NICA - WHAT? - CARAGUA

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

I've finally come to terms with the fact that I stink and that I will never be able to fully express my summer in words. This has been, hands down, the best summer of my life and the Lord has definitely changed me through it.

There are many stories I could tell, but I'll just stick with two. First: the day we spent with a missionary couple, Brad and Ruth Brown, at their feeding center located in the impoverished neighborhood of Pancasán. We sang songs, told Bible stories, played games, and ordered pizza for lunch (a welcome change from the typical rice and beans). For most of the children, this was their first time tasting pizza. I sat next to two sisters and noticed that the younger of them, Hellen, had stopped eating after taking only 2 bites. I asked her in broken Spanish, "are you not hungry?" With the biggest smile on her face, she replied, "I want to take it home for my brothers and my mom". As I looked around, I saw that most of the other children were also packing away their untouched pizza slices to bring back home. What a humbling experience that was to be reminded by 6-year olds what it is to put the needs of others before your own and to “give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so” (Deut 15:10).

On our last day in Bluefields, the feeding center staff threw a going away fiesta for our team. There was a live band, dancing, singing, and a giant piñata for the children. I was unprepared for what ensued after the piñata had been demolished. As children emerged from the ‘piñata pile’, they approached me and offered to give away their handfuls of candy. They knew the piñata had come from us, yet they wanted to show their gratitude by giving what little they had. At first, I declined (it seemed like the right thing to do at the time), but realized how upset the kids looked after I had turned down their gifts of candy. I was taking away their right to give; something they find such great joy in. Eventually, I accepted a single coffee flavored candy from one of the kids. Within seconds, I had an entire pile of coffee candies. I realized in that moment that even though I had come to Nicaragua to love these children, they were giving me more love than I felt I could give them. I'd pour into them, they'd fill me back up; I’d give, but they'd give back even more. It’s what our OrphaNetwork leaders call, “the upside down secret”: the idea that things are quite backwards from what we first thought or expected – It’s a picture of God’s kingdom.

Something else I learned this summer is that God doesn’t need me to accomplish His will, but He gives me the privilege of being a part of it. He doesn’t allow my own fears, worries, insecurities, or expectations to get in the way of His plans, especially not on HIS mission trips. Even in those times where I felt like I wasn’t doing much for the kids, it has become so clear that the Lord was (and still is) at work in their lives. In a recent e-mail update, Pastor Ed from Verbo Church shared with great enthusiasm how the feeding program is building the church and that there are now about 30 kids from the program who have been coming to church on Sunday, and some are even bringing their parents. 2 months ago, there were only 3 children from the program attending church regularly. He also shared that one of the girls from the program, along with several of the teenagers who served as translators during our trip, have recently accepted Christ and were baptized this past month. Praise the Lord! =)

So what’s next for me? I wish I knew. I am considering going back to school to get a teaching degree, as I’ve come to realize the passion I have for serving children. It’s something I can imagine myself doing every day for the rest of my life and never getting tired of. Ultimately, however, I’m waiting on the Lord to show me where he wants me, and praying that his will would be done in my life. I need to be faithful and continue to apply what the Lord has taught me this summer into my day to day life. I want to give sacrificially of my time, talents, and treasures. Also, I want to be focused on furthering God's kingdom and not on my daily needs and wants. But more than anything, I want to be content and joy-filled in whatever situation He places me in.

Also, back to Bluefields. Please join me in continuing to support the children and church through prayer as the feeding program has had to cut back the number of children being fed to about 75 each day, though demand remains at about 130. Since July, they have had to switch to a first come, first serve basis, until they can finish quantifying the level of need for the children coming. Please pray for the church and the staff – that the Lord would keep them strong and provide the funds and encouragement they need to continue reaching out to more children. Also the children – that God would protect them, keep them healthy, and keep working in their hearts. If you would like to see pictures taken by me and my teammates during the trip, feel free to take a look at our on-line photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/NicaraguaGI09. I’m hoping that it will help you to connect even more with the children of Nicaragua as you get a closer look at their lives.