I said I was going to try to blog and journal every night...well....fail (obviously)! Our days are so jam packed that by the time we get back to the hotel (usually close to 11pm) all I have the energy to do is shower and CRASH! So...I am going to recap for you as best as I can the last 3 days. I promise when I return I will write all the amazing details out (pictures included) to the best of my ability. Although, this is an experience that is EXTREMELY hard to articulate. Words cannot fully convey the experience I have had thus far. Anyway, I digress...
The first 2.5 days we did medical missions. The first day we only had one doctor. He saw 151 patients, BY HIMSELF!! Like oh my goodness. It was amazing. So many people received doctoral attention for the first time. We prescribed easily 500+ prescriptions that day. We prayed over lots and lots of people mostly for healing. We also led several people to Christ. Different members of our team had the opportunity to share their (powerful!) testimonies. I believe we truly encouraged the people of Bolivia. The second day of medical missions we had two Bolivian doctors agree to come help us, praise God! Together the doctors saw 250+ patients that day. It was another amazing day full of prayer and testimonies. We also were able to share the gospel with children. It was such an amazing experience to love on them. They were so receptive to our love. They longed for our attention. It was great to see the smiles on their faces and the gratitude they had towards us for simply playing with them. They totally stole my heart. I did not spend as much time with them as I would have liked to, but just to see them smile was enough for me. The 3rd day we went to a different location to do medical missions for half a day. This area was an unbelievably poor community. You will have to wait to see pictures to fully understand the poverty. There were A LOT of kids there. I was allowed to spend a lot of time with them which was AMAZING! We played softball with them, handed out candy, and just showed them love and attention. More of our team shared their testimonies, and we prayed over many people again.
Now...Wednesday afternoon has had the biggest impact on me thus far. All of the women went together to have a tea/women's conference at the house of one of the Pastor's here in Bolivia (Ps. Ruth). Her home was BEAUTIFUL! To walk in and see so many women full of God was such a beautiful sight. Every single women we encountered was beautiful on the inside and out. I gave my testimony at this event. I shared my struggle with insecurity that God has delivered and is still delivering me from. Three other ladies also shared. They spoke on forgiveness, peace, and the promises of God. It was so powerful. However, the moments that impacted me the most was the fellowship after the speaking portion was over. The women just loved and loved and loved on us. They had so much love to give, and they wanted us to know it. One lady told me "I did not hear all of your testimony, but as you were talking I saw God in you and it was beautiful!" I was in tears right there on the spot. It was like the Lord was speaking to me directly through her. He knew I was struggling with believing in the power of my testimony and just the power of my presence on this mission trip in general. Then He prompts a beautiful women of God to say these words to me. You canNOT tell me God is not real. All of the women there just poured so much into us. They encouraged each one of us in a unique and special way. I also believe we encouraged them. They were encouraged to know that Americans struggle with the same things they struggle with. By the time it was time to go we were all in tears. I balled because I did not want to say goodbye. It was hard, but I know that those women hold a special place in my heart (and I in theirs) for the rest of our lives. My life has been forever impacted by their love.
TODAY...we went to a university campus and evangelized. It is the largest university in the country with 87,000 students. If you know me, then you know how far out of my comfort zone this type of missionary work takes me. I am all about helping and doing things for people, but evangelism is a stretch. Anyway... we used the God test to open the door to share the Gospel. It was so crazy because the FIRST person I ministered to accepted Jesus into their hearts. Like...WOW! This is something I never thought I would be able to do. God is so good, and if you let Him He will use you right where you are. He has certainly used me this week in spite of me. I think total as a team we led 10 people to Christ today. There was such a spirit of religiosity on that campus (and really in Bolivia as a whole). One of the questions on the God test is "what do you think God expects of you?" Almost every single person responded with something along the lines of being a good person or following the rules. There is no concept of God's grace and love here. Everyone is so caught up in religion that they have no RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. This totally speaks to my heart because it is a large part of my testimony. That is so significant to me because for so long I never thought I had a testimony.
I cannot put into words everything this trip is meaning to me. I literally cringe at the thought of coming home. I want to stay here in this place forever. I want to stay in this place I am with God forever. But I know He has more for me to do else where. I feel this is such a pivotal moment in my walk with God. Life changing transformations are on their way in my life and the lives of many of my team members. We all have such expectant hearts for what God is doing in Bolivia as well as what He is doing in our own lives. I have no idea what it is God has planned. I have no idea what this big transformation is going to entail. Yet, as scary as that is I know without a shadow of a doubt it is going to be for my VERY BEST. I believe God is going to open my eyes to so much (even more than He already has) and give me answers to many questions I've had. I am believing him for crystal clear direction between now and the end of this trip on Sunday night.
Please be encouraged. It does not take a degree, a special anointing (outside of the one you receive when you accept Jesus), or even an extensive knowledge of the Bible to be a missionary. All it takes is a willing heart. A heart that is willing to fulfill WHAT EVER role God calls you to fulfill. A heart that is willing to work with others because you cannot do it on your own. A heart that is willing to cast their cares upon Jesus because we become ineffective when we carry a load we are not strong enough to carry. The bottom line is the only requirement to be used by God is a WILLING HEART! He just wants you to sit back and watch Him work. It's an amazing show :)!
Te amo, mi amors <3
Fun Bolivian Fact: It is currently fall. Winter will truly begin in July :).
"The Lord has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and sound mind" 1 Timothy 2:7
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