I am finding it hard to put into words what this trip to Nicaragua has meant for my spiritual walk with Jesus. Over the years I have seen Jesus work in miraculous ways through the ministry of Young Life but never have I been able to witness His power and saving grace in a third world country. Jesus calls us to serve the sick, lame and poor not just here in the United States, but to the ends of the Earth. From the moment we arrived I was being pushed outside my comfort zone. Trying to communicate with people who only speak Spanish was something I had never experienced before. Staying in a hotel that was well below any health standard I was used too was not something I would normally choose to do. Walking into a country with reported cases of Malaria and Zika is not something I take lightly. But if putting my comfortable life on hold and becoming uncomfortable means getting to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then I will choose uncomfortable every time.
Not long after we arrived, I got to witness a beautiful bilingual church service in the small village of Los Laureles which was a moment I will never forget. The passion they worshiped and prayed with continues to inspire me today. In the medical clinic later that week, I was blessed to be able to serve alongside my mentor, a few of my friends and some incredible strangers who selflessly all embodied what I can only describe as a living example of Acts 2. From witnessing over 90 Nicaraguan men and women turn their hearts toward Jesus as their personal Savior and getting to interact with countless children with the wildest imagination, God was working a spiritual change in my own heart every step of the way. The most impactful experience came from when I went on a home visit to a family who appeared to have nothing except a rudimentary dirt floor home. The father of the house was almost blind and after giving him the strongest pair of glasses I had, tears started flowing and the biggest smile appeared on his face. “I feel like a new man” the translator conveyed to me. After talking with the man a while longer, I realized my first impressions were wrong: this man had everything. He talked about his relationship with Jesus and his family like nothing else mattered and it was then that I realized how often I desire more than Jesus. As I tried to process what I had just seen, I decided to get baptized the next day as a public declaration that my relationship with Jesus was enough to satisfy every desire of my life. Although I have been a Christian for the last 8 years, I had put off being baptized for various reasons but that night I felt God calling me to declare publicly that He alone satisfies my life and nothing else matters.
Prayer Request:
Prayers for the local pastors in Los Laureles, that they would have the wisdom and influence of God to shepherd the new believers to a deeper relationship with Him. Prayer that I would transition this boldness in sharing the Gospel to my medical school colleagues by relying on His Spirit to lead me.
Not long after we arrived, I got to witness a beautiful bilingual church service in the small village of Los Laureles which was a moment I will never forget. The passion they worshiped and prayed with continues to inspire me today. In the medical clinic later that week, I was blessed to be able to serve alongside my mentor, a few of my friends and some incredible strangers who selflessly all embodied what I can only describe as a living example of Acts 2. From witnessing over 90 Nicaraguan men and women turn their hearts toward Jesus as their personal Savior and getting to interact with countless children with the wildest imagination, God was working a spiritual change in my own heart every step of the way. The most impactful experience came from when I went on a home visit to a family who appeared to have nothing except a rudimentary dirt floor home. The father of the house was almost blind and after giving him the strongest pair of glasses I had, tears started flowing and the biggest smile appeared on his face. “I feel like a new man” the translator conveyed to me. After talking with the man a while longer, I realized my first impressions were wrong: this man had everything. He talked about his relationship with Jesus and his family like nothing else mattered and it was then that I realized how often I desire more than Jesus. As I tried to process what I had just seen, I decided to get baptized the next day as a public declaration that my relationship with Jesus was enough to satisfy every desire of my life. Although I have been a Christian for the last 8 years, I had put off being baptized for various reasons but that night I felt God calling me to declare publicly that He alone satisfies my life and nothing else matters.
Prayer Request:
Prayers for the local pastors in Los Laureles, that they would have the wisdom and influence of God to shepherd the new believers to a deeper relationship with Him. Prayer that I would transition this boldness in sharing the Gospel to my medical school colleagues by relying on His Spirit to lead me.
