I finally arrived back home this past Sunday after 5 long and wonderful months of being away in CO with Youth with a mission. It has been strange and good being home, adjusting to "normal" life has its highs and lows but God has continued to show Himself faithful and constant amidst it all. Life as I once knew it has forever changed and there is no going back.
Outreach with my team to the Dominican Republic and Haiti was more amazing, eye-opening, and heart-breaking than I could have ever anticipated or imagined. I was asking God before we left for outreach what He wanted me to learn/get out of this outreach and He said "to be more willing." So, as one can imagine, God challenged me and I learned what it looked like to be willing to pick up kids until my back ached; willing to declare to a crowd the things God has done in my life; willing to hike the mountain of death; willing to love when it was hardest; willing to allow God to speak through me; willing to allow God to change me; willing to listen to the rhythm of His heartbeat; willing to bring Kingdom to earth no matter how I was feeling that day. There were quite a few days when I just didn't want to do a thing or open my mouth to share, but God never refused to meet us where we were or show us love in our frail and broken state so I had to daily make a conscious effort to strive to love and serve more. God was faithful to fulfill His promises and show Himself strong even in my weakest states.
On New Years day in the DR our team attended a local church that the DR YWAM base leader, Mitch, regularly attended. This was our second time visiting, the first time I had such a blast...the Dominicans really know how to keep a beat and go wild with it in worship! As we all settled into our seats and started worship one of my outreach leaders tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I wanted to give my testimony because they were giving us a slot that night to do so. I said sure and then started freaking out. I had something prepared but it's still nerve-racking, if not slightly intimidating. I eventually got up on the stage and began to speak in front of 200+ people and had such an overwhelming peace come over me. I was able to share with the people there about how I was once rooted in the lies that the world and the enemy had spoken over me, which lead to rotten thoughts and attitudes. Then I was able to tell them how God's truth, when you read it, listen to it, and accept it, will give you a solid and immovable foundation that gives you freedom and life. I always used to claim that my testimony, because I never got into any real trouble, had no power and would never be good enough for God too use. However, I soon realized that when I'm willing to say "yes" to God and allow Him to do what He wants through my life that anything is possible. God will use every area of your submitted life to bring Him glory, which is a humbling honor. The Spirit was heavy in that church that night and I know God was moving in people's hearts, you could feel it in the air, it was incredible.
After three weeks in the DR we traveled by bus to Haiti. The bus ride was supposed to be 8 hours, it turned into a 24 hour bus ride, but that's another story entirely. Our second week in Jacmel, Haiti we separated into small groups and just walked around the local communities to get to know the people and just be His hands and feet by simply going to communities and to houses asking if we could help them with anything. A lot of the time we would get denied because the people of Haiti don't accept much if any help from others. The first day we were able to help out a few homes, we swept, mopped and did some dishes. They were really blessed by us coming and working like we did, which led them to ask questions as to why, giving us an opportunity to tell them that we were here just to love them and serve them. It was such a encouraging time. The next day we went to another home in the same area, the lady we met at first was quite insistent that she didn't need any help. She was holding her little baby and all the while continuing to say no with a huge smile and a laugh, she was the shyest and cutest person we'd ever met.
We eventually convinced her to allow us to help her out after much pleading and laughter. Her and her husband had just had a baby 29 days before, so us coming to help turned out to be more of a blessing than we initially realized. This small family lived among 3 other families that we later learned were all related to one another. We were able to do more dishes, more than I've ever seen before, sweep their yards, mop the houses, and just sit and listen to their stories. I've never seen a family with such joy and love, they literally couldn't stop smiling and the husband couldn't keep his eyes off of his lovely wife. They were the most precious of families, all of them were so welcoming and generous to us complete strangers. After we were finished with the chores they had allowed us to do they climbed the coconut tree and chopped down each one of us girls a fresh and delicious coconut. We sat around and talked with them while we munched on our coconuts just listening to their stories and hearts, which were amazing and beautiful. What we did was simple, but it was love. However, I'm pretty sure this family showed us just as much love as we did them, they just displayed God's love, beauty, grace, and faithfulness and it truly was a blessing just to serve them.
There are so many more stories, both funny and powerful, that I could share with you, and probably will at some point, but I just wanted to give you a glimpse into what God has been doing and continues to do among His people. He is drawing His children back to Himself and forever revealing His love to the hurt and broken. I serve a big and mighty God and I'm so excited to be on this journey of life walking by His side. May His Kingdom come and His will be done! Gloria a Dios!
~Josie K.
