(*I posted this awhile ago but I think I forgot to send it...sorry about that!)
A change of seasons, a new
phase of life, the next learning period...
Last week I spent the week
with my parents and aunt and uncle in Florida,
and this week I am spending time with friends in Texas.I wasn't sure how I would respond to coming back to the US. I didn't know what was best, going straight
home, or visiting a few people along the way.But God knew. He knew what was
best. These past two weeks have been
exactly what I needed. God has given me a
small group of friends and family to talk to about my trip first and to process
what I've seen and learned this year. He
has blessed me with two weeks to just re-enter this country and get used to the
lifestyle around me. He has given me new
friends already that have impacted me, people that I will not forget. He cares about every part of our lives.
This week has been different
than last week. My first week back, I
struggled with seeing so much money everywhere.‘We are rich' is all I could think!And I wondered if ‘those' people with ‘huge' houses knew there were
people living in a heap of trash somewhere else in the world. It made me sad at first. I was a little depressed in the mix of
emotions coming back to the States. The
people I've been living with are all spread out the US, the culture here is just so
much different and wealthier overall than most of the world, and this year of
experiencing learning, serving all over the world, is over. My emotions continued to go in many different
directions with being thankful and glad to be back in the US and loving this
country to being sad for all those I had met who had so little; to be sad that
I wouldn't see a lot of those people again; to being sad I wouldn't be living
with my awesome squad anymore.
God has shifted my thinking
and shown me different things in the US as well. He reminded me of something He taught me back
in Thailand,
our first country of The World Race. He
had told me, "Kari, the same needs you
see here and will see all over the world, are right back in the United States
as well." Some of them may look a
little different, but they are the same.Everyone in the world needs to know God's love and who He really
is. There are people in the States who
are just as poor and homeless. There are
those who are rich in material possessions but poor in spirit and empty in need
of a Savior. And there are those who
have nothing from a worldly perspective but are so rich in spirit, knowing who
Christ is and His love, that joy fills their lives and their homes. As God took me back to that first month and
His words being spoken to me, I now understood the full ramifications and why I
needed to hear that even back then; it would affect me now and God knew it!
This week didn't go quite as
originally planned, but it went the way God had in mind. God did exactly what He wanted to do,
surrounded me with the amazing people, wonderful encouragement and discussions,
and deeper friendships. I had the
opportunity to be with my friend Leslie all week and to meet her house-mates
Jenni and Cassie. I enjoyed my time
there so much and they shared some of their thoughts and knowledge from
experience of re-entry. We talked about
so many things and both got to share what God has been doing in our lives, in
our church, in everything this past year.And I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I got to lay by the pool for a little while
two days and just relax and think. I
wouldn't have changed this week one bit.While I was there, Leslie and I had the chance to meet up with our
friends Dan, Diedra, and their little girl Miranda for an afternoon as well and
catch up. God truly blessed me this week
in the most perfect way.
On my flight from Dallas to Chicago,
I met a pastor and his wife who ended up sitting right next to me. They were
the nicest people and we ended up talking most of the time. I was able to share some of the things I
experienced this year and they were an encouragement to me. That is one reason I love to fly, God always
brings someone to me whom He wants me to talk to. After arriving in Chi-town and being greeted
with my sister running toward me with a huge hug and my parents there with
beautiful flowers and a ‘Welcome Home' balloon, I was able to meet up with
Colleen and Christie (on my squad) at Giordano's for Chicago-style pizza. It was neat to be able to relate with the
things we are feeling and things that are happening as we transition back and
so good to just see them – I was already missing them! Then I got to come home and see my brother, Jonathan, for the first time all year and get a huge hug that from him (that doesn't happen often!). And afterward, I was able to see my grandparents and share a little with them. What a good day!
