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Sunday, January 16, 2011

I lost a few more pieces of my heart...


(our team )

Oh, wow. What a week we had! It's hard to believe that this time last week we were in La Union, Nicaragua having a wonderful time with the precious people in that village. It was good to see familiar faces from my trip 3 years ago. Faces that are forever etched in my mind and in my heart as I grew to love them even more.

La Union is a small village in a remote area of Nicaragua. After we landed in Managua, we rented a van and drove over 4 hours to the city of Nueva Guinea where we stayed each night in a motel. Each morning, we had a 90 minute drive to the village. It was only about 30 miles, but the road is so terrible and the mountain terrain so rough that it takes a long time to get there. The rain just makes it that much harder. Last time we went, we didn't rent a van and had to catch a cargo truck each day and it took even longer to get there. So this was so much better even though it doesn't seem that way.

As we were preparing to land in Managua, you can see the active volcano to the right. I actually looked out the window long enough to take a picture.

Inside the motel

(Our bed - the only thing in the room besides a small table.)

My heart is so full with the blessings that I received from the people there. They welcomed us back with open arms, big smiles and lots of hugs. The intense love that we have for them just grows each year.  As much as our goal is to serve them and minister to them, they were determined to do for us in return. We know it was a sacrifice for them to feed us 2 meals a day. Despite our protests, they blessed us with food. Rice, beans, tortillas and yucca were the menu for most meals. We also got fried plantain and some other things I can't pronounce. We did get to eat chicken twice and it was delicious.

There were four women on this trip and our mission was to have bible school each day for the children. There are about 20 children in the church, so the pastor said to expect 30. So I planned for 50.

I love it when God shows up in ways that we can't imagine. I love it when in our own inadequacies we think the impossible and God shows us His power. When we arrived at the church that Monday morning we had about 20 kids there waiting. We got started with the prayer and when we opened our eyes, there were about 100 children in the church. No kidding! We just kinda looked at each other in unbelief. I was thinking, "Okay, Lord, now what?" The kids just kept pouring in and I just laughed and said, "Praise you, Lord!" By the time we finished, we had 175 children for bible school that day.

Our old plans were scrapped and new plans were made. We began letting God move us in another direction. How do you teach 175 kids with material for 50? You let God take over. God is faithful and He equips us and He just does it! It was amazing and we had no less than 140 kids each day. We had almost 200 the last day and were even able to give them each a toy as they left. It was such a blessing to be able to minister to all those children and at least plant a seed in each of their hearts.


We went from this....

to this in a matter of about 15 minutes!

When I left there on Saturday, I left more pieces of my heart behind.

A 9-year old boy named Ishmael, has a huge chunk of it. When we arrived, he was quiet, sullen and withdrawn. He was shunned by the other children. He has no daddy and a mother who is mentally ill. His grandmother is very old and near death. His clothes were all torn and tattered. We purchase 2 new outfits and a pair of shoes for him. He was so excited to get them and his whole countenance changed! By the time we left, the other children were playing with him and he was smiling and laughing.  God is so good!

(Ishmael and his new clothes)

I left a piece of my heart with a little boy named Adair. He was 12 years old and still looked like he did 3 years ago. He is very small for his age and when we got there he was so mean to all the other kids. We loved on him all week. He hung out at the church all day with us and with Melissa's help with Spanish, we impressed upon him the love of Jesus and the need to love others and by the time we left, he was loving on everybody. He is so precious.

A 15-year old girl named Bilda has another chunk. She is such a precious young girl with a heart to serve. She helped us tremendously in bible school. She was always cleaning the church and helping the women cook. She is a very special young girl with a heart for God. 

Every child I met, every woman and man I came in contact with, have a piece of my heart. I love the people of La Union. It was hard to leave. Our last nights service was filled with tears. Tears of joy at what God accomplished. Tears of sorrow at parting with good friends. Tears shed by all of us and by so many of them. It was so emotional and so hard. I miss them already.

I am thankful that God allowed me to go back there. I am thankful that I got to minister with my husband and my daughter this time. God did a work in my heart. He revealed some things that needed to be revealed. He is honing some things that need some refinement. He is working in a powerful way in my life and I thank Him for that.

And next January? I will go back and leave just a few more pieces of my heart there....

Continuing to seek Him,
Beth

21 comments:

Sandy said...

