Where do I begin? Between training camp and immediately heading to Nicaragua with 40 sweaty and tired young adults, this month has felt like a hurricane: Constantly moving, having a very strict schedule, limited food, but a whole lot of Holy Spirit. these few weeks have stripped me of every comfort I know and love, and my mind is blown at the works God has already begun in my life and the life of my squadmates. To sum up training camp I would have to say it would be like John the Baptist and Survivor met, minus us voting people off the squad. It rained every day but 3, which meant we were soaking wet because we were camping in the woods. We had daily services, 24 hour prayer times, hours of worship at a time, one on one vulnerability with each other, miles of hiking, different travel scenarios, but most importantly an encounter with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Never before have I been surrounded by a group of people with such diverse backgrounds making us so different yet so incredibly alike. Listening to the testimonies of my squadmates has been one of the most humbling experiences I’ve ever been a part of, and the only word I can think of when I see each one of them is “Remeeded”. One reoccurring theme that the worship leaders talked a lot about at training camp was that God is not safe, but He is good. In the Chronicles of Narnia, when the children ask the beaver if Aslan is safe, the beaver replies, “He’s not safe, but He’s good.” This is how our heavenly Father is toward us. No matter what we go through, He is still good, and I hope and pray that I really learn that this year.
As soon as we finished our training, we got on an airplane and headed straight for Nicaragua. I had no clue what to expect, but my expectations were met far above all I could have imagined. We are staying at a ministry called Reap Granada run by Scott Espasito and his family. This ministry is an 80 acres of farmland where locals are welcome every day until 6pm to come play sports, engage in Bible studies, eat meals, and work, providing a safe place off of the streets where the rival neighborhoods fight. Our days consist of ministry from 5am to 7pm, from evangelism to helping on the farm. My routine today was 5-6am prayer outside 6-7am personal Bible time, 7:30 breakfast, 9 am prayer walk with my team and interpreters, 12pm lunch, running sports time in the evening with a bunch of locals, dinner at 6pm, worship and team time at 7, and then the rest of the night to do as we please. It has been insanely busy, and we can only get internet when we get a taxi into town which is always a disappointment because it is too slow… But in the middle of the hustle, God has done things I’ve never seen before in my life, and my faith has already grown and been stretched by leaps and bounds. I’ve seen people being healed while praying for locals on prayer walks, demonic oppressions leave in the name of Jesus, heard radical testimonies from gang members who have the most loving hearts, and so much more. And its only month one! There’s so much more to say, but that is for another time. Continue to pray for me as it is already a challenge in many ways, and I’m very home/people sick. In the middle of the pain, God works the most, and I just hope and pray that when people see me, they see God. I want my heart cry for the rest of this month to be Zechariah 8:23b, “… let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
