After a few days to debrief in the city of Granada, Nicaragua, my team met up with the rest of our squad (15 World Racers, 4 squad leaders, 1 mentor with us from the U.S.) and arrived at our Nicaragua ministry location: Adventures in Missions base called REAP Granada. REAP is a 75 acre farm that sits at the bottom of a volcano, located just 10 minutes outside the center of Granada. REAP is run by long-term American missionaries as well as long-term Nicaraguan missionaries who live in the community.
On a daily basis, there are no less than 100 people on the farm working, serving, learning, or playing. The base employs community members to work on the farm, cook meals for short term missionaries and base staff, and has a jewelry making business for local women (The Tamerindo Project). REAP holds bible studies for men, women, and couples, and partners with local churches to provide a space to come together and worship as one body. Several evenings a week, the base hosts futbol leagues and kickball tournaments that attract hundreds of young people. Before each game, a testimony or message is given and the locals have the opportunity to be exposed to the gospel. In addition to the ministries happening on base, REAP runs a feeding program at the local trash dump where workers sift through trash to earn a living. REAP staff and missionaries ‘prayer walk’ daily through the neighborhoods surrounding the base to provide encouragement and prayer. REAP missionaries are able to create ongoing relationships with locals through consistent prayer walks and home visits.
Discipleship is something that REAP does well, both with the locals and with the short term missionaries that they host. Upon arriving at the base to stay for 3 weeks, we dove into a book study on Spiritual Slavery to Sonship with the base leadership team. REAP is passionate about spiritual disciplines and wanted our squad to understand the Greatest Commandment-to love God and be loved by God, before the Great Commission-to love others. The Great Commission should always be an overflow of what we experience within the Greatest Commandment. We can’t give away love if we don’t have love. Mornings on the base began at 5am with prayer as a group, 6am quiet times, 8am breakfast, and at 9am ministry began for the day. If you know me at all I am not a morning person and I was so thankful for this early morning schedule. I was so greatful for the lesson in giving my first fruits. Starting my day with the Lord was like inviting Him in for the rest of my day. Along with early morning spiritual disciplines we were given a whole day to sabbath completely changing my perspective. I had forgotten what it truly meant.
In addition to serving at REAP, my team and I had the privilege to go a few hours north to Ciudad Dario where we served with Light and Salt Ministries for 4 days. Light and Salt is an all-boys Christian school and is run by Tara Germain and her family. We got to hang out with 7 to 12-year-old boys, lead them in devotions each morning, lead worship, play sports, and laugh A LOT. Being able to encourage Tara in her ministry was probably the biggest blessing in all of this. Tara is originally from Canada, is married to a Nicaraguan and employs Nicaraguans in her school, so she doesn’t often have the opportunity to spend time with other English speakers like herself. Tara has such a cheerful and thankful heart. We could see the life she has brought to the people and students in her ministry. Being a part of her life at home and in ministry was so much fun.
The Lord has shown up in Nicaragua. I have seen Him and heard Him more clearly than I ever have before. I have learned so much from our host and the locals. Blessings upon blessings! This place will forever hold a place in my heart, but how cool is it that the best part of my experience goes wherever I go; our Father.
