asked him if he thinks he should read it and he said “I want to since it’s probably important.”
“….Yes, there are different translations, and it is also one of the oldest books that has survived a long history in the world.”
As our destination was approaching, I asked him if I could pray for him….. he said, “Si, I would like that.”
So I said, “Ok, I am going to pray for you right now.” “Now?” He quickly responded with a surprised look.
“Yes, right now.”
After I prayed, he said “What you guys are doing is great…” I sensed that he had a countenance of gratitude and that the Spirit was stirring something in his heart.
Knowing what I needed to do next, I pulled out my cross from my backpack and handed it to him telling him, “Jesus loves you… and you should read the Bible.”
“Thank you,” he responded with a smile on his face. “I will be praying for you.”
And with that, I leave the planted seeds in God’s hands.
The point I am trying to make here is that sometimes, we won’t see immediate results or think that what we talk to others about makes a difference, but I believe God uses the Spirit-filled interactions we have to stir up hearts and to plant seeds. I want to be faithful and intentional on what God leads me to and to continue pursuing to hear the voice of God so that when He calls, I answer.
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God is sovereign and has a plan for His chosen ones. I fully believe even though we might not see the results we want, God is in control and He is the One who will bring His will to pass.
“And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” Mark 4:8
Each morning I take the time to ask the Lord, “God, what do you have for me today? In what ways can I be used by You today? Who would You like for me to pour into in the ministry I am a part of?” Upon asking these questions, I have to intentional be awake to the Spirit and His voice throughout the day to be ready and alert on any way He would like to use me. It takes obedience to follow through on what God asks of us.
Take some time and ask yourself: Are you being faithful with what God is giving you each day?
**Travel Update: The Sojourners Squad is now in Ecuador. We arrived in Quito on Friday evening after a 32 hour long bus ride from Medellin. My team and I (Valor) will be working alongside the ministry CRU in Ecuador this month. We will be pouring into high-school and college-aged youth. More to come on the specifics of what we will be doing. Please be praying for those whom we will encounter, that the Spirit will fill their hearts and that they will encounter the love of Jesus in their own lives. If anyone has any questions, comments, or interests in knowing more, feel free to contact me and I will get back to you as soon as I can. I would absolutely love it! Contact info is on my blog page. Thank you for your support and prayers. May God bless you.
Soli Deo Gloria
