To start, this was my very first mission trip. I plan to return there as well as to assist on many others. I wasn't sure how it was going to go, nor was I sure what I would get out of it on the spiritual level, but I tell you, GOD DEFINITELY CHANGED ME.
The need these people had for somebody to just acknowledge that they exist, the time you spend talking to them and hearing their life story, to give them a new shirt or a new pair of shoes just absolutely made them glow, to pray FOR THEM AND WITH THEM to show that God cares and that He loves them. I have grown in my faith for sure. The desire to help more people has grown deeper. GOD IS TRULY AMAZING to show us all that we need to spread His love and His word. It changes the people we help.
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DEAR LORD, I ask You to BLESS all the people we encountered. They are in great need of YOU, Lord. I pray You continue to work through ALL Your children to see that we all play a part in representing YOU, Lord, and that we all need to strive our best to spread Your love and Your word. I thank You for the opportunity to grow in faith and to become closer to You. Lord, I specifically pray for my new buddy NICK B as he STRUGGLES to just survive. I pray You send the Holy Spirit to him, to protect him and grow the seed You planted, Lord. Bring him out of the life he is in so You can use him to help others. Lord, keep Nick close to You as well as everyone else in this community.
LORD, LET ALL THE SEEDS GROW AND LET YOUR LOVE SHOW!!
AMEN