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!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment