Dear
family and friends,
Why?
Hopefully by now, you do know that I am going to Guatemala this summer J The official dates for my trip are May 26-July 19. Before I get into the
“what’s” and “when’s” let me dive into the “whys.” I was able to go to Guatemala two summers ago
with a program through Liberty. It was
incredible, looking back, on how God orchestrated my life to allow me to
go. I learned so much while there
(including lots of Spanish!) It was my first “mission trip” and definitely the
longest period of time I had been away from home. God taught me through the Guatemalans the
importance of putting God first in all circumstances (“Primero Dios”). Many of them also showed me how I need to be
more selfless, as they were so generous and giving towards many. God also burdened my heart for the town I was
able to live in during the second month.
It’s funny, because the town though thousands of miles away from America,
was very much like America, spiritually speaking! I saw a lot of people going to church and
“being Christian” because that’s what their family did. It was more about rituals, tradition, and the
act of doing. This is not the
Gospel.
There is nothing we can do to earn God’s
favor. We must accept that He sent His
son to die for us, and that when God looks at us He sees Jesus in our
place. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you
have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift
of God, not a result of works, so that no one may
boast.”
We live in response of this gift, as we
offer our lives as a living sacrifice to God.
Paul says in Romans 12:1, “I
appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship.” Also, like America, there are people who just don’t know. They may be around church and near it, but
the Gospel is not in their hearts. And
there are other people in Guatemala who have simply not heard.
To simplify all the above, I’m going because
God has called me. Just as I am supposed
to do here in Raleigh/Durham, I am going to go and share what Jesus has done
for me in Guatemala (and I’m going to attempt to do that in Spanish :D). What Jesus has done for me is accessible for
all people from here to Guatemala to Timbuktu.
I know there are needs here in NC
and America, and I absolutely acknowledge that.
The truth of the matter is that I can’t meet all the needs by
myself. God works through the church,
His body. We, as the church, are to be
ambassadors wherever we go. But God said
to make disciples of all the nations. I
don’t think I am better than anyone because I am going overseas, nor do I see
it as a way to earn “extra Christian points.”
I just know that God has put Guatemala on my
heart. He has since the day I left in
2010. He had to grow and mature me a
more in faith, but now He has told me it is time to go back. But like God has
been teaching me, it’s not about me—it’s about proclaiming His name. This is my God-given desire and I hope it is
yours too, wherever your location may be.
When and
What?
I will
be flying out of RDU early Saturday morning, May 26th, to Texas to
meet up with a group going from Devin’s church in Oklahoma, Emmanuel Baptist
Church. Together with them I will fly to Guatemala! This church has gone for many years, and as a
result has established many relationships with the people there. Our first stop is Huehuetenango. We will be
there Saturday and Sunday. We will
prepare for the week, worship at the church, and then hold a youth activity that
Sunday night there. On Monday, we will travel to a town called Totonicapán.
Here we will be putting on a VBS, hanging out with the youth, and visiting
people in their homes to pray with them.
The team will be here until June 3rd before going back to
Oklahoma.
After the team leaves Devin and I will continue
staying in Totonicapán. I will then be
living with a family, mother Lena and her daughter Mimi. I will be here until June 15th. Here, we will be going door-to-door visiting
and praying with the people in this area.
We will also be delivering food, passing out blankets, or trying to fill
any needs we see. During this time our
main focus is to build relationships and communicate the love of Christ by
helping provide for their physical needs.
On June 16th, we will “move” to
Huehuetenango. We will be spending time with
a church called, Fuente
de Salvación. I will be living with the pastor’s son’s
family during this week, while we are forming relationships with the youth in
the church.
The last part of the trip, which at times I still cannot believe, I will be
traveling back to the same area I was two summers ago! I will be living with
the same family I did before, the Chacon family. This family consists of mother Maria,
daughter Elizabeth, and son Oscar. The mother leads the local church in the
town of Llano Largo (near Zacapa if you want to see it on the map). This is largely due to the lack of male
leadership. The church is very small,
but upon attending it is very clear they have big faith. The small numbers are not a distraction for
them, as they are more focused on praising their Savior during church. Elizabeth has told me that recently they have
had more young people come to the church. Compared to many places I went to in
Guatemala, Llano Largo is a “wealthier” town, but it is still spiritually poor.
As touched on earlier, Guatemala is a place
of tradition, and for many people that goes with their religion. If their entire family has not gone to church
they will not either. Pray for the
hearts of people in this town to be softened so that they can see past
traditions. Pray that they will see the
Gospel for what it is and the saving power it has.
I beg
for your prayers. God has really been
preparing me for this trip, or maybe for something even greater. Regardless, God is moving and active here in
the States and in Guatemala. He is
challenging me to speak more boldly and to be more open about what He has done,
is doing, and promises to do. I am being
pushed to do that here in the States and I think it is preparing me to do this
in Guatemala. Please pray that God would
continue to empty me of selfish desires so that He can use His power through me.
Second Corinthians 12:9 says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power
is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
God promises to use our weakness for His glory
and I believe that is what God is doing in me right now. In order to see the true power of God, we
must yield to him our every desire, passion, and want. Please pray for the many people I encounter on
this trip. Pray that I would humble
myself to learn from them, as well as be used by God to encourage, disciple, or
share the Gospel with them.
Thank you for taking the time to read this
small booklet… I mean letter J
Love in Christ,
Nikki
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