Hey all,
We are two weeks into our ministry in Ecuador and it’s about time that I share with you how the Lord is moving and what he has placed on my heart. Last week I posted a short blog about my time in Colombia, the lessons that God had taught me, and how I am trying to carry those lessons forward. As a team, we were incredibly blessed to have a mentor, pastor William. During our month in Colombia we were his ministry. He poured into us to help us hear the Lord and step into the supernatural. When I posted that last blog, I was still struggling with understanding how to make the transition into this new month of ministry and struggling to choose joy.
During our squad’s month one debrief, prior to traveling to Ecuador, I had the opportunity to have one-on-ones with two of the members of our leadership team. I had the chance to sit down for lunch with one or our squad coaches Phil. Squad coaches are a lot like squad parents. They are an older couple who have chosen to pray for our squad, speak truth into us, and guide us along the way. Because Phil is further along in life and further along in his walk with God, he had a lot of wisdom to share. I told Phil where I am at in my walk with the Lord and how thirsty I am to dive deeper, have a greater understanding, and know Him on a more intimate level. Phil shared with me some of his testimony about how God has brought him to where he is today and he gave me a verse to memorize, Ephesians 1:17-19. In Paul’s letter to the saints in Ephesus, he prays that God may grant them wisdom. Though I don’t have the verse memorized word for word yet, I have been reading it and praying the same prayer for myself.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that I may know the hope to which he has called me, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
My other one-on-one was with one of our team leaders, Cam. I told him how I was doing, how I was processing our first month of ministry and how I was trying to understand how to apply all that I had learned to my daily life. Cam and I are very similar people and being able to talk with someone like me, who has been on the Race before was very encouraging. He told me to stay the course, continue to seek God, and to protect my joy. Several people have told me that the joy I bring is one of my gifts. It’s flattering to hear that my personality is impacting people in a positive way. It is also important to understand that Satan will attack us where he feels most threatened. If my joy is helping to lift others up and further the kingdom of God, then that is a threat to the enemy and that is where he will strike. Coming into Ecuador, I was on guard. I knew that I needed to protect my joy and stay focused on the ministry that the Lord had called me to. I was determined to have a positive and uplifting month. It hasn’t been easy.
Our team’s ministry this month has looked drastically different than our time in Colombia. That’s okay, I expected it to look different. What I didn’t expect is how similar it would look to some of the work I have done with non-profits back in the States. The area of town we are working in is affectionately called gringo land. It is an area saturated with white students and missionaries. It is also one of the wealthier parts of town with nice cars and fast food restaurants. Combine that with the fact that Ecuador uses the US dollar as their currency, it’s been easy to forget that I’m in a foreign country. We are working with an organization called Pan De Vida. Pan De Vida is an organization focused on feeding people’s stomachs and feeding people spiritually. They host programs every Wednesday and Sunday to share a meal and share the gospel with some of the low-income families that they serve. They also frequently host teams from the United States and Canada for short term mission work, often doing home improvement projects for their clients.
Our first week of ministry was rough for me. Though I appreciated the heart of Pan De Vida and the work that they are doing for their community, I didn’t feel like they offered the experience I thought I was going to get when signing up for with The World Race. I could have stayed home, stayed at my old job, and got paid for doing the same stuff. Our first few days were spent painting benches, organizing donated clothing, and praying for the families that they serve. I was frustrated that they didn’t have more work for us and my perception of the short-term mission’s program was that they were manufacturing experiences for white people to come feel good about themselves. Needless to say, I didn’t have a great attitude. It’s at that point that I remembered what Cam told me at debrief. I recognized that this was an attack from the enemy and I needed to choose joy.
I started looking at the glass half full and looking for silver linings. I recognized that my ministry wasn’t limited to the tasks assigned and that I needed to invite the Lord in and allow Him to work. I started praying for the staff and investing time getting to know them. I was praying that the Lord would further their mission and reignite the fire that they have for their work. I recognized how much of what they do wouldn’t be possible without the help from short term missionaries and I started praying for the team that would be coming from Canada the following week. I prayed that the Lord would use their time to not only further His kingdom but also strengthen their relationships with Him. My ministry this month is about pouring God’s love out onto others and spreading joy.
Living a life on mission looks different for everyone. The important thing is to listen for the Lord and submit to His calling. Throughout the Race, one of my ministries has been fundraising. It’s another area where I have struggled to have a positive attitude. I am choosing joy and looking for silver linings. I am truly blessed to share this journey with people back home and give others the opportunity share His love around the world. My next fundraising deadline is just days away and I still need to raise more than $2,000. Please prayerfully consider donating and allowing God to use you to further His kingdom.
