Today was our first day in ministry! In the morning, I had a chance to talk to Marielle – who works with Adventures in Missions discipleship program. I shared with her my entire testimony. The past two and a half years, I have gone through many ups and downs in my life where sometimes I have felt like everything was falling into multiple little tiny pieces. I also thought that sometimes God was never around because I have not heard the Lord’s voice or felt His presence. I would ask and ask God for more of Him and I thought I was not receiving anything. Then almost instantly, God spoke to me through her. He showed me that He and I are converged together as one daily!
God gives me the mind to have have discernment within my decisions and thoughts. God gives me the eyes to see the opportunities He lays before me. God gives me the mouth to go and speak His truth. God gives me the heart to love others the way He loves us. God gives me the ability to be His hands and feet. Even though I may not always feel or hear Him, I absolutely know that He is inside of me.
I look back and see all of the times God showed up and worked for my good and His glory. After our devotional and breakfast, we set out for the Mayan village. First we started distributing donations to all of the children at the school. As they split into boy and girl lines, we divided the clothes into separate piles (boys, girls and adults). We handed each one a piece of clothing for themselves and also for their parents. It was so amazing just seeing how happy and excited they were for the things we have easy access to. Once all of the donations were taken, we divided out into smaller teams to passed out water filters to family who do not have clean water. I was privileged in being on Steve’s teams with Meggie, Avery and Marielle.
The first house we came to was a mother in law’s house who had three boys and two girls with her. She did not have clean water so we have them a water filter which will last for ten years. While I was setting up the filter, Marielle began telling the woman part of my testimony from how I labeled myself broken and God revealed to me that I was truly blessed. Then we asked her if she had any names that God has given her, but she said no. Immediately after we started praying for names for this woman, God began speaking to us about her: He said she was strong, loved and a queen. We told her, and she said they were beautiful. We do not know how it impacted her, but it sure looked like it did. After we finished explaining how the filter worked and how to clean it, we found out that one of the boys had an infection all around his left eye which made it super swollen. We prayed for healing for him and then heard that his birthday recently passed, so we ended up singing happy birthday to him in English and Spanish. Before we left, we passed out bracelets to them. I told them that just as my friends and family have made the bracelets, God made each one of them special.
The second house we went to had two women and a little girl. They already obtained a water filter but that did not stop us from talking to them and praying for them. They said it took two whole months to finish one weaving piece of cloth and they do not get a ton of money out of it. They said they get sick often and asked for prayer for money, a house and jobs. I prayed for one of the woman’s sickness which included a harsh cough and chest pains. After I prayed we asked her how she felt and she still had a little pain. Then, Marielle prayed for her, and the pain was gone! God performed a miracle by healing her. The other members prayed for the other woman and child.
With seven minutes on the clock, we went to one last house with an entire family. We gave them a water filter and explained to them how we we are similar to it. We are like the dirty water and Jesus is like the water filter because through Jesus Christ we are made clean.
Then we headed back the the school. As children were arriving for vacation bible school, we would play soccer with them. It started with just kicking the ball and then all of a sudden it went into a full on soccer game. When enough kids appeared, we began with the bible story of David and Goliath. We acted the story out while one person narrated it and then we sang some songs with movements. For the craft, each child drew on a piece of paper their greatest fear and then had the chance to swing a ball of paper to defeat it. For the rest of the time, we got to hang out with them and play games, soccer, dance, braid hair, duck duck goose, and jump rope. After my team and I handed out the bracelets to each one of them. It was so weird because there were so many children, I did not know if I would have a lot left for the rest of the mission trip. I do though because I’m pretty sure God multiplied them. To conclude the whole day, we had worship which was absolutely awesome because it was pouring rain so we sang as loud as we could to glorify and praise the name of Jesus!
God is doing some amazing, indescribable things in me and here in Guatemala!!!!
