The Great Nicaraguan Adventure 2013

     

If I could sum up an experience, a people, a feeling in one picture that would be it.

Pure joy. A little rough around the edges.

This trip was our second and we took on a new leadership role that challenged us immensely but truly showed us our passion, our gifts and love for one another and others.

Trips like these are hard to sum up. to explain. to make others understand. If I only had 1 work to describe this trip it would, without a doubt, it would be

COMMUNITY

These are not things you plan. These are things that the Lord plans and molds and creates and directs.

There is a magic that happens with groups. You never know what you're going to get. What is going to grow. And it always amazes.

Proverbs 27: 17

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Our group ranged from Christians who had been walking with the Lord for years to brand new believers. This is the best part. Where a new believer challenges a seasoned Christian to actually search out Christ again, to be excited about learning new versus and ideas. And where a seasoned believer shares new truths with a new believer, teaches them how to have daily time with Lord and helps them wrestle with difficult ideas and painful life changes.

On this trip our group grew. We worshipped in new ways. Learned new scriptures. Explored new attributes of Christ. Took on new roles of servanthood. We were forced to lean on others. We began understanding others in new ways. we learned patience.

Our Nica friends grew as well. Remember this face from last year? Not a day has gone by that I don’t long to play in the dirt with this little guy. When I saw him running up to play my heart almost exploded inside of my chest. I know were not supposed to have favorites…but I do….

He was on our prayer card we sent out to our supporters, which I brought. I pulled it out to show him and his joy was overwhelming. He immediately went home to get his mother, who came back to meet me. I was able to tell her how I had been praying for her family for the past year and so had my friends. And that I would continue to pray for them.

It is sometimes  a little confusing speaking through translators, but she understood the love I was trying to convey for the little boy who had stolen my heart. They asked to have the card, of course they could-it was for them. As we left their barrio, they were running door to door to show their neighbors and were calling my name and waving goodbye. Such tiny moments, that we remember for a lifetime, like it was yesterday. I will continue to pray for this precious family and hope that he grows up to be a Godly man and that he continues to teach the Bible stories that I taught him on an old train station platform to his children and the neighborhood children. I can only trust that the lord is big enough to do those things.

I saw so many familiar faces and wanted to speak with them all in depth about their lives, but time is so limited. Sometimes I need to know that I am making an impact, that they are remembering my words and understanding. But I realize that’s not what matters in eternity. They will remember our love an our willingness to hold their hands and play games. To attempt to communicate. The lord takes care of their hearts. I am here to be a vessel.

I love this place. There no better words than that. I love the shy faces of children peeking around doors as we walk down their street. I love that all the doors are just open all the time. I love that children laugh and run and play all day long in the sun. I love the hospitality. I love the sincere time the Nica’s are willing to spend with us. I love the brightly painted homes. The gorgeous tiling. The palm trees in the middle of the dirt.  I just love it. Its inspiring. Its raw. Its real. Its comforting. Its challenging.

Those are my words. Here are Terrell's:

First, I would like to say what a true privilege it was to experience a mission trip with my wife, Michael (co-leader) and 17 amazing college students. In essence, the trip was centered around the purpose statement of our church: to lead people in a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. In preparation for the trip, our team was enthusiastic about loving on the NICA people and while this was accomplished through VBS, prayer walks, and random gatherings, it was inevitable to see how Christ in turn worked in our own lives to change and grow us in our walk with Christ.

 Personally, I began to realize the vivid picture that King Solomon paints in Ecclesiastes. EVERYTHING is meaningless. Poverty or wealth is not a spiritual indicator. Stage presence is not what God is looking for, but rather a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only thing standing between a life filled with meaningless and a life filled with direction and purpose. The personable aspect on the trip was always present. I had the opportunity to hear the life stories of the translators at El Puente, talk about what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ with a taxi driver and have intentional conversations with many of the college students on the trip.

 

The conversations had a huge impact on my life and allowed for God to do a great work in me and made me realize the many insignificant things in life that divert my attention and distract from God's picture, personally and universally. Making these realizations and coming back to the world I live in after such an experience always brings fresh perspective and outlooks on life that are taken for granted and often overlooked. I am so thankful for the opportunity of being part of something much bigger than myself and always realizing that GOD's plan is divine and will always come to fruition. So join in!

-Terrell

Thank you for sharing in our love for this beautiful place with us. Please check out the ministry that is going on there. You can read about our other trips and ways you can support El Puente here.