A few hours north of Managua, Nicaragua rests a small community named Palacaguina. This is where our squad is based and serving this month. We arrived at at The Assembly of God last Saturday. We set up camp in a sectioned off part of the large sanctuary. Each one of us is sleeping in our own individual tents. The pastor’s wife and other members of the congregation are cooking for us. We feel so blessed to be served three meals per day. The ladies work so hard. The women of our squad have toilets and showers on site and the guys take care of business across the street at the pastor’s house.
Teams were divided and assigned different ministry locations. My team plus two additional travel in the back of a pickup truck approximately 20 minutes up the mountain. All 17 of us piled in that truck is quite a site! We are helping to construct a large single room church and an adjacent cafeteria in which needy children will receive meals. It absolutely blows my mind at how few tools they have to complete the job. Our work this month gives me a whole new perspective to manual labor. Currently we are in the process of reducing the height of the dirt floor to make room for concrete to be poured. More often than not I am assigned to haul the dirt across the street using a rickety hand made wheel barrel. At the end of the day I head straight for the shower. The water is beyond cold but quite refreshing after a long day hot day of work.
It is really interesting to see the vast differences that each ministry and country can bring. Last month we were helping to build relationships in the community and this month we are working independently with the local pastors so that relationships within the community can be established. I am learning that regardless of how the ministry looks we are called to serve and do so with a joyful heart. Through these experiences the Lord is teaching me to be content with whatever situation. He is growing me and shaping me into the man that he created me to be. For that I am thankful. I wait with a joyful expectation for the work that the Lord is going to do in and through me.
“I am not stating this because I am in need, for I have learned the secret to being content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret to being content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength”.
Philippians 4 :11-13
Teams were divided and assigned different ministry locations. My team plus two additional travel in the back of a pickup truck approximately 20 minutes up the mountain. All 17 of us piled in that truck is quite a site! We are helping to construct a large single room church and an adjacent cafeteria in which needy children will receive meals. It absolutely blows my mind at how few tools they have to complete the job. Our work this month gives me a whole new perspective to manual labor. Currently we are in the process of reducing the height of the dirt floor to make room for concrete to be poured. More often than not I am assigned to haul the dirt across the street using a rickety hand made wheel barrel. At the end of the day I head straight for the shower. The water is beyond cold but quite refreshing after a long day hot day of work.
It is really interesting to see the vast differences that each ministry and country can bring. Last month we were helping to build relationships in the community and this month we are working independently with the local pastors so that relationships within the community can be established. I am learning that regardless of how the ministry looks we are called to serve and do so with a joyful heart. Through these experiences the Lord is teaching me to be content with whatever situation. He is growing me and shaping me into the man that he created me to be. For that I am thankful. I wait with a joyful expectation for the work that the Lord is going to do in and through me.
“I am not stating this because I am in need, for I have learned the secret to being content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret to being content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength”.
Philippians 4 :11-13
