This week has been unforgettable. I wish that each of you could be here to meet the Missionaries and to hear their stories. I have been so impacted by just being surrounded by people who have such tenacious courage and passion for the calling God has placed in their lives.Hearing testimony after testimony I cannot help but be reminded of when God first broke my heart for Missions. Ever since I was a little girl I have had the opportunity to travel the world. To date I have traveled to 23 countries. I have seen some of the most beautiful places, eaten the best and weirdest foods, and taken every tour humanly possible. Most of my childhood memories consist of my grandparents dragging me from one museum to the next, one palace to another. In my short 25 years I have experienced more than some people have experienced in a lifetime.
At 19 years old my papi (dad) died. It was the very brokenness of losing my father that led me to finding my place in God’s story. I finally answered His call and found myself in Bible College. I remember that one of the things that I was excited about the most was the opportunity to travel during school. Note that I said travel. I had not quite grasped the concept of Missions. Little did I know, God knew exactly what He was doing in my life. So, into my first year the time came for me to go on my very first mission’s trip. And let me tell you, I had NO fear. I took pride in the fact that “I”, was a world traveler. My passport already had stamps, and “I” was ready to take on anything. Funny.
Today a missionary asked a group of missionaries, including myself how we felt when we first stepped onto the Mission Field. There were stories of brokenness, readiness, and faith throughout the room. I did not raise my hand, because honestly I remember stepping off the plane in Nicaragua thinking, “this is going to be so much fun, I wonder what sights we will see”. Now don’t get me wrong, traveling can be fun. There are places in this world that I still want to see. But here I was in one of the poorest countries in the world, completely clueless. Nothing could have prepared me for what came next. To make a long story short, I bathed in buckets and had no AC. Forget 4 Star hotels and Room Service. Whats funny is I think I even brought heels on that trip. Haha. I know, what was I thinking? Well during that week God began to break my heart for people. The commercials that we see “save a child’s life for a dollar a day”. Well they became a reality. We ministered to thousands of people. We saw miracles, deaf ears literally opened. I remember going to a landfill in which people built their homes out of garbage, the children were so diseased that we were asked not to touch them. People were so hungry and lost. I had never seen anything like this before.I will never forget that a classmate of mine was carrying a bag of rice that broke and people came running and crawling on the ground for just a few grains.
Needless to say, by the end of that trip I was a changed person with a new heart. I understood that it really is possible to be called to people and not just be in awe of a new place. I caught a glimpse of the heart of God. Sometimes people say to me “ you are living a dream”. I would agree with this, only because its God’s dream. Others say, “You are so lucky “to have seen so much. Maybe so, but I count myself blessed because I have been able to serve people and see their lives changed. Anyone can do it as long as they are willing. The truth is that there are needs everywhere, because there are people everywhere. Even in the U.S. there is still so much to be done. A little saying that has stuck with me from Bible College simply says, “I GET TO DO THIS”. It’s not a job, it’s not a trip, it’s a calling, I just get to do this for people, and especially for God.
Confession: I am bringing heels to Ecuador. Pray for me.
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