Mission Nicaragua 2016

MARCH 12-19, 2016

I came across these two quotes from John Piper:

“To belong to Jesus is to embrace the nations with Him”

and

“Go, Send, or Disobey”

I am so proud of my Nate for keeping His eyes on Christ and His mission, not only for himself and our family, but for our youth and church and THE Church.  He is humble, strong, sensitive, patient and a wonderful leader!  I couldn’t be more proud of him.

Nate is constantly putting himself aside for the sake of Christ.  My heart simply swells with joy, love and pride when I think of how well he leads groups to Nicaragua year after year…. And even more when I think about all the Nicaraguan lives that have been forever changed because he took the time and energy to put these trips together.

Even though I miss him every minute we’re apart, I know this is necessary and so very eternally important.  Not only do we see lives forever changed in Nicaragua, but it always changes, and blesses, every person in our groups.

Over the last five years, we have seen around 1,200 Nicaraguan people give their lives to Jesus.  On this last trip, they were amazed to see 881 salvations throughout the week.  It was a wonderful trip!

In the months leading up to the trip, we had several fundraisers.  Always fundraising…. from September to March.  Anyways, one of them was a garage sale.  Mollie isn’t too big on giving away any of her toys, but we were able to make some small cuts.  When it came down to having two “Joy” figurines (from the movie “Inside Out”) she wanted desperately to keep both.  Then after a few days of her thinking about how it could make a Nicaragua little girl very happy, she gave it to her Daddy to take with him.  It was so sweet to see her little heart wanting to help.

So that’s exactly what Nate did.  He found the perfect time to give “Joy” to a sweet little girl in Nicaragua. Her name is Catherine and Mollie still talks about making her happy when her dad gave her “Joy.”

It reminded all of us that small sacrifices given with great love means more than anything.

They also had a great fun day where Nate sledded down a huge volcano.  That. Is. Crazy!

We were also super proud of our great youth that went down this time.  It was the second trip for a few of them, first international anything for three of them, and the first time on a plane for another… They did so great and we couldn’t be more proud of them…. Dylan, Colin, Maddie, Katelin, Kayleigh, Shelby

Nicaragua 2015

Missions.  Missions is so important to a local church.  God wants all of us to be on a mission for Him everyday we live.  Overseas missions is something special that every Christian believer should experience.  One time or 100 times, it forces you to get out of your comfort zone and trust God completely.  You see how other people around the world live while sharing the name of Jesus to people who have never heard before.  It is an amazing time.

When we came to Yukon, there were no mission trips.  There was no outreach.  The closest thing was the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.  Nate knew that he needed to get missions into our church.  So, for the last four years, he has lead a group to Nicaragua to work with Voice of Hope Ministries.  I was able to go on two of these trips, but opted out this year.  I feel like Mollie is my mission right now, along with some other details.

So, Mollie and I sent our Nate off for a week of ministry in Nicaragua.  It is always hard to see him leave us, even for work in the morning… ha, but it was also great to know the lives that he would impact while he was gone.  Mission trips are faith building things… if you are going and if you send family members.  You have to rely on God to keep everyone safe going, and everyone safe that you’re leaving behind.  That is why prayers mean so much to the team and their loved ones.  In the end everyone grows… the team, their families, the people in Nicaragua, and ultimately our church and THE church.

This year, Nate was able to take a group of 19!  The largest group yet… and literally over 10% of our church.  His favorite part is always taking first timers and this year he got to take 9 newbies.  It is such a privilege to be his wife and watch him lead with such humility and grace.  I am so proud of my Nate.

They were able to see 344 saved, do some construction for a new church, hand out new school uniforms and formula to children and babies that needed it, and come home changed for the better.

Back at home, Mollie and I had a great week together.  It was fun to talk to Daddy every night on FaceTime….  Thank goodness for that technology in instances like this.  We went to see Cinderella at the movie theater with Melissa.  That was her second time and she did great!  We went to see baby Henry, and had a play date at a bounce house.  We also got it some retail therapy at Khols and Target.  It was fun to be the one she “wanted” all the time.

 

It was a good week for our little family of three, but man o man it felt so good to be reunited.  Together is just where we belong.

Nicaragua 2014

(This post is picture heavy.  Too many good ones.)

This trip challenged me in ways I didn’t know I could be challenged.  I knew from the beginning that I had to physically show God that I put my life, Nate’s life, and Mollie’s life in His hands.  It was a HUGE obstacle for me.  It sounds silly, because God is the one that gave us life, but for me handing all my worries and fears over to Him, in this way, was something new… Mostly because we have Mollie now.

I thought I had learned that lesson last year, when Nate went over there without me.  But with Mollie it was a whole new ballgame.  I had every irrational fear you could have…. the one about us dying on a plane and leaving Mollie without parents topped the list.

It was all totally insane, but God showed me how to fully rely on Him.  I knew I needed to go on this trip to teach myself a lesson.  Children are a gift from God and to not fully give them back to Him is selfish.  God even sacrificed His one and only Son for me, so what in the world was I doing?  When my friend Hollie was going to Nicaragua the first time, she was having a hard time leaving her son.  I remember telling her that if God and Jesus were in the same situation as humans here on earth, I thought God would totally leave Jesus with his grandparents so He could go share the good news.  It’s a funny thought, but it helped me to get over myself.

Anyways, back to our trip.

 

 We had a great group.  It was too much fun traveling and working with these wonderful peeps.

Nate preached at the first church we went to.  He always does a great time and makes me oh so proud to be his wife.  We didn’t go a day without face timing with Mollie and Grandma and Papa.  Thank goodness for technology these days.

 

When we went to churches, everyone was always so happy to see us.  The kids wanted to hug us and stare at us and definitely take pictures.  We also got to go into several schools.  It was amazing.  The teachers would happily invite us in and we would tell them all about Jesus.  In this class, at the first school we went to, all of the kids accepted Christ into their hearts.  There is nothing like hearing thirty second and third graders repeat the sinners prayer after you.  It was also a great experience for me to see our group go through something like this for the first time.  I love watching people experience overseas missions for the first time. 

These pictures are from one of our first fiestas.  Again at a school.  We played games and put on a funny skit.  Hollie and I reprised our rolls as the drunks and we were trying to get Lauren, aka Sinbox Sally, out of her sin.  Then we again shared the gospel and I got to take my picture with some of the girls.

 

Hollie, Me, Lauren and Emily….. ……………  ….Nate, Garrett, Zack, David, Kevin and Jerry.

Nate liked holding babies this year.  You could tell he was missing his little girl, but not as much as me.  I was having a super hard time being so far away from her.  If we were out and working, my mind was fixed on that.  But as soon as we were on the bus or back at the team house, I was a wreck inside.  But we all made it, and Nate also had a little too much fun being the Strong Man in the skit.

(Top Left) Nate and I with some kids at another school.  (Top Right)  Us with some of our fabulous translators.  (Bottom Center)  Hollie, Brandi, and I at one of the schools.  This moment was probably my favorite one of the trip.  Leading a whole class to Christ with two of my best friends!

 

We got to visit the ocean again.  So beautiful.  And Javi translated for me when I gave my testimony.  It was a little different this year because I shared about my struggle with fear.

(Above) More face timing with my girl.  And a little girl that held my hand for close to 30 minutes while we were inviting everyone to the fiestas.  She was sweet and would just look at me with the biggest smile.  I told her she was muy bonita and that she was my new amigo.

(Below) On our free day, we went ziplining.  That was super fun… and I saw a monkey!  We also ate some steak and went to the market (where there is a dormant volcano that looks like a huge lake).

    

March 16-21, 2014