The kingdom of God is made up of many nations, tribes and tongues. While the U.S. is a melting pot of different people and cultures, it’s easy to miss the unique way God works in our lives when caught up in the grind of day-to-day life. When I turned 30, God invited me to step out of my daily routine and join a Wooddale short-term trip to Guatemala. He used this trip to expand my view of His Kingdom and the way He cares about big issues in the world and small needs in the lives of individuals. I would travel to Guatemala for the next 5 years, meeting many different people and encountering God in new ways.
One boy I met named Charlie saw a commotion on his street and asked people what was happening. They told him a group was teaching classes and giving away bunk beds. Charlie didn’t have a bed and asked the person in charge how he could get one. His family signed up to attend the next set of classes. My team played a part in teaching these classes during my last trip. Charlie listened to what was being taught, asked questions and not only received a bed of his very own — but also turned his life over to Jesus!
The next day, the office was overflowing with people from his neighborhood who wanted to receive beds. They, too, would have the opportunity to encounter Jesus. God saw Charlie’s physical need for a bed and took care of it. He saw the spiritual needs of Charlie and his community and brought us to share the hope we have in Jesus. God used Charlie to encourage me that the work of the last 5 years was worth it because His Kingdom had grown by one more. -Michelle
If you feel called to share the hope of Jesus through a short-term mission trip, visit wooddale.org/worldwide and click on “Far” or email worldwide@wooddale.org for more information.