Tuesday, December 7, 2010

More Than Enough-Fiesta Update




Out of any event I have ever done, out of any outreach and out of any of the dangerous places I have been, this past weekend was the first time I have never felt any kind of fear.

I had an amazing team with me this week. A huge THANK YOU goes out to my staff; Laura, Anita and Viviana! You girls rock and are simply amazing. It is a beautiful privilege to serve with you. Secondly, two awesome girls from our home church, Brittany and Erin! Thank you girls, I was blessed by how you jumped in and did not let the language barrier discourage you. Thirdly, Michele (who drove) and Elizabeth (who filmed) joined us on our journey up to the border. You ladies were such a huge help and sincere source of encouragement. It was a privilege to know you and work with you this past weekend, I look forward to more adventures. Lastly, a thank you to Helen and Xiomara from New Image in Managua, Nicaragua. These girls joined us for the whole weekend and completed the LightForce team. I am so grateful!

The fiesta was amazing and I am so thrilled at how easy God made the whole thing feel. Saturday, I felt an incredible amount of peace. We committed the day to God and so whatever happened our hearts trusted. Between the women, children, our team and a local pastor with his youth group there were SO MANY PEOPLE at our event. However we somehow had food left over! I was amazed. The games were a hit, of course the pinata and the dramas performed by the youth group were some of the best I have ever seen. Everything that encompassed the night was above and beyond my expectations. One women told us that she never had a childhood and so that was the most fun she had ever had in her whole life. You see it is our belief and heart that you go out for the one. It is not about numbers that mark a success rate. It is easy to feel that pressure but yet I refuse to feel that expectation. Jesus said He leaves the 99 for the one and so that is the example set before us. Although, we do get a lot of women and young girls at our events sometimes, it never matters. One heart that changes is always enough. In a year and a half of this ministry I have never encountered the amount of favor as we did this weekend. God is the God of above and beyond. Every single facet held so much favor, joy and peace and yet we were in some of the most dangerous areas. Only God can make the scariest, darkest place be a place of fun and light. I know these principles about His kingdom and yet I am always so amazed when He does it.

Tomorrow Brittany, Laura and I will head out on the bus, once again, to Nicaragua. Thursday is our fiesta for the children near the brothel areas and whose mothers are drug addicts and often they are left all alone at home all day. Many of these children do not go to school. These are the little ones who are at great risk for tragic situations if they are not already in one. So we will have games, candy and a pinata! The most exciting thing about this day is that the event will be held in our new house we are now proud to have close to a rural area. A person pledged to pay the rent for our house, the lawyer waived the fees when we signed for the house and women from the border are already calling to sign up for classes. God is amazing!

Friday we will host our final fiesta in Managua. This is our biggest one for children, so far we have 225 of some of the poorest kids signed up and I have to admit anything with kids is my favorite! Whew, it will be wild for sure! LightForce is hosting the events and paying for the food but a wonderful family in the States personally paid for all the toys and gifts! These are some children that are at risk for prostitution, so please pray that God will give us wisdom and that they will know that God loves them.

We are all a little weary so pray God strengthens us for the final events!

There are still so many stories and situations that for security purposes I am unable to blog about. However, please continue to pray for us here in Central America. God has been opening up such amazing opportunities. The danger has increased some but also favor and protection has as well. People like you who read this and pray, make it all possible. I saw the evidence of your prayers for us this past week. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Check back soon for more updates from this week's events!

1 comment:

  1. anna, this sounds amazing. God has been so good! i want to hear all about your new house too! love and miss ya, court

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