It is still a transition and
still a learning process coming back, but God is showing me more and more each
day. And each day there is someone right
around me that God wants me to reach out to and also someone to encourage me. I've been writing that in my blogs and
reminding people back home that no matter where you're at God has something for
you. And now it's my turn. God has me right here right now and has
placed certain people around me, has given me a love for them, and a desire to
reach out to those in my own country now.The Lord has not stopped speaking to me and He won't ever; I just need
to keep my ears wide open for His voice.I've served and loved people all over the world this year. Sometimes I worked with pastors, churches,
and those who already knew the Lord, but needed encouragement. And others I got to tell about God's love
that had never heard before. And now I
feel God wants me to come back and serve my family (Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles,
cousins, parents, brother, sister etc...) to meet some of the needs they, the
same way I served all over the world.
I love how God just gives us
the next step. Sometimes all He shows us
is what He wants us to do that day, and that's all we need. Obedience is the key. Whether God calls us to ministry overseas in
a different country, rich or poor, we go, or if He calls us to minister to
people here in the US,
we do it. It's all out of obedience and
love for Christ. I love that God has a plan for each day of my life-one day at a time and He doesn't just care about the big things, the huge decisions in life, He cares about the little things too. God has pretty awesome plans He has promised for my life and I can't wait to see what He has in store for me next!
"For I know the plans I have for YOU," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11
Back in the United States of America...alive, safe, and well!
As I walked out of the airport on July 24th, after going through customs and collecting my mucho amount of luggage, I was
greeted by the best Welcoming Committee ever!!My parents were holding a large sign that said Welcome Back and had all of our names on it. My mom had made homemade cookies for all of
us and there was a finish line as we officially ended the race. Other friends and family had also come to
greet us and another larger sign was there as well. People were taking pictures as if we were
celebrities and there were hugs everywhere all the time. We prayed as a squad, as a team, and some left
that night. Those left went to a hotel
to enjoy a celebration of the finish with pizza, chips, pop, candy, and a cake
that my parents had brought. Some left
as early as 4:30 in the morning and by 9:30am, my parents and I were the only
ones left.
It all happened so
fast. Good-byes aren't usually a hard thing
for me because it doesn't hit me until later, after they've left. I am here in Florida with my parents for a few days
staying with my Aunt and Uncle. It has
been nice to have just a few people around that I know as I figure out how to
process and transition this year. I've
had nice walks and talks along the ocean with the calming waves coming in. God has blessed me in amazing ways with this
opportunity.
But it's a weird
transition. Sunday morning I went to
church with my cousin. It's a rather large church with the theater seating,
lights, band on stage...the whole bit.When we started to sing the first song, I just started to cry and at
first I didn't even know why. I
definitely never expected this reaction from myself. ‘I never cry.' Well, many different thoughts and images
started to run through my head as I stood there. My first thought was that it was hard for me to stand in this
huge, air-conditioned building with tons of money put into everything there. I saw the many tiny church buildings flash
through my head; church communities with very little. It wasn't that I thought it was wrong for
this church to enjoy the blessings God has given them. Who am I to judge that? I know that God uses everything, every church
in different ways to reach out and bless others. It wasn't that I was bitter or angry. It was just hard to see the huge
difference. It did make me sad. I can't even explain all I was feeling in that
moment.
Before I got back to the US, I had some fear
that I might forget the things I've seen and experienced, that I may get back
into my routine of life...and forget. And then, in that moment, in that church on
Sunday, the faces of many children I have met throughout the year, around the
world, started to go through my head.The faces of orphans, friends, pastors, the faces of the families I met
in the dump and built relationships with...and I felt helpless again. I felt discouraged. I felt like something was missing. But God reminded me that He has me right where He wants me and this has been His perfect timing. And He is excited to show me what He has for me next!
My life the last 11 months
has been so different than my whole life before. It's been a crazy adventure and the most
life-changing time of my life. As I've
been back in the US,
all my responses to people in normal conversation seem to refer back to my trip
this year. Everything that is said by my
parents or aunt and uncle gets a response from me, in one way or another, about
my trip this year. I do it without
thinking. The World Race has been my
life for the past year. And coming back
to the States (not even IN yet), so much seems the same as before. People live the way I did before. Priorities seem to be the same as before. How do I not live in this past year, but take
it with me into the now, into the future? It is a part of me for good. It's not a trip I've gone on and now I leave
behind, it is a part of who I am. How do
I blend The World Race with my life here in the US? I feel it is a process and step by step, in
God's perfect timing, He will show me what is next. He will prepare me for what is next and show
me clearly. He will help me take what
I've learned this past year into the here and now. He has been faithful every single moment of
my life for 25 years, He will not leave me hanging now as I move into the next
phase of life, taking everything I've learned with me!
