“When you hug a kid, you are hugging Jesus.” Maynor said this during one of our last meals together. We would teach kids and play with them for several hours a day. Personally, I don’t have a ton of patience with those who I can’t have a mature conversation with. I can only go so deep with them, and I can’t understand them and they can’t understand me. But God taught me that a hug can go a long way. There were a few kids who would give me tighter hugs than average. I would receive them multiple times during the day, not just at the end when they left to go home. I wanted to communicate soooo much to them, but my spanish was severely lacking. A picture is worth a thousand words, but so is a tight hug. Everyone is made in the image of God, so treat them so.
Maynor continued to share more of his experience volunteering with One Way Community. He is a missionary in his own country. Very unique and especially difficult. Maynor said Guatemantecas do not help their own country very well. But God calls us to love our neighbor as ourself (John 13:34). Many of the OWC missionaries are rejected by their families because of the unconventional lifestyle and income. Maynor reminds us that when we see an organization, don’t just look at their audience or projects (like children and events), but also see the volunteers.
“Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, not our comfort.” I believe Maynor also said this. Maybe many of the days didn’t go to plan, but the kids still enjoyed it. It would be within our comfort zone for everything to turn out as we like. But why are we constraining God to our plans? He can use our ideas, energy to plan, and work, but if the plan doesn’t go as expected, that doesn’t mean we are failures. Seek the Lord first. Ask Him how He sees the outcome.
Answered Prayer: My spanish has improved!!! God has answered our prayer of language ability with a ‘yes!’ I was able to get by with many conversations. There were times I was surprised with how much I could understand, praise the Lord. I still rely on google translate, but I did learn a lot of Spanish and was not lazy. I had a 5 minute conversation with a cook in Spanish, that was a surprise. Every country on the route speaks a different language. Great opportunity to see and hear God’s creativity. But also difficult
Ministry Update:
LCC (my world race team) has finished up ministry and left Petén. We gathered with the whole squad in Antigua, Guatemala for two weeks. Our leadership sought the Lord and taught us on a variety of topics throughout the week.
It was a blessing to find rest, speak and worship in our heart language, and hear testimonies from the whole squad.
We have been serving in Craiova, Romania for a bit. Bear with me as I try to figure out what to write about and when to sit down and do it all. I have SO much I want to share with all of you. I am excited with how God is working in and through me. I don’t want to keep that to myself.
Prayer Requests:
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Continue to pray for OWC as they do ministry. Their website is here.
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Ask the Lord where He wants me to serve Him long term. Or what people group or ministry. This is the big picture for why I am on the World Race.
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Rest and sleep for the time we are in Romania. Lots of spiritual warfare, and our sleep is attacked by the enemy.
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Clarity in thought as I go to the Lord to process things and loving my squad well.
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Flexibility, patience, and gentleness. In all areas.
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I am fully funded!!!! But many of my squad mates are not. Please reach out to me if you would like to help them out. Thank you to everyone who supported me financially!
Not my will, but His,
Sarah
