“Someone wise said that love is a verb, not a noun. It isn’t
simply how we feel, but how we treat people.
True love is caring so much for the people around us that we put their
needs before our own. As I apply this principle to my life, serving others is
all that makes sense. The church that I’m part of, called Solid Rock, is huge
about mission—both in our own communities and abroad. This gives us all the amazing opportunity to
experience and serve the needs of communities around the world. One of the young leaders in my church
announced an upcoming mission trip to Nicaragua and it instantly struck a chord
in my heart. I long to serve and to join in the work God is doing outside my
American bubble. I prayed about it and decided this would be my first
international mission trip!
Managua is the most highly populated city in Nicaragua and
home to a 70-acre garbage dump where up to 2,000 people work gathering garbage
to sell in order to make a couple dollars per day. About half of these workers are children 18
years old and younger, and many of the girls exchange sex for money. Some even trade their bodies for first access
to the garbage. As devastating as this
reality is, a safe-house called Villa Esperanza has provided hope for many of
the girls. The villa rescues these girls
from a life of poverty, prostitution, and drugs by providing a safe place for
them to live, eat healthy meals, and get an education. If you would like to
know more, I encourage you to watch this short video:
I will be going with a group of 16 people from my church who
feel called to serve these girls and see what God is doing in a place far from
our comfort zone. I’m a little anxious,
but I’m mostly excited because I can’t wait to meet these girls, love them by
serving them, and gain a much-needed dose of perspective. I don’t know how
large of an impact I can make during a one-week trip to Managua, but I do
believe that this experience and these girls will make an immeasurable impact
on me. It will change the way I live on
mission in my own community and further open my eyes to the need all around
us.”
I learned much more about the villa when I was there, and it turns out the story of how it came to be is even more amazing that I imagined. Before Villa Esperanza existed, a woman named Gloria had been getting to know some of the people that worked at La Chureca, the massive garbage dump that has been the livelihood of many Nicaraguan families. One day a missionary with a camcorder interviewed Gloria and asked her what she wanted for these families, if there were no limits. She answered that she would want a safe haven that would rescue girls from the dump. The missionary returned to the United States and showed the video to his church. A philanthropist agreed to match whatever the church raised that day. Well, in one day the church raised $86,000. Thank you Jesus!
In 2008, the Villa went into construction. A property that began as overgrown plants was transformed into a glorious villa with a kitchen and homes for the girls. Yes, 2008, when the economy was a total disaster. Not to mention, Nicaragua is something like the second poorest country in the Northern Hemisphere. Amazing things happen when we let God work in our hearts. Right now, the villa has three full homes, which each house eight girls and a house mom. A compassionate and inspirational man named Wilbur is the Director of the villa. He and the amazing Gloria, his wife, treat each of these young women like a daughter.
I learned much more about the villa when I was there, and it turns out the story of how it came to be is even more amazing that I imagined. Before Villa Esperanza existed, a woman named Gloria had been getting to know some of the people that worked at La Chureca, the massive garbage dump that has been the livelihood of many Nicaraguan families. One day a missionary with a camcorder interviewed Gloria and asked her what she wanted for these families, if there were no limits. She answered that she would want a safe haven that would rescue girls from the dump. The missionary returned to the United States and showed the video to his church. A philanthropist agreed to match whatever the church raised that day. Well, in one day the church raised $86,000. Thank you Jesus!
In 2008, the Villa went into construction. A property that began as overgrown plants was transformed into a glorious villa with a kitchen and homes for the girls. Yes, 2008, when the economy was a total disaster. Not to mention, Nicaragua is something like the second poorest country in the Northern Hemisphere. Amazing things happen when we let God work in our hearts. Right now, the villa has three full homes, which each house eight girls and a house mom. A compassionate and inspirational man named Wilbur is the Director of the villa. He and the amazing Gloria, his wife, treat each of these young women like a daughter.
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