...the journey is actually
just beginning. I get to do this the
rest of my life!!
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance
the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for
the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such
opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
–
Hebrews 12:1-3
"I
have fought the good fight. I have completed
the race. I have kept the faith."
-2
Timothy 4:7
**My friend and brother
in Christ, Aaron, put some of my thoughts into words in a way I couldn't
seem to on his blog.
It's hard to believe that in
four days I will be on a plane on my way to the States – specifically Ft.Lauderdale
where I will meet up with my parents and see them for the first time in 11
months! It hasn't sunk in yet and
probably won't hit me until it happens.
This has been a crazy year
of fun, adventure, tough times, hurt, growing, learning, loving, eyes being
opened, loneliness, fullness, full reliance on God, coming together as the body
of Christ...and so much more that I can't put into words!
God has revealed things to
me about myself that I never saw before, both good and bad. He has taught me more than I ever thought He
could in different ways than I thought He would. He has stretched me in ways I never
imagined. He has opened my eyes and
heart to things I was never open to before.He has given me a desire to be more like Him out of love and not
obligation. He has loved me
unconditionally through the learning process...when I failed; He picked me up so
I could try again.
These eleven months have
benefited me more than I ever could have benefited those around me in each
country.I have been there for a short season
in each person's life along this race...people in Thailand, Cambodia,
Philippines, China, (Hong Kong), Swaziland, South Africa, Costa Rica, Panama,
Guatemala, and Nicaragua. He has broken
me and then molded me. He has allowed me
to meet many people I had to say good-bye to.All along the way, God used me to be an encouragement or speak truth or preach
or sing or just hold someone. HE used me
to get a task done, such as painting, or to bless someone by serving. He used me to pray or feed or share God's
word or pray with someone.
This year God has shown me
things about myself I didn't like and gave me a desire to be more like
Him. He has used my teammates, His word,
my family, my friends, my church, my experiences, His people around the world, and
His voice to teach me His ways.
*Each country God taught or
showed me something different.
Thailand: the same needs that are all around the world
are at home too, they may look at little different but they are all still
there and too many are forgotten
Cambodia: pray before everything, over everything,
living in community is difficult, working things out is essential, I am
His beloved-a child of the King
Philippines: I owe love to everyone all the time no matter
what, God's creation awes me, how to deal with and live with what I've already
seen and experienced in three months, desire for God to give me His eyes, how much I need His strength,
there are poor people-but God provides even in those situations, joy isn't
in stuff, pastors and families we met have little but have so much joy and
a wonderful attitude and strong desire and passion to serve God, peace
about speaking in front of church/people
China: power and importance of prayer (especially for individuals), more
team dynamic struggles and without internet realizing I have to rely on my
team not people back home and it's important
SouthAfrica: peace, freedom in Christ, no condemnation, BE
in God's presence (be in the doing), serve team
Swaziland: patience with team, God will work even if
other people not listening to God, gave me heart for the land of Swaziland
dying of AIDS, the Holy Spirit moves in ways I've never seen
CostaRica: patience, endurance, full reliance on Christ
and not everyone else around me, power of prayer (again)
Panama: die to self, even littlest thing can make a
difference
Guatemala: so many people lost (even tourists where we
were at), there are less fortunate and forgotten people in the states
(handicapped especially)
Nicaragua: thankful for differences, go-with-the-flow,
serving others, patience, value of relationships (with our contacts), pick
your battles, end well
God taught me so much more
than is listed above; more than I have processed yet and more than I can put
into words. I have met people all around
the world. Some people I will never see
again. Others I will one day visit
again. I have had conflicts with
teammates in ways I never thought, but I've also seen awarding resolution and reconciliation
- something that brought us together closer than before, to an understanding
never felt before. I have seen many
different cultures. I have seen the way
people worship God all around the world.I have seen the poor and the rich, the safe and the dangerous, the joyful
and the bitter...I've seen so much, yet there is so much more God wants to show
me in the future.
