Wednesday, January 27, 2010

A Month in Nicaragua




Dear Loved Ones,

I cannot thank you enough for all your prayers and support! I sincerely appreciate it! I am writing you today to let you know how successful my recent mission trip to Nicaragua was. God is so great; the mission was amazingly blessed!

First of all I am not sure how many of you may know my Spanish here at home is broken. However as soon as I stepped foot in Nicaragua I was fluent! I was able to communicate perfectly, as if I had been speaking Spanish my whole life. Knowing perfect Spanish was so incredible because I was able to minister to the people in the church and taught two Sunday school lessons to the children. I feel so blessed to be used by God in such a mighty way and to just feel his sovereign hand over me the entire time.

The most humbling experience I have ever encountered happened in the village during this trip. We had the wonderful opportunity to spend Christmas with the people of San Juan de Limay. We brought a brother in the church a new cd player on Christmas. When his family opened the present; smiles appeared from ear to ear, they lifted their hands in praise, giving all the glory and honor to God.

Without me even realizing it, the Lord had definitely been preparing me for this trip for the past year. In June I recently had a job change from Starbucks to Mission Hills Christian School. Working with children fulltime at work, my heart changed significantly from prior trips. This trip my heart was really focused on the children of Nicaragua. Being there in the village I found out they do not have a children’s ministry at the church. I am seeing children I’ve known since they were four years old, now fourteen and not wanting to go to church. Since there is no Sunday school, the children are lacking that foundation on Christ. There are currently many young children between the ages of five to fourteen years old at the church. I feel a desire on my heart to go back and help the church begin a solid children’s ministry. My desire is to love these children of the village the way Christ loves me.

I have such a love and a very special place in my heart for San Juan de Limay.

God has opened doors for me to return to San Juan de Limay in May for a month. I purchased my ticket for May 17, 2010- June 15, 2010. While I am there I will be forming a children’s ministry, ministering to the church, disciplining the young woman of the village on the importance of purity, and teaching English classes. As of right now they do not have a youth ministry or discipleship with the youth. I am praying for all the needs of the church and that the Lord would provide other missionaries to join the mission trip. Please lift this up in prayer!

Over the years I have seen God provide spiritually, physically, and financially for all my trips. I trust in that, knowing God will provide. I feel this is God’s will for my life. I ask that you would support me most importantly through prayer. May the Lord be Honored and Glorified! God Bless You!


In His Love,

Priscilla Rodriguez

Nicaragua 2009 Mission Trip Video!

Mission Trip: Nicaragua 2009 from Priscilla Rodriguez on Vimeo.

Nicaragua Update #3

Hello my dear brothers and sisters,

We are being so extremely blessed. God is so good and sovereign! Yesterday we made Pan Frances (french toast) for some of the church family and we spent the day ministering to the church body. The men demolished the other house on the church lot to start the project of building a new house for the pastor. I have some amazing pictures and video of that I will send at a later time. Today we spent the day at the dentist office where Rorie spent the morning cleaning teeth, and Lori cut the hair of people waiting. Lonna painted nails, and Meredith and I played with the kids. We had such a fun morning! They had a prayer meeting and some of us painted faces of the church kids. We ended the day with the team members going to a sisters house who broke her hip to pray for her. We were listen to the Chris Tomlin song "God of this city." The lyrics read:

You're the God of this City
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation

For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City

The village of San Juan de Limay is so special to me, I can only imagine how much more it is special to God. I feel like God has greater things that are going to come and be done in the city of San Juan de Limay. He is going to be so Glorified and Honored through it all! I can not wait to see what He has planned! I was talking to Rorie after pondering that and we both had this exact thought as the same time... gave us goose bumps!

We only have one full day left in the village, such a bitter sweet thought. I am already praying about coming back in July for a month! The church definitely needs some help with their childrens ministry, they need some form of structure. Also I was so blessed learning about the Names of God last womens retreat... I would love to lead a womens study about the Names of God in spanish here! Please start praying for that!! God bless you all! We will see you soon :)

Love, Priscilla

Nicaragua Update #2

Hello Brothers and Sisters!

Today was our 4th day in the village. We have been so extremely blessed. God is so good and doing an amazing work here! Gerardo taught service this morning. Rorie, Meredith and I got to do the sunday school for the children. I taught on 1 John 4:19, played with the parachute, gave out undergarments and did face paint. Meredith and I were invited to a first birthday party for our friends little boy. We were able to go visit and minister to our friends and their family. Please pray for them as our friend is 16 years old Christian girl with a 1 year old child and non Christian husband. The other team members went out to visit very impoverished people who live in the outskirts of the village. They gave out clothes, undergarments, and tooth brushes. Tomorrow evening we will be going out again to give out more clothes, undergarments, and toothbrushes. We are planning on visiting and ministering to a sister of the church who broke her hip. We are also planning on ministering to the church family as well. God Bless you all and thank you for all your prayers and support. All Glory and Honor to God!

Much Love,

Priscilla


Ps: Here is a picture from Sunday School this morning!


Nicaragua Update #1

I know it has been a while. Here are the many updates I sent out while in Nicaragua!

Dearest Hermanos y Hermanas (Brothers and Sisters)!!

We arrived safely in the village of San Juan de Limay on December 23rd. I just want to start off with letting you all know that at home my spanish is horrible. Since I have been here in Nicaragua I have been able to communicate perfectly, as if I had been speaking Spanish my whole life! Such an amazing blessing from our Precious Lord. I am able to minister and talk to everyone I come in contact with. We spent all of Christmas Eve in the main town called Estelle which is 2 hours away from the village. We were purchasing materials to build the Pastor a bigger home because he is in need of it with such a large family. We purchased gifts for Pastor Vicente to give his children on Christmas and food for the large church dinner we were having on Christmas Day. Tradition here in Nicaragua is to spend Christmas Eve with your family members, eat dinner and if there are gifts, they exchange them at midnight. We gave Vicente and his family gifts which was such a blessing to see them open the gifts at midnight. The most amazing thing was driving to Brother Maximo's (a member of the church who is a very big help to the church) house a little after midnight to give them their presents. They are a family who never receive gifts. When they opened their presents they were Praising and giving Glory and Honor to God. One of the most humbling experiences ever. The next day the sisters of the church cooked enough food for 110 people for a Christmas dinner following the church service. I was in charge of taking care of the children. God is so sovereign and good! I prayed because I had no idea what I was going to share with these children. God gave me all the words to be able to explain the story of the Birth of Christ; and explain to them about how He was sent here to be our Savior and to wash us white as snow. We gave away glow in the dark bouncy balls and God gave me to idea of telling the children that Christ is "El Luz del mundo" (The Light of the world.) No matter where you are the Lord is with you; when you eat, go to school, and even when you are asleep. We shut all the lights off and the children saw the balls glowing. I am so thankful for such a wonderful opportunity to share the word of God with all these wonderful Children. Today we painted and cleaned the Pastor's/church kitchen, and ministered to the brothers and sisters of the church. We are sorry that we have not sent an update until now. We are now able to make it out to the internet cafes. Another update shall come! Thank You for continuing to Pray for us all your support. We ask that you would keep the people of San Juan de Limay in your prayers.. That their hearts would be open and that Our Lord Jesus receive all the Glory and Honor!

God Bless You all.

Love, Priscilla

Ps: this is a picture of the beautiful village!