Hey everyone! 

If you read my last blog, you would have read about how almost all of our team was on our “deathbeds” and were very sick. It took out a lot of time for where we could have been doing ministry, but instead, we were trying to heal from illness. But thanks to the Lord, we were still able to do some ministry when we didn’t feel quite so terrible. 

One of the days of ministry involved going to a remote village in the countryside of Mexico. We drove about an hour away from the YWAM base to a small church. The plan for the day was to do worship, a story, and games with kids. We shared the story of David and Goliath and how David was so courageous and brave against the man all because of the Lord. Seeing the kids' faces and the joy they had in them as we helped share just a small bit of the Bible was so encouraging and beautiful. We went outside with them and played red light green light, running races, and other activities! And then I got to practice my Spanish by having a conversation with an old lady about her home and Jesus. How great the Lord is to have been able to reach this small community with the love of Jesus!

Not long after that was when our group relocated to our fourth and final country of the race: Guatemala. We packed up all our things in 2 buses and headed on a long car ride to cross the border. It wasn't until later that I heard about the news in Mexico with the cartel leaders and tourists having trouble leaving the country. We had crossed the border JUST in time and looking back on it now, I can see the Lord had his hand over us and protected us from being stuck in the country. Please pray for the chaos that is currently happening in Mexico and for the safety of the people there. 

Before heading straight into ministry however, we went to Lake Atitlán for a debrief which involved talking about the past 2 months we spent in Mexico. We went over the ministry, community, our hosts, everything you can think of. I’ve begun to realize how important debriefing is for anything in life. We live out certain seasons that can be challenging, growing, and amazing and it’s good to reflect back on those periods of time and give thanks to the Lord, see how you grew as a human, and look towards how you can move forward and improve! It also allows you to take every moment for granted because life moves by SO fast! We should take time to recognize the good, the bad, the ugly, and the way the Lord moved. 

Psalm 77:11-12 says “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.” 

Mark 6:30-31 also says, “The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” 

Reflecting on God’s past actions to gain perspective during hard seasons as well as to praise the Lord for the good he has done is an AMAZING thing. Even psalmists like David emphasize remembering and reflecting to not forget the Lord’s faithfulness. Jesus also made the disciples rest after lots of ministry to step away, process, and pray. If the Son of God took intentional time to step away with God and rest, we should be doing so as well and shouldn’t always be going! 

So for that week on Lake Atitlán, that’s what we did! We met in our teams and big group to discuss the past 2 months, but I also made sure to take intentional time alone to pray, read the Bible, and journal to process where the Lord has brought me and is continuing to guide me on. The place we were staying at was absolutely stunning with the lake and volcanos, delicious food, and having the opportunities to go hiking, kayaking, and swimming. I feel so blessed to have been able to spend time there, even though it was short, and to appreciate God’s creation and the ways he has moved in my life. 

The topic of life is ministry has been brought up a couple times recently and even thinking about our time that we spent at the Lake reminds me of that. We weren’t necessarily there to do any specific ministry, but of course we still wanted to share God’s love with others and have fruitful conversations. Every night at dinner, we would spread out and sit with random people, sharing our stories and learning from them. With almost every person, we got to share a bit of the gospel and the reason why we are traveling the world. People were quite receptive and kind to us and it was so cool to have been able to meet so many different people all in one place! It’s a good reminder to always look for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus because everyone deserves to hear it and as believers, we should be making an effort to share that, no matter where we are in the world or what we are doing! 

Now we are in Antigua, Guatemala! Our group split into two houses, one with the guys and some girls and the other with all girls (where I am staying). We are staying at Airbnbs in the heart of Antigua, so we are in the middle of town and are close to all the coffee shops, restaurants, stores, and parks. But we are also close to the community and people of Antigua with COUNTLESS opportunities to have fruitful conversations and share the good news of Jesus! 

For my first day of ministry, a group of us is partnering with the YWAM base in Antigua and we did evangelism in the square! We went up to people, got to know them, and shared the good news of Jesus as well as praying for them! I love that we are working on going up to strangers and just spreading the good news because many people let fear hold them back from doing so but if you don’t go out and do it, who else will? And coming out of that, we planted seeds and strengthened existing relationships, showing how we TRULY care about these people. Many of the locals sit in the park selling their art and for many of them, that’s all they know and all they have done their entire lives! One man we even met had worked there for 40 YEARS since he was 10 years old. I just love having those simple, short conversations to show them the light and hopefully lead them in the direction of the way, the truth, and the light. 

Light was one of the words I heard from the Lord for this season in Guatemala. I pictured a lantern or lamp and also heard the words Learn, Listen, Laughter, and Love. The image of the fish swimming in the intro of the show “The Chosen” came to my mind as well, with fish turning to follow the fish following the Lord one by one. I am confident for this time that we are here in Antigua and know that the Lord is MOVING continuously. People hunger for Jesus here, hunger for the truth, and I want to share that with as many people as possible. 

FUNDRAISING FOR YEAR 2 OF JOURNEY SCHOOL TO ASIA! 

Yes, I know, I am still on the field in Guatemala, but guess what! There are only 175 days until I leave for Year 2 of Journey School to Asia and Australia! I would love to partner with you in helping me gain funds to embark on this journey to spread the gospel to these nations. If you are interested in learning more, reach out to me and I would love to get connected! 

PRAYER REQUESTS

• Complete healing for sickness for our team

• Boldness in sharing the gospel

• Walking in authority of Christ and knowing our identity in Him

• Guidance in the path the Lord wants us to walk on after the trip

• Curiosity in learning more about Him and pressing into his presence

Dear Jesus, 

Thank you for healing me from my sickness and giving me energy! Lord, you are Rapha and are a healer and I have faith that you will heal the rest of our team. Please take away all tiredness, coughs, pain, and uncomfortableness and provide them with rejuvenation and life. Thank you for bringing us to this lively city where we can share the good news to countless people. Give us the courage to share the news and to not back down out of fear and worry. Continue to keep our eyes fixed on you and to obey your calling with where you want us in our lives. I love you and trust you Lord. 

In Jesus name, Amen