Following the Spirit
“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25
Time is flying by. I am in Nicaragua for my second month of the World Race. I can’t believe I have only a week left of ministry here. This month has been so much different than last month, but it has been so amazing. I want to share what ministry has been for my team and I this month, and what the Lord has been teaching me here in Latin America.
Well when we first arrived in Nicaragua, we had a debrief in Granada for almost a week with the entire squad as well as some leadership from Adventures in Mission. It was a time spent reflecting on our first month of the race as well as spent setting us up for success for this second month. When we were there, we received some interesting news. My team and I were no longer going to be at the island that we had thought we were going to working on but in a small town in northern Nicaragua called Palacaguina.
This news was slightly upsetting just because I had built up so many expectations about this ministry on the island. However, this was a great time to learn about flexibility especially for me. I struggle with wanting to control my life and not giving the reins over to God, so this was the perfect opportunity to practice trusting in His plan for my life. I learned about the importance of flexibility as well as the understanding that the Holy Spirit is directing my path for His glory.
So off my team and I went to work with a local church in Palacaguina. Let me tell you something: this is the cutest little town in the middle of the mountains. It is very warm and rains a lot, but it is so beautiful. I know this town is exactly where the Lord wanted me for the second month of the World Race.
Ministry Work I Have Been Doing
Definition of Ministry: the work we do as Christians to serve Jesus and others
So for ministry for the month, my team and I have done a variety of different things, which has been great. It has helped me learn a lot of new skills as well as gain a lot of new experiences. We started off with a little local church where we helped build another classroom for their kids ministry for the first two days. Since we had done a lot of manual labor and construction in Guatemala, I was prepared for this type of work. However, we then changed paces and helped out with the kids’ Sunday School classes at the church. My class was a bunch of little boys ranging from ages seven to twelve. They were so silly and so much fun. I sang a worship song in Spanish with them and taught them some games (in broken Spanish). It was so great to be able to play with the kids and love on them.
A couple days later, my team and I were moved to another location to work with another local pastor and his family. They are absolutely wonderful people who have shown us such love and hospitality. This pastor works with a local missions program out of South Carolina called 516NOW. It comes from the verse, Matthew 5:16, which says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” The first thing we did with them was work at the local hospital where we did a bunch of outdoor yard work. We pulled weeds, picked up trash, raked, mowed (with a machete), and took the trash to the dump. A cool part about helping at the hospital was that by doing free work for them, the door opens up for the local churches to come pray over and love on the sick people in the hospital.
The rest of the week was spent doing administrative tasks (like filing, inputting data, creating materials) for the local kids sponsorship program that the pastor runs called “Smiling School Kids.” This program provides local children with sponsors from the United States who pay $60 a year for these kids to go to school here in Nicaragua. Local schools here require a school uniform and materials in order to attend. Many of the underprivileged children can’t afford these things, so the sponsors provide them with the money necessary to buy them. These materials include: a school uniform, a PE uniform, two pairs of shoes, a backpack, school books, pencils and pens, and the eternal hope of Christ (well that comes free!)! It is such a great way to meet their physical needs as well as share the love of Jesus with them. If you would like to know more about this program, go to facebook.com/516now. What an incredible blessing working with this program was!
Power of Prayer
This month the Lord has really been teaching me about the power of prayer here in Nicaragua. I don’t want to talk about God. I want to talk to Him. So I have been given many opportunities to do that this month. Firstly, we went and did a home church at a local woman’s house one evening. The pastor told us that she is really struggling financially and spiritually. On top of that, her husband is hitting her. I was disgusted to hear that. But I was so thankful that the Lord was using my team and I to go love on her when she is hurting so badly. At the end of the little service we had, we went and laid hands on her and prayed powerfully for her freedom and healing. It was incredible. Serving Jesus in this way was everything I wanted when I signed up for the world race. I want to set the captives free and bind the broken-hearted with the love of Jesus Christ. That was one of the nights that I truly got to do that.
Another opportunity was when my team and I visited another local church where we spent over an hour praying for people. One of my squad mates after worship and teaching asked the people to line up if they wanted prayer. And oh buddy did they line up! I got to pray individually over so many people. I prayed straight to God boldly. I felt His presence powerfully that evening! It was one of my favorite nights here in Nicaragua.
Some other ministry things we have done are: We have also put on a youth camp where we re-enacted the story of David and Goliath and played lots of fun games with the kids. We have painted a house that is being constructed for future missionaries to stay in. We have done a prayer walk and handed out gospel tracks. And in the next week, we are going to do another youth camp, another home church, some community visits, and a community movie night where we can share a Christian film to minister to the local people!
Overall, we have done so many types of ministry here from construction to working with youth to prayer walks. It has been such a fruitful month, and I am so thankful for how the Lord has prepared this town for the work He had for my team and I to do!
P.S. Be on the lookout for an upcoming blog full of pictures from both Guatemala and Nicaragua!
P.S.S. I am still in need in order to make my next fundraising deadline. I have to be at $11,000 by December 1st in order to continue doing ministry overseas. Please be in prayer if you can financially support me in anyway. You have no idea how far your donation will go to share the love of Jesus around the world! 🙂
