Hey you!
Trying to re-cap every single thing my friends & participated in as ministry opportunities is just about impossible, however I did jot down experiences that came to mind after skimming through my blog entries from this year. Hopefully this will help you recap all that this year was too. Above is a “Vlog” sort of thing, where you can put the words of this blog to life-by seeing photos and videos of the ministry opportunities. Please do enjoy.
& Can we take a hot second to praise God for all that He’s shown & done this year?
I mean, this is just a glimpse & I am IN AWE 🙂
Australia
We did quite a bit of hands on service. Things like cleaning churches, roof cleaning, organizing, landscaping, painting, etc. Quite a bit of relational building through whatever creative outlet the team and I could think of. Public worship on the beach, public worship in the park. Free healing stands in the park. After a friend and I praying for someone I witnessed her physical back pain she’s lived with for years disappeared. Jumping up and down, crying, and so excited the gal she came to the worship night in that park that very night, wearing cross earrings!
My team in particular participated in setting up a “hair braiding stand” We helped cook means for the local community and shared meals with one another as a squad. We partnered with YWAM. (Youth with a mission and did our best to come along side of what they were already doing and to encourage them as well).
A friend and I prayed over a man who felt positive vibes from us. He was so touched that he was crying and said “God sent me a message today through you guys”. I Met a custodian at the church we were staying at. He was originally from India, and used to be a devout Hindu, however had a dream from God which led him to believe Jesus was calling him to follow him completely. He ended up at this church and had to leave much of what he thought was familiar, behind.
We also did manual labor at a local park reserve and a rehab center for people on recovery from drug addictions. The spiders in the mulch were HUGE
Indonesia
Consisted a lot with connecting with two families. One of the families were the owners of the guesthouse we were staying at. The other family was the mother and father of a daughter who we had spent a lot of time with. A newer Christian, and someone who did not have a lot of Christian friends in the area. We did out very best to encourage these people by having worship nights, dinners together, listening to each others testimonies, visiting the town together, etc. Just really doing life together.
We also participated in coffee shop ministry, where would would set up signs that said free English lessons in effort to build good relationships with people. We served at an international school in the area, which led to us finding out about an international church. There we visited the church a few times in effort to encourage and support the local missionaries in the area.
There were several days we dedicated to serving a local orphanage. We had a pool day, played many games around the place, and did our best to love on the wife of the home. There were several taxi drivers we had the opportunity to pray over and bless. One night we went to an Indonesian Bible study at a school of college students. This was one of my favorite parts! We spoke on some of our experiences in life, our love for Jesus, and why we were traveling the World. One gal in particular I had an opportunity to pray with and encourage. She had tears streaming down her face and it was just so beautiful!
We also had an opportunity to spend time at a refugee school. This was heart breaking and inspiring all at once. We helped teach classes and loved on the teachers there. We spent significant amounts of time with a middle eastern family who moved to Indonesia, as they are refugees for their faith.They once were Muslim, then converted to Christianity several years ago and are now pursuing God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. It took them 4 years upon researching about Jesus, to finally commit their lives to Him. We also had an opportunity to visit a local Indonesian Church. That was really cool!
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka was a wild one! Upon arrival we had a week set aside for something called Debrief. As a logistics coordinator, this was my game time. I was learning how to serve the squad well as well as many other things.
I got lost in the jungle on the way home from down town right now, which led me to having an opportunity to pray over an entire family and pray for restored health of the grandmother. Prayed over a a man to be cancer free, new pair of lungs for a woman, dark spirits going away, so much prayer!
Spending time with a local pastor and wife in the area. The wife was delivered from an evil spirit attacking her & her kitchen was also delivered from an evil spirit that had been residing there for over a year. Spent significant amounts of time doing our best to love on the local staff in a specific city we were residing in. Baking cookies, notes of encouragement, sharing the gospel, building relationships, etc. Intercession for the country of Sri Lanka, everyday. Via worship, prayer walks, night watches, etc.
India
In the country of India, we did a great variety of things! First off, we stayed at a Giant white refuge center for Christian conferences, meetings, and retreats. It looked like a castle! There we had about a 5 day event called Awakening where a guest speaker came and taught for several days. This time was filled with worship, fasting, intercession, and fellowship.
