I made it to Peru!!
After 4 long days of travel (and a little altitude sickness) my team and I made it to Cusco, Peru! The city is 11,152 feet above sea level and after being here a week I still get out of breath from just walking to the bathroom. This month we’re doing ministry with a local church that was planted by local missionaries just 4 years ago. When sitting down with the pastors we wanted to be intentional with blessing their ministry in the fullest capacity possible. We asked how we could best serve them which prompted the question,
“Well, what are y’all good at?”
And it just so happened that each one of us had a gift for something that they really needed. For me that was the ability to sing and play guitar. They currently don’t have anyone to lead worship at their church, which just leaves the lead pastor as the only one to play and sing before he has to preach. This month I get to take part of that load off of him. I love how beautifully God orchestrated each one of us to be here at this specific place, for this specific time, to meet these specific needs.
God has been revealing himself to me a lot in this season as the God who shows up. And I’m so undone by that. He literally doesn’t have to come, but he always does. My first week here was definitely not the easiest. I felt like I had already been here a lifetime after just a few days and already desperately wanted to go back home, which quite honestly surprised me.
I knew everyday wasn’t going to be easy and that there would be times that would be really tough, but when these feelings came so early it was a little discouraging. And I wrestled with it, wondering how I could make it a whole 11 months if I’m already feeling this way in week 1.
But then God spoke to me and said,
“Just one day at a time, April.”
And the beautiful thing is that in that struggle, sorrow, and desperation, no matter how silly I felt because of it, God showed up. And he reminded me that no matter what I experience, no matter how big or small, it’s important to him.
He loves to show up.
I look back at my life and I can see how there’s never been a moment when he didn’t show up for me. No matter what season I was in, no matter what I was walking through, no matter what I was in need of.
He. Showed. Up.
And the incredible thing is that he always will.
For every fundraising goal, he showed up.
For every concern I’ve had, he showed.
When I was lonely, he showed up.
When I felt like there was no way, he showed up.
When I’m sad, when I’m happy, when I’m confused, when I’m frustrated, he shows up.
For the lady we met on the bus, he’s showing up.
For the girls at the orphanage down the street, he’s showing up.
For the man who’s working in Peru to get his family out of the turmoil in Venezuela, he’s showing up.
for the lady I prayed for on the street corner, he‘s showing up.
For the needs of the church we’re working with, he‘s showing up.
And for you my friend, he’s showing up. I encourage you to lean into him today.
Beautiful April. Your story inspires me greatly. I’m so proud of you and what you are doing. ??
I love this sis, you don’t give yourself enough credit for your writing, but Holy Spirit follows through you so gracefully!
*Flows
I’ve been reading through your blogs because I feel like it’s a really good thought behind the concept of mission work and how God put it on your heart but how much of a difference can it really be making to stay for a couple of days in the lives of kids who are so used to people leaving. There’s a lot of research on the mission mentality and how you can do more to help instead of further traumatizing kids and using them as photo ops and talking points. It’s important as a Cristian to realize when you’re doing more wrong than good as good as the idea is and has been fed to us.
Thank you so much!!
I completely understand your perspective!
And in all honesty I had thoughts of “What good is it going to do for me to stay in each place a month and then leave. It’d be better that I not go. I could have a better long term impact doing missions in America” but God called me to do it regardless and opened my mind to the beauty it can bring.
And you could say similar things about any evangelist in America. They come, they preach, they have a big alter call, and then they leave. And then what? Then the people that are there long term get to do the discipling and the follow up and breakthrough happens. What’s the difference in meeting someone at the store in America and getting to pray for them and share Jesus with them than it is in any other country? What’s the difference between helping a stranger in the church move into a new house and then you never see them again? Just because I may never see or talk to that person again doesn’t mean that the seed was vain or that they weren’t worth investing in. The same applies everywhere you go. My life is my ministry and it’s consistent no matter where I go.
In places where the gospel is already being reached, we get to come along side the ministry we’re with that month and encourage them and help them with things they may not have been able to do with less hands and less minds. And even just encourage and lift them up individually when they may not get that very often in this tough life of living on the mission field.
And after we leave it’s still their job to disciple their people and communities.
In places where the gospel isn’t being preached we get to come along side our ministry host in preaching the gospel to communities and people groups who have never heard! But then after we leave is it all in vain? By no means! Then it’s our job to help empower and encourage the ministry there to disciple those people.
The apostle Paul was a missionary. He traveled to different places preaching the gospel. He stayed for a while and then left when the Lord led him to a new place. He encouraged the community there and helped empower leaders to disciple the people in that community.
Are there flaws in missions trips and ministries? Yes. All the time. Do people use kids on missions trips as photo opts and talking points? Yeah I’m sure some do. But that’s not the heart of every person, and that’s certainly not the heart of missions.
My ministry tries and works very hard to help each community we enter in the best way possible without harming it or the people, but leaving them better equipped after we leave.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I hope your day is blessed!
I love how each of you were used by God to help out with the natural giftings you each have. Often, as a team, you come alongside the ministry that is there serving long-term and give them support and encouragement and handle projects and tasks they don’t have the manpower or time to complete. Yes, you may be spending time with kids who have suffered from rejection of or abandonment, but you also give them genuine caring and time and attention – something they desperately need. Is it a perfect system to be there just a few weeks then leave? no but you DO make a difference and what your team does matters a LOT. I’m so thankful for what each of you and your teammates was able to give!