Getting back to the U.S.A. and noticing the changes.

Today marks a week and a day that I’ve been back from Nicaragua.  North America is so different from Central America.  The U.S.A. is a great country, but it is entirely way too great.  I never actually thought of this until after our trip.  You get anything you want, whenever you want it, even if you don’t have the money for it because at that point, you just throw it on the credit card.  I don’t mean to bash our country because I think it’s one of the greatest countries in the world and we have had to fight for that freedom, which I am very thankful for!  However, I do think it is very distracting from how our walks with Jesus Christ and what this should actually look like. 

For example, we were at dinner many nights with our brothers and sisters in Nicaragua.  Not once was a phone present at the table.  Everybody was engaged with one another and the people they were with.  Another thing I noticed was that we have the Olympics going on right now.  No conversations at the table were, “Hey, Did you see that so and so made Gold?”  Every conversation was about God, and what God is doing in their life, and what Christ is teaching them in their walks, and how Jesus has provided everything that they need.

Another thing that I found very impactful is when Oswaldo was praying for our lunch one day and said the sentence, “Thank you Lord for this food, because there are starving people in Africa that don’t have any food, and we are so blessed to have all this food here.”  Not a shocking sentence because we use that here in the United States where we have everything.  But to hear it come from the lips of someone in a Country, where I look at them and see that they don’t have nearly the things that we do here, my eyes were opened a little further.

If one thing is for sure, it was great to go on a mission trip for a week and not have to think about all the things that need to get done and all the schedules to keep.  Just working for the Lord, as Josh says in the video.  It’s so true though.  We were not just working for some church down in Nicaragua.  We were working for God’s church and His Kingdom, being used by God and it was truly a privilege!  I wish that our trip was actually 2 weeks instead of 1.  I wanted to connect more with people and learn more of the language in the process!

Another thing, which I mention in the video is just how that Harvest vibe is present.  Anyone who has been to a Harvest bible chapel church, and or especially “Harvest U,” knows exactly what I mean.  Being around a family of believers that are not just talking the talk, but walking the walk, is the most encouraging forms of living a life boldly for Christ.  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Bad company corrupts good character.”  Well I think the opposite is just as true. “Good company promotes great character!”  Being around that “good company” grows me as an individual in my walk with Christ.  This was definitely present in Managua.  I came back with a hunger for prayer that I’ve never had before in my life.  Also, I may have found some more direction in my life as well as far as a career standpoint goes too.  Still praying through all of this.

Shout out to everyone down there in Nicaragua!  Love and miss you all!

-Justin

Now check out our video everyone!!!

Nicaragua Mission Trip Video



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Worship!

"When peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD..."  Psalm 102:22

What joy it was to worship with our sisters and brothers in Christ at Harvest Managua!  The worship was powerful and spirit filled and the message was strong!  (even for those of us who don't speak English :)).  It brought tears to our eyes as we realized the power of worship no matter where you are or what country you are in.  While they sang in Spanish we sang in English.  God is the same everywhere and we can worship with ALL the saints!

We had a great last day on Sunday at church and spending time with the staff of Harvest Managua.  What precious people who love the Lord with all their hearts and want to serve Him fully.

We are all home....getting back into life here in Denver.  Our prayer is that we can be ambassadors for those in Nicaragua and our other international partners and remember and implement all that God spoke to us during our week in Nicaragua.  Pray with us!

Stay tuned for a few more posts from others that went and a video that Justin is making to play for our church.

Thanks for joining us in prayer on this journey.

You are loved!

Tracy

Today was our first day that we got to...

We finally got a chance to explore some more of Nicaragua today.  The men started out with a bible study this morning, which was awesome!  After that, we went to a Volcano today and actually got a chance to go on a zip line.  Finishing up with the zip lining, we went to the Mercado de Artesanias de Masaya.  We got a chance to barter and buy some things to bring home to the States.

Thanks again to Meileen and Perla for being our translators!  My spanish has progressed big time.  I don't want to leave.  I want to bring Kira and learn more of the language!  It was great to take one day and see more of what Nicaragua looks like.  It is very different.  Though the heart is still the same for Christ Jesus!  As Moe said to me, everybody has a testimony and they are ready to share it when asked.  I've really enjoyed hearing the testimonies of my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Here are some pictures from the day.  Mi amigos de restaurante Hacienda, miden lo que vi hoy.

It's Saturday already!

