Well, Trujillo has been nothing but a beautiful challenge. It’s all squad month, and we’ve enjoyed working with Savage Ministries thus far. Each day this past week, part of the team has taught English classes, while other teams prepare for VBS for the local children. A few other teams have been doing various jobs at another church site. My team has been in charge of craft time each day. It’s been really sweet seeing each of the teams work together, and use such creativity, to bring the Gospel forward to these sweet faces.
With that being said, ministry has also brought along many challenges. Okay, one specific challenge: sickness. To be honest, it’s been kicking our butts. This first week alone, some of us have gone from being the healthiest to some of the sickest. Living in community probably hasn’t helped with the sanitation issue, but I believe without a doubt, Satan is simply ticked off. Several of my squad-mates have spoken of how we all feel spiritually attacked. The night before several of us became quite ill, we had a wonderful service. Several came forward for prayer, and several others prayed over our fellow squad-mates. The next morning, sickness came.
I am so thankful for my teammates, squad-mates, and leaders. They are rock stars. And they know how to love well. I have seen Christ in each of them this week. Even through some mild delirium, their caring hearts touched me. Being a nurse, I find myself often in that position. So it was odd being on the other side of care. This squad takes care of each other in not just a physical sense, but an emotional and spiritual sense too.
The morning I felt my worst, I remember lying on my sleeping bag, half praying, “God, take away the spirit of sickness from this team”. Each morning, a handful of our squad has been meeting for prayer. I vaguely remember walking in late. As I sat down I set my head on the table as Jason and Alicia tell me, “Hey we were just praying for you”. I felt miserable. What typically is a meeting of prayer for our squad and ministry site, became an individual prayer session. That is one of the many moments I felt so much love being poured out over me. Jason, as he was praying, asked me if I was worrying about anything specific, because the word “worry” kept coming to mind as he prayed. I kind of laughed and stated, “Worry does consume my life often, and worry of being sick, worry of others on the squad being sick”. I honestly don’t want to see anyone miss out on ministry opportunities. And it was driving me crazy that I knew I wouldn’t be able to help with ministry that day. Jason and Alicia prayed over me. I confessed my sin of worry.
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:13-16
Later that day, as I was lying in my bed, I became halfway aware of what was going on around me. I heard people praying this prayer. And I could see out of the corner of my half open eyes, Brandon anointing the doors with oil, as several of us had come down with a bug. Next thing I knew, I could hear their prayers, right beside me. And I briefly felt the touch of their hands, anointing my head with oil. A part of me wishes I were more alert at that point, because it was such a sweet moment. Also, I will never forget the gentle and tender care my teammates and leaders gave me, as they helped me down a flight of stairs, because my strength was waning. At times, the sick have been caring for the sick. This squad, my family…I love them so much. Also, the men of P-Squad, on Valentine’s evening, wanted to serve us women by washing our feet, massaging and rubbing lotion on our feet, and painting our toenails. We have some great people on our squad. We are loved.
I know I sound like a broken record. But PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, continue praying for our health. It is a really intense struggle at times. I love you all, and can’t wait to share more with you about what God is doing in me, my team, my squad, and in Trujillo. Keep praying for these beautiful children that we come into contact with daily as well!