We did about a weeks worth of village outreaches. This time was incredible and exhausting all at once. We partnered with India Christian Ministries and built some wonderful relationships through there. We had plentiful of opportunities to pray for local pastors and encourage them. I had an opportunity to prophetically speak over the founder of ICM without even realizing it. He was encouraged and shocked at the same time!
I had an opportunity to share the gospel with a variety of people on the travel days via train rides. (2 grandfathers who spoke perfect English, praying for a soldier and his family on the train and him being touched. He said, “You are the greatest person I have ever met in my life” and I said, thanks, all praises be to Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior.
A woman’s wrist was physically healed on the street, a mans knee pain went away, a woman’s ankle was healed as well. Visited my Aunty and Uncle at the school for the blind that they run. Was able to do my best to bless all the blind children there and spend some time with them. Prayed for a blind man on the street. Was able to worship Jesus in a Hindu temple that had been there for generations and generations and share the gospel with the manager of the temple.
My favorite part was the hostel ministry in the Yoga town. My friends and I had an abundance of opportunity to share the gospel and take part in theological discussions. Simply by reading my bible in Public. One man gave his life completely to Christ & that was the BEST! He is destined for GREAT influence in this lifetime.
Nepal
Nepal was one for the books too! A lot was happening here. Logistically speaking, my buddies and I had a lot to do in order to prep for getting into China and preparing for debrief.
Wrote encouraging notes/prayed for the host we worked with. Prayed for a man who was ill from a demonic influence clearly (this kinda freaked me out a bit!). Divinely ran into a missionary family from America that I had been praying for, for years! Met local missionaries in Nepal and prayed for them, got lunch with them, and encouraged them! My friends and I worked at a school in Nepal and helped give teachers a break in their schedules to rest. One teammate was able to make a professional video for the school, to help spread awareness and raise funds for it! Did our best to love on and have wonderful fellowship with our hosts.
Tibet
On this 6 day travel journey through Tibet, we as a squad collectively prayed for the country continuously. Literally just trying to survive from the altitude sickness, haha!
China
China was about the half way mark. Through travel days via the train, I had an opportunity to share the gospel to several people in those times. (4 girls hearing the gospel and seeing a bible for the first time in their life, man sitting next to me, etc.) Sharing the gospel with a new friend from a hostel we stayed at. We left the hostel in order to be able to discuss these things privately.
Had a wonderful theological debate with two travelers at a hostel. Met a gal while playing ping pong in the park in which led to an opportunity to share the Gospel with her during a private dinner time with my friends and I. We are in touch to this day. Interceded over the country of China on a daily basis as a team and also was able to do that while exploring the great wall of China.
Kyrgyzstan
Much of our time here was hostel ministry and outreaches! We had wonderful opportunities to build new friendships, engage in deep conversations, and share the gospel with people around. We did this through one on one conversations, dinners together, etc. One gal was prayed over and touched by God’s love in tangible ways. She cried!
Writing notes of encouragement to those we met along the way. We had an opportunity to go yurt camping to change pace a little bit. There we did our best to love on the hosts, and also had an opportunity to provide them with gospel materials. As a team we helped to create a video promo for the yurt camping hosts and take professional photos for them in effort to help their business flourish.
Kazakhstan
In this country we did a lot of networking and building relationships with the local church we were connected to. Most our time consumed of manual labor like cleaning around the house, landscape, setting up for events, etc. In this time we also served at a youth group type of program, helping to teach English to the youth. Had the opportunity to share my personal testimony to a group of youth at a Camp retreat.
I had an opportunity to do my best to pour into a new friend who went through similar struggles as I once did, with doubts and confusion of the Christian faith. This friend was re-awakened to pursue God more and live into that divine relationship we were offered through Christ Jesus. Before leaving the country I had an opportunity to share the gospel to a stranger on the street and encouraged/challenged a man in his own faith to dig deeper for himself.
Babysat for local believers in the area in effort to provide them extra times for refreshment. I also had the opportunity to help a friend with a photo shoot for a local pastor and wife for their family!
