Encountering the Father’s Presence

The first 2 1/2 weeks living in Guatemala has been absolutely amazing!! God is moving so much. I am just so honored to be here and love his sons and daughters!

As our squad made it to the Adventures in Missions base in Guatemala, the Lord met us in the sweetest of ways. After one night of worship, a few of my squad members were so vulnerable that the squad came together to pray for each other. The Father did not disappoint. He met us where we were at. As we partnered with the Holy Spirit, freedom was declared over a diagnosed disorder, the Father’s love was seen in such a tangible way that wasn’t seen 3 weeks prior and we loved my friend struggling with people-pleasing. It was so beautiful to see the Holy Spirit move in the lives of my squad mates. I know that their lives will continue to be transformed and would not be the same!

Arriving to Mixco, Guatemala, my team and I are partnering with a Pastor who has a huge heart and the kindest spirit for the people here. The way he loves people and his passion for discipleship is so powerful. Every time we would do ministry in Central Park, buy food at the market or praying for people in a neighborhood, someone always stops him and the Pastor takes his time to invest and love on them! It is such a pleasure to see him love with reckless abandoned. 

During our 1st week of ministry, my team and I  went to people’s homes to love, encourage and pray for them. We also brought a bag of food to each family. We had the pleasure to love 8 different families! These families are very important to Alex because his heart is to see their lives transformed by God’s love and grow in community. These families are experiencing trauma in multiple ways such as domestic abuse, poverty, spirit of fear, secret prostitution, drug addictions and sickness. One family we visited, I had a chance to facilitate the mother into hearing the Father’s voice for the first time! She repeated a short prayer after me and the Lord gave her a picture of how much he loves her and where he  is in her life! After praying for that family, we went to Central Park. Holy Spirit highlighted a lady to me who was selling ice cream near the entrance of the park. I felt that He wanted me to talk to her and pray for her. I asked her (only using google translate app because we had no translators at that time) “If God can give her a gift, what would it be?” She told me “eternal life”. I was initially caught off guard because I was not expecting that answer. I assumed she was going to say “health for my family” or something like that. One of my teammates said a quick prayer to her and I asked her to say a short repeat-after-me salvation prayer. It was so cool to see the Lord move that quickly! 

On a different day of ministry, my team and I ministered to police officers. Our pastor has a really good relationship with the chief of police. We prayed for them and shared testimonies about our lives. It was really nice to love on the police and share how much they are valuable and carry so much authority! After speaking to the police, we had dinner with our pastor, his friend, and his friend’s sister. Holy Spirit prompted me to pray for the sister. She explained that her son is in trouble with the law and she is so stressed and heart broken. I proclaimed justice to be served and for the Lord’s protection over him and that the Lord will speak to his heart and and let him know that he has a destiny. I told the sister that the Lord hears her prayers and I released peace and comfort over her mind. It was so amazing. She started crying and I could tell the Lord was really speaking to her! Yay Jesus!

The 2nd week of ministry was incredible! I had the opportunity to go to a very beautiful coffee shop in Antigua. A lot of international people live there. I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to go talk to a young lady. She is only 20 years old and has lived in Guatemala now for 4 months. She shared a little of her story and I told her that it so amazing that she is here and pursuing her passions. I asked if I could pray for her for guidance and for her next steps of knowing when to do and not do something. She told me definitely! She mentioned that I came to her at the perfect time because right before I came up to her she was journaling and wrote that she needed some guidance and wisdom in certain areas! Yay Jesus! 

Another day of ministry, my team and I facilitated a Beauty for Ashes event. Beauty for Ashes is a women’s event that allows women from all walks of life to come to connect with God and experience His healing, hope and love by sharing their stories of pain and vulnerability. My team each presented a bible story, a short teaching, our brief testimony and invited women to talk to God to give them an experience to connect with Him so that the Father can bring healing and freedom. We could all feel the Holy Spirit’s presence in the room. 35 women shared their personal stories and I could feel peace and breakthrough cover the room. At the end of the event it was so cool! The women discovered that they each were made for such a time as this; that they all have a specific purpose and destiny and are redeemed! They made flower crowns of beauty which allowed them to see how the Lord saw each of them. I also gave a salvation call! Holy Spirit touched 5 lives, which they accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior! So amazing! 

We then closed the night with praying and encouraging each woman! After I encouraged one of the young girls there, she started tearing up, I felt that she wanted more from the Lord but she didn’t know how to express it. I asked her if she knew how to hear the Father’s voice. She told me “no”. I asked her if she wanted to do a small exercise to hear him for the first time. She told me “yes!” So I prayed for God to reveal his love to her. I had her to repeat after me for God to show her how much He loves her. After we prayed, we waited a little bit…She told me that she couldn’t hear anything. Determined for her to hear from God, I asked if we can pray again. She wanted to, so I prayed that any spiritual attack keeping her from hearing the Lord to be broken in Jesus’ name and her ears and heart to be open to receive a picture or word from the Lord. After she repeated after me, we waited and the Lord gave her a word: LOVE! She was so happy and excited to hear from God and I encouraged her to keep asking Jesus questions to hear from Him even more. God has been so good to me and my entire team! I am so blessed to be able to serve and LOVE the people here!