Country Number Two: Nicaragua
Location: Pastors for the Kingdom; Palacaguina
Living Situation: Indoor Tenting- Church Floor
Ministry: Various- Working closely with Pastor David doing many outreaches
Season: Rainy
Weather: Warm and Damp; occasional breezes or thunderstorms (but enjoyable)
Let me start off by saying I am so thrilled with our ministry contact. Pastor David is one of the kindest, most genuine, God honoring, family oriented men I have met. He takes such good care of our team. Not only do we invest in their family and community, Pastor David and his family do the same for us. Part of how he honors us is how he sets up our jobs and work scheduled for the day. He takes his time to best prepare us for our jobs, to teach us songs in spanish, to get us the necessary tools.. oh, yeah, and his wife cooks us every meal, and it is always amazing!
The ministry we do varies day to day. Up to this point we have lead a youth group, given testimonies and messages in church every Tuesday Thursday & Sunday, gardened at the local hospital, made a driveway/ramp/trench for better access to the church, met the local community, ran a VBS, evangelized at the local school, lead worship for both main and youth services, and we have many more varieties of ministry yet to come. Through the ministries, I have been able to get very close with a number of the youth of the church. I am amazed at how at ease they are with me, how free they are with their hugs, how eager to talk, and how very receptive to whatever we share at church. Through my friendship with them, they have help me with my spanish, and I with their english. We are all very fast learners if I may say so myself!
Last night (Oct. 16th), we had a 6 o’clock service. It was raining, and attendance was lower than normal, but that opened the space for the spirit to move through the church. Before the service our team had our own small version of praise and worship, and in doing so the spirit seemed to put our hearts in the right place. A place where our only desire was to share the Holy Spirit with the people of the church, to see the spirit move, heal, and touch lives in ways we never could. As the service proceeded it was insanely clear that people felt God move and at the end of the service the floor was open for prayer. Some members of our team prayed for healing for those who asked for it, and saw amazing results. Some prayed over the elderly. Some prayed for the community in general. Others prayed for the WR teams on the field. I found myself praying for the youth. Ones that I had gotten to know, others who I hadn’t. But, why? Because they are beautiful. They are the future of the church, and honestly, less than ten years ago, I was one of them. In that weird stage between childhood and adult hood. Unsure what path to take.
This short time in Nicaragua has reminded me where my original fire for missions was kindled. As a youth; as a pimpled face, glasses wearing, greasy faced, high schooler. I felt God’s call and love through my family, but also through those who invested their lives into us moody, awkward teens. The people who chose to love me through the times “my world was ending”. The youth pastors who gave up their Saturdays to hang and talk with me. Who showed me that just because I was young, didn’t mean I was limited. And I want to try to be that person for these kids. Even though it is only a short time, I believe they deserve all the love and attention I can give them. They deserve Gods message as much as anyone else. And I firmly believe that whatever I teach them, the will teach me infinitely more that either of us could hope to understand or realize.
I guess I’ll let you know how it goes! Keep me and my team in your prayers. Along with the people of Palacaguina. I’m 17% away from being fully funded! Praise! Here is a little picture of me doing laundry, the little building behind me is our shower and the area to the right is where we meet with the youth and have children’s service on sunday. It is a stunning area! I love it here.
