Story Behind The Photo: Karrin

This picture was taken during kid’s ministry in Bocachica, Colombia. We spent hours in this circle throughout our time there. This circle is where we built relationships, talked about Jesus, and worshiped together. As I reflect on this moment, I am reminded not only of the universal nature of the Gospel but the intentionality of Jesus. 

The majority of people in Bocachica speak little to no English, but one would never know that based on the depth of relationships we formed. The Gospel of Jesus transcends all cultures and every language barrier. It is because of this Gospel that laughs, tears, hearts, and testimonies were shared within this circle. 

Bocachica is where I learned that Jesus is more knowledgeable and intentional than I could ever dream of being, and where I experienced the power of His Spirit for the first time. Due to the language barrier, our team had a translator travel throughout Colombia with us. The reality of having only one translator meant that regular conversations or even sermons took nearly twice as long. This became quite a concern for me as people began to ask our team for prayer. For one, I wasn’t guaranteed to have our translator in every one of my conversations, and even more than that, I was terrified of praying over people!

I was forced to face this fear during one of our ministry times. Not only was I without our translator, I also had only one other English-speaking student with me! We were taking prayer requests and one of the women spoke to me completely in Spanish. Though tempted to pray a generic prayer, I asked in faith that the Lord would give me His words. Immediately, I felt a warmth bubble up within my chest, and words began to flow from my mouth. As I prayed, the woman began to cry. Before I knew it, she was weeping uncontrollably. I learned later that evening that I prayed for things she hadn’t shared with me or anyone else in our group. It was in this moment that I learned the intentionality of Jesus goes far beyond human limitations. His intentionality is no match for my inadequacy. I didn’t need to know everything to minister to that woman; I simply needed to be willing, and His Spirit would do the rest. 

The beauty of the Kingdom of God is that not only are all welcomed but all are wanted. He is faithful in His pursuit of us and it is an honor to partner with Him in the furthering of the Kingdom. Whether it’s sharing the truth of the Gospel or being the hands and feet of Jesus, partnering with God has fulfilled me in ways I didn’t think were possible. Every fear has been and continues to be met with His faithfulness.