Peace out, Texas!

In just 4 short days I will be boarding a plane to Nicaragua.

The story of how I ended up on this trip is worth mentioning, so I'll start with that.

One night a few months ago I was reading Revolution in World Missions (an amazing book) on the Spicer couch and I had this strange desire to go on a mission trip this Christmas.

Ok now I know all of you LH people just went "did you actually READ the book?"

I know. The whole book is about supporting native missionaries.

Like I said, it was strange.

Anyway, I just put the book down and asked the Lord to open a door if He really wanted me to go.

The next day I emailed asking for info about a trip I had been getting emails about through the school. I got an email back from a girl saying she thought that the trip was full, but I could email another lady if I wanted to double check. I didn't.

So that was that.

A few weeks later I got an email from a girl that was supposed to go on the trip, asking if I was interested in going. She and her husband had some family issues come up, and she really felt like she wasn't supposed to go on the trip and had heard that I was looking for a spot.

I emailed her back and got some details, and then she tells me this "they need a decision by Friday." This was Wednesday night.

I prayed about it and then I started calling people who could help me think through this.

Rachel Rogers... how I love this girl. She always has such wise advice. She reminded me that I had prayed for a door to open, and that this might be one of the only times in my life where I will have the ability to just pick up and leave for a week.

I emailed back and accepted the spot.

Looking back, I think it's so funny that I asked God to do something, and then when He did, I questioned Him. I kept praying for Him to tell me yes or no, when He had clearly already answered me by opening the door.

I need more faith.

Seriously.

Anyway, I am going to Managua for a week with doctors, nurses, and students to run a clinic with a local church.

There are around 15 of us total, and we'll be staying in a mission house that the church owns.

I'm really excited about being able to team up with the local church, helping them establish relationships with people in their community. We can provide medical care for these people, but the truth is they need Jesus way more than they need to be free of worms.

Members of the church and people from the community will be able to come to the clinic in the church for free healthcare, and the church will have volunteers there to share the gospel and pray for them.

We will also be spending a day in La Chureca, a landfill in Managua that is home to around 1500 people.

Please pray for us while we're on our trip! We leave this Saturday (the 15th) and get back on the 21st. Pray that God will move in big ways on the trip, and that we will be able to help the local church in Managua reach out to the community.

Love you guys!