Almost three weeks after our return, I feel as though my heart is ready to reflect on just a portion of God's movement in our trip. It is Sunday - a day of rest, and i am just beginning to understand the importance of responding to the Lord's call to put aside a Sabbath day.
On this unforgettable journey, the Lord revealed Himself on so many levels. As a team, we grew closer as the trip progressed. We cast aside any differences or fears, we were open with where we were at and we allowed God to move in our hearts - to soften them, break them and use them as He willed. Watching each one of the students and fellow leaders pursue Him and enter into the school/orphanage assemblies with passion and joy, to reach out to those God placed in our paths - despite the language barrier was SO humbling. One of my most favorite memories in watching the Lord work in our team was the prayer night the fifteen of us women entered into. Day 3 of the trip (the second day in El Salvador), the power went out as a storm rolled in; the girls were making bracelets as usual and winding down for the evening. Surely the power outage was God-ordained - we felt an urgency and calling to press into Him - to pray for unity, personal healing and the preparation for the hearts of those around us. Oh my goodness, did GOD MOVE! What seemed like a half hour turned into FOUR solid hours of prayer. Some of the girls were baptized in the Holy Spirit - God was totally at work. Walls came down, prayers were answered. One woman prayed out loud for a friend, as her fears and feeling of inability were broken. One woman received a clear response and instruction of what to do in a situation that had been weighing heavy on her heart. Probably three hours into the prayer session, I felt God calling me to sit in silence and BEHOLD. At first i felt confused why i couldn't pray anymore - it seemed like i was taking a backseat and succumbing to my exhaustion. And yet, the Lord comforted me as I felt His presence so strongly in taking in the sight. The girls, these beautiful women of Christ, were singing to the Lord - praising Him in beautiful harmony, gathered around each other in UNITY. I didn't need to be part of the prayer for God to move - how HUMBLING and BEAUTIFUL to sit in reverie and watch how He moved.
As the team bonded and witnessed the wonderful power of God, there He was at work in Guatemala and El Salvador (as He always has been). In the schools and orphanages, there He is - in the smiles of each child, in the laughter, in the tears. He reigns over EVERY situation. In the game of softball we had the opportunity to play with some El Salvador women, there He was. In poverty, in riches, in pain, in joy, there He is. To see the Lord move, to see His power and presence at work in these beautiful countries was astounding. It was SUCH a joy to witness His workings for ten days.
Part of the school assemblies involved putting on a human video to the song Everything by Lifehouse. The song is hauntingly beautiful, and when paired with a skit that portrays the Lord's redeeming love and His mighty hand even through our addictions and distractions - to sex, alcohol, money, drugs, depression, suicide, etc. He is beckoning for us to return to Him, He redeems, He forgives, He transforms ashes into beauty. The students performed this skit more than a dozen times - and each time i was reminded of our amazing Savior. It was neat to see the students' faces - the big eyes and gaping mouths, standing in awe of the message of salvation :)
Another place we saw God move was on our way from the base camp in Guatemala to El Salvador. As the countries are in the middle of their rainy season, it torrential downpoured the majority of the drive. When we came to a bridge we needed to cross in order to get to El Salvador, we found out it had collapsed a month ago. So we took an alternative route - through a muddy field and side of a hill, already slippery and worn down from so much use. The river was raging. We had to cross a part of it to get to the makeshift series of bridges. Let me tell you, these bridges were barely big enough for one vehicle to pass - they were constructed on tiny spots of land amongst the raging river. As we tried to cross, we ended up reaching a traffic jam. Since the bridge was only big enough for one car to cross, traffic coming from both directions created a standstill. And we were at the front, stuck on one of the bridges. When confronted by the traffic coming from the other direction, Jonathan refused to move - we couldn't, as cars were lined up behind us and unable to turn around. The men coming from the other direction flashed their handguns, but Jonathan (our missionary) still refused to move. Jackie, one of our team leaders felt the urgency to pray. So, in our fear, we cried out to God, asked Him to reign over the situation. Within seconds of us finishing the prayer, the oncoming traffic started to back up. And somehow - all the glory to God - we made it over the bridge and into El Salvador. GOD IS GOOD. I turned to the Psalms for comfort and just "happened" to come across this one:
The clouds poured out water;
the skies gave forth thunder;
your arrows flashed on every side.
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings lighted up the world;
the earth trembled and shook.
Your way was through the sea,
your path through the great waters;
yet your footprints were unseen.
-Psalm 77:17-19
How amazing is that?! God brought us to the great waters - His way was through this raging river. We needed to rely on His power and trust in His presence in a situation totally out of our control. He had a way and a plan for us in El Salvador, and while His footprints were unseen, He LED US. I was reminding that the Lord brings us through and into situations that are much too big for us so that we may cry out to Him and surrender, so that He may work.
Finally, on a more personal note, there is God in our individual experiences. He speaks to us on a personal level. In our last orphanage visit, we spent time loving on the kids in a Special Needs orphanage in Antigua. Here, the Lord affirmed my God given passion for kids. Simply saying their names would make the kids light up and smile. A simple touch, a simple outreach spoke of the Lord's love. Whether the Lord leads me into an elementary school/middle school/ different country/ ministry, I trust He will prepare me and give me the passions. All for His glory.
I am still in awe of how the Lord has proved that HE IS FAITHFUL, and that He truly does work everything together for our good (Romans 8:28). While I have struggled amidst a season of darkness over the past year, God has given me a testimony. God has used my scars, my wounds, my grievances to show His power and His redemption. I lost a love, only to find out more of the Lord's eternal love. I gave into temptations, to lust. And while it tore apart a relationship, it has given me stories and grounds to relate to other young women in similar situations. I now KNOW the necessity of keeping the Lord the center of all relationships, i now KNOW i am forgiven and renewed. I have seen God work through my past struggles to give me a testimony. And there are a few girls in particular that God allowed me to relate to, reach out to and bond with. The thought - that my pains, my struggles, my story of lost love bringing others to see the beautiful redemption of the Lord, His faithfulness, power and works - brings me to my knees. God is faithful. GOD. IS. FAITHFUL.
I have seen prayers answered. I have seen God's workings in my heart and the hearts of others - even back here in Lakeville.
While the team was able to take part in the Lord's movings in Guatemala and El Salvador for a brief period of time, the Lord is still at work. He was, He is and always will be present, active and reigning. And He is good. In every season, in every circumstance, there is God.
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