It's Saturday and we are two days away from coming home! Wow how time flies! We have had a full week of non-stop work projects finishing up only 10 minutes before we were to arrive for dinner last night! We built a kids fort, dug out a ditch and put in a French drain, fixed a roof, cleaned and painted an outside concrete floor (more than once because the rain kept washing it away :)), and painted a bathroom. We worked and sweated, often times testing our physical ability all while basking in the realization that God is at work in and through us. We have been reflecting on Romans 12:1-2, offering our bodies as a living sacrifice. Pastor Hamilton stated "sometimes the way I react in my physical body will reflect my view of God." We have had the privilege and opportunity to serve the Harvest church in Nicaragua both physically and spiritually this week and I think we would all agree they have served and blessed us just as much! What a great thing to serve each other in one body as we serve Christ! To Him be the glory!

Gratitude

We thank you for your prayers, and we are all overwhelmed with God's presence.  With the work complete, our team along with Meilene, Perla, and Jose drove south to the Cafe Las Flores coffee plantation situated on the side of Mombachu, one of the many volcanoes in Nicaragua.  We are pictured above on one of the look outs; Jose is on the far left in the blue shirt, while Perla (one the left) and Meilene are bending over in the front right.  They represent only a fraction of the body that attends Harvest Nicaragua.  After our hike around the south crater, we returned to the plantation for a zip-line tree-top adventure.  The day was filled with joy, excitement, and rest. 

I firmly believe the team is experiencing moments we will never forget.  The people here embrace life with a thankful heart, and their inspiration for Christ breathes a Spirit of gratitude that challenges me to be still and listen.  Most, if not all, the men and women at Harvest Nicaragua are first generation believers.  They are hungry and desire to serve passionately.  I thank God that He allowed me to be a part of something much greater than myself.  I pray that He continues to pour out His heart; I pray His Spirit continues to be evident in the lives of His children here, with the hope He will send them out to minister throughout Managua, to Central America, and to the world.  

Thank you once again for your prayers and hearts of faith.  Please continue praying over our trip, and that we will return safely home.  Be lifted up in Jesus Christ, and may your hearts be forever changed.

Because He lives, we serve,

Nick

Nehemiah 8:10

Estoy pocito cansato ahora.

Today was a busy day.  We painted a lot, and did so in a place that was such a small confined area, that we wore gas masks.  I must say, that was my first experience with those.  I did like it though.  My eyes did not so much.  My hands seemed to have taken a beating today.  Lots of paint thinner to clean them off and still, paint remains on them.  We helped replace a roof at the church office today as well.  

Special prayer goes out for Moe.  He seems to have caught a bug of some sort.  He's right next to me in our room, and the A/C is on, yet he says he's sweating.  Not sure what's going on with him, because he was feeling okay for the most part this afternoon.

Today was the first day that I tried the fruit mamon.  It kind of resembles the taste and texture of a grape, yet it has a huge seed in the middle.  I had never seen or heard that it even existed.

As far as my walk with God goes, yesterday I heard Alvaro's testimony about how he came to know the Lord personally, It brought tears to my eyes. (I am able to understand a lot more spanish now than I ever have been. I use what I know, and always ask how to say new things.  I have a passion to learn the language.  I've had lies put in my head already that say, it's too hard, you'll never learn.  All satanic lies.  I got to share my testimony with the help of Perla my translator. (Thanks Perla!)  I am looking very forward to Sunday to Worship our God here in Nicaragua.  God is the same no matter what the country and he will always be in control.

One last thing that stuck out to me was that during the prayer today before our lunch, Oswaldo said something to the effect that "their are starving people in Africa and that we have more than enough here in Nicaragua."  They don't have much here in Nicaragua compared to America, but they still are blessed.  I just love that attitude and mindset that Jesus has.  It is now time for me to go to bed though.  Goodnight.

-Justin

Pray list

I can feel your prayers.  It's incredible.

Continued prayers for our health.  Today is the first day allergies could be really bad.
Pray for...
Pastor Jared, his wife Tanya, and their children Josiah, Isaiah, Gabriela, and Jeremiah.
The weather to be good for outside working.  Our weather we've had these past couple of days has been fantastic.
And just for God to speak to us and show us why he chose us for this trip.

The top picture is of Gabriela and Josiah.  (I'm taking Gabriela home with me without Pastor Jared knowing.  She is just too cute.)

The bottom picture is with Perla and Ili. :)

P.S. Josh says hey btw.