God Speaks in Other Languages!

My last week in Colombia I had an awesome opportunity to serve in Villeta, a town outside of Bogotá, on a service trip with my Colombian youth group.  They do a service trip, called Tour Kairos, for a week long during break every year in different cities in Colombia to support and encourage one of their sister churches. It was a huge blessing from God and the best way to finish my time (for now) in Colombia! It was a week of Spanish Immersion while serving the Lord with many Colombian loved ones God has placed in my life!

Tour Kairos 2013 

There was a group of about 15 of us from my church (Centro De Desarollo Cristiano) in Bogotá.

The Kairos 2013 Team!

Every morning we would wake up at 4:30 to walk over to the city colosium to pray for the Cuenta Regresiva Concert that was going to happen the last night we were there.

VBS with the kiddos!

Afterwards, we would return to the church to do a Vacation Bible School for the children and have a skit, game, songs, & Bible Story with them. I learned some pretty awesome children's songs in Spanish that will definitely come in handy on The World Race next year!




In the afternoons we had "jovenes" or youth group where it was focused on "Resistencia" or Resistance...like resisting things of this world.  The focus verse was:

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 I was also able to get to know some of the high school youth in the community which was great.

At night we would go to the town's central park and do evangelism.  We invited people to the concert, sang a couple worship songs, did a skit, had a message, and prayed.  Then we went around to the people to talk to & ask for prayer requests to pray for them.  Starting conversations in Colombian for me is so much easier because people were so curious about where I was from and why I was in Colombia -- a great conversation starter and segway to what God is doing in my life!

Camping!

Then on Friday night another youth group came and about 55 high school youth including ours went to a finca (farm) outside of villeta and went camping! We had a campfire and this was my favorite part of the week:

Aniz, Tatiana, Paola, & myself camping!

An 8 year old boy named Mateo had been my shadow all week because his mom was our cook at the church and he was super intrigued with my English.  He was sitting next to me by the fire & I asked him if I could pray for him and so I did--in Spanish.

Then there was a time for just us praying to the Lord outloud by ourselves and I was praying to God in English because it's easier for me to pray to God in English. Then we were singing worship songs in Spanish.

Mateo & I at the Cuenta Regresiva concert!

Mateo asked me (in spanish for course), "Why are you singing in Spanish?" in which I replied, "Because I'm in Colombia and we sing in Spanish here." Then he asked "Then why were you praying in English earlier??" I replied "Because it's difficult for me to pray in English becasue my language with God has been English for most of my life." Then he went on saying, "No it's not! It's easy...you were praying for me in Spanish earlier and it was good."  I replied with a smile on my face, "yeah Mateo..you're right...I need to learn to pray to God in Spanish."

Little did I know I was going to pray in Spanish in front of the entire youth only a few minutes after that moment! God's so great like that! Always there to prepare us and give us confidence when we need it!
 

Campfire (When God Spoke Through Me!)

Then our leader Alejo was walking around the fire and talking and started talking about Resistencia and he started talking about a friend of his who comes to mind that is a good example of denying things of the world and following the Lord.  The more he talked about this person the more I realized "Wait a minute...is he talking about me?!" Then he called me up to the front in front of everyone!

He then proceeded with this next set of Questions & my answers:

Where are you from? The United States
Exactly where in the United States? Nebraska
And what do you miss about Nebraska? steak! (haha)
And why did you come to Colombia? Because God called me

Then he went on explaining how I left my country, family, friends, culture, favorite food, and more for the sake of serving the following the Lord.

He then asked these next questions:
Do you want to have a boyfriend someday? Um......yeah...
And do you want to get married someday? Um....yeah...I would like to (thinking where the heck are you going with this?!?!)
And what's the number one thing you look for in a future spouse?  That He loves the Lord more than He loves me
And do you want to live a pure life? Yes!!!! (It was at this point in my head God told me to speak about purity)
And when do you want to have a boyfriend? Um...when God wants me to have a boyfriend...

He then went on talking about the first time he heard me answer that way he was impressed and how we should wait on the Lord's timing and trust the Lord and not just have a boyfriend/girlfriend or someone just because it's what the world says we need to do.

He then asked me to pray for the whole group that we would resisit things of this world and wait on the Lord (which at this point because of the Mateo incident I was confident in praying outloud in Spanish) but before I asked Alejo if I could say something first and he let me.

This is what came out of my mouth:

I'm 24 years old but when I was about 15 years old I was at a campfire like this and the speaker said he started a journal for his future wife. I thought it was a cool idea! So I started one.  Then two years ago I stopped writing in it because I was waiting for my future husband more than the return of Christ.  I was more excited to know who my future husband was than seeing Christ someday! I do want to get married some day but if that doesn't happen it's okay because we, the Christians, are the bride of Christ. The Bible says that one day Christ is going to return, take us home, and we're going to have a wedding that is way better than any wedding or marriage will ever be on this earth and we need to get prepared!

Then I went into a purity talk in Spanish and how we should stay pure and live a pure life physically not just for our future spouse but more importantly for the Lord and to glorify and honor Him in all that we do!

Then I ended up praying in Spanish (with confidence that Mateo spoke to me) asking the Lord to give us strength to resist the things of this world.  It's hard praying in Spanish because you have to use a form of subjunctive that we don't even use or have to think about in English.  That night my friends from church told me that was the best they had ever heard me speak Spanish.  That's when I knew it was ALL God speaking.

The next day a few of the high school girls and also a guy came up to me to thank me for the talk and that it really spoke to their heart. 

That was the first time I had felt that God was speaking through me in SPANISH. I was in awe at how great our God is and give Him all the Praise and Glory for speaking through me because that's exactly what I want! That's the reason why I want to learn Spanish!

It was like the 3rd to last night I was in Colombia and I take it as God saying, "Alright Allie...you're ready for this race!...just be willing and I WILL use you & speak through you in the Spanish speaking countries for MY glory."

Recyclers!

I know I asked for prayer requests to see the recyclers one last time.  Praise & thank the Lord that He permitted me to see them! I went to their house the Monday before my flight & they were there so I was able to give them a few things I was leaving in Colombia, talked with them, and then prayed for them.  The oldest girl has Facebook so I'm still able to stay in contact with them and if/when I go back I can know where they're living to see them again. Praise God!

Departing Colombia But Feeling Extremely Loved

Then came Monday and a bunch of my friends from church came to the airport to send me off! Some were even surprises that I didn't know were going to come. It was the best goodbye I have ever had! I felt so loved. They prayed for me, we hugged, and then I got on the plane and cried.  It was one of the biggest bittersweet moments of my life knowing what I'm leaving behind but looking forward to what lies ahead.

My Dearly Loved Colombian Friends!!

Prayer Requests

 Right now I'm back home in Nebraska....for the next 6 months.  I have some pretty big prayer requests though:

1. Pray for my heart...it hurts. I love being with my family but it's hard being away and I'm going through reverse culture shock and it's so weird!

2. Pray that God brings opportunities in my life here to serve Him.  Since leaving the Recyclers & my church jovenes group & playing in the praise band I feel like I don't have much purpose here (which is definitely a lie)

3. Pray for Spanish Speaking opportunities!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. Pray that I don't take for granted the precious time I have to spend with my family during these 6 months!

4. Pray for this to be a time where I can get even deeper in my relationship with the Lord before heading out again on The World Race.