Saying Goodbyes
As I hugged goodbye the people I have been living with the past 5 months, tears streamed down my face. It was so hard to send off the people I have come to know and love as family; serving the Lord together in missions. I have lived with these people, eaten every meal with them, walked with them in our relationship with God, supported each other in some really difficult ministries, cried together, you name it we did it. Wow, this is definitely one of hard parts of YWAM... you fall in love with a group of people that God brought together and then you have to watch them go. I continued to tell myself ‘the world needs them more than I do. The world is desperate for people like them who KNOW God personally, who are filled with hope.’ But, it still wasn’t easy to let go... I really love them.
As I sat their crying, I asked God to teach me something through this experience. I believe that God designed our lives to teach us about Him and that he is in everything... so I asked Him to reveal himself to me in the midst of this. God spoke to me about his relationship with us (believers); how deeply it breaks His heart when we stray far from Him, even for just a day. How much pain He feels when we are away even for a second because He is so desperate to have us near. Because He is omnipresent, He has to stand there and wait while watching us choose to be away from Him. His presence around us in a promise, despite our awareness of it. We just have to choose to open up and decide to live in that ‘presence’ continually. As for me, there’s no place I’d rather be.
Wow, that touched my heart and brought with it more passion for God. I want to purposefully live every moment of my life to bring a smile to His face. To let other people know Him, this God who desperately longs for a relationship with us......
The past 5 Months
The past 5 months have been the most amazing 5 months of my life; but also very touch at times. God has revealed Himself to me in such incredible ways and I daily find myself more in love with Him. It’s so addicting; the more I know the more I love Him. The ‘Discipleship Training School’ has now come to an end. The outreach in Puerto Viejo and Nicaragua were amazing. I saw God move in miraculous ways; healing the sick, watching people accept Jesus, seeing lives transformed, people freed from bondage, delivering bibles around the country and having the opportunity to see the living word of God change people....
Here is a small overview and I will continue to blog more about these past 5 months. I have SO many stories and things to share, but here is just an overview! (I'm sorry I wasn't able to blog much. We did not have much internet access at all)!
Bible distribution
Bible distribution was truly amazing. The goal of this project is to put one bible in every house of Costa Rica. I was first apprehensive about going from house to house delivering a bible... I was worried that it would be impersonal and that we were just ‘leaving them alone’. I really love personal ministries so I was worried about just being in someones house for half of an hour ministering and then leaving. But God completely changed my mindset. There is nothing more powerful than the living word of the living God.... God created the whole world just by speaking... there is power in His word!!!
I was so amazed to see how God had been pursuing each person that we met... this was God’s ministry not ours. Each heart was ready, and God had been working LONG before we joined in with Him to deliver the bibles. People were touched to know that God sent us to hike through mountains for hours just to deliver them a present from the Lord!
A little old woman we delivered a bible to. She asked us to sit and read her a few passages. We read as tears streamed down her face. She was in desperate need of encouragement.
A family plagued with sickness. We were able to pray and declare healing over this family. God gave big promises at this house. The little baby was born 3 months early with a hole in her heart. God promised that he would heal her by the time she completes the total 9 months she was supposed to have developing in her mother's womb.
Skate Park Ministry- Puerto Viejo
The Skate ministry that we did in Puerto Viejo was fabulous! We were able to reach children and youth in a VERY dark town. Children who live surrounded by drug trafficking, sex, negligent parents, witchcraft, and complete darkness. We were able to reach these children through skateboarding and then were able to build relationships and watch God transform their lives.
Feeding Program Ministry- Nicaragua
In Nicaragua we worked with a feeding program and children's ministry in the trash dump. Through this ministry we were able to pour into children who have little hope. By changing the way people think, they can change they way they live (Romans 12:2).
Looking out over the entrance of the dump.
A young boy with a cape on playing in the trash.....
Thank you to everyone who made these past 5 months possible and successful through prayer and financial support! Thank you for playing such a crucial role in missions through your support! This would not be possible without your obedience!
More to come this week!!!!! xoxo
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