In 2 days The World Race will be over and I will be boarding a plane back to the States.  In these last few days I have spent a lot of time with the Lord reflecting on the last year of my life.  In 2 days I will be back in the States reunited with friends and family.  In 2 days this amazing experience will seem more like a dream than something that actually took place.  In 2 days I will be "home" whatever that means...but really it is the NEW me that is coming home.  Through my time of reflection the Lord has shown me areas in which I have grown.  I am not the same person I was when I left 11 months ago.  The former self (which I will refer to as she or her) was unsure of her identity in Christ.  She was a person that had listened to the lies of the world for so long that truth seemed distant.  She doubted everything and everyone.  She lacked wisdom, confidence and walked in an air of selfishness.  My former self searched for love, attention, and approval in the wrong places and in the wrong ways. 

Pretty much exactly a year ago when I was at training camp for the World Race former team Dunamis ended up in a hospital praying for people.  Neil, Sara, and I ended up in a room of a man we didn't know praying for him and his family.  That is how we met Ron, the man that began speaking crazy things over our lives.  He spoke so many prophecies over us that day that I to be honest was skeptical that they all would come true.  Looking back...I have realized that there have been several things that he spoke over us that day that have happened pretty close to the way he said it would.  One thing in particular: he told us that almost exactly a year to the day we were there that God was going to use us and something big and crazy was going to happen.  And well he was pretty much right on. 

When my team (Remnant) was in Panajachel, Guatemala last month we randomly met a pastor named Caesar.  He just happened to be in town and just happened to come to Pastor Benjamin's church that night.  After praying over several of us that night, he was talking to us about The World Race.  When he found out what we do he was super excited telling us that he knows several pastors in Nicaragua and wanted to set up a crusade for us mid August.  We weren't really sure if things would work out...I mean it sounded cool but we just couldn't say for sure.  Pastor Caesar did not give up however.  He insisted that this crusade was something the Lord was orchestrating and calling us to be a part of and he would not take no for an answer (we said no several times).  

Once we were in Nicaragua and deep into ministry the crusade kept coming up.  Both Pastor Caesar and Pastor Benjamin from Guatemala continued to tell Neil how important it was that we go through with this...that it was what the Lord wanted.  It was then that I remembered the words that Ron had spoken over us and realized that the crusade was going to fall only days after that prophecy had been spoken over us almost a year ago. 

So we went for it.  We could only send four each day so Neil, Dennis, Carly, and I went the first night.  We found ourselves in a parking lot type setting...what was actually an open air church.  There was a stage set up with lights and sound, a band, and rows and rows of chairs.  Several churches were present and the place quickly filled up.  We were in the middle of a barrios so there were lots of people on the outskirts standing so they could hear what we were saying.  We worshiped (even after the power and lights went out...which made the crowd sing louder), we prayed, and people preached.  Then it was time for the "altar call".  The stage was flooded with people that needed prayer.  I was humbled.  We along with several of the pastors present spent the next 45 minutes or so ministering to those that had come forward.  At one point, I was standing beside Pastor Caesar praying over this woman that had come forward.  After a while, she actually manifested a demon....she started screaming and jumping around.  We formed a circle around her and let her struggle for about 5 minutes.  Then, Pastor Caesar barely touched her head and cast out the demon in Jesus Name and she literally collapsed limp onto the ground.  We moved on continuing to pray for people.  After the service was over this same woman came up to me and gave me a huge hug...in fact she didn't want to let go.  She said something to me in Spanish which I couldn't understand.  I just held her and kept telling her she was now free.  I looked into her eyes and they were different...there was now a light and a joy in them.  While I was hugging her this woman came up to me with her baby that had a stye on her eye.  She was asking me to pray and to anoint her baby with oil.  So I did just that (while the other girl is still clinging to me).  I prayed healing over the baby's eye and it went away!  

I was humbled that night as I realized that people were coming to me for anointing, for prayer and asking me to pray for them for healing.  Why me, Lord? 

Later that night as the Pastors brought us home I was overcome by the goodness of the Lord.  First of all...I was just in awe of what HE had done that night, how HE had shown up and worked in the lives of many.  Also, I was so humbled that the Lord blessed us with little blessings the whole night (they picked us up in a Chevy Suburban with AC, and they took us to PIZZA HUT afterwards!) When we got back to our house the pastors wanted to lay hands on us and pray for us.  Pastor Caesar had told us at dinner that the Lord told him he was to pray anointing on one of us...he prayed for me three different times that night.  He prayed over my hands specifically, prayed for more power of the Holy Spirit, and told me that with just one touch I could lay hands on someone and they could receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The third time they prayed for me the Spirit fell on me, and my hands began to shake uncontrollably as I started speaking in tongues.  This went on for about 15 minutes and then Pastor Caesar and Pastor Luise started praying peace over me....it ended as quickly as it started.  Before that night, I had had a really bad fungus outbreak on my right hand that I had picked up in Guatemala somehow and it wouldn't go away...I noticed the next day that it was nearly gone!  I'm not completely sure what happened that night...some of the details are foggy.  And I can't really explain to you about what happened to me that night, except that it DID happen, but I do know this: it was the power of the Holy Spirit.  Everything that happened that night was not because of me or Pastor Caesar or anyone else but it was Jesus and what He was doing. 

