Mission Trip to Nassau

A couple of weeks ago, I had planned to be traveling to Haiti with my team from Discovery Church. However, what the Lord has planned was not the same thing I had planned. His plan sent us to a little church on the south side of Nassau in the Bahamas. To be honest, I was a little anxious when the plan didn’t go my way, and trusting His new plan for us was hard at first. I have been on numerous trips to Haiti, and my heart longed to go back there and to be in that culture again. The Lord knew exactly what he was doing and New H. Mission Baptist Church was the church we were able to partner with when we arrived in Nassau. It was a Haitian church, and I felt right at home. The Lord had a plan in place for us to be exactly where we needed to be. We were able to attend church services, put on a VBS for the kids in the local village, and we even poured the church a new concrete driveway. We got to build relationships with so many of the sweet souls there, and it was such a blessing to us that they welcomed us with open arms. Some of us got to go to local nursing homes while we were there. We got to love on some people who gave us lots of wise advice as we kept each other company. We were able to work with Great Commission Ministries where we handed out hot meals and shared the gospel. Our team also visited a detention center where some of our team members were able to share their own stories and how Jesus has worked through them with the students. All of these things and so much more was done while we were there. I’d love to give you every detail, but you’d be reading a book instead of a short article!

I just want you to know that the Lord led every step, and lives were changed for the better. Throughout the week I was in the Bahamas the Lord was changing me as well. I want to share what He taught me, in hope that He will speak to you too.

I struggle with being good enough. I’m in constant fear that I won’t meet the expectations of others. I’m not strong enough. I’m not smart enough. I’m not pretty enough. I don’t talk enough. I’m not kind enough. I’m not loyal enough. I’m not talented enough. I’m not a good leader. I’m not a good friend. I’m not a good sister. I’m not a good daughter. I may be a little of all of those things, but not good enough to make something of myself from them. I feel that I am defeated. I am lonely. I am broken. I am a burden. I am a failure. All of these are thoughts that I have regularly about myself, yet I would never believe a single of those statements regarding anyone else. In my own eyes I never measure up. Then I realized that the people who I came to minister to, I came excited to assure them of the complete opposite of that for themselves. I came to tell them who they are in Christ, and because I am in Christ I have been set free of all the lies that the world and the enemy try to throw my way. In Christ I am healed. I am beautiful. I am worthy. I am loved. I am remembered. I am strong. I am gifted. I am whole. I am loved. He will not turn his back on me. And his grace is overflowing, overwhelming, and unending for me. Now, for this to work and for you to understand my analogy, you must first understand what South Beach is. This is the place where Haitians try to enter into Nassau. Haitians will pay thousands of dollars to board a boat that is coming to Nassau. They want to provide a better life for their family. To them, this is the only way for them to have better. It’s worth it to them to risk their life and their families all for a new start. A new beginning. A place that can be a refuge to them. The trip from Haiti to South Beach is dangerous. The beach has unpredictable tides that will rise and fall. There’s no telling what kind of unfortunate situations they encounter on the voyage from one island to another. Sometimes there are boats that capsize. Even still, they want to come. They want to be saved from the life they’re living now. They are willing to fight. They are willing to sail forward with everything they have.

What if we chased after our Savior that way? What if we decided to fight through the waves of this life and the lies we let ourselves believe to reach Him. What if He was our shore? We would fight with all that was in us to get to Him. Our refuge. Our new beginning. Our home. Our rock. Our purpose for life. What if we would just sail to Him full speed ahead with all that we are? Can you imagine that reunion? When the weary traveler finally meets the shore. After all the hard work and trying times, you realize that you’ve finally made it. The child running to the father. The lost becoming found. In all of our brokenness running and falling into our Savior. I don’t know what your life looks like, but I know He wants you even still. He wants to be your heart and soul’s one and only mission.

Let Him be your South Beach shore.