My journey began with a lot of vomit (the whole night/morning before our plane left), and seemingly nothing going right as my family, Alex, and I made a trek to Indy. I felt frustration and confusion the whole 24 hours before leaving on the journey, yet as our plane departed I was full of peace and serenity.
As our team from Indy arrived in Nica last Saturday, love and change has surrounded us. My favorite part (or at least pretty high on my favorite list), is waking up in solitude. Having an hour to just sit and be with God is incredible. I am so excited to see what He has in store for me this summer and I love having all the time to listen.
Over this week, we've traveled to 3 villages, climbed a volcano, painted 2 widows houses, passed out 100's of toothbrushes and toothpaste, served over 200 patients in clinics, rode in the back of a truck through a rain storm, played with a lot of bubbles and fuzzy sticks, learned from each other, and eaten an immense amount of guava jelly. I could talk about each for a couple hours, but I want to share with you in particular just a couple of stories.
On Monday night we had the opportunity to go to a Young Life campaigners in Chinandega. I lead Young Life in Carmel, Indiana it wouldn't be a shock if 80 kids showed up to our campaigners, and had 8 different rooms for us to meet in and talk about Jesus. It is beautiful, kids getting to be vulnerable, and forming relationships that will change their life. This past Monday though, I entered into a small room, which was someones house and there was one faint light in the center of the room. There were about 25 kids with smiles on their faces. We got to jam out with song sheets, no projectors, and dance around the room like there was no tomorrow. Then we broke up into groups, not into 8 rooms, but 4 corners of 1 room where we got to talk about who God is. Even though we didn't speak the same language, we laughed, and we learned, and instead of using Iphones for the Bible, we used ones that were falling apart. It reminded me why Young Life exists, so that high schoolers can know Christ. I was not sad that these friends had such a small dark place to worship Jesus and spread the Gospel. I was overjoyed to see how God is working in their lives. That these teenagers have too found a place to be vulnerable and loved.
Yesterday as we drove the group to Managua to the airport, we stopped at a house. A seemingly ordinary house for Nicaragua. We walked in and the man introduced himself as a potter. And he told us that today he would tell us a story to strengthen our faith. He then took us to his backyard to tell us for over 45 years how he creates his pots. He was able to tell how in life, God is like the potter, and we are the clay. After he digs it out of the ground it is rough, and hard and can't be worked with. It has to soak for 6 hours before then smashing it with your own feet, then hand picking out rocks. If even one twig is in the clay, the pot will be useless. Even though the clay at this point is useless, he still loves it, just like God loves us because of the potential and hope of what it can be made into. He then showed how he uses the wheel, and effortlessly transforms it into any shape. Although there are many different shapes they are all beautiful and unique and serve different puroposes, just like us. He then was able to paint and carve into the piece of clay. He made sure to tell us that at any point in the process the pottery could be destroyed, and that was okay because it was still usable clay, it still had potential. Then at the end of process it goes through a pottery oven, where it stands the test; it is either broken or deformed or is made perfect and complete. Just like when we finish life on earth,we can face eternal brokeness or we can become perfect and complete in unity with God. Throughout the whole time I couldn't get out of my head Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. God is not going to give up on us, even if everything comes crashing down and we break into pieces, we are still usable and moldable. We also got to try the wheel ourselves... uhhh really hard. It also taught me that God is a pro, and even though making pots looks easy it is really hard.
This week as we bring medical supplies, and toothbrushes, and fun games to the beautiful Nicaragua, I was reminded by an old friend Enrique, that bringing things is not what is going to help people here, taking jobs away from Nicaraguans is only going to worsen the issues, but we need to help bring sustainability. Often so many times in missions we lump Jesus with things. That's unnecessary though, God in himself has created and is in all things. We studied a lot of different names for God this week, A Provider, Living, A Consuming Fire, A Shepard, A Father, and a few more too. I have learned that we so often think we as humans we can provide everything, but in reality we are only wasting away and all of our things are temporary, yet God sustains.
I am also learning to slow down. Today we are practicing the Sabbath (like for real), and I can't say I have truly done that in a very long time (like maybe consciously, never). We are stopping listening for God.
Grant, and I are still on the project and are in need of prayer. For guidance, for wisdom, for health and adjusting.
Well, I better go play in the rain. Much love from Nica! Also, I can text for free, so you can contact me that way!
