Merry Christmas and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
As I write this I am sitting on a plane in Nicaragua surrounded by my squad mates as we wait for our plane to be repaired. We are on our first of four flights to get to Thailand on Saturday. (Yes that is 4 days of flights, then another day on a bus to our ministry in Thailand). We have three 12 hour layovers; in Atlanta, Los Angeles and Korea– then finally on to Thailand.
It is strange flying back to the U.S. after three months of living as a Central American. Air- conditioning sounds like the biggest treat I can imagine.
This past month has been for me a month of quiet time with our faithful Father. Our team has been living at a property Vision Nicaragua started 12 years ago after a terrible hurricane tore through Nicaragua destroying hundreds of homes and taking many lives. Vision Nicaragua set up camp, which is 21/2 acres outside the town of Chinandega, and started helping a village called Bethel rebuild. They constructed over 100 homes and as they built relationships with these families they quickly realizing that more than anything the men and women themselves needed jobs. A huge majority of the men and women dropped out of school when they were in middle school to start working in the sugar cane fields, which is the primary source of employment in this part of Nicaragua. Working in the fields, these men and women are suffering from kidney failure from a pesticide that is cheap and works well. Unfortunately, as we were informed by Daryl the President of Vision Nicaragua, "This pesticide is a direct poison to the kidneys." The men and women have few choices for work, especially with the lack of education. Vision Nicaragua knew they needed to start training men and women in trades that would help sustain their families and keep them from working in the fields. They have established a mechanic’s shop, a welding program, a block-making company, a bakery, a clothing store, as well as raised money to send a high school graduate through medical school. They now have a doctor that the village can see free of charge. There are men and women working all over the property and more locals taking classes to learn a trade. The organization also raises money to send the kids to school from 1st grade through university. In 12 years the progress that has been made is substantial. This ministry is incredible and is making a difference in the lives of so many families and we were blessed to experience this first-hand. They aren't cultivating dependencies, they are helping to produce skilled workers and as importantly, educating Christians.
This month has involved some of the hardest manual labor I have ever experienced, but it also has been some of the most fulfilling spiritually! We had the opportunity to build a home for one of the women, Estella, who cooked for us each day. I wish I could have documented on video just a small glimpse of Estella. I want you to picture a woman who cooks three meals a day for 19 missionaries, a woman who when I walked into the kitchen each morning at 5:45 would joke with me, hug me calling me her “love” in Spanish. She was so full of joy and love as she sang worship songs in the kitchen as she cooked. She reminded me so much of my grandma, just working away in the kitchen as she absolutely loves blessing others with her hospitality.
Estella lives in a home that is made from tin and cardboard scraps and is no more than twelve feet by twelve feet, not much more room than for a bed. It has dirt floors, no electricity, no bathroom, and no running water. She gets water from a well that was built by Living Water about an eighth of a mile from her home. Amazingly, this woman is anything but poor because she is so very rich in spirit and each person she meets is ultimately blessed. I can only aspire to care as little as she does about the things that bring no true happiness and yet care more on our great God and Creator. She is a woman who is eternally focused on Him every day, all day. I love it! One of the most rewarding experiences I had in Nicaragua was to be involved in passing on blessings to Estella by helping to build her a brick home with a concrete foundation. Her new home will be finished by another team that is arriving this week. She will now have a home with a foundation, electricity, running water and a bathroom! I feel so blessed to have seen the fruits of our labor after this month.
It also was a blessing to experience Christmas on a Nicaraguan beach with a team that I have come to love dearly and to spend time with the kids in Bethel and other local villages.
Our team in our ugly Christmas shirts on the beach!
Bethel streets
Our travel for the month.
Soccer tournament we got to put on at Bethel with the neighboring villages. Vision Nicaragua supplied jerseys and balls for all the kids. I became an official line girl!
Winning team! The kids had such a blast!
We were able to serve these wonderful people by picking up trash around their communities and spending many memorable moments playing soccer and goofing off with the kids. I got to witness a beautiful baptism of more than 20 people in a natural spring surrounded by the whole village.
