Read below the testimony of what God is doing in Sarah Heyde’s heart as she serves with Esperanza in these summer months. She is a part of the Applied Leadership team from Colombia Bible College.
What an amazing experience it has been so far to live in Shiroles and work alongside the Esperanza ministry. God has been working in so many ways, but I want to focus in on one major lesson He has been teaching me through the people and ministry here.
The way in which I have seen God at work in my life here in Shiroles, is that He has been teaching me the value of living day-by-day. I have seen this come up a lot here, either in the way I have seen people live or the things the say. Raul has mentioned it a few times, and it always gives me a lot to think about because it is not usually how I look at things. I am very much future-oriented, and not always in a good way - I can often worry too much about what lies ahead, and not pay attention to what is right in front of me. One specific thing that Raul mentioned that had really stuck with me is that we only have today - yesterday is gone and tomorrow is not even here, all we have is right now. So, how are you going to use this day to be a blessing? Thinking about this, I have realized how much my worries and concerns can get in the way of me being a blessing today. If my mind is focused on the future, that means it is not focused on the present. Maybe that seems obvious, but I can so often unintentionally do this. I can be focused on something up ahead - whether it be a task, deadline, an event, or any other concern - and I completely miss out on ways I can be a blessing right now. It is not as if I should never think about and plan for things to come, but when my head is always in a worried state, I become blind to what is right in front of me. After all, I do not even know if tomorrow will ever get here! It's really all about trusting God to provide for my needs, for both today and the days to come. Jesus teaches us to pray "give us today our daily bread," not, "give us all we need for the next few weeks (or months) right now." No, it's about trusting in God on a daily basis that He will provide you with what you need and give you the tools and strength you need to be a blessing to others. I see this lived out so faithfully in the people here at Esperanza. Whether it be the children's ministry, or visiting with the elderly, or helping out people in the village with different work projects - they are faithful to their task and always find a way to be a blessing to those who come across their paths. I am so inspired by how they keep on giving of their time, energy, and resources, and then give beyond that. There is always room for someone at the table, always space for one more person to join in an activity, and always enough strength to bless one more individual. They give and give, and I can only see this coming out of the immense love they have for God and his children, and the trust they put in Him to provide for their daily needs. That is something I want to take with me back home: to know that God has given me what I need for today, and because of that I can be a blessing to others. I do not need to concern myself with how He will provide in the future, for today is the day He has given me to be a blessing to others. I really do only have this day - will I use it to focus on things that have not happened, or to focus on what is right in front of my eyes? If I have learned one thing in my life, it is that you never know how profoundly your actions could impact others. So, I want to use this day to be a blessing to others, to the fullest capacity I can, in the way God has made me to do so. The ministry and people here have already taught me so much about this, and I am excited to learn more over the next few weeks!
