So I’ve had a lot of great things happen on the Race so far, but today I want to share my favorite.
Our host, Teresa, planned on a women’s ministry evening before we even got there. She felt that God wanted her to put something on for the often overlooked women in the community of El Paraiso.
When we started planning it, I felt a very strong conviction from the Holy Spirit that I was to talk about identity. Very interesting for several reasons.
1. I despise talking to a group of just about any size. Like fear-strikes-my-heart-and-my-brain-goes-blank kind of despise.
2. I’m still working through identity myself.
3. I could feel in my spirit that these women needed to be told they are valued and loved.
4. I felt oddly calm about it.
I also felt that I was to make banana bread and share the recipe with the women on notecards that would have a Bible verse on the back.
My awesome team and host were very supportive, and we quickly drew up the planbfor the evening.
The night came, and I was still calm. We did musical chairs, I talked and was still calm, then my teammate Jessica read about how Jesus washed His diciple’s feet. Then my team proceeded to wash the women’s feet.
I cannot possibly describe how incredible that was. The women who are normally reserved, and I would even venture to say closed off, began weeping. They were feeling loved and valued. Something hard to come by in this culture. You can’t go anywhere as a female without being whistled at or “hey baybee” being thrown at you.
I was in awe of how the Holy Spirit moved in these women. Some we had only just met the day or two before. It was beautiful.
It was incredible to be able to share with those women…but it was even more incredible to see His love wash over these women.
Don’t ever ignore Him when He asks you to do something out of your comfort zone. It’s only out of your comfort zone that you can go on an adventure and see the world in a new light.
