Deidra challenged us earlier this week with the question “ How has GRACE ministries impacted you? Or what does GRACE ministries mean to you?”
Words seem so inadequate when I think about what GRACE ministries means to me, how much it’s affected my life, and how much it’s changed my heart. I argued with Deidra and told her that I would not be writing a post because it would cause me to be emotional and I simply did not want to deal with any more emotions. She replied back with “Emotions are good. God made us with emotions. God is big enough to handle every single emotion.” So she wins, and here I am going to attempt to put into words what GRACE means to me, emotions and all.
My dad is Willard. He wrote the previous blog post so I won’t give you the back story again, but my family was blessed to adopt two beautiful baby girls that are Guatemalan. They are the reason that I was initially intrigued by Guatemala but I never imagined what The Lord had planned. I could not see the big picture.
In 2013, a different ministry gave me the opportunity to serve for 3 months alongside them. At the age of 18 years old, I hopped on a plane and moved in with a family that I had never met before. Looking back now I see that it sounds crazy, but The Lord had plans and he was softening my heart. He was in control the entire time. When I returned back to the states I was heartbroken and I knew the Lord was calling me to more. My heart longed to be back in Guatemala.
In the summer of 2014, Brother Teddy allowed me to spend the whole summer on GRACE mountain. At the time, Deidra and Soy were living in Guatemala during the summers and I got the opportunity to live with them for 3 months. This was the first summer that the feeding center started. Looking back, I see what all the Lord was doing during that summer. I had never spent much time around Deidra and Soy, but they became family in those few months. Deidra may not claim me all the time, but she is my hero. She’s my mentor. She’s one of the only people that I’ve let inside of the walls I have built around my heart. She knows my heart. She’s seen my lowest points, and my highest points. And she’s loved me through every season of life. Soy did not have to agree to having a random 19 year old girl living with them for 3 months but he took me in with no hesitation. We bonded over our love of sunflower seeds, our love for the kids and our love of annoying Deidra. At the time, Deidra and Soy knew they were called to the mission field but they were not sure what that looked like, and where they would end up. I witnessed what blind faith looks like. I spent those months learning from them, even when they had no idea they were teaching me. I’m still learning through them on a daily basis. I’m still watching Deidra trust the Lord with blind faith in the darkest valley of her life. Soy is still changing my life, even though he’s with Jesus.
I am blessed to say that I’ve been along for the GRACE ride for 10 years. I had a God moment this week. I stood at the school and cried watching some of the 10th graders play soccer. They were laughing so loud. I was there in the beginning and I remember watching, teaching, feeding many of these kids 10 years ago when they were a part of the feeding center. I spent every day with them for months. I invested in them, I loved them deeply. I’ve been back every year since, except one I think. They are not just cute faces to me. They are kids who genuinely would not get fed on a daily basis if the Lord had not allowed GRACE to intervene. These are kids who just needed someone to love them, and pour into them. These are kids who are flourishing because they know they don’t have to worry about their next meal. These are kids who don’t have to worry about quitting school at the age of 12 years old to go to work because their family cannot afford to feed them. These are kids who’s lives have been forever changed by GRACE ministries, but not only their lives, it’s changed their families lives, their future children’s lives and maybe even their future grandchildren’s lives. GRACE is breaking generational curses. But more importantly than receiving an education and 2 meals a day, these kids are actively seeing Jesus. The teachers, the administrators, Deidra and her family, are walking faithfully alongside the Lord. They are trusting him in every aspect of their lives. They are pointing these children to The Cross. So many of these children think of Soy as their dad because they do not have active father figures in their life. My heart breaks for them… but Deidra has taught them to trust the Lord in all things. Even the hard things. Because of the faithfulness of this ministry, we will ALL have a reunion with Soy in Heaven someday. I can’t fathom how beautiful it will be to see how many faces are at Heavens Gate’s because of GRACE ministries.
So what does GRACE mean to me? GRACE ministries means everything to me. GRACE plays a vital role in my testimony and my life. GRACE ministries has changed my heart and I cannot say enough thank you’s to Brother Teddy, Deidra and Soy for continuing to be obedient to the Lord even in the darkest of days. Thank you for your vision, and your blind faith in trusting the Lord to provide. Thank you for genuinely investing in these kid’s lives for the