Lessons Learned Through the People of Granada, Nicaragua: Week 1

1. Laughter Is a Universal Language 

Communication is an obvious barrier when doing ministry in another country and has been a struggle I have found myself working through this week.

On our first full day in Granada, my team and I went to serve at the local landfill called “The Dump”. Two times a week, the locals working here receive a message, prayer and food on behalf of REAP, the organization we are partnering with.

After the message and food had been passed around, I had an interaction with a local Nicaraguan man who only spoke Spanish. Despite having had multiple classes in Spanish, I found myself struggling to understand what he was trying to tell me, while also feeling frustrated with myself for not being able to fully communicate what I wanted to say. However, as I struggled along trying to do my best, the man smiled at me while giving me his full attention and patience. At the end of our conversation, I just started laughing at myself (honestly so I wouldn’t cry), as I said “mucho gusto” while holding onto his hand for a long while. He preceded to laugh with me and gave me a kiss on my hand, and it felt like God smiled down on me in that moment.

I then realized—it is perfectly okay to struggle and to not know everything. We don’t have to know everything for God to work. (Isaiah 35:4) Isn’t that a HUGE relief? Jesus will intercede on our behalf and fill the gaps for us even when we don’t have the words to say (Romans 8:33-34), even if that looks like nervous laughter in my case. He is uses it ALL, even if we can’t see it yet.

2. Our Shame Doesn’t Disqualify Us From Grace

This past week, my team and I have had the opportunity to evangelize to some of the locals here in Granada. We loaded up in a little white truck with a bible in our hands and some pre-packaged beans/rice to hand out as we walked through the neighborhood. A lot was going through my mind—mostly the fear that we wouldn’t be able to effectively communicate, but God provided us a well-known translator amongst the locals, and a hunger to talk about God’s goodness.

The very first house (hut-like structures) we came upon, there was an older couple there who brought all 5 of us chairs to sit down in so we could talk. They were very kind to us, listened intently and asked many questions. Towards the end of that conversation, the man was struggling with the idea that his shame and guilt was too deep for the Father to restore after having had struggled with alcoholism for years.

During our conversation with the couple and after receiving confirmation through what my teammates were also sharing, I felt the Lord speaking to my spirit about this man and what He wanted to tell him. So I relayed the message:

“Jesus sees us in our brokenness and wildly loves us just the way that we are, so much that He wants us to be Co-Heirs with Christ, with Him in Heaven. He is just sitting there waiting for us to reach out to Him and ask for help. You don’t need to be perfect to receive the gift of Christ and His Salvation.”

Soon thereafter, we prayed over the couple, the man’s salvation, and their family, and I felt peace come down like a blanket. (John 14:27)