No running water.
No electricity.
Food I can’t even recognize.
Large spiders constantly running around our rooms.
Beds made of mattresses stuffed with dirty rags.
A cold shower once a week.
Never having even an ounce of privacy.
Always feeling hungry.
Children screaming your name for no reason every second of every day.
I live for this, now.
My daily life here is more than I could ever ask for at home.
I am blessed beyond what I could have ever thought possible.
This month we have been working at an orphanage named Quinta Esperanza.
House of Hope.
It’s a fitting name for where we are.
Here in Nicaragua, it is a common thing for daughters to be passed around sexually between family
members starting as babies and until they experience they’re first period.
Every girl that lives at Quinta Esperanza has experienced it.
Millions more that do not live there experience it daily.
If this is how this world is, hope is all we have left.
Hope for something better.
Hope for change.
Hope for Jesus.
Our team has been able to spend all our time with these kids as we live where they live.
There are about fifteen boys and girls ranging from 5 years old to 18.
You wouldn’t believe it but the girl that runs this whole site is 22 years old.
1 Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example
for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”
Well, she does it.
There are two twins, both 5, who are gigantic balls of energy.
I love them.
One is mentally handicapped and the most uncoordinated person I have ever met.
I play with him constantly.
The other is mischievous and hyper and hilarious.
They are both named Gustavo.
Don’t ask me why.
They are both products of rape.
Their mother and our cook, Reyna, experienced it 6 years ago.
Now, she has two beautiful, amazing boys.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
No, God did not cause that man to commit that act on her.
But he worked through it to bring her a family.
What a blessing.
Praise God.
One thing I keep coming back to is hope.
Every person who lives here is filled with joy because of their true Father.
Because of Jesus Christ.
They talk about him constantly.
With us.
With everyone.
They seek the word constantly and make sure to spend alone time with their Dad.
They get it.
They have nothing at all.
Except for they have Him.
And so they have everything.
They have purpose.
James 1:9 “The brother in humble circumstances should take pride in his high position…”
I have been thinking a lot about purpose, lately.
What is my purpose?
To follow Jesus. That is easy.
But it gets deeper than that.
What is my true purpose?
I seek God on it constantly and He slowly tells me.
I love that. If I knew everything now I wouldn’t have anything to look forward to.
But here’s my question to you.
What is your purpose?
If you have Jesus then of course your purpose is to follow Him.
I pray He reveals more to you.
But how about those that do not have Jesus.
What is your purpose then?
To make a lot of money and live a comfortable life?
To earn fame or authority?
To be drunk constantly and to search for a new partner to sleep with every night?
To raise a good family that will raise another good family.
And then what?
And then die?
And then fade?
Become nothing?
Sounds horrible to me.
I want you to know. I want you to hear the words from me.
You have a greater purpose than that.
You have a Father in heaven who loves you, no, he adores you.
He created you and He wants you back.
You are His. The creator of the universe.
He specifically wants you.
Everything you search in this world to fill that gap in your soul is worthless.
Money will fade.
Fame and authority changes and is lost.
Your family will die.
You will die.
But that doesn’t have to be the end.
You can have eternity. Right now.
You can have purpose. Right now.
Stop living for yourself.
Live for the one who created you. Who created it all.
John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
me.”
All other gods, whether material or religious, are false. Know the truth right now.
He’s waiting for you with open arms.
Go find your purpose.
“This is love.”
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The World Race
Catch me on Twitter at NinjaZachWR
or see my pictures on Instagram at NinjaZach.
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If you would like to check out my new blog, with everything from the World Race and all my missions since then and even now in Japan, please click on this link for my blog The Vagabond Missionary. Thank you always for your support!