This is a beautiful post! Thank you for sharing! My son went to Nicarauga Dec. 28-Jan. 4. Tonight was the church service at which the team shared about their trip.

Dawning Inspiration said...

Oh Beth - I'm getting tears of joy and awe reading this. I praise God for bringing the little children to you! So awesome that you and your family get to do this and so wonderful that pieces of you (and God) are left behind as encouragement for them.

SusanD said...

WOW! Three times the number of children you expected. God is so good. Thankful your trip was safe. Praising Him for the work He's doing in the hearts of those children, and in you. Blessings, SusanD

Yolanda said...

Beth,

I love how God went "beyond-beyond" what you had imagined/dreamed for the children each day. As Beth Moore would say, "It's too much!" clap clap clap giving God praise!

Love to you,
Yolanda

Warren Baldwin said...

Such an amazing trip! I've been on several mission trips in America, but none outside the coutnry. This makes me want to do so, soon. Good work, and thanks for sharing the details. wb

NanaNor's said...

Welcome back dear sister, So glad to hear of all the blessings from this trip. God's plan are always so much larger than ours and I know He will multiply the ministry you all gave to these wonderful loving people. Wish I could have been with you. Let me know how the travel was as well.
Hugs and much love,
Noreen

Denise J. Hughes said...

Thank you so much for sharing about your journey. I can so relate. I still think about the children I met and hugged in Vietnam, and that was a decade ago now.

So thankful your trip was safe. Thanks for sharing pictures too. I makes me want to go on another missions trip.

Anonymous said...

I love this!!!! LOVE!!! God is so amazing and He has never failed to bless me (much more) during times when I felt like I was the one giving...There is NOTHING God can not do! NOTHING! If it is impossible with men-IT IS POSSIBLE with God!

Anonymous said...

Oh, praise God!! What a mighty work He did there and through you each and all! I love the way your little group grew while praying, while eyes closed, while busying for the day's activities. WOW!
You may have given pieces of your heart to many children and families there, but God created that heart to love and be loved. God can enlarge the space in there for even more, dear Beth! I know He can and does!
May your day be filled with the sweetest memories of this journey and catch every tear in His bottle.
loving you so much, ~ linda

Nana Jul said...

Praise God...How Awesome!! And My God shall supply all my needs :)Amazing God multiplication going on there!!
WOW...I'm so glad He blessed you, and them! And one more trip behind you!!
Love ya
Julie

Beth E. said...

I love this post! Lives forever changed by Jesus - theirs AND yours! :-)

Welcome home, sweet Beth.

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

An awesome witness of grace! To God be the glory, great things he has done and will continue to do through your pliable, willing heart. Undoubtedly, you'll be unpacking this treasure for a long season.

peace~elaine

Pamela said...

Oh, how special to meet these children through your eyes. What a blessing!

Barbara said...

Oh what a wonderful post my dear friend, I could feel the love and encouragement in this writing, I know how attached you can become to the children, we as woman always have a heart for children and to be able to minister to them is a wonderful and unforgetable event. I know you much feel very lonely for a while, and I pray for you and that God will fill that void you feel with some children here in the states. God bless you and your ministry there, lots of peaceful blessing to you, Barbara

Angel said...

What a wonderful post!! I have been praying for you but haven't been by and didn't know you had returned. What a blessing you were to those kids!! Being in Children's Ministry is so wonderful!! I love it here in the states and it is so on our hearts to go on Children's missions!! I know that is in the plan for us, just waiting and seeking Him!!

Love and blessings to you my friend!!

Beth in NC said...

I've been coming by to see if you were home. I'm so thankful you had a wonderful trip! I was praying for your travels.

Love & hugs!
Bth

Sherri said...

Finally got to come by and read it all, what a blessing!!!

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

What an incredible trip Beth! I think you will be forever changed by what you've seen. These experiences have a way of sealing themselves into our hearts and expanding our vision.
So glad you are home safely too!

Nancy M. said...

That is so awesome! It's amazing the blessings you received and were able to give while there!

Denise said...

As one who has walked this path I have come to learn that when we leave pieces of heart in places that God calls us, He fills in the empty spots with more love and pieces to give. So be prepared my friend for more adventures and more opportunities to give what He pours into you.

Grateful for your willingness to be used by our Creator as a vessel of His love.

In His Grace,
Denise

mholgate said...

Beth, thank you so much for sharing this with us. How incredible that God brought so many children to hear His Word!

Many blessings,
Melissa