Overflow...

Dear Friends,

          What comes to mind when you think of ‘overflowing’?   Maybe you think of streams and rivers in spring, or maybe you think of a cup spilling out when you overpour, or maybe another image comes to mind. I’m asking because Jenn and I’s time in Nicaragua before Easter made me think of this word often.
           The first part of overflowing was the sheer number of people at the Young Life camp in Nicaragua (called La Finca—‘the farm’).  La Finca was definitely filled to overflowing—we had 287 leaders at the property for 5 days, and the camp is really built to sleep 200!   Almost all of the 287 were level 1 and 2 leaders—young potential leaders, mostly 17-23 year olds, who are in training to become Young Life leaders in their communities.


      It’s not exactly ideal to have 287 people at the camp—it creates shortages of mattresses, blankets, space to eat, etc. (and leads to another overflowing if we’re not careful—the septic system J. )  But it is incredibly exciting and powerful to be with an extra large group of young Christians like this, many fairly young in age and in their faith walk as well, but who know they want to serve others and share Jesus. It felt like God’s Spirit was overflowing here. In classes, small groups, night talks, prayer times, it was great to hear people being called deeper in their walk with Jesus and in their call to young people. One potential leader said afterwards of the camp: “I can see how Jesus touched my heart, and called me to do more with work with teens…and to focus myself more on Jesus.  I want to be a counselor and a disciple of Jesus teaching more teens.”  It’s truly great to be where God is at work.
            We also felt a real overflowing of joy with some great fellowship. Being with the senior Nicaraguan leaders who helped run the camp was a great joy and watching the fruit of their work coming to the camp was a great celebration for all of us. Jenn also spent a lot of quality time with three of the missionaries she’s coaching and spent time with them in their world, which was really important for them and for her. We were blessed to be able to be there together and to have some great time of community with them all.
Jenn and I at La Finca
 
            It really felt like a week full of Romans 5:15—“how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!”  God’s grace, joy, peace and Spirit overflowing onto all of us throughout the week—so that we and these Nica leaders might be filled up to go share the beauty of this message with others. Keep praying for this overflow to continue to bear fruit in Nicaragua.

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