ON MISSION WITH MARISSA
  • On Mission
  • Connect
  • Give
  • Pray

S E R V I N G  I N  S P A I N

Manuagua, Nicaragua

3/4/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

Summer of 2012 I went on my first overseas missions trip.

You may have guessed already...but yes, this was a Global Passion missions trips. My now boss, Steve Edwards, was my trip leader and this is how we first met.

We flew to Managua, Nicaragua for a week of sweaty, chaotic, and beautiful ministry. My first impression was a heavy one, as in emotionally heavy. I sat in the back of bus (because you know that's what cool kids do) as we bumped along the dirt streets in the night to our church dorms. I was memorized by the makeshift houses of tarp ceiling squeezed in one right next to the other. Poverty covered the streets in a way I never had seen before. My friend Brooke noticed, what I am sure was the saddened and awestruck expression on my face that I could not shake.
It had only been about 30 minutes into this trip and I felt the weight of the needs in the world that up into this point in my life I had no context for.

In the week that followed my team and I hosted a children's VBS camp, school assemblies, church services, and one morning partnered with a bible college for a time of prayer. Among all the sweet and exhaustive moments that I still hold in my heart 7 years later, one of my favorites was connecting with a young girls after the Sunday church service.

Alert Upsetting Content: I am of Mexican heritage, but do NOT speak a lick of the language. I know, you and my grandma can get together and talk about my failure to honor my ancestors.

So because I do not speak Spanish I didn't have many ways of socially interacting with the people in Managua. Basically said "hola" to anyone and everyone I saw:

Girl: waves at me
Me: Hola!

Girl:"Gracias"
Me: Hola...

Girl: *turns to friends laughs and points at me
Me: Hola?

Yeah, I know it could use some work.
​
However, this young girls and I connected by playing a game. I mustered up all the Spanish I knew, uno, dos, tres. We played this counting game for maybe 20 minutes straight. Over and over again we did this and she did not tire of this simple, silly game. I was the last person on our bus that day because I could not leave her. As I ran to join my team I realized in that moment, it was happening to me. The experience of my heart complete melting to someone I barely knew but see clearly how Jesus loves her as much as He loves me. We are not so different despite what our culture, language, and up bringing differences would say.

Picture
This terribly fuzzy picture is the sweet girl and I playing our game. I love this picture to draw on this memory, but also to see the younger version of myself who was so present and joyful in this moment and on this trip.

I am not sure entirely, but I think it was this particular moment that God was planting a seed for missions. A seed, that I had no awareness of but see taking root today.

I love missions because I love how God weaves all people everywhere together in His Kingdom.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Hola!

    My name is Marissa Deraya; Global Worker with Project Rescue serving women and children of Spain.


    Let's Stay Connected!

    Subscribe to My Newsletter

    Subscribe

    Categories

    All
    On Mission Today
    Past Trip

    Archives

    February 2023
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    March 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • On Mission
  • Connect
  • Give
  • Pray