[Hannah Beth asked me (Joni) to share about our time with her and her squad in Nicaragua. Here’s a glimpse into what Ken and I experienced…]
For those unfamiliar with the acronym P.V.T., it stands for Parent Vision Trip. The true purpose is to give parents a little peek into the lives of their Racer. The way they live, the community they have built with each other, ministry they do, and (the most spectacular part) what God has been doing in their hearts. But my motivation was to see and hold my little girl.
The week began with all the laughter and tears that joyful reunions bring. Shear happiness of being together again. Watching racers melt into their parent’s arms, holding our own racer….what can I say but, “reunited and it feels so good!”
Then came the physical reality of our week…We were housed at a firehouse training center…. Dormitory-style sleeping, two toilets, one sink, and 4 showers for 50 women to share. My room had 8 women who had never met each other. The daddies had the same. But an amazing thing happened. There was no complaining. This was a shared experience. Our sons and daughters had lived this way for 7 months….all the racers were on the hard floor. We were just happy to have mattresses and ceiling fans! With highs in the 90’s and lows at night in the high 70’s you can’t underestimate the thankfulness for fans. By the end of the week we were sharing deodorant, shampoo, and towels! We called ourselves the Sisterhood.
I only had to be with a group of racers for 15 minutes to realize the depth with which they knew my Hannah Beth – from family stories, siblings, and even our family quirks. I lost count of how many racers said, “That is something HB would say.” And, “You looked just like HB when you did that!” I was flattered!
The community amongst the World Racers is a rare thing to witness in the human race. They are honest. They have each other’s back. They speak kindly about each other and truthfully to each other. They challenge each other to dream big and to believe God. They pray together. They listen together. I believe that this kind of community is what the Racers will miss the most when they come home.
And, then came ministry. Scott and Jenn Esposito from REAP were our ministry hosts. They fed us as we fed the community. They worked for us while we worked on the REAP farm (prepared a field on the farm, built a picnic table). They prayed for us and with us as we did a Prayer Walk on the streets of El Pantanal (one of Nicaragua’s poorest communities). We worked and served alongside our girl. We caught a quick glimpse of how she has stepped out of her comfort zone with boldness, served and ministered in Africa, Asia, and now Central America.
But the real set-up for PVT was the testimonies of the Racers. These folks know how to preach. Each story of God revealing Himself was different. Each tale exposed a bit more about God and how much he loves us so uniquely and completely. Each Racer has learned how to let go and let God. They have let go of hurts, bitterness, disappointment, and unhealthy relationships. They have released it all to fully grasp hold of God and all that he has for them.
The last night I looked over at Hannah Beth. She is no longer my little girl. I saw the beautiful woman of God that she is. She is 23. Less than half my age and has three times my wisdom and eighty times my boldness. Thank you, AIM, for taking my once incredible girl and creating circumstances that stretched her, pressed her, and brought her more fully into this crazy, amazing relationship with her Maker.
Now, I must put this newfound level of faith into action. I must let go, too. Let go of a girl who has become a woman. Never do I want to hold her back or be a shadow of concern in her mind or heart as she pursues God and the plans that He has for her. PVT set me up for this. I went to see my girl, but what I discovered in Nicaragua was a young woman. Loving. Serving. Sweating. Giving. Searching. Finding.