This year has been an
amazing adventure, not always easy, but all completely worth it. This week we are taking time to process this
year. Someone asked me today, "If you
knew then (before the race) what you know now, if you knew it would go the way
it did, would you have gone on the race in the first place?" I hadn't been asked that before, but my
answer is most definitely a resounding "YES!"The things I've seen and learned far out-way the tough times or anything
else that happened that I didn't expect.This is an opportunity and experience not many get to have, and God has
blessed me in amazing ways to allow me to go on The World Race.
My view of things now is
different than before. I've changed. This experience is forever a part of my
life. It is not a trip I took and I move
on and leave it all behind. It goes with
me. As I go home and figure out how to integrate what I've learned, how I've
changed, what I've seen, and what I've experienced, into my life at home, I
know God is going to show me the next step.One thing God has taught me that has remained is His peace...truly a
peace about my future that passes all understanding. God has it and I don't have to have the rest
of my life planned out. I just need to
have ears open, take steps of faith when He calls me to, and obey. It's exciting. Life really is an adventure, in an of itself.
I realize there are many
thoughts here all thrown into a blog...maybe without a theme, maybe without
consistency, maybe not even flowing, but as I process and start to put things
in order and in its place, I pray that this gives you even just a little peak
into some of the things God has done this year.I pray that God uses this blog in whatever way He wants to. I don't know what that is, but He does. And I thank you for reading and helping me
process at this point. I could go on
forever right now, but I'll end it for now.Just know that this year has been a very good year, with me right where
God wants me and He's still teaching me...
*Read another blog done by Caitlin's mom, Jill, about her week here with us in Nicaragua!
*Check out Molly's overview of ministry here in Nicaragua.
*Watch the first video Becky made on the race...back in Africa.
Posted in Picture Blogs
by Kari Stembel
on 7/16/2008
cArNiVaL dAyS!
Fun, games, relay races,
food, candy, face painting, music, laughs, balloon-making, clowns, mimes,
friends, families, prizes, and the love of God…this is what I was surrounded
with Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon.We put on a carnival for two barrios in the area. Saturday we went to a smaller barrio park
area and Sunday we put on a larger carnival where. It was a crazy time and it went so fast
continually moving to keep up with all the kids who wanted to play games. My job was being in charge of the bean-bag
toss. And by bean-bag I mean, bags of
rice wrapped in duct tape (it works for everything!) Since we’ve been on a smaller budget this
year, we’ve learned how to be more creative with everything. We used buckets for tossing the rice into and
just spread them out to different distances.Many of the other stations, such as the ring-toss, and relay games were
very creative as well. Near the end,
when we shut my station down to allow more kids to participate in relay races,
it was fun to just find kids who were by themselves or in a small group and
talk to them…get to know them a bit and make a new friend. I know the kids enjoyed the day. I pray that the love of Christ was shown as
we created these carnivals and were around the kids for several hours each
day. I will let the pictures tell the
rest…God is good!
Carnival #1
Carnival #2
Thank you for all who were praying for
these two events before they happened and during. It means a lot! And I know God heard :)
You know that feeling of
just passing through, seeing a person and praying for them once and heading on
your way? The one that leaves you
feeling like you were just another person stopping by for a second in their
life, leaving you wondering if they really know how much you care and love
them?
Well, that may be the case
here again, but I am so thankful for the opportunity to go back to the dumps a
second time, bringing people who have never been before, to visit those I sat
with and prayed for Monday, my new friends, families. Molly
and Seth were the ones who had gone with me before but weren't able to come the second
time so Traday, Renee, Caitlin, and Caitlin’s mom (Jill), joined me as I
introduced them to the friends I had made on Monday while walking through. I got to share my excitement and love for
these people with them and their story since I had already talked to them about
it before.
When I saw my them again,
I think they were surprised that I decided to come back to them specifically since I had already prayed for them on Monday. It was so good to talk to them more, pray
for them, and let some of the others from our squad be apart of it as
well. There were a few
mis-communications between Pastor Manuel and us as we both speak very little of
each other’s languages, but it was kind of funny, gave us a laugh, and we eventually
figured it all out.
