This past week was outreach week for us
Novas kids! All 5 teams went to different towns in Mexico and did
ministry and were there from Saturday through Friday…except for 2.
My South Africa team and the Swaziland team went to the Island of
Love which is an hour or so from the Gateway. All 10 of us and
Eleazar (our friend and translator) were staying in this little room
that was a house, with 5 beds. We did a lot of different things to
help out the people from this island town, like play with kids,
preach in the mission churches, preach in the church that we were
coming to do ministry for, renovate a church, construct a building
for the children to have Sunday school (instead of meeting at a bench
under a tree), and got 11 cases of E.Coli.
Novas kids! All 5 teams went to different towns in Mexico and did
ministry and were there from Saturday through Friday…except for 2.
My South Africa team and the Swaziland team went to the Island of
Love which is an hour or so from the Gateway. All 10 of us and
Eleazar (our friend and translator) were staying in this little room
that was a house, with 5 beds. We did a lot of different things to
help out the people from this island town, like play with kids,
preach in the mission churches, preach in the church that we were
coming to do ministry for, renovate a church, construct a building
for the children to have Sunday school (instead of meeting at a bench
under a tree), and got 11 cases of E.Coli.
The family that was hosting us taught
me a lot about the Kingdom of God, perhaps more than I learned while
I was training at the Gateway. The pastor and his wife, Pastor Leonel
and Sister Ester, did not charge us a dime to come and stay with
them. They didn’t ask that we bring enough food to feed us for the
whole week. Nothing. She asked if we could bring a sack of rice,
beans, flour, and sugar, which we did. When we got to the island, she
didn’t use that food to feed her family or our teams, she gave it all
away to the community she lived in. With one sack of each of those
items she was able to bless 3 churches. How is that different than
here in America? In America, nothing is free. Almost everyone lives
to help out just themselves and their families. But what I learned on
this island is that that it is certainly not like that all over the
world, and it certainly should not be like that in the first place.
Jesus calls us to serve…and we translate to serving only while on a
missions trip or at a church activity, not in real life.
Parents, have you ever noticed that
when you come home from the grocery store with your car full of
shopping bags that your kids miraculously have to use the bathroom,
or are complaining their butts off about how they had to, “stop
doing their homework,” or “missed the best part of the TV show?”
I am positive that we are all guilty of this, I know for a fact I
have done that countless times, but spending the short amount of time
that I did on this island helped me realize how selfish I have
become. The day we came onto the island and were taking our daypacks
and pillows off the boat, dozens of townspeople came to help us bring
our stuff back to where we were staying. Most of those people came
running, literally. And, no, they weren’t doing this so they could
steal our stuff. They did this because they genuinely love to serve.
Have I been keeping that attitude? No. Have you been keeping that
attitude? You’ll have to answer that for yourself. Something I
learned in Mexico was that it is a privilege to be able to serve God.
A privilege!
when you come home from the grocery store with your car full of
shopping bags that your kids miraculously have to use the bathroom,
or are complaining their butts off about how they had to, “stop
doing their homework,” or “missed the best part of the TV show?”
I am positive that we are all guilty of this, I know for a fact I
have done that countless times, but spending the short amount of time
that I did on this island helped me realize how selfish I have
become. The day we came onto the island and were taking our daypacks
and pillows off the boat, dozens of townspeople came to help us bring
our stuff back to where we were staying. Most of those people came
running, literally. And, no, they weren’t doing this so they could
steal our stuff. They did this because they genuinely love to serve.
Have I been keeping that attitude? No. Have you been keeping that
attitude? You’ll have to answer that for yourself. Something I
learned in Mexico was that it is a privilege to be able to serve God.
A privilege!
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. -Ephesians 6:7-8
Think back to when you were a child and
you saw your Mother in the kitchen baking cookies and you wanted so
badly to help her make them! Why did you want to help her? Because
you love her! And your Mother more than likely said, “Yes, I would
love your help, sweetie!” Even though our parents accepted our
offers to help them, it would have been loads easier for them to
decline the offer because we made things more messy and difficult.