Why me, Lord?  But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  (1 Peter 2:9)

Hello everyone!  Well...here we are in our very last week of ministry on The World Race.  Next week we will be heading to Costa Rica for our final week of debrief before returning home!  It is hard to believe a year has passed already and this crazy adventure is quickly coming to an end.  I wanted to send out to all of my supporters and blog readers my deepest felt gratitude for everything you have done for me over the last 11 months!  Thank you so much for all of the financial support you have given to make this possible.  Thank you for keeping up with my blogs and the work God is doing and continues to do in the Nations!  Thank you for always uplifting our needs in your prayers.  Please continue to pray for us that we may finish strong in our last week of ministry and that we would continue to see God work in amazing ways.  Pray also for us as we prepare to head home.  Our squad of 50 has become super close, like a new family, so it will be hard to say goodbye...so just keep us in your prayers that we would all leave and end well with each other and that the transition back into the States would be a smooth one!  I love each and everyone of you and look forward to seeing your smiling faces!

 

IN God's amazing Grace,

Beverly Rhoades

Over the last 11 months I have formed a lot of definitions in my head concerning what the word "ministry" really consists of.  Sometimes its manual labor, sometimes sitting with orphans, sometimes preaching; but whatever it is that we are doing there has been one consistent thing: that we are bringing the love of Jesus to someone.  We are praying for them, laying hands on them-asking for healing, or whatever it is we feel the Lord calling us to do. 

 

Today was my day off and so Kelly Chadwick and I decided to go shopping for a while.  At one point we decided to stop and get some ice cream.  As we are sitting in the ice cream shop eating our yummy cones two little boys came up to us asking, "Please one Ice cream! 1 Ice cream!"  Kelly said, "Sure! I will buy you ice cream!"  These two boys faces literally lit up from ear to ear with big teethy grins!  So then, in attempts to test his limits, one of the boys points to a poster hanging on the wall of an ice cream sunday.  (which was more expensive).  Kelly responds with, "OK!".  The utter shock on the boy's face grew even bigger, so then testing her again, he points to the banana split below (even more expensive than the sunday).  Kelly goes, "OK! Whatever you want!"  These two boys were practically jumping up and down at this point!  (They probably don't get ice cream much!)  Then, Kelly asked what their names were...one of them was named Jesus (pronounced He-Sues) which made this little treat even more delightful!  She wasn't just doing it for them but she was doing it as if they were really Jesus in disguise. 

So that got me to thinking.  I think God is a lot like this scenario.  We come to Him and we ask Him for something that we think to be simple.  Unexpectedly He says "Sure!"  So then we begin to test the limit to His generosity and slowly asking for more than what we originally had asked for.  Then, we stand there shocked and in awe when He keeps saying "OK!"

So...what exactly am I trying to convey?  We need to be bolder in our prayers with the Lord.  He has SO much to offer us...SO much He desires to give us...not because we DESERVE it or WANT it but just because He LOVES us!  He is waiting there to give us these things that we can't even wrap our minds around, blessings that would completely astound the average person, but we aren't asking for them.  He is waiting, but we aren't asking!  SO dare to be BOLD in your prayers!  Dare to ask God for crazy things that part of you says you will never receive!  Why not?  Also DARE to be BOLD in your FAITH.  KNOW and BELIEVE that Jesus IS going to provide those things you are asking for!  (Obviously He also knows your heart in this too...I am not telling you to go and ask God for a million dollars to spend on your own selfish desires.)  For example...I have asked God to heal my eyesight, and I BELIEVE with all my heart that He is fully capable and willing to answer that prayer.  So ask God for the big things! He may shock your socks off! :)

A few weeks ago when our squad arrived in Antigua, Guatemala we learned that the monstrous active volcano (Mt. Pacaya) that looms over that ancient city was climbable.  Who wouldn't want to climb an active volcano but a bunch of crazy young adults traveling around the world?  So we rose to the task one day...paid the equivalent of 10 USD and we were off for a day of adventure.  I think most of us agreed to the hike without much hesitation at first...I mean, it couldn't POSSIBLY be that bad or hard...right?  Our day started with a bus taking us up about three quarters of the mountain...where we were left to tackle the last 4.5 kilometers on foot.  Our guides kept saying, "Ellos es muy loco"...why on earth would they be telling us we were crazy...hmm...if that wasn't fair warning....well....

At first the hike was surprisingly pleasant.  Yes we were climbing significantly in elevation making breathing troublesome at times-however, the night before our hike one of my squadmates prayed over my lungs (I had suffered from chronic bronchitis on and off for the last 3 months) and I didn't really have much trouble breathing that day-something that surprised me.  (more thoughts on this at the end)... 

