Last time I updated, I was going to Lake Charles to work on Hurricane relief. I spent two weeks staying at the local host church at night and making rounds going house to house during the day. Back in 2017, my family and I went through Hurricane Harvey and saw firsthand the damage it caused. My family was lucky, for even though we were ordered to evacuate our house, not any irreplaceable property was destroyed. At the time, I didn’t fully realize how lucky we had it. I did see houses around where I lived get gutted out, but not up close. I saw flooded roads and I volunteered to help fill sandbags to stop further flooding in our neighborhood, but I had never been inside a house left destitute for months after losing power, like I did in Lake Charles. These homes had spoiled food that sat in the fridge for months and had so much water damage and mold on every single wall that they were condemned by the city. Lake Charles 2020 changed many lives, and made an impression on mine. I saw time and time again houses completely wrecked, oftentimes destroying all those families had. They dealt with moldy walls and clothes, structural damages, and personal items that needed to be removed for safe storage. In these trying times, I saw a kind of joy and true thankfulness from the homeowners I’ve rarely seen. Even something as simple as moving some items from their attic could have a lasting impact and was an opening to lead these people to the Lord. It was also nice to bond with my team in working together on these homes. I know this will serve us well for our work coming up in Costa Rica.
I’m excited to see how I can use my experience during my time with the Race so far in the US for ministry in Costa Rica. More direct ministry is what I’m excited for. I don’t really know what to expect on this mission trip, but on January 8th I’m leaving the country and opening a new chapter of my life. Thank you to everyone who has supported me financially so far, and for those of you praying for me and my team. It has been amazing to watch God provide for my trip through friends, family, and even people I don’t know. I am in the home stretch for the end of my fundraising for my time out of the country. I still need some funds, and I’m prayerful that someone reading this may be looking for a way to help with this mission. I couldn’t serve without the generosity of others, and I’m thankful I get to do this. I hope y’all have had a Merry Christmas and hope for a Happy 2021!