But she said yes because she loves you. This is just like our
relationship with God, our Father. We want to help him, by sharing
the Good News and bringing Him glory, because we love Him. But it
would be way easier if God declined our offer because we mess up
everything since we are so sinful. God accepts our offer to help Him
and His kingdom because he loves us!
you saw your Mother in the kitchen baking cookies and you wanted so
badly to help her make them! Why did you want to help her? Because
you love her! And your Mother more than likely said, “Yes, I would
love your help, sweetie!” Even though our parents accepted our
offers to help them, it would have been loads easier for them to
decline the offer because we made things more messy and difficult.
But she said yes because she loves you. This is just like our
relationship with God, our Father. We want to help him, by sharing
the Good News and bringing Him glory, because we love Him. But it
would be way easier if God declined our offer because we mess up
everything since we are so sinful. God accepts our offer to help Him
and His kingdom because he loves us!
Endure hardship as a discipline;God is
treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
If you are not disciplined, then you are illegitimate children and
not true sons. -Hebrews 12:7-8
treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
If you are not disciplined, then you are illegitimate children and
not true sons. -Hebrews 12:7-8
This eagerness to serve was really a
paradigm shift for me. Everyone loved to serve! The children loved to
swing us in the hammocks, the women loved to cook our food, the
townspeople at the missions church brought us food, the fishermen
gave us beautiful seashells. They have such beautiful hearts, just
like the heart of Jesus.
paradigm shift for me. Everyone loved to serve! The children loved to
swing us in the hammocks, the women loved to cook our food, the
townspeople at the missions church brought us food, the fishermen
gave us beautiful seashells. They have such beautiful hearts, just
like the heart of Jesus.
Now, let me explain the title of the
blog…and part of the first paragraph. While we were at the island,
every single person got E. Coli, except the people who live there. Me and another girl got it first,
the first day we got there, and stopped eating. Therefore, our case
was not as bad as the 9 other people’s. But, we got it anyway. On
Wednesday night, everybody’s E. Coli worsened, and we went through
more than 4 rolls of toilet paper in a period of about 8 hours. Some
people were vomiting, some people had fevers, but everyone had
diarrhea. Many people pooped their pants, had to leave their underwear in the out house hole, had to take care of the business in non out houses because there was no way they could hold it, were forced to use soiled toilet paper, and fell out of outhouses, toilet paper in hand and pants around the ankles. We came to the agreement, at 6:30 on Thursday morning, that we needed to get
out promptly and go to the hospital. We were off that island by 8:00
and back in America at the hospital at 10:00 am. Every single person
got a shot in the butt and a bunch of prescriptions, myself included.
Unfortunately I had to spend a whole month’s worth of budgeted
spending money, $150, on this medicine. Thankfully everyone is
feeling healthy since we got the antibiotics and shots! So the
chances are slim that we will be hogging up the airplane bathrooms on
our way to Africa.
blog…and part of the first paragraph. While we were at the island,
every single person got E. Coli, except the people who live there. Me and another girl got it first,
the first day we got there, and stopped eating. Therefore, our case
was not as bad as the 9 other people’s. But, we got it anyway. On
Wednesday night, everybody’s E. Coli worsened, and we went through
more than 4 rolls of toilet paper in a period of about 8 hours. Some
people were vomiting, some people had fevers, but everyone had
diarrhea. Many people pooped their pants, had to leave their underwear in the out house hole, had to take care of the business in non out houses because there was no way they could hold it, were forced to use soiled toilet paper, and fell out of outhouses, toilet paper in hand and pants around the ankles. We came to the agreement, at 6:30 on Thursday morning, that we needed to get
out promptly and go to the hospital. We were off that island by 8:00
and back in America at the hospital at 10:00 am. Every single person
got a shot in the butt and a bunch of prescriptions, myself included.
Unfortunately I had to spend a whole month’s worth of budgeted
spending money, $150, on this medicine. Thankfully everyone is
feeling healthy since we got the antibiotics and shots! So the
chances are slim that we will be hogging up the airplane bathrooms on
our way to Africa.
