From Lima to Malaga!

As we stepped out of the airport at one in the morning, I smelled the air of Lima, Peru. Immediately I felt a sting of nostalgia, yet also of joy as I realized I was back in South America. I was filled with excitement as I looked out the window while we were brought to the site where the conference was going to be held.

In the previous post I brought up the two opportunities that I was given to go work with MK's (Missionary Kids) at regional conferences for the missions organization ABWE. I am thankful for your prayers and support as God was faithful to provide the financial means necessary in order to cover the travel costs for the two trips. 

The first trip, which took place in Lima, ended up being of great blessing to me even though I was going to serve others. The team of leaders involved six of us that worked with all the children of the missionaries. My brother and I worked with the younger kids ( ages 4-11) for three of the days, and we worked with the "teens" (12-18) for two of the days. It was an amazing week where I was able to meet many new kids and help encourage them to keep learning about God while also doing fun activities and crafts with them. 

We were there to serve, but I was also very thankful to be enjoying the warmer weather of Lima. With the teens I was able to encourage them a little more deeply and hear more about their joys and struggles that come with their MK experience. I was also able to meet many of the parents that were at this conference and it was amazing to see so many young families joining the family of missionaries. I pray that all the kids that were involved during the week left encouraged and loved, and that they can continue to grow in their relationships with their Heavenly Father who goes with them wherever they are.

Not even a month later, I was on another airplane that was taking us to Malaga, Spain. 

I had never left the Americas, but I was on my way to Europe to help out with the second regional conference. This trip I was going to be with the younger kids for the entire week. It was a great privilege for me to be able to go on that trip and meet the group of missionaries that serve in Western Europe, whereas I had only known missionaries from South America. Since I was able to spend all week with the kids I was able to get to know them well. Working with the kids was an opportunity to serve them and their families, but I must admit that it was one of the most fun weeks I have had. 

There were less kids for this conference than there were in Peru, but because of that I got to know the boys especially well. After the first day we were already all friends and they would end up chasing me around the room and challenging me to soccer, tag, or some other game. We got to teach lessons to them everyday that had to do with the greatness of God's creation, and how He made the world and all the animals which is awesome, but His greatest creation was us humans. I hopefully left a positive impact on the younger kids, but I was also able to encourage the older kids in the group who understood the struggles and hardships of being a MK better. They knew what it was like to be an outsider in the country where you live, and not really fit in there. I was able to encourage them by sharing a bit of my experience with the same struggles, but also pointing them back to the Bible. 

I also got the opportunity to meet many of the kids' families, and multiple times the parents would thank me for working with their kids and tell me that the boys would leave happy, encouraged and excited for the next day. This was of great encouragement to me, to hear that I can actually have a positive impact on the kids and hopefully be an example of a Christ-follower that is a little older for them. I was also encouraged to hear about the ministries that the missionary families are a part of. There were missionaries that had just moved to the countries they were serving in, and there were also people that had been serving in the same country for over 50 years! Talking with the missionaries, and also talking with nearby restaurant workers and vendors showed me that there really is a great need for missionaries in Europe as well. 

I am extremely grateful for these two trips, and for the way that God provided for them. I hope this post helps you see how your prayers and support helped contribute to the impact I was able to have on the kids and their families. I have been blessed with another opportunity to help with a different regional conference, but I will write a new post for that trip. 

Once again, thank you for your prayers and support! Please continue to pray for me and for more missionaries to be sent out into these mission fields!

37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38