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| Pastor Rudolfo, his wife, Magda, and Margarita |
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| The team! The end to our day of Sport Ministry. |
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| Some of our cheerleaders! Lisa, Sandy, and Sherry. |
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| Kenny and Stacy playing basketball with Carolina and Daniella (two children from the Managua missionary family). |
What a blessed day! If you are praying for us, feel confident in the power of your prayers. They were definitely answered on day one in San Marcos.
We started the day off with a devotion from Zach Sizemore. He did a wonderful job encouraging us to leave our worries from home behind and give ourselves fully to God's plans for us here; to be present in the moment. This is a lesson I think we could apply during our time in San Marcos and when we return home. What can God do with worry and fear?
After our breakfast and devotional, the elders from Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yireh arrived. They stepped off the bus with arms wide open. Hugs, kisses, laughter, and genuine fellowship followed soon after. It is truly amazing to experience the instant connection and deep love that exists between believers. In spite of language, distance, and culture, we all love one another because we were first loved. After our initial meet and greet, Juan explained to the group that each member of Iglesia Bautista present had been praying specifically for a member of our team. This part of our morning was too amazing for words (but I will try...). Each member of Iglesia Bautista stood and explained some information about themselves and their role in the church. After that they asked the person they had been praying for all this time to come up and join them. Hugs followed (at times a couple of tears) and we had an opportunity to express our gratitude and excitement for the days to come. To put this into some type of perspective, I imagine this might be similar to a random stranger stopping you on the street and saying, "(insert your name), I have been praying for you every day for months. God bless you." It was one of my favorite parts of the day and a true testimony to the power of faithful prayer. So as they have been intentionally, specifically, and faithfully praying for each of us, our team, and our church, I feel compelled to ask--could our church pray for them, also? Their names may not match a face for those reading, but God knows and he honors our efforts. The names of the elders of Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yireh:
Anna Maria, Candida, Margarita, Maria, Magda, Rena, Auto, Marcos, Gustavo, Francisco, Pastor Rudolfo, and Daniel.
After this high point in our morning... things just got better. We were able to hear from a missionary family just recently called to the Managua area. Their story was inspiring, filled with an ever present faith in God's plan. They spoke about the Greek meaning behind the city named Managua. Mana is the bread of heaven. Agua is the water of life. They felt God calling them to bring the bread of heaven and the water of life to the Managua area. So, they did and are eager to serve God however he asks.
Following an amazing morning, we had an ethnic meal for lunch. The main course consisted of a burger (choice of toppings) and a side of fries. I think Kenny was okay with that. :) We were fed and ready for a day of sport ministry! We arrived at the church location around 2 pm. There was a multipurpose court available for use. About 60 youth and young adults showed up to play soccer and basketball. When it was time for basketball, it was decided that there should be an "American team" vs. a team from Iglesia Bautista. The Houser duo was unstoppable with the give and go move, Zach Sizemore was making his presence known on the boards, and Kenny and Juan were professional ball handlers. We aren't sure who won, but we had a blast!
As the sport portion of the event was winding down, Zach felt led to share his testimony. All the kids (teens) in attendance gathered around Zach and his translator, Tony. Zach shared his heart, his past, and how he was saved by Jesus Christ. His story was so compelling and everyone who heard was undoubtedly blessed. We're so thankful for Zach; for his courage and strength in sharing his story.
One more task left to be done before we could leave. The church grounds were blessed by Pastor Mark Woods and all members of the church that will be leading the Bible school tomorrow (LCBC mission team and Iglesia Bautista Jehova Yireh).
Then it was time to head home. Dinner and a time of reflection ended our busy, blessed day. We are so thankful for your prayers and loving thoughts. Know that as you are praying at home, God is creating a "family of families" that is not restricted to Lubeck, West Virginia. We have a new family to add from San Marcos, Nicaragua.
God bless and always with love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
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