The old is gone, the new has come
Yes, yes. I know it's been over a week since I've posted on here and I really am sorry. Time down here seems to fly by and whenever I finally sit down to update this thing I can't find the words to do it!
But I will say that 2011 ended on an awesome note! Christmas away from my family back home yet with family here in Nicaragua is radically different and it gave me exactly what I've desired for the last two years - a Christmas that isn't about gifts, but rather of the blessings that Jesus has given us and the grace and the love that He continues to pour out upon us day after day, second after second.
New Years Eve we prepared for a fiesta in the church here at the compound and it was a lot of fun! I "learned" how to dance and we had a great turnout for the outreach to the gang members and the "sinners" who weren't welcomed at other churches. Although a lot of them were drunk, it was ok, because they now know they're welcome to come to church with us!
And now that it is officially 2012 I'm excited to see the old ways of ministry here go away and a new, more Christ-centered approach be adopted.
My new "baby," as Patrick called it, is to figure out how to do a shuttle ministry here in Pochocuape and Lomalinda to bus people to and from church. I'm excited to hop on to that job as well as to help finish setting up the technology tid-bits here on site.
2012 is going to be an exciting and soul-saving year!
Also, my spanish is getting really good! I can now have full conversations with people and not miss a beat. Last night I didn't even realize I was having a conversation with a lady in Spanish until it had ended and I had walked away and began talking English again. It was definitely a shocker especially considering I understand everything she said! One of my goals when I first got here was to be able to be a translator by the time I left - and so far, with only a month of me being here, I've come a long way and have stepped up and began translating for Patrick whenever the regular translators (Julissa, Nelda, Abu) aren't here.
Teams are lining up and Patrick and Christy have began preparing the compound for the visitors as well as changing the way teams are dealt with.
One thing that God has really been beating me with is the scripture from Matthew 18:11.
11 [For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]
What is the "THAT" which was lost? It was the relationship we lost in the fall. The realtionship with God was lost when sin first entered into our lives. For the longest time I've been taught the law, the law, the law, but the reality of it all is that the law is done. Jesus fulfilled all that which was commanded! We live under grace and mercy and love now.
Jesus taught us that the greatest commandment is to "love the Lord with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your soul" (and some add with all your strength). What are we doing? Are we really loving the Lord with everything we have?
How about when we see/hear someone listening to "worldly music" even though they say they're Christian? At times (at least I know I used to), I'd jump all over them and nag them about how that music isn't Christian, it's not of God, blah blah blah. But the thing is I believe Jesus said "with all your heart" first for a reasion.
Once we understand what it means to love God with our hearts, then everything else makes sense and falls into place. The Holy Spirit will begin to convict us of things that we do that doesn't exactly point to God, i.e., Music, clothes, pornography, movies, etc.
It's all about loving God. End of story. And in the same way, loving our neighbors without looking down on them or thinking differently of them than you would your pastor. Jesus came to SAVE that WHICH WAS LOST.
Thanks for taking the time to pray and read what God is doing here on the compound and with me, personally. He's definitely changing my life and I love it! I pray that you would meditate on Matthew 18:11 as well and seek for whatever it is that God wants to teach you through it.