Unexpected Friends

Here in Nicaragua coming into it I wasn’t sure what to expect for ministry. We were told we can choose our ministry. We were told about gap year teams coming here also. Those ministries ranged from doing things like: street evangelism, to prayer walking, to going to the hospital and praying for the sick, going to the prison to share a message with the inmates there, to going to the garbage dump where we got to share a message with the people who worked there and serve them, to just having relationships with the people here at the ministry sight and the last one was being able to minister to a World Race gap year squad. By far my four favorite ministries out of those was the gap year team, prison ministry, and going to the hospital and prayer walking. I loved them all but these really had my heart. I want to share about a few of them. 

Prayer walking was really incredible. We were able to walk around with the locals here and go from house to house evangelizing and praying for people. We would get welcomed onto there property and they would allow us to share the love of Christ with them. They usually pulled out chairs, enough for us to all sit down and then we would just talk to them . Some people had some really hard stories and struggles. Through all of that they still had so much faith and joy. It is so amazing to see people with little have more faith and joy than people with much. It is a really humbling thing to see that. We were able to invite them to church and just show them love the love of Christ. I really loved being able to be a part of what God is doing in Nicaragua through prayer walking.

The prison ministry was really unique. It was something that my team leader expressed interest in while we were in Honduras. That was before we knew we would be doing prison ministry. Once she had said something about it I was hoping to be Anel to do that at some point. So, once I found out we would be doing it I was excited. The men were able to go into the prison. We were taken back to where all the cells were. After passing  a few gates we were able to stand at the entrance gate of the hallway with all the cells. We were able to pray for them, and talk to them from there. I had the opportunity to share a few things with them and just pray for them. We got to bring a speaker in and play worship music for all of them. It was an amazing opportunity to be able to take part in that ministry. They always were so excited for us to come in. They got so hyped about worship and appreciated us just being there. 

Now I want to talk about my favorite thing about this place. I have loved being able to get to know and minister to the gap year squad that is here. We knew coming here that they would be arriving and we would be doing ministry together. I wasn’t sure what that was going to look like or what to expect. I wasn’t really expecting to connect with them like I was able to do. I have made some really good memories and even better friends. Even though I only had like two weeks with them It feels like I have known them longer. We had the opportunity to lead a book study with them. That book study was very fruitful and taught me a whole lot. I have learned so much from them and I know I was able to pour into them from what the Lord has walked me through. The Lord really showed up in conversations with some of them. I was speaking on things He had walked me through and taught me but I started speaking things I didn’t even know. I know that was the Holy Spirit giving me knowledge through using what He has given me and giving Him the glory. They poured into my life as much as i did theirs. They have been on there race for 6 months twice as long as we have. I am gonna miss this squad the most form this place. From all of the ministries, leaders, and all the good things the have going on at that ministry sight gap year was by far my favorite part of it. I made some unexpected friends there, ones I can stay in touch with and reconnect with once back in the states. 

Meeting this squad has really allowed me to learn so much from them. I have stepped into walking in tune with spirit more, I am walking out of looking for peoples approval and walking into only requiring the Lords approval, also I am  learning how to be confident/authoritative but also humble/gentle when speaking into peoples lives. I have also grown in being able to connect with other sisters in Christ and be more vulnerable, open, and confident to speak the truth in those settings. Before the race I hadn’t ever had a real sister in Christ. I knew the freedom I received last month brought confidence and just being comfortable being me but I have really seen the fruit of that here. This is my favorite place so far on the race. The Lord has done so so much in my life so far I can’t adequately express how much. I have seen Him move in other peoples lives too. This is just the start of month four, I have seven more months of intentional and purposeful time spent with God. I get to take part in Gods will around the world. There is no place I would rather be. 

The locals here are amazing as well. I really got to connect with the translators and some of the leaders from that ministry sight. Our ministry host was awesome. He poured into our lives from spiritual disciplines, to just biblical foundations. All the people from the ministry sight are really on fire for the Lord and doing great things! 

I want to share one thing I didn’t share that happened during travel day to Nicaragua from El Salvador. We had to wait at the Nicaraguan border for a long time to be able to cross into it. We took a tourist bus into the country and we had another bus that came with us that was with the same company but was full of tourists and not part of our squad. These people were from all over the world but they were just traveling some of South America for a few months. At the border in Nicaragua they were there with us and we had to wait a while which opened up a great opportunity to talk to them. After talking to a few of them I was with a couple leaders from our squad and they had the opportunity to share the gospel with them. One guy had anxiety and another had a fractured elbow. We were talking with them and telling them about Jesus and how He heals. We told them how He wanted to heal them and how much He loved them. We were able to pray for them. The guy with anxiety looked at us and didn’t know what to say because it was gone. The guy with the fractured elbow was shocked when he moved his arm and didn’t have any pain! The Lord is literally just so amazing. 

Now I am heading to Costa Rica. I get a new team, a new ministry sight, and a new country. Just be in prayer for that as we go to this new place! Pray for growth, divine appointments, and open hearts.