The first person we visited
was a lady named Rosa. She was so willingly and calmly washing all
the family’s clothes by hand when we walked up. She was older and still had young kids all around her. One thing I noticed right away was how many
flies were around. The few flies around
me bothered me so much even for those few minutes, but the 100’s on her didn’t
seem to phase her because that is normal for her. It broke my heart. As we were talking, we found out she has
lived there for over 20 years. She asked
if we could pray for her health and pain in her joints. So, several of us prayed over her in English
and Manuel prayed for her and her family in Spanish. She seemed not sure what to think of us when
we first walked but before we left, she was smiling :). We got to
play with the kids a bit which they of course were really excited about. Rosa was
such as sweet lady and seemed to be content with her simple lifestyle.
The second visit we made was with my friends Coni (the mother), Jacqueline, Rafael (the nephew), Samanty,
Joseling, and Jacquin. When I first
arrived, there were only three of them there, but slowly others started to
arrive. I was able to introduce my new
friends and share this family’s story with the other World Racers. They explained that one of the girls was with
her father working at the lake and others were finishing school work. I told them God had put them on my heart and
I was excited to be able to see them again. Coni told me that one of her daughter’s is an
artist so we found the artists in our group and it was neat to have that
bond. Then she said that one of the
others likes to paint pictures and another enjoys math. It was fun to talk with those who had similar
talents and interests. They welcomed our
prayer and it felt like I had known them forever; they truly are my new
friends.
Our next stop was with my
friend Jariana. Last time we visited
her, she told us that her husband wanted a divorce and we prayed over her, her
marriage, and family. She is one of the
sweetest ladies ever and she glows with such peace even through her tough
circumstances. After much translation,
mis-understanding, and more talking and then laughing, we eventually figured
out that we had huge things to celebrate…her husband had decided to stay with
her and work things out! So, we praised
God together and prayed that the enemy would have no place there. We talked with her for a bit longer and
played with her little boy and girl. Afterward, she showed us some pictures of her husband and of their
children growing up and it was apparent their daughter loved to look at
pictures. She was proud of her family
and the joy she had on her face, showed thanks to God for what He is doing in her family.
Next, we went to a family I
had not met yet. It was a family of ALL
girls! There were more than seven women
and girls living in that little house together. When we walked up we were greeted with hugs from at least two girls with
huge smiles. It was great! There was a 16 year old who was 8 months
pregnant and a mother who had just had a little baby girl. A small ten year old popped her head out from
behind the curtain where she was bathing. She hurried to get dressed so she could come greet us as well. We were able to tell them that they were
beautiful women created in God’s image and that God loves them. We found out they had been living in that
house for several years already. The
older women and teenagers seemed to be very calm and mature. I could tell the children were well taken
care of by how they changed a diaper, brushed another’s hair, and hugged
another one almost all at the same time! The younger ones were excited to show off their newest baby sister and
eager for us to take pictures of them all. They were so much for to be around and most of all I LOVED seeing their
huge smiles. They don’t have much at
all, and the younger ones may not even know it, but they are so happy just to
be alive!
Before we left, I bought
some crackers and bananas from Jariana’s own little shop. It is very common for people all over central
America to have their own shops to make a little money for thief family. I couldn’t believe how much I got for a
dollar! It blew me away. I thanked her a lot and as we headed out, I
stopped by Coni’s house and gave her the crackers and bananas and all of them
were so thankful to me for it and excited to receive them. It was sad to say good-bye, but I was
thankful for a second opportunity to see them.
