Santo Santo Santo!

This month we split up as a team again and my half headed back to the mainland to spend the week in Rivas. We stayed at Sarah's house, a woman with an incredible story, a heart of gold and a most contagious laugh, who works at Cicrin part time, and started a church in Rivas. The church body there was absolutely incredible and I felt so grateful to be able to join them in reaching out to the people of this city. 

On Sunday we had our first church service with them. After a 25 minute walk, we made it to our meeting place: a small open-air building at the end of a long dirt road on the edge of a field. The service was beautiful and that night I wrote the following in my journal about it:

"I sat on the outside of the church building…6 tall pieces of wood supporting a thatched roof and plastic chairs underneath. Your sun shone down on me through the trees and I felt Your warmth saturate my total being. The worship music consisted of a boom box and a tambourine, but their worship service wasn't about the music. It wasn't about the "atmosphere" either – there were gnats biting us, bright plastic pictures taped to the support beams, and pigs, chickens, and stray dogs roaming around 10 ft away. Not to mention the sweltering heat and the neighbor woman preparing to butcher a pig's head off next door.

Instead, their worship was about the fact that they were singing to a most holy and reverent God. All around me I heard "santo santo santo!", Spanish for "holy holy holy!", and I watched Your Spirit come down on each person there as hands were raised and voices lifted in prayer, adoration, and thanksgiving. In addition to "santo", I repetitively heard "gracias!", thank you. The people in this neighborhood live in poverty-most on less than $1 per day. They live in dirt floored houses surrounded by garbage piles, animal waste, and filth. But they understand the holiness of our God better than any church body I've been a part of, and they come to Him with humble thanksgiving. The pureness of this worship, the simplicity  and the reverence, is all together beautiful. I stood there in the back, tears trickling down my face, soaking in Your sweet presence. These people get it. They understand what true worship is. And I felt so incredibly blessed to be able to join in on such a beautiful morning of worship to our King.

Thank you, God, for reminding me that worship is not about atmosphere, the music or lack there of, or the singers. Worship is about the pure adoration for the most Holy, Almighty, righteous Being in all of existence. To shower Him with praise and thanksgiving."

Needless to say, the Lord had a wonderful, restful week planned for us full of various outreaches, leading a church service, team bonding, and sweet fellowship with the church. The majority of this church's body is under the age of 20, and what a joy it was to see the active role they each played in ministry. They accompanied us as we went door to door the first part of the week, handing out rice and soy to families, praying over them, and inviting the children to our kid's activity on Tuesday evening. Most of the families were very receptive and readily welcomed us into their homes so that we could pray over them.

Our new friends amazed me because of their willingness to initiate conversations,  share their love for The Lord, and pray over their neighbors with boldness and authority. Their young age was never an issue, and how refreshing it was to see two 12 year old boys laying hands on the sick and crying out to God. I am just so encouraged by their passionate hearts and mind sets–how often does the American church underestimate the role young people can play in spreading the Gospel?

It is impossible not to see the Spirit overflowing in each one of these individuals, and it is ultimately shown in their actions. They are so sincere and genuine in their prayers and worship; people truly matter to them, and they desire for all of their neighbors to join them in praising the Lord. This church body deeply touched my life in such a unique way, and I can just sense The Lord smiling down on them, saying, "well done, my good and faithful servants."

I have fallen in love with the Nicaraguan culture. With their bright, colorful buildings, their kindness, their simplicity and laid-back way of life, their lively music, and especially their love of physical touch 🙂 (yay love languages!) I feel SO at home here, and it is going to be difficult to leave this beautiful country next week, though I am already anxiously planning my next trip back here.  I am so thankful for all that I have been blessed to be able to experience here; all the ways my eyes have been opened and my heart has been pulled and molded to be more like my heavenly Father's.  All the glory and praise to Him, our most Holy and reverent King.