Dear Friends, Welcome to Bogota!
I’ve decided after the Race I’m joining the Olympics to compete in some form of gymnastics. I’m confident in my ability to take home gold because goodness gracious, I never knew I was so flexible!
Upon arriving at the Ft. Lauderdale airport for a 14 hour layover, my team discovered we could not enter the airport due to complications with our international flight. We also discovered there was no place to purchase food where we were waiting.
Let me tell you, friends, hanger is a very real thing in my life. As it turns out, my entire team experiences hanger on a very spiritual level. Six girls waiting on an airplane for 14 hours with no food makes for frustration so dense it can be cut with a butterknife. Praise the Lord these ladies love each other and Jesus.
After a failed attempt to find some semblance of a meal, Joey took us all over to a grassy area and determined that we should pray with thankful hearts. With gritted teeth, we thanked the Lord for the food we were blessed with and for the company of one another.
We survived the day and made our intended flight with only slight delays.
During the following three days and nights of travel, I discovered I am capable of sleeping in the following situations;
On an 11 hour bus ride
On planes
On a bench in the airport during a 14 hour layover
On a mountain of backpacks during the same layover
On a mattress that may or may not have been covered in blood
Arriving at our host home in Bogota to find a room full of beds resulted in the most thankful of hearts and the most glorious night of sleep. Before collapsing in our new nests for the month, we learned a little about what we thought ministry would look like for January.
During a session at launch, one of the speakers, Jeremy, told a story about arriving at a ministry site. Immediately, the host asked what kind of team he belonged to. Not quite understanding, Jeremy informed the host they were a missionary team. The host responded with an adamant, “but what KIND of team?” Jeremy and the host eventually discovered that what was needed was a drama team to perform throughout the city. That month of ministry, Jeremy’s was a Drama Team.
It’s been three days in ministry and already my team has proudly claimed the following
We are:
Worship Team
Drama Team
Dance Team
Painting Team
Drywall Team
Sanding Team
Spackling Team
Cleaning Team
Varnish Team
Ministry Team
Teaching Team
Adventure Team
Tutor Team
Cooking Team
Child Crowd Control Team
(But actually Children’s Ministry Team)
The first night we arrived we were informed we would be preaching and singing in the following morning’s service. In less than an hour we had a Spirit breathed sermon and songs fully prepared- including choreography.
The morning service was met with joy and enthusiasm as we sang with the congregation. There was a beautiful moment while we were singing “Open the eyes of my heart” and the congregation began singing in Spanish as we sang in English. Our host spoke about how we are all one nation with Christ in our hearts. We have one language, and that is the love poured out from the Father.
In the midst of many unknowns, the Lord is working in powerful ways. My team has been listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit from day one, and it has changed the atmosphere of our work. When we were without food we could have become angry at one another and ruined the gift of 14 hours getting to know each other and laughing uncontrollably. When we were without comfortable sleeping arrangements, we could have continued in our days grumbling and missed the opportunity to love our hosts well upon first meeting them. When we were challenged with last minute requests, we could have said no and missed the opportunity to praise the Lord in the same spiritual tongue with our Colombian brothers and sisters.
It has only been a week and we have already been called to be flexible in more ways than I ever anticipated. It is imperative that we continue to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and not miss opportunities to love his children well.
The Devil is going to attack us when we are most weak and cause wonderful opportunities to seem like burdens. Friends, I ask that you continue to pray for my team. Please pray that we will have open eyes and ears for what the Lord is calling us to do in every moment, even if we feel particularly brittle. Please pray for continued elasticity.
I love you all!
¡Dios le Bendiga!
*Photo taken during a hangry prayer courtesy of Haylee
