Equipped
When I first stepped off my plane and onto Guatemalan soil, I was filled with excitement and nervousness. I have never been out of the country, I have never been on a missions trip, I have never been away from family for more than a week, I have never worked in construction. These thoughts filled my head during our first week, keeping me distracted instead of being engaged with the beautiful opportunity to serve that God had provided me. I felt unequipped and unprepared. As we continued to serve, I came across a line in a book the girls and I were reading. The line states “God does not call the equipped, he equips the called”. In that moment I realized that I had to stop focusing on what I can’t do, and remember what God can do through me.
As I continued to serve, I stopped concentrating on what I couldn’t do and started to fix my mind on doing what I could with love and joy. 1 Corinthians 16:14 states “Let all that you do be done in love”. I realized that what Mata Julia cherished more than her new home was the love we poured into their lives. Listening to Marta Julia talk about her family, how they treated her, and how she considered us to be her new family impacted me and everyone else.
If anyone ever wonders if it’s even worth it to go out and do a short-term missions trip, there are 11 girls that can tell you it is worth it. There were so many things that we could do because we were there. We were there to hear their stories, see their laughter and smiles, and we could share in their joy and pain. During this trip to Guatemala, many families were impacted and many families impacted my life too.
If anyone is wanting to go on a mission’s trip but is waiting for the “right moment”, I have to tell you… the moment will never be right. If you heart is being called to a missions trip, God will equip you with every tool you need to make an impact and to share his love. Don’t let fear keep you from making that leap of faith into mission work. I promise that if you jump, your heart will be changed for the better, Just like me.
Jessica Spitzer Para Servir Intern