He weeps with me

I can’t hardly believe it’s been over 2 weeks here in Nicaragua. I am still just overwhelmed with gratefulness to the Lord and yalls support for taking me on this trip with these people. Everyday comes with new challenges but also so many precious moments where I get to see little glimpses of Heaven on this broken earth that I will treasure up in my heart forever.

Yesterday was one of the harder days of ministry. My team and I went to the Dump and the hospital. It still pains me to see the conditions that the families at the Dump live in. I’m always amazed at their reverence for God when their in such need for basic necessities like clothes, shelter, food and water. The people involved in the Dump ministry have such deep love and concern for the people and children at the Dump. Maria, Michele, Alejandro, Marvin, Renee, Gustavo and so many more have been through so much yet still have an abundance of God’s love to give to others here. I cried for the first time in weeks at hospital. We didn’t have a lot of time before we had to leave so we quickly were praying in as many rooms as possible. It was hard to see so many people and not have time to stop and pray for every sick or injured person. Many of the rooms have about 4-5 patients in them but few have only one person and I think those rooms are reserved for those who are about to pass on. After praying in some rooms, we stopped in a room with one man and his wife. He was skin and bones and said he felt like everyday might be his last but he had the most genuine smile and look of joy on his face. I got to hold him and his wife’s hand as I prayed but I couldn’t even get my words out because of my tears. As tough as some of these situations are I still know God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. God continues over and over again to send me people to give answers or comfort in the midst of tough questions. My friend Madi gave me some great perspective, she said the times we are living in right now are marked by suffering. We will see suffering and we will experience some degree of suffering, but this time pales in light of eternity. So above healing, I pray and ask for prayer for the hearts of all the communities in Nicaragua and back home to be softened towards His love so that they can experience supernatural joy within the present suffering. In my suffering, I believe He is weeping with me. He is near and weeping with the sick widow I met last week, with the sweet homeless man I met in the market, with the little girl who members of our team brought back home after she ran away, with the woman about to lose her husband in the hospital, with the families on the farm trying to raise their families up in the Lord, with the single mothers here doing all they can to provide for their children, with  those struggling with various addictions in the community, with the drunk men we prayed over and with all of you back home. He is right there with you and has felt what you felt. I don’t know why Jesus doesn’t just fix all of this brokenness now but that’s not my place to know. His ways are higher than mine, all I know is I pray in the suffering that I and everyone I meet lean into Him and feel that sense of peace that surpasses all understanding. I admire so many people I’ve met here that are an example to me everyday of such profound joy in the Lord despite their sufferings. They keep their eyes always on eternity and His character which isn’t easy.

I’m still so overwhelmed with gratitude for such a sweet season of life like this and the relationships I’ve been blessed with and all the learning. This is our last week of ministry in Nicaragua. Im so sad to leave such a special place and this community but I will treasure this time forever. 

Thanks for listening