Mike and Joan met in highschool and have been together ever since. They grew up going to church but they didnt receive the nudge or call from the Lord until about 12 years ago. A church member had been to Nicaragua on a mission trip and told Mike and Joan about the children and how little they had living in the streets or having no one at all to care for them. Mike knew then he was going to come to Nica. He started coming down alot for mission trips and finally figured it was cheaper to live in Nica than to keep flying back and forth. They started in an orphange in Managua that needed direction. Joan volunteered in a school with special needs and learned sign language. Her love for the deaf and special needs grew which made her more sensitive to the calling for help. On the island of Ometepe there were no schools for deaf or special needs children, so they found land to lease, hired qualified teachers and began busing in children. Mike and Joan continue to listen for God’s voice telling them ways to serve their community. They are very active members of their church in Rivas called LLuvia de Gracia (Rain of Grace). They do outreach to local communities, put on pastor conferences, arrange transportation to church, and many more ministries. They are in Nica for good.
Mike said some poinant words during our lunch together:
” You bloom where you are planted. You can serve anywhere.”
This month I have been struggling with the idea of God calling me to international missions. I have been carrying around this fear or expectation that since I’m doing the World Race I have to be a long term missionary, that God might make me do it. But that isnt God at all. He will use me where ever I am.
Mike reminded me that everyday is a mission field no matter where you are. You bloom where you are planted. I took his words as encouragement and a challenge. I need to listen to God and find where I will be planted. Right now that is a little silly since I live in a different country every month. However I can “dig in” in each country though and serve and see where it leads me. Another missionary we met this month also reminded me that God doesn’t need our help, He is all powerful. He wants to use us to help his Kingdom. All we have to do is be open to the call and for him to use us. Easy said than done sometimes.
Mike and Joan are a testament to how God can do great things if you just say “Yes, Lord”
Are you blooming right now? Are you spreading God’s love and Word? We can all be vessels of God. Just say “Yes!”
Bloom where you are planted right now 🙂
Blessings
Jennie
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