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan was short and sweet! Much of my time consisted in preparing for Debrief for the squad, however there were also some great opportunities to share the gospel to new friends around. One time at Mcdonald’s, planning with my logistics buddy, I decided to worship with my guitar. Within a few minutes I looked up to my surprise, to see that several people had gathered around to listen to the worship. This led into a long theological discussion and allowing me to challenge a new friend to dig deep, not just to take my word for it but to do the research himself on Jesus Christ.
I was also able to share the gospel with a new friend I made from the hostel. We entered into a great theological discussion & I also was able to pray for this person–that they would experience revelation of God’s great love for them and guide them into the truth.
Georgia
Georgia was a wild time for sure! Here we had a week long event called parent vision trip, where my mom and dad flew out to see me and partner with us in ministry! It was a wonderful time and a blessing to see my mom and dad, spend time with them, and do street outreaches together.
Turkey
Turkey was a unique month in itself. We were partnered up with a local church family in which we stayed at the apartment that they hosted house church in every week. We cleaned the house, participated in street outreaches with the locals, worshiped in the part, and loved on a new sister in Christ for about 2 weeks.
As a collective team, my friends and I helped create a series of educational videos on the Christian faith for our host-so that he could maximize his influence in the area. This month was also an intentional time of pouring into my team through prayer, encouragement, bible studies and worship nights.
We also had an opportunity to go to a house of prayer in Turkey-and participated in corporate intercession and prayer for this country. There I was able to encourage several believers with prophetic words for their future.
Greece
Greece was a whirlwind! We were here for approximately 5 days on the way to Spain. My friends and I had opportunities to worship in the public places, where Paul the Apostle once stepped foot, and intercede for the country as a whole. We had an opportunity to learn about the historical context of the bible and discover more of its roots. One friend and I met a guys outside while worshiping which led us to engaging with him in great theological conversations. We had multiple theological debates with new friends in the city, historically known as the greatest place of philosophy in the west. We had an opportunity to pray over a man who just started his first hotel business and he was so touched that he teared up. Before we left we dropped off a painting for him and the gospel message for him.
Spain
Spain was full of deep conversations while walking miles upon miles everyday. Anything from life stories to the gospel to prayer to encouragement to challenging ones point of view-it happened everywhere. Intercession for the country of Spain and for all the new friends I had met this year around the world.
My friends and I had an opportunity to spend time with one man in particular for about a week. We did our best to welcome him into community, love on him well, and encourage him in the faith. Community dinner one night led to engaging in incredible theological conversations and testimonies about God this year.
My friends and I visited the Generation 42 Leadership Academy and that was really cool! We participated in several of the classes there to get a taste of what it could be like. It was refreshing and challenging too.
Morocco
Morocco was our final and last month of ministry on the race! We partnered up with a local pastor in the area, in which we visited with often. We partnered with this host by intentionally building relationships with those we crossed paths with and having some opportunities to share the gospel with them.
The Church we went to weekly was as small as 6 people. We spent time encouraging a new believer of the Christian faith and helped research/answer big questions he had about Jesus. Had an opportunity to celebrate two of my friends birthdays and did my very best to make them feel like a king and queen.
Night after night we ate traditional Moroccan meals with the neighbors. One of these nights we had an opportunity to pray for a family and their father-that he would be healed from such a disease that paralyzed him. The day before my departure for Italy, I made an error. However, the error of booking turned into a divine time of spending time with a Muslim, Moroccan family. There the opportunity presented itself to share the gospel, the engage in theological discussions, to help answer questions they had about the bible.
Italy
Italy was an intentional time of solitude and rest. Yet even within that, I found myself engaging in very important conversations with once strangers, now friends. Chair lift delay to a small village on top of the mountain led to a gospel centered conversation with a man. Creating these videos, in the hopes that it would minister to YOUR heart!
USA
I anticipate pursuing a lifestyle of life is ministry, ministry is life. I hope to be deeply involved with my local church community and outreach platforms. I will be working online as a content creator for a ministry called “She Walks in Truth”. & am thrilled about it! I will continue to pursue a newer development in my life called “Made for joy project” as an inspiration platform to believers and a helpful resource for those seeking the truth. Wahoo!
