Our time in Nicaragua was short and busy! We were only there for a week, but we got a lot done! And God once again led us all the way and took over wherever we went! We served under Hosanna church, which is a huge church in Managua. During our time in Nicaragua, we were joined by the Hidden World team, Liesel, Jakes and Francois! What a blessing that was! Liesel was on South Bound last year, and during their Luke 10 journey, they made the connection and started a relationship between Global Challenge and Hosanna church!
Once again we stand amazed and humbled by the local people’s generosity and kind hearts! One family opened their home for all of us… 18 of us, and
during this time, they all slept in their kitchen. Would you just allow 18 strangers into your home for a week, knowing that you then don’t have a home anymore for that time?! And then still serve them… Wow!
During our time in Nicaragua, we had a similar set-up as in the Philippines! We jumped around a lot between various sites and projects! Amongst these were an orphanage (a very nice orphanage, with about 40 children), 2 new churches in the rural areas, some physical restoration work at the churches, children’s ministry and door-to-door ministry!
Something that God has shown as all numerous times this year is that church is not a big building, big band and comfortable chairs… it is people coming together, loving God, having fellowship, learning… And that everything we do, all the time, should be to serve Him. Glorify Him. Live for Him.
Something else I learned in Nicaragua, was that we should be ready in and out of season. Am I? No. And that is disobedience. We need to know the word, understand it, and always be able to share it! God has given me all I need… His Holy Spirit and His Word…now it is my work…
1 Peter 3:15 says “… Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
What is your answer?!
I am still busy working through Romans, and sjooooo, there is so much to learn! J Remember that becoming more like Christ is a journey, and not a moment! In Romans it talks a lot about our sin, and how to overcome it! And in learning that, 4 of us gave started a group, called CYS (Confessing Your Sins) and we will be getting together regularly to confess sins and repent and seek God in healing and restoring that! We forget the importance of acknowledging our sin, just keeping it for ourselves… that’s not what God asks! And by confessing it, we can claim victory over it! I have learned so much about sin in the last few weeks, and it all came together in Nicaragua!
Imagine this… one day you go to the beach and you are so looking forward to the swim of surf… the water is looking great, the sun is out, there are nice waves and you are super excited… then once you are in the water, just about to get into the fun and adrenalin… you see the sign ‘No swimming. Sharks in the water!’ You get irritated or annoyed. Your day is spoilt. Why? Do you get angry at the sign? At the person who put the sign there? Now the law that we are under, is like the sign. It is essential, and we are actually grateful for it… but it doesn’t get rid of the sharks… the sins and temptations… but it does warn us! It warns us against pain, hurt or death… the same with the law… but it doesn’t take away the things that will cause that!
Rom 7:24-25 “… Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
There is so much to learn about overcoming sin, and I encourage you to go and read Romans 6-8 and really meditate on that and allow God to reveal to you! That’s what He did for me in Nicaragua!
So Nicaragua to me was not just about spending time with the kids, pulling out weeds, painting churches or handing out food… it was a time of revelation about things that God has put in my heart! And if that was the only thing that actually did happen in Nicaragua, that would have been enough as well!