Nicaragua '09

Sorry it's taken me so long to blog about our trip. Here it goes!

First of all, I want to again thank all those who have given toward our trip. God bless you abundantly. There is no way that I could have gone without your support.

It's amazing how every year God shows up in different ways. This year has especially been different than any other year. The difference has been that I really have realized some of the things that God has gifted me with and am able to apply those things here at home.

In 2007, we went to South Africa. After coming back, I was amazed how God had transformed my heart not so much for the nationals as for the teens here in the states. It brought me great joy to see their lives being changed on this trip.

In 2008, I was prophesied over by a national of the Dominican Republic that I would go many places. God's gifts and calling began to manifest in my life and I am still discovering all of what those are. I was so blessed by one national in particular named Juan Carlos Tejeda. God is going to use him mightily to impact his nation (the Dominican Republic.)

Since 2007, my heart has honestly strayed from missions. It's amazing that I have gone the past two years to the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. But this year, God has re-light the fire and passion of missions in my heart. My former youth pastor (now executive pastor) Jon Zondervan has been a cheerleader in my life since I started helping out with youth at Radiant Church (Resurrection Life Church then) in 2004, while I was gone a year in South Africa in 2005 and especially since I have moved to Kalamazoo in 2006 up to today. He has always been there to encourage me when life seemed like death and also in the times of celebration. Never telling me what to do but praying for me and allowing the Holy Spirit to show up big in my life.

This year, I felt like the Holy Spirit was telling me, "This trip is a gift from Abba Father." I felt that way the whole time. It was hard to accept that I was going but I just began to thank God for His gift to me. I am learning that I don't have to be perfect to be in His Kingdom. He sent His Son to die for my shortcomings, my failure and mess-ups. His mercies are new every morning. GREAT is His faithfulness. I can say confidently that really I deserve nothing but it is His gift to me.

I want to share a couple of testimonies with you that happened on the trip this year to Nicaragua. First of all, I want to give you a backdrop of what this trip was about. We were gone for 8 days in Nicaragua. (Nicaragua is in Central America between Honduras and Costa Rica.) A lot of our trip involved drama and passing out flyers. The flyers were advertising a 2-day crusade that was to take place the last couple of days we were there in the capital city of Managua. Every day, we would travel to 3-5 places, the teens would perform their dramas and we would have a call for salvation and healing. Many were saved and healed during that time.

Later in the week, we also had a men's conference, women's conference and children's crusade. I obviously did not go to the men's conference, but the women's conference was incredible as well as the children's crusade.

At the women's conference, a well-known speaker named Lisa Bevere spoke the women and we were able to pray with various women after her speaking time. As I prayed over a few women, I could feel the heartache in their souls. I asked the Holy Spirit to comfort them. They are very oppressed by the men in the country as is very common in many third world countries. They have so much to offer but are shut up because they are women. God began to heal many broken hearts that day and I believe with all my heart that He is continuing that process even today as I write this.

The children's crusade was a fun time of candy and games! The kids were so eager to play and it was such a joy to be a part of it!

What I want to mainly focus on is the 2-day national crusade that was held the last 2 days we were there. Over 50,000 people showed up to hear the good news that Jesus Christ saves and heals! The nights started out with songs and much worship and praise. The people came expecting to hear from God and receive a miracle. After the music, was preaching. There is nothing eloquent about the way the message was presented but the power of God came and the people's ears were open and ready to hear the good news. Many received salvation! Praise God!

After the salvation message was preached, there was an area where the sick were placed. Our team of 250 people, came to that place and began to pray over the sick. (I am getting chills just typing this!) One incident in particular was of a girl who had head trauma. I am not sure exactly what happened to her but she could not walk or speak. She seemed almost a vegetable. It was as if nothing was registering. We began to gather around her and pray for her. When praying over trauma, there is physical and mental things that go on as well as spiritual. We began to address all three. Over and over I said, "She belongs to Jesus. This child belongs to Jesus." I don't even know why I began to say that but that is what popped out of my mouth. This girl began to walk and say over and over again, "Santo, santo, santo" which means, "Holy, holy, holy" in Spanish. WOW! What an amazing thing that God did through us that night! Sometimes we Americans will say something in Spanish, so that the national will begin to open their mouths and speak the truth of Jesus Christ but this girl began to say, "Santo, santo, santo" all by herself!!! God is so incredible. He is amazing!!!

I would share more testimonies but it would take a book to write all the things that God did that week.

A few days ago, I went to the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission and God used me here to serve food to the poor in our community. At first it was hard to not get judgmental as I heard people being picky with what they did and didn't want. I began to quickly shift my focus to those who were thankful instead and began to smile at each person as they walked through the line. Suddenly everything changed when I smiled at them and their faces lit up. It was as if they were dead and life was breathed in them. The breath of God. We truely are ambassadors for Christ in this lost and dying world. Really... REALLY... there is really NO hope in this world. I have come to terms with that. I cannot find happiness outside of knowing Christ Jesus and Him alone. I think of Paul when he talks about all of his accolades and at the very end saying that it's all just rubbish compared to knowing Christ. He was a very educated man and he had many things to be proud of but he found the one thing that would give him real life--- Christ Jesus. Not that those things weren't good because they were, but he was comparing them to knowing Christ. I could look at all the things I've done and all the experiences that I've had and even this last mission trip to Nicaragua and pride myself on everything. I have a lot of amazing experiences already in life but NOTHING compares to knowing Christ. He is my life source.

I hope you have enjoyed hearing about Nicaragua. Life is a faith journey.