Youth Mission to Nicaragua
This summer we had the privilege of traveling to Nicaragua with our youth and college group to host a VBS and fellowship with our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters. When we were students in the college group, we had two opportunities to visit Nicaragua, and each time it had a dramatic impact on our lives. It opened our eyes to reality, teaching us that relationships are more valuable than material prosperity, and that there is beauty in both the similarities and differences of how other people-groups worship God.
Now as leaders of White’s Ferry Road Church’s youth ministry, God blessed us with a new opportunity to lead a mission trip alongside the college ministers. Knowing how much this trip had strengthened our faith, we were excited to see how it would challenge the faith of the youth we were given to lead.
Before arriving, we planned a VBS for four different locations. The group worked hard on the material, memorizing songs and dances in both English and Spanish and creating crafts that required hours of preparation. We were prepared with a plan, but hardly anything went as we planned it. God had something better in mind.
We arrived on a Thursday night, and by Friday we quickly realized that most of our VBS plans were not going to work out. This was because all our VBS totes were left at the hotel in Managua, something we did not realize until we arrived in León later in the day. Through this, we remembered a lesson that God had taught us on our previous trips: blessed are the flexible! So, we adjusted our plans and, thankfully, the teachers had their own VBS plans, and we were able to help in any way that they needed us to.
Our time was spent interacting with the children, teaching them the fruit of the Spirit and playing games with them. We all noticed and appreciated how amazing the teachers were. Every week they travel to three different schools that are very far apart to teach these kids, and they are so great at interacting and teaching the children. The time spent with the kids helped our group recognize some important things about God, ourselves, and other people. Along with the VBS, we were able to lead worship and communion for the church while Brandon preached the sermon, and we also visited a house church during the week.
Each night we had a debrief with the students. We asked them how they saw God moving on this trip and what they were learning from Him. This was something we learned from our mentors, and we wanted to provide it for our youth as well. Gretchen Lynch, one of our high school seniors, discussed how she loved seeing how much everyone felt like a big family—something she wanted to experience back at home. Another senior, Cloe Tomlinson, loved being with the children; she talked about how incredible it was that, although there was a language barrier, the kids just wanted someone to spend time with them and show them love.
We all agreed that this trip was teaching us how important it is to spend time with the body of Christ and truly love one another. Doing good works is a great thing, but it should be a by-product of our faith and not our only focus. We were reminded of the Great Commandment and the one like it: love God and love others.
One of the biggest takeaways was that our faith in God was never meant to be overly complicated. Yes, God is complex, but our faith in Him and our relationship with Him should not be. We allow distractions that ultimately do not matter to come in and muddle what God desires for us. The families we interacted with at Guadalupe Church of Christ helped us learn this. They were welcoming, loving, patient, and generous.
When Brandon gave the sermon on Sunday, they were incredibly supportive of him, especially Esteban’s father Leonel. But it was not about what we did for them that made them love us, rather it was that we were simply brothers and sisters in Christ. Because of this love, we were welcomed into their homes and were made to feel like family. The love that we have for each other should not be clouded by selfish desires and intentions. We are called to see people for who they truly are: image-bearers of God. Like the brothers and sisters of Guadalupe Church of Christ, this should be enough for us to love others and welcome them into our body.
We want to express that none of this would have been possible without Esteban. We have been blessed to know him as a One Kingdom Ambassador and a friend for several years, but we were able to really get to know him on a deeper level on this trip. Everywhere we went people were so excited to see him, and he was constantly asked to lead a prayer or say something to the room.
When we were around his family, he was always trying to teach his daughters something, and we also saw how much joy they brought him. When we talked with him, the conversations always led back to God, Christianity, the church, or the meaning of life. During our time with him, we saw exactly why he is such a great One Kingdom Ambassador. He lives out many of the attributes of Jesus; he is patient, compassionate, humble, and has the biggest servant’s heart. We hope and desire to reflect Christ in the same way in our lives.
Mission work is something that we are both very passionate about. We love witnessing how God is moving all over the world, and we are encouraged by the faith of our brothers and sisters in any circumstance. Although our plans may have been changed, it was for the best! God showed up and showed out, and we know that this trip will have a lasting impression on the faith of all that were fortunate enough to go.
We are so thankful to One Kingdom for partnering with the youth and college group of White’s Ferry Road Church to give these students a glimpse of the body of Christ outside of their own community.
Galatians 3:26-28 declares:
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
While we may live in different countries, we love the same God who loved us first, and we are connected by his blood that was shed for all.
Brandon and Kristian Ward are both very active young adults at White’s Ferry Road Church. Together, they have served the youth, college, worship, livestream, and senior ministries, among many others. Both are college students who are pursuing degrees in ministry (Brandon) and agribusiness (Kristian).