After almost 2 hours of hiking we reached what seemed to be the top...but in reality we still had a good 1/4 of the way to go.  So we took a break and took in the view not thinking about the fact that this was the farthest you could go by horse...hmmm I wonder why?  The last part of the climb proved to be one of the hardest, steepest, climbs of my entire life.  We were now past the tree line hiking through knee deep ash...well I should probably say SLIDING through knee deep ash.  The climb quickly turned treacherous as the knee deep ash was replaced with "lava rocks"; loose rocks that are super sharp to touch (due to the cooling and remelting of the lava).  We were now hiking on all fours up an incline that was about at a 45 degree angle.  Each step up on the treacherous, sharp rocks caused you to slide 3 steps backwards...and to make things even MORE fun and interesting the rock was beginning to get hot because we were getting close to the volcano's crator.  At one point I wanted to give up.  I was tired, I had now cut my hand several times on the sharp rock, I was out of breath, and the sheer reality of how high we were and the treacherousness of the situation made me want to throw in the towel.  Upon hearing me say that, a girl coming down the mountain said, "NO! Don't give up now! You are almost there and I promise it is worth it!"  SO I kept trudging along, asking the Lord to give me strength for each step.  Finally we reached "the top" (really not the top but as far as they will "safely" let you climb) and we found ourselves standing on rock that was NEW, watching molten lava spill out just feet before us.  (In fact you could feel the heat through your shoes).  After roasting some marshmellows and taking some pictures to prove our crazy story it was time to head back down the mountain.  Now if you can imagine the climb UP the mountain please try to picture how HARD going DOWN was going to be.  I was by this point physically exausted and my fear of heights was kicking in full force.  BUT the Lord was good to me, and one of the guides helped me down the whole way...a BLESSING I can promise you! 

For me, this adventure was more than just an adventure.  God used this situation to teach me several things.  First, I realized that God had brought healing into my lungs.  I realized this when I noticed everyone around me breathing hard due to the elevation and severity of the hike, but I wasn't.  After struggling for 3 months with bronchitis can you even begin to believe how BIG of a deal this was?  Second, the Lord used this situation to show me that HE is bigger than the fear that certain situations may envoke.  He is able to help me with each treacherous step along life's journey.  Three: often times we face trials and struggles in our lives that are much like me climbing up the last part of this volcano.  At times you want to throw in the towel and give up, but then someone comes along and encourages you to keep going and tells you that the top is just within reach...and something inside of you rises up.  That something is perseverance and the Lord gives it to us often when we are at our weakest moments...when we think we can't go another step.  But perseverance ALLOWS us the sense of achievement when we reach the top and realize the struggle was WORTH it all along.  So climbing Mt. Pacaya for me was about a testing and strengthing of my faith, of the determination and willpower inside of me to rise up in extremely HARD situations and trudge through to the end.  It showed me the reliance I NEED on the LORD and on the community of people HE has placed around me in order to walk through some of life's hardest journeys.  And the view from the top...well there is only one word to describe that...priceless.

My team is now in Panajachel, Guatemala where we have been working for about a week now.  So far it has been incredible!  Panajachel is located right on this huge, beautiful lake with volcanoes and mountains all around it.  Everything is green and the temperature stays in the mid 70's most of the time!  We are working with a local pastor here named Benjamin...who has an amazing testimony...upon which I may be writing a separate blog about in the future...BUT until then let me fill you in a little bit on what we have been doing over the last week. 

Most of our time this past week was spent doing construction on 2 different houses here in Panajachel.  The first house is for a mother and her 4 children.  The second house is actually an old run down hostel that a man in the church owns.  His dream is to one day have it renevated so that missionary teams can come and stay at a cheap price.  We have been doing a LOT of demolition...first removing all the stuff on the metal roof, then removing the steel sheets from the roof (the open space you see in the picture to the left was one all roofed in...we removed it) tearing down rotten wood beams, and throwing away tons and tons of trash and rubbel!  We are excited to one day see the finished project!  

At night our contact Benjamin pours into us with various teachings from the Word...and it is SO nice to be poured into at this point in the Race!  We also have been very involved in Ben's church which meats several times during the week.  The Holy Spirit is alive and at work here in this place!  The other night during our church service the Lord told me to pray for the woman sitting behind me...so I layed hands on her, and began praying for her in the Spirit.  I heard the Lord say, "She is redeemed, her sins are washed away, and I have healed her."  Literally right after I heard the Lord say "I have healed her" she began to throw up this white/yellow mucous.  I knew she had just been healed...and delivered from whatever was ailing her.  One day last week while we were working a man named Rudolph came up to Ben-he had spent the previous night drinking and had an extreme hangover.  He told Ben that he wanted to change, and so Ben said he could change right now...so Ben brought Rudolph to our work site and put him to work for us!  He worked hard all day and worked off his hangover.  He was at church that night and came to the Lord.  We have seen Rudolph several times in passing on the streets and each time he greets us and tells us how thankful he is that we found him and brought him to Christ.  From the few times that we have seen him it appears that he was sober...praise the Lord!  God is at work here and it is exciting to be a part of.  I will try and keep everyone posted on what God continues to do here in the 2 weeks we have left here.