Words To Describe Each Country

Guatemala, a season of SURRENDER.

One of the biggest things I learned during this season was being surrendered to God. I learned a lot about this through the book of Psalms. Some of the biggest takeaways I got from reading this book is to trust in God, rely on His strength, and seek His wisdom. I was reading/studying this book for about half my time in Guatemala and would read things like this a bunch of times every week. So many verses and chapters I read stuck with me and some even helped me change my perspective on certain things. The result was the knowledge that being fully surrendered to God in every way is how to achieve success. The best part is that I was able to use this. It was at the end of Guatemala debrief, around the middle of January, is when I fully surrendered myself to God with no strings attached. I brought every single bad thing to the light that I had been carrying up until that point and gave it to Him to take away and destroy, once and for all. 

South Africa, a season of FREEDOM.

After chains were finally broken in Guatemala and these things I had been carrying for a long time were finally gone, that allowed me to start experiencing freedom. Freedom from being held back by my past and being able to step outside my comfort zone in joy and peace. I was truly free, but most of all, I actually believed it for real this time, which made it even better. Even if work that day was dull or stressful, it didn’t matter, because nothing could stop this immense freedom I was experiencing. This freedom also cleared my mind and gave room for God to reveal things to me about my future, things I wouldn’t have believed or accepted if I didn’t have this freedom, things that gave me immense hope and excitement. Freedom allowed me to learn things about myself, hear God’s voice better, and be focused on Him throughout the day.

Ecuador, a difficult season ending with incredible REDEMPTION.

This season started off pretty good and fun. But then it started getting very difficult spiritually and mentally. I had trouble focusing on God and abiding with Him, it was very hard to choose joy, and it even got to the point where I slowly fell into depression, irritation, isolation, and occasionally anger. It was all spiritual and mental attacks from the enemy and it was happening all the time. But there would be days where I would be doing good mentally and spiritually, it would be easy to abide with God and choose joy, but it wouldn’t last long, maybe a day or a few hours then I’d be back in a bad spot. This cycle went on for so long. I thought Ecuador was a lost cause, until our second to last day of ministry, my favorite day in Ecuador. We went to play soccer with kids in the community and I ended up playing frisbee with some little boys for over an hour. This day reminded me so much of Guatemala, a time where I was constantly feeling God’s presence. As we were on our way back to our base I was thinking about this day, how awesome it was, how it reminded me so much of Guatemala, and that it was exactly what I needed at that time. Then I felt God tell me He gave me this day to remind me of what was. He reminded me of those times He was with me in Guatemala and that He’s still with me. This single day redeemed Ecuador. It was a season of immense hardships and struggles so that in the end, I could have this awesome day that would bring me out of these struggles, restore me, and show me that God truly can bring me out of hard and dark seasons, that He can redeem anything.