I have so much to learn from
each person I talked to there in the dump. I want to be grateful like they are and content with life the way they
are. I want to live simply and be okay
with that. I want to share and give my
‘things’ away like they do. I don’t want
my possessions to have a hold on me. I
want to praise God the way do. I want
to love life the way they do. So little,
yet so at peace, so grateful, and so filled with joy. I have a lot to learn from them...Thank you
Jesus for allowing me to be right here right now where I can pray for people
you love so much. Thank you for allowing
me to love them. Thank you for using
them to teach me even the simplest of things, yet some of the hardest things to
do. Thank you Jesus…
"Each
man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." ~2 Cor. 9:7
“He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.” ~Psalm 111:5
The smiles of children,
their energy, and excitement about life are contagious. That is one thing I continue to realize as I
spend time with children all over the world.Wednesday Seth, Traci, Traday, Aaron, Krystle, Megan, and I had the
chance to go to two different barrio areas.
When we got there, we split into two groups and
started talking to kids and families with children about a carnival we are
planning at the small park in their area.We will have one for the smaller barrio on
Saturday and one for the larger barrio on Sunday. As we walked around the larger one, passing
out flyers, meeting families and children, more and more people became
interested. We ran out of papers quickly
and headed back to the park where we were to meet the rest at some point. It didn’t take long, as we sat there, before
we were surrounded by kids. We didn’t
even have to do anything to attract them.It seems that even without flyers, the word will spread to friends all
around the barrio and many will come.
Initially there were two
girls, one ten years old and the other eleven, who sat down next to us. We started asking them their names, ages, and
what they liked to do. One was Heti
(like Haiti)
and the other I may not remember or have heard correctly but was something like
Espernatti. One likes math and the other
espanol class. One loves sports and the
other doesn’t play often. It was fun to
see their different personalities and their friendship. They were so happy and so friendly. I took my camera out to get some pictures of
them and they were thrilled. They went
crazy taking pictures of everything and wanting a photo shoot of Megan, Krystle
and I as we waited for our friends. Aaron
started playing soccer (futbol) with the boys that were around when they
brought a soccer ball over to him. Some girls
were showing off on the monkey bars and we got to talk to them a bit too.
After our photo shoots and
excitement of the camera for awhile, Espernatti sat back down next to me,
looked up at me, smiled, and then took her blue bracelet off and handed it to
me. She said, “For you, my new
friend.” This sweet little girl, who has
so little, so willingly gave one of the few things she owns to someone she
barely even knew! I told her each time I
looked at this bracelet I would think of her and I would pray for her. She made my heart melt and made me want to
take her with me even more, her and her friend Heti. This little bracelet means a lot to me and I
will think of her all the time because of it.She has so much to teach me about sharing, giving freely, trusting
people, opening up, loving without hesitation and SO much more!
These kids were the
sweetest, most respectful kids ever. I
was so glad we had the chance to hang out with them and invite them to our carnival
on Sunday. I am praying that we have an
opportunity to talk to them about God’s love as we paint faces, play games,
give out food, create balloon friends, and much more at the carnival. I want them to know how God sees them. I want them to see themselves and the value
they have because of Christ. I want them
to share that joy and God’s love with their friends. I want them to grow up confident in who they
are in Christ. Maybe I can be just a
little part of that. Before we left I
just silently prayed over these children and that area. One thing that made it
easier to leave today is that I will see them again on Sunday! God has more planned and I am in anticipation
of what is to come.
Imagine waking up to rain on
or leaking through a tin or cardboard roof, the smell of trash all around, and little
or nothing to eat every morning. Imagine
looking through mounds and mounds of trash each day just in hopes of finding
food or something valuable enough to sell or make into something creative to
sell for enough money to eat for the day.
Never could I imagine living
life this way. I was only there around
this environment for a few hours and was ready to go home. How do they live in this every day of their
life? Monday a few of us took the
opportunity to ride an hour away to the largest dump in Nicaragua, where 300 people live; the Managua Dump. I wasn’t completely sure what to expect
before we arrived, but I never expected what I saw.
There were small houses and
huts everywhere along the mountains of trash that seemed to never end. As we walked just asking the Lord what He
would have us do during our short time there, we came across some people in
front of their little house just going through trash they had collected. We said good morning, got to know them just a
bit and asked if we could pray for them.They said sure and so Manuel (the Nicaraguan pastor who has been helping
us out since we got here), and Seth prayed for them. We proceeded to go to the next house behind
them where a young girl was standing outside.She told us a little about her family.There were four kids there, three girls and a boy. Her mom came out and we asked if they were
Christians and she said she had been a Christian for six years. But they didn’t say much more. She said they went to church. We weren’t sure if they were just saying what
we wanted to hear because they knew we were missionaries or if they were honest
answers, so I was able to pray over their whole family with the little I
knew. We prayed for the Holy Spirit to
be real and work in them, for them to know His power and love.