Oh yeah, Africa! I am leaving for
Africa in 2 days from today. Isn’t that crazy! I can’t really fathom
it. I feel like it has been a mere dream that I’ve had for the past
15 months, and now it’s happening? I feel so blessed that God is
sending me to a place like South Africa. This is probably going to
sound silly, but it still amazes me that God called me to Africa,
because it is not something that I would have chosen for myself. It
was all part of His amazing, perfect, and intricate plans for my
life! It just blows my mind and makes me so excited for the rest of
my life!
Africa in 2 days from today. Isn’t that crazy! I can’t really fathom
it. I feel like it has been a mere dream that I’ve had for the past
15 months, and now it’s happening? I feel so blessed that God is
sending me to a place like South Africa. This is probably going to
sound silly, but it still amazes me that God called me to Africa,
because it is not something that I would have chosen for myself. It
was all part of His amazing, perfect, and intricate plans for my
life! It just blows my mind and makes me so excited for the rest of
my life!
In my previous blog, I mentioned how I
needed $1200 more to have this trip payed off. Over the past week,
God has provided so greatly! This morning I am only in need of $550!
And something that I have been reflecting on is this: We believe that
God created the universe, and that He is bringing us eternal life in
Heaven…but it is so hard to believe that God can perform miracles.
Miracles like healing and prophesy and spiritual languages. But, why
is that? I certainly don’t know, but I am trying not to be that
person. I don’t want to put God in a box.
I tell you, whatever you ask for in
prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
-Mark 11:24
prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
-Mark 11:24
I believed, and still do believe, that
God will provide the money for me to go to South Africa because He
called me to it, and because He is faithful. Since I developed the,
“With God all things are possible,” mindset, the Lord has provided.
And I am not saying that I didn’t believe that prior to this, but I
honestly had a few worries that I wouldn’t raise all the money that I
needed. Right as soon as I surrendered those worries to God, he has
taken them away and put $700 in my support account in about a week’s
time! And I still do want to encourage you to support me, and to
serve me. $550 is a small financial hump, and I am excited for God to
flatten that out for me! If you feel motivated, willing, able, or called to financially
support me, you can click on the “Support Me!” tab on the side of
this page. There you can decide how much you would like to support.
God will provide the money for me to go to South Africa because He
called me to it, and because He is faithful. Since I developed the,
“With God all things are possible,” mindset, the Lord has provided.
And I am not saying that I didn’t believe that prior to this, but I
honestly had a few worries that I wouldn’t raise all the money that I
needed. Right as soon as I surrendered those worries to God, he has
taken them away and put $700 in my support account in about a week’s
time! And I still do want to encourage you to support me, and to
serve me. $550 is a small financial hump, and I am excited for God to
flatten that out for me! If you feel motivated, willing, able, or called to financially
support me, you can click on the “Support Me!” tab on the side of
this page. There you can decide how much you would like to support.
I feel like I have already thanked all
of you for this already, but I want to thank you again! Thank you so
much for walking through this journey with me through Mexico, and
soon to be, Mexico! Thank you so much for your prayers, your love,
your encouraging words, and your financial support. This little
paragraph does not give what I am trying to say justice at all, but
maybe you will understand how intensely I mean this if you multiply
it 1000 x’s!!!
of you for this already, but I want to thank you again! Thank you so
much for walking through this journey with me through Mexico, and
soon to be, Mexico! Thank you so much for your prayers, your love,
your encouraging words, and your financial support. This little
paragraph does not give what I am trying to say justice at all, but
maybe you will understand how intensely I mean this if you multiply
it 1000 x’s!!!
Boat=our sole mode of transportation on the island. It was actually really cold, which is not what you would expect at an island in Mexico! Here we are on our way to construct the Sunday school building at one of the mission churches.
Team South Africa, Team Swaziland, Eleazar, Pastor Leonel, Sister Ester, Emanuel, and some other members of the church celebrating Garrett’s and Sister Ester’s birthday. We celebrated their birthdays 3 and 4 days early because we went to a house this day that actually had an oven! There wasn’t an oven here, so we had to be very resourceful. The cake was fantastic! Pastor Leonel and Sister Ester sang the famous and super long Mexican Happy Birthday song to Garrett and all of us, it was a lot of fun!