I feel so blessed by Nicaragua as well as the previous two countries in Central America – blessed by the people, the genuine relationships they want to build with us, the simplicity of life here, and the beauty of God's creation that I got to be surrounded by for three months. This has been a time of the Lord walking me through resting in Him. A time of learning to work hard, to love more, and to let go and allow Him to guide my steps. "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." Proverbs 16:9
We even got to do our own candlelight service on Christmas Eve.
Thank you to every person who has uplifted me with your encouragement, prayers, giving and love! Thank you for letting God use you to bless me.
On New Year’s Eve we said our sad goodbyes to the people we have grown to love over this month and traveled to meet our entire squad on a small island off the coast of Nicaragua for a few days. We drove two hours in the back of a truck, then loaded into a large canoe with our 50 pound packs and hiked another 20 minutes to a part of the island where we camped. Someone told me at the beginning of this adventure that only millionaires and missionaries will see the things we will experience this year, and that statement couldn't be more right. I fell asleep to the waves crashing twenty feet from my tent and awoke to the most beautiful sunrise I have ever experienced.
Mike and Stacey, our squad leaders, brought us to this island to announce that we would be changing teams. A strong wave of emotions washed over me as I have lived with Ash, Ben, Katrina, Paul and Becca for three months in constant community. We eat dinner together every night, we work alongside one another every day, we pray together, and share in each other’s walk with the Lord — we have truly become a family over these past three months.
On the second day of our island retreat Stacey took me on a walk down the beach and asked me if I would lead a team of 7 women over the next 8 months. It initially took me by surprise, but when she asked I also immediately knew that the Lord has been calling me to this the past year. I have fallen in love with the experience of watching young women grow in faith and in walking alongside them as they become confident in who the Lord made them.
Now I excitedly want to introduce my new team called Talitha Koum, which means "little girl arise!" It is from the book of Mark.
I couldn't think of a better way to tell you about each of these amazing young women than to repeat what I wrote in my journal about them this morning after praying for each of them.
Caitlyn — She is our worship LEADER. Her voice calls on the Holy Spirit. She is genuine. Compassionate. Her laugh can steal the spotlight. She hopes all things. She is gentle — a woman who is seeking the truth for her life. She is unapologetically real, loved, modest and courageous, all at once. She has fallen in love with Nicaragua. She is passionate and stretched for the huge calling God has placed on her through this journey. She is a woman who "hopes all things."
Erica — Daddy's girl (the Lord's girl) She is the woman who consistently points all others to Christ. Hospitality is her spiritual gift. Gorgeous. A pure GIVER. Growing. She is striving every day. I love seeing the passion in her to seek God. Walking with her feet straight! (Proverbs 4) She is a blessing to me. She seeks others out to encourage, comfort and affirm. Bold. She is a fierce southern belle! Honest. Challenges herself. Pours into everyone around her. In love with only one- Her great I AM. Selfless. Diligent. And wow does she have a servant’s heart!!
Heather — Protector. Sincerely cares about me. Loves to speak God's truth! Naturally and vibrantly beautiful. Wise far beyond the age of 22. I love watching her seek the Lord, her quiet time looks like a lover passionately seeking her perfect match. She doesn't hold back–gives everything to the tasks the Lord calls her into. Gentle. She puts my spirit at ease. From the first conversation I had with her at the beach I knew she was a prayer warrior. Driven. Blessed with the gift of intercession. Honest. Comforter. Leader.
Leanna — Pure heart. Seeking to be more passionate with our Father. Excitable. Vibrant. Comforter & Nurturer. Playful. Loved. Just being near her fills me with so much joy. She is hopeful and strong. Physically she works harder than any woman I have ever met of my age. She is a relationship seeker. Confidence builder. Gentle. Lover. She loves to make others laugh. Silly. Her laugh is contagious. Open heart.
These girls are incredible, and I cannot wait to walk alongside of them through Asia! Please pray for our all-girls team as we just found out we will be living and working at an orphanage with 100 high risk children in Thailand.
I could not be more at peace with this group and how the Lord is leading us!
I love you all and my next update will be from Thailand.
