Our last week in Nicaragua we had a “Parent Vision Trip” where our families were able to join us in Granada and serve the community in many different ways. Both my mom and dad came which I was so grateful for! They have been so incredibly supportive throughout my whole life and it has been no different during this trip and my entire faith journey. We started out by serving meals at a dump where people search for recyclables in order to earn $2.00 a day. The people there would rather work with their own hands instead of begging in the streets in order to provide for their families. Some of the people working at the dump also had their children with them so many of them learned how to look for items at a very young age. Being there made us all realize that we should never take our job opportunities, or pay, for granted. While we can often get caught up in minimum wage debates, there are people who still earn far less in an entire day than others do in a single hour. Our group was able to share a message of encouragement with them and pray for various needs of theirs. We served a meal and enjoyed each other’s company as we got to know one another. The stories we heard and the environment we witnessed will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on us.
Later that afternoon we went on a prayer walk to visit people at their houses and offer encouragement once again. The first family we met was in need of a new roof that wouldn’t leak, especially since rainy season was coming soon. The mother’s name was Lorena, like my dad’s mom’s name which was Loraine. It was a divine appointment and special interaction as we prayed for the Lord’s provision and shared 2 Corinthians 5:1 with her. This verse reminds us “that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” As we visited other earthly homes with this hope in our hearts, we encountered families that were both content, and not so content, in the Lord. The last stop we made was a married couple that desired to be healed of epilepsy and other physical illnesses. My mom took a step out in faith and was able to pray for both of them. It wasn’t too long ago, since starting this trip, that I experienced similar opportunities to pray for others for the first time in this way too. It is incredible to see the impact God has made on me, and now my family. Just imagine a world where we all pray for our neighbors more instead of judging them or comparing ourselves to them. God asks us to love our neighbors as ourself. Our family was able to truly experience that in Nicaragua but also knows it is something we can continue to do, and want to do, back home. God’s commandment of loving our neighbors has no limit on zip codes. He calls us all to live that out whether it’s in an official ministry role overseas, in a corporate America workplace, local school system, or tomorrow somewhere and somehow in our on hometown. It’s amazing how God moved in my parents’ hearts to have a greater desire to live this out this call of service at home.
Throughout the week we were able to catch up on life while continuing to reflect on our experiences in Nicaragua. We were able to visit patients at a local hospital and pray for and encourage them. Once again, we walked away grateful for the healthcare access we have while praying for the Lord’s provision and healing power to be at work in Nicaragua. We helped make Adirondack chairs for the ministry site, meaning my dad did most of the heavy building while my mom and I took care of staining the finished product. We were making new memories while also making more room for God to grow in our hearts.
Our last day together all the families were able to explore a volcano and swim in crater-created lake. We had a fun time as my dad and I even jumped from a platform and into the water together. Although it is hard being away from family this year, I wouldn’t trade 11 months apart for the week that we shared together. I’m grateful that God gave us a platform, through this trip, and is guiding us all to jump into greater depths with Him. I’m thankful that God introduced my family to my new “faith family” and that they had exposure to Christian community that wasn’t condemning, or judgmental, but loving. I’m blessed to have two parents who are both honorable, generous, honest, loving, and so many other qualities that reflect those of our Heavenly Father. I’m appreciative that they exemplified forgiveness and friendship through co-parenting us even after divorce. I can’t express my gratitude enough for the impact that had on me and my sister growing up, and later my teammates who were able to meet them. Thank you God for calling us all into an adventure of love and fun, and giving us just a tiny glimpse of that during our week together in Nicaragua!
Check out a video recap of Nicaragua here:
