God transcends language. Through Him love, friendship, prayer, and healing know no boundaries.
Last week, Nidia, Tony's wife, went with my team, Krista, Kaci, Karson, and Cherub Grace, to the small village of Teupasenti. Nidia served as a translator, as well as a mother, and helped us to get acquainted with her hometown. Honestly, it's hard for me to even begin to describe this week, but to sum it up, a piece of my heart will forever live in this village.
To start with, I PLAYED SOCCER for the first time in a whole year and seven months.
in Honduras. with a Honduran boys soccer team. God is good and fulfills His promises!
Since this trip began, I have been praying nonstop for confirmation of whether or not I should play soccer on my accident-prone knee. As we were packing to leave for Teupasenti, I realized that my carabiner is now permanently attached to my knee brace. Like really, there is no way that it is coming off. At the time, it was frustrating, but in hindsight, I think that was God's way of telling me that He would protect me.
After we arrived and set up our stuff in our room of the house next to the church, we went to our afternoon ministry on the soccer field. Watching the boys practice made me sad to think that I wouldn't be able to play with them. That night, I had my team pray over my knee for complete healing and protection. I felt like God was slowly giving me an answer. Then, at the end of the next day, I started juggling with some boys, and it gradually turned into a game of keep away. God eased me into it, and I started to trust whatever His will was for me. I promised myself that I would only play in a game, though, if someone asked me, and the next day, Wilmer, the older boys' coach, and Nidia asked if we wanted to join the boys in a game. I was like, "Here we go, Jesus!". Being able to play again was the most amazing feeling in the world. Having knee surgeries is such a large part of my testimony, and God really redeemed that part of my life in just this one week. Every day from then on, it was just non-stop soccer.
Soccer at the field. Soccer at church. Soccer at school.
It was such a blessing. God did so many amazing things, and this was simply one way that His love was so apparent to me. Through soccer, I got to become friends with the boys, even though I can't speak Spanish, and I shared my testimony with them through Nidia. It's awesome that God allowed a connection between us through a love for the game to open up the door for a conversation about Him.
Also this week, we experienced several healings through opportunities to pray over injuries, sickness, blindness, and hurting hearts.
From day one, we became really close with a lady, who has had a fractured ankle for the past two months. The week before we got to the village, God told Cherub Grace that she would heal someone and to look for the color pink. As we were exploring the first day, we walked up to a lady sitting on the side of the road with her crutches and her pink shirt and started talking to her about her injury. She invited us inside of her house, with pink curtains and pink walls, and before we prayed for her, we asked her name, and she replied, "Rosa", and rosado just so happens to be the word for pink in Spanish. We prayed for her ankle pretty much everyday we were there, and she was always waiting for us outside her house.
With each passing day, God healed her little by little. After the first day, she went to putting pressure on her foot with both crutches. Then, she went to only one crutch. Then, she went to an ankle brace and used the crutch only for assistance. The progress in just a few days was substantial, and we saw the swelling go down. After a couple months of hurting, she finally is healing, and she hardly even understood the words we prayed over her.
In just one week, I felt so much love for so many people. This was possible only because of God. Because of Him, it didn't matter the words we said. He broke down that barrier, and the Holy Spirit was all over the place. The day before we left, we climbed up the mountain overlooking the village with Nidia, a pastor, and two boys to pray over the whole place. The view was awesome. In that moment, I knew that God also holds a special place in his heart for Teupasenti, and I feel like that is not the last time I will be there.
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in yourinner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses
knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
–Ephesians 3: 16-19
Hi Laura This is Alison Ross. My heart is smiling and thanking God for His precious kindnesses on your behalf in this first leg of your journey. No pun intended with the “leg” however I LOVE hearing about your soccer playing and the relationships you are forming because of it. We serve a lavishly creative Father!!!! Know you are loved and prayed for …..alison
Laura! So happy to hear the great things God is doing in your life and thru your life! He has given you so very many gifts and it is exciting to hear you rejoice in His Greatness!!! We miss you! Your sweet mama took me out to 2 wonderful lunches for my Birthday! I am Double Blessed! Again, we all miss you and I keep your card on the kitchen counter to remind me to pray for you every time I see your cute face!! Much Love, Charleton and Warner and Neely and Warner
What a beautiful answered prayer with the soccer, and what a powerful testimony of God’s love working in and through you sweet heart!
Dear Laura, im writing through tears of joy!oh my Goodness you have grown sooo much even since your last blog! I can see the new creation God is transforming you into via the internet! Im so excited, your entire blog this week is testimony to the super natural of the Holy Spirit andGod moving! Through you, the body of Christ!!!! I dont know if you knew but i had suggested to Carly and Katie ,last week, to meditate on Ephesians!! Starting with 3! Cool things are happening here, He is really emphasizing LOVE to me, seeking Gods love! The Awakening- Love Jesus is what He gave me in a dream last week… next time i write i will share more Love you, Cheryl
Beautiful, Laura! Sounds like God is right there in the middle of all that’s going on. We’re proud of you and thankful that He’s working through you in such amazing ways. Please tell Karson and Carly “hello” for me.
Laura, following your faith adventure with great interest. Be sure that you and your team are in my prayers each day and also in the the heart of our prayer team here at St. Luke.
LAURA! I am so so so excited that you were finally able to play soccer! That is awesome and I know you were loving that! I love reading your blogs; I even make my friends here read them! I am so proud to call you my friend and even more proud of YOU and the incredible things you are doing! I love and miss you! Keep on keepin’ on girlfriend! Praying for you!