This was our theme for the week. Bring them Jesus!! With Jesus nothing else matters, but the people we are ministering to so desperately need Him to step into their lives and change them from the inside out. This last week has been full of joy, full of exhaustion, and full of tears! We saw many lives come to a saving knowledge of Jesus and we held many children as they released their pain to God.
Each day we went to several schools and did multiple programs. Each night we went to the church to prepare for the drama. It was like two full days of ministry packed in to one! My body got use to running on about 3 or 4 hours of sleep a night, but it definitely took a toll on me! Now that the teams are gone, it's like a switch flipped and my body gave up... All I wanted to do was sleep all day and I'm starting to get sick... I have the scratchy throat and itchy nose, beginning warning signs indicating that this will be a full on sinus issue in the coming days.... Pray that this will just stop and I won't have to deal with any problems as I head into the jungle in the coming days!
Aside from that, I'm missing the team and the people I met while we were ministering... Life is different on this side of things. The teams get to go back to the States and see their families and friends back home, and I'm gearing up for the next thing. It's hard work! Haha anyway, I'm loving it and this country is quickly becoming my second home :) I've met lots of great people and even made friends with some that will last a lifetime!
There are tons of stories I could tell, but honestly, I don't have the energy to type them out, so ask me about some of them in person! I will leave you with one that impacted me the most...
The last program on the last day of ministry was one of the most heartbreaking for me. We did the whole program and at the end they have an altar call for those that want to receive Jesus and receiving healing in their lives. So we all look out toward the crowd and scan over little faces until one stands out to us and God says go to that one. Well I saw mine within seconds... She was toward the top of the bleachers and her little eyes were filled with tears, she had little pigtails in her hair and she was searching for someone or something in that moment. I knew I had to go to her, so I fought may way through and made it to the top. She saw me coming and it was like she knew why I was headed toward her. As I made my way closer to her, I motioned for her to meet me in the aisle. Now most kids are timid and I have to encourage them to come to me or to allow me to pray over them. Not this one, she ran right over to me and latched on tight. I looked at her and whispered that Jesus loves her. And she nodded as she held on, then I continued and whispered that she was beautiful and precious, and the second I said that she began to weep in my arms. I held her tight and kept saying it's ok Jesus loves you, Jesus loves you. I prayed over her and whispered as much as I could in Spanish in her ear. In that moment I wish I knew more Spanish, but I'm not sure it would have mattered, all she wanted was to be held and told everything was going to be ok. I found out her name was Gladys and she is 7 years old. 7 years old!! So much pain in her life already, and she just needed Jesus to step in and meet her where she was. I have never felt the love of Jesus working through me more than in that moment. I knew He was pouring His love out on her and I was so grateful to be used by Him. She didn't let me go for a good 10-15 minutes I would say. I didn't want to leave either, but the time came and I gave her a big hug, told her again that Jesus loved her and not to be afraid. I can tell you a little piece of my heart stayed right there with her. I wish I could have known her story, but God knows it and all Gladys needed from me I'm that moment was to feel the warmth and safety of my embrace as Jesus ministered to her heart.
The week was full of stories like that, and hurting children break my heart each and every time. I'm half way done with my summer internship, but it feels like I've already lived here for months and months. This has become my life and I love it. I'm tired and getting sick, but I love it!
Here are some pics from the last week...
A little boy I got to hang out with in Babahoyo.. Precious!
The team doing a drama at a school..
Prayer at a different program.. Loving on kids!
Well that pretty much sums it up, we leave for the jungle on Sunday, thanks for all of your prayers along the way, people are coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus because of them!! 😄
Praying!!
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