Appreciating the Opportunity

In this season of life I am afforded many great opportunities.  I live in a beautiful colonial city, have the freedom to demonstrate and share the gospel without persecution, am able to pray openly with people that may not feel worthy, provide hope for the hopeless, and show love in tangible ways to many that may not know the extent to which they are loved by Christ.  We all know that it is actually the Lord performing change in this place, but being a part of it allows for an incredible journey every day.

One of the great opportunities, outside of my daily life in the community, is my role in connecting with other missionaries and ministries throughout Nicaragua and Central America.  

In Nicaragua, I am responsible for forming and maintaining relationships with AIM (Adventures in Missions) ministry contacts and possible future contacts.  I have the responsibility of placing all of the teams that AIM sends (1 week teams – 3 month teams) to Nicaragua with one of these ministries.  It is my goal to learn about the missionaries and their story and their vision for the ministry.  I want to understand what the Lord is doing in that place and what their needs are. Then I try to place the type of team with them that will best bring lift to their ministry while creating a placement for that team that will allow the experience that God has intended for them.  It is not a role that I have perfected by any means, but I am embracing the challenge because I see such value in making these connections, for the missionaries, their ministries, and for our participants.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to not only visit one of these ministry contacts in Nicaragua, but to serve alongside a team that I had placed with the ministry for a full week.  I was able to experience both sides of that connection and learn so much.  It was awesome!

This past week, I had the opportunity to accompany my friend and co-worker, Stephanie Ransom, on a trip to make personal visits to nine of the missionaries/ministries that she works with in this same capacity in Costa Rica.  (This is actually her role throughout all of Central America, except for Nicaragua, so she has her hands full!)  There is a different type of connection that you can make when you meet with a person face-to-face and look into their eyes as they share their story and how the Lord had brought them to this place in their life and in their ministry.  You catch a glimpse of their vision in a new way.  When you can stand in the place where the Lord has called them to, or even walk through the community, and feel His presence upon that place and those people . . . it just makes it “real.”

I thank God for these awesome opportunities for connection, to show love, and to feel His love and presence and I pray that I will never take this amazing journey for granted.