Life in Guatemala was like a breath of fresh air. From the moment we left the airport and stepped outside, we could feel the weight lift off our shoulders. From the moment we stepped onto the base we lived on, we were overcome with joy. I will never forget our first full day in Guatemala—we all had one of our best sleeps of all of World Race, in a REAL bed!! We woke up overflowing with joy; you could see the joy of the Lord on each person on the squad. It was the sweetest.

The base we stayed at was a very established ministry with amazing staff. The staff was so kind and caring, and they poured into our squad the whole time we were there. Every Thursday we had what’s called an “activation day,” where staff would teach us a topic and then we would go out that same day and apply what we learned. For example, our first activation day was on evangelism, and later that day we went out and evangelized. Other topics included having spiritual authority and listening to the voice of the Lord. They were so encouraging and so fruitful.

Each team on our squad was a part of a different ministry. My team was a part of two partnering ministries: House of Prayer and Dar Para Dar (Give to Give).

House of Prayer was a prayer house/upper room within a coffee shop in Antigua called Serve Hope. It was started and run by the sweetest couple who have such a beautiful heart for worship and prayer. We went 2–3 days a week, and while there we would worship the Lord with them for around two hours. They would lead “prayer sets,” which are similar to worship sets but are centered more on intercession and Scripture than just singing.

We would focus on different pieces of Scripture, each highlighting a different characteristic of the Lord, and then begin interceding—on behalf of someone, a country, or simply giving thanks to the Lord. It was beautiful to see how worship through song would naturally flow from that place. Mornings in the prayer room were some of the sweetest. After this time, we would typically have some type of teaching and then go out into the city for intentional evangelism. It was amazing to see how simple it was to share the gospel after sitting at the feet of the Father for hours beforehand. The filling of our cups allowed for the most beautiful overflow of the gospel and of love. Thank you, Jesus.

On Tuesdays, we would begin our day with Dar Para Dar on a mountain called Chimachoy, where we spent time praying over the community and asking the Lord what He had in store for the people there. We would then go out for house visits, spending time with the people and families. After lunch, we would go to an orphanage that our ministry partnered with and simply love on the sweet kids there. It filled my heart every time we went—I loved every day there. We would help the kids with their homework and then just play with them.

On most Fridays, we would go to a different mountain owned by one of our ministry hosts, Chako, and his wife. Chako grew up as a pastor’s kid and watched his dad run himself dry in ministry—never resting, never slowing down. He saw the exhaustion, the sacrifices, and every piece of himself that his dad gave to ministry. While there is so much joy in giving all we have to the Lord, He never once asked us to never rest. The Lord Himself rested after creating the earth—not because He needed it, but as an example for us.

Chako learned both the importance of rest and how rarely people in ministry actually live that out. So, he created a place where pastors—or anyone—could come and truly rest in the Lord. He created Prayer Mountain. It’s the most beautiful place, where my team would help with upkeep, but also spend hours just sitting with the Lord. These were always some of the most filling and peace-filled times of Guatemala.

As you’ve probably picked up on, most of our ministry was not constantly going out or doing, but rather taking time to sit with the Lord—whether that was dwelling on Scripture, praying, or worshiping. Early on, I wondered why this was our ministry and how Guatemala was benefiting from it, but the Lord was so faithful to show me and teach me the how and the why.

Guatemala was impacted as our team labored in prayer and interceded on their behalf. The Lord gave me His heart for the people of Guatemala and allowed my heart to break for them as His does. He often revealed what they needed prayer for and where repentance was needed. There is such beauty and joy in coming before the throne of God and crying out on behalf of others—for repentance, for grace, and for salvation. How thankful I am to have been given the burdens of Guatemala, only to place them back into the hands of the Father.

Sitting on Chimachoy and asking the Lord what He had for the people before going out benefited us far more than going in our own strength. The Lord would often reveal specific verses or words that carried His heart for the people, which we could then hold onto as we went out. We knew how to pray for them before we even began. How kind is the Lord to answer when we take the time to ask and listen.

I have learned so much about the importance of prayer and intercession, and the importance of sitting at the feet of the Father. I’ve learned how to sit and be filled before pouring out. Thank you, Jesus, for the filling, for the joy, and for the revival you so freely gave to me in Guatemala.