When coming to Cedarville, one of my goals was to go on a Global Outreach missions trip to wherever God opened a door for me to go. He opened a door for me to go to Nicaragua and serve His people there.
I chose Nicaragua simply because there was an opened door to go, and I wanted to reflect what the Great Commission says: We are to go and make disciples. When the opportunity came up again to go this spring break, I immediately said yes.
Since I have gone before, the idea of preparation looked a little different this time. This time, we prioritized our time connecting together as a team before the trip. I also spent more time praying for this trip, knowing that God can do powerful things through us.
With it being an international trip to a Spanish-speaking country, I also spent time practicing basic words and concepts of the Spanish language so I could have interactions with the Nicaraguan people in their language. The Lord has provided me with the funds and the means to go, and I wanted to take the time to prepare well for His glory.
Serving in Jinotega: Teaching, Building, and Daily Life
Upon arrival, we stayed at Jinotega, a large city within Nicaragua that lies in a valley. We resided in the city and walked everywhere.
Our teams primarily focused on teaching and leading the students at our partnering school within the classroom. This time, there was also a team, including myself, that focused on the construction of their new school building! The school has continued to grow, and they need a new building to house their first class of high schoolers. Praise God!
Half the time focused on teaching, while the other half focused on the construction of their new school. Specifically, within the construction team, we were responsible for painting the whole first floor of the school building. We did lots of painting! Once evening hit, we would come back together to debrief and connect as a team. This is when we reflected on how God was moving through the trip.
God at Work: Lives Changed on and off the Construction Site
God worked through this experience specifically within the construction workers that the guys and I interacted with. After building relationships with the construction workers over the course of the week, which was already hard enough with the language barrier, we were able to lead six construction workers to Christ! Praise God!
The Lord most definitely worked through us, as we were able to share the Gospel with the construction workers and planted seeds in many others lives, even giving the construction workers the Gospel of John in Spanish. Construction was the main goal of this part of our team, but the relationships we built during that time were invaluable and eternal relationships that the Lord worked through. Not only was I able to see how the Lord impacted lives here, but the trip also forever changed me.
What God Taught Me Through the Unexpected
Throughout the week, the Lord taught me that He works in ways that might not make sense to us in the moment, but looking back down the road, He is faithful and will provide when we put our faith and trust in Him. Our missionary contact, Stuart, embodied this so well.
The Lord also taught me that I can have joy in every circumstance, good or bad! The people of Nicaragua demonstrated this very well and encouraged me in this area of my walk!
A Call To Go: Why You Should Consider a GO Trip
For those considering going on a GO trip, they are life-changing experiences, and after my first time to Nicaragua, I had to go back. Cedarville provides so many great opportunities to be the hands and feet of God as we go and make disciples.
I would encourage those considering a trip to have the heart posture of saying to the Lord, “Here I am! Send me!” All the GO trips have different goals, roles, and locations, so find one that would be best suited for you!
Even though all the GO trips are different, they all have the same goal of advancing the Gospel, so any trip you go on will make a Kingdom impact! Don’t say no to an opportunity to go to preserve your comfort; be willing to step out and trust God wherever He sends you!
Class: 2026
Major: Finance
Hometown: Shelby Township, Michigan
Favorite Bible Verse: Joshua 1:9
Go-To Coffee Shop Drink: Yellow Jacket from Orion!
Fun Fact or Interesting Hobby: I love to fish and doing it with my family is the best! The biggest fish I’ve ever caught was a 4 ft shark!
Favorite Thing About Being A Cedarville Student: One of my favorite things about Cedarville is its intentionality. Chapel, discipleship, community, professors, and GO trips are all thoughtfully designed with purpose, and as the 1000 days fly by, each one is lived with intention.
Posted in: College Life, Experience, Global Outreach, Student Life, Testimony