After Seth and I had prayed
for this family, we went to the next house where there was a lady outside listening
to music on her CD player and hanging clothes up on the line. The moment I saw her, I could tell she had
sweet, tender spirit. As we talked and
heard more of her story she welcomed our prayer for her marriage as her husband
wanted a divorce and she was heartbroken.She also asked for prayer for their family and health. So we prayed, thanked her, gave her hugs and
she was so grateful and said much thanks as we left.
As soon as we were done
praying for her, a young girl, Jacqueline, from the family we had just prayed
for came up to Seth boldly and asked him to prophesy over her life. So, we went a little bit back up the hill to
their house and all laid hands on her, listened to the Lord and waited for the
words He had. We got words such as: you
are a daughter of the King, you have a joy inside that God wants you to share
with others, you have a boldness that God will use to impact those around you,
and many more words God just kept bringing to us. And then Manuel got a word from the Lord for
the mother and instantly she started crying.The Holy Spirit was at work! We
once again prayed for the whole family, that the Holy Spirit would just
continue to fill that place and that God would use that one family in the dumps
to spread hope and light to others around.
After we prayed, they
started to open up and talk more about who they are. Constance, the mother, shared that her husband
was a Christian, but had no interest in going to church and didn’t want to work
at his relationship with God. We also
found out that the three girls that were their were her daughters and she had a
son that was helping her husband, his father find metal in the lake less than
five minutes away. The boy there,
Rafael, who was 14 years old, was their nephew and no longer had a mother, so
while his father was working finding stuff, he stayed with his cousins.
As it poured most of the
afternoon, we waited under their little roof for it to subside, but when it
never did, this family so willingly took us out into the many acres of trash to
see what was out there. We walked
through mud and squishy trash, some clothes, some food, some stuff from a
hospital, some person items. There were
many people hand searching through the garbage to find anything that could of
any value. There were horses, cows, and
dogs out there all around as well. It broke my heart.
Rafael and Jacqueline both
had smiles and a light of hope in their eyes I will never forget. Before we left, Constance
shared with us that God had brought four different people at four different
times to prophesy over her telling her that God would bring her a new
home. And a year later, she moved from a
different part of the dump with a smaller house to this one and it was an
answer to prayer. She said, God is a
good one and He always comes through.All I could think was, ‘wow’! She
has nothing and yet sees God in everything and is so grateful for what she
has. GOD
IS ALIVE AND WELL EVEN IN THE DUMPS!! I think He’s more alive there in
places than He is in a lot of churches.This was an encouragement to me and confirmed more in my heart that God
is going to use this family to bring hope to those around them through Jesus
Christ.
God brought to mind Isaiah
61:1-2, a passage that has been prophesied over my life and I think applies to
everyone.
“The Spirit of the
Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news
to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the
prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of
our God, to comfort all who mourn.”
The parts that God brought
to my attention was that we were able to do something that He has called us to
do. We were able to bring the love of
Christ to the poorest of the poor and to proclaim freedom from darkness over
them as we prayed as well. We were able
to comfort them. Even more than us doing
as God has called us to do, we were blessed more than I think they were through
this. God did something in me that I
can’t explain and showed me that He is everywhere and cares about each and
every person. He prepared us and them
for these encounters and knew who we would talk to before we even went. God had it all worked out. So…the next time I think I’m down in the
dumps, I hope I reconsider and remember what God has shown me.
“GOD IS ALIVE AND WELL EVEN IN THE DUMPS!!!
(maybe more alive then many churches around the world)”
*I wish I
had pictures of the people we talked to and prayed for…but we were told to only
take one camera and the other group took it with them.
Here are some links you might want check out...some give more information on where we´re at, our unique 4th of July experience, and more details on the projects here!
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