Nicaragua Mission Trip

Hello Everyone,

So, finally, here's an update on my trip to Nicaragua. I've been wanting so much to write this! But it's hard to know where to start.

The facts: From March 3-25 myself and 10 other students/faculty from here at Souls West went to Nicaragua for a mission trip organized by Share Him.

The first impressions: Getting off the plane = getting hit by the humidity! (A foreign concept in Arizona). The reality – we're really here! But the realization also quickly hits that I probably should have started cramming for Spanish before I got on the plane….

The site: There were eleven of us from Souls West speaking in different churches surrounding the city of Matagalpa. Matagalpa is a nice mid-sized city in the mountains of Nicaragua. We really enjoyed walking to the little markets to buy fruit etc. For a mission trip, we really had nice accommodations. Yet housing for the locals tells a very different story. Every day, I would travel to my church for about 1 ½ hours up bumpy dirt roads to the little mountain town of San Dionisio. The country road is dotted with tiny houses – some of cement, some of wood and mud, some with black plastic to seal them. My church was a very simple block structure with cement floor and not much more than some rough wooden pews. Yet what was inside I believe makes this church very rich in God's eyes

The People: They say that life's all about people, and the people in Nicaragua really made everything worth it. Most people in San Dionisio live simple lives. They work in the fields and don't have cars or many of the things we take for granted. Yet they have such sweet spirits, big smiles, and giving hearts. When they sing, it's with everything - even if it's off-key! I know God is smiling. Even preaching was different with an audience that mostly lacks the American level of skepticism and doubt. But if there was anything I really wished and prayed for, it was a greater understanding of Spanish. There were so many connections and conversations I wish I could have had! Yet even with this difficulty, relationships were formed and these people hold a special place in my heart.

The preaching: Wow. It's hard to believe that through God's grace I just preached a 19 meeting evangelistic series. Who would have thought? Teaching has taken away a lot of my fear of public speaking. Yet this was a challenge on a different level. It's not just speaking. It's the responsibility of really opening up God's word to people in a way that will change lives. ShareHim supplies pre-made sermons complete with power point slides in Spanish and speaker notes in English. Still, the vast majority of each day was consumed with sermon editing and preparation.

One thing I've learned: a sermon can be just words, or it can be heart, spirit, and power. And without God's spirit, the most eloquent words mean nothing. Some days were a struggle. Were people understanding? Was my translator getting it right? Was it just words to them? There were times I felt so unworthy to be the preacher. I saw myself as the one needing to be preached to. Yet I also got to see God use me. There were times I could see the connection in the faces of the people, when I could feel words just flowing from my lips – not from my notes, but from a God who can shine through even an unworthy heart. I will always treasure the memories of this opportunity.

The adventures: Most of the adventurous happenings for me seemed to have something to do with transportation. The roads are so bad they really take a toll on vehicles. We got stuck trying to get up a hill in the rain, sat a number of times with four of us crammed in the front of a tiny pick up, and another night we had an overheating car and didn't return till 2 am!

Most of these happenings were after the meetings or did not prevent us from getting to the meetings. But the night we were to present the Sabbath, our car completely broke down – right in the middle of the rural dirt road. I don't believe it was coincidence that this happened on the night presenting the Sabbath. Yet God was not to be thwarted! Eventually a bus came by that we were able to hop on and go tearing down the dirt road, honking every 10 seconds (which I gathered must be the substitute for turn signals and speed limits and such), crammed in, with fiesta style decorations and American dance music of all things! We had quite the experience, but made it to the meeting. It was pretty late, but God really made up for it in blessings that night.

The results: It was so beautiful to see people make decisions for Christ and get baptized. On the last Sabbath of the meetings our 11 different churches came together for one giant baptism and church service. It was truly beautiful. Many people were baptized, including some from my church, and many more were baptized at the local churches as well. I know there are plenty of preachers in Nicaragua who could do a better job or speak more eloquently than novice young people like ourselves, but God allowed us to be used. I believe it was truly as much or more of a blessing for us than it was for them.

In conclusion: There's so much more I could say, but to sum things up, God was very good to us in Nicaragua. The experience will always be with me. My faith has been stretched and grown. I have seen my need, and since the trip have sought God more and feel a flame growing again that had been dimmed by time and self. My realities have expanded. By God's grace, I will not be the same. Thank all of you so much for your support and prayers. It's worth the effort.

With love,

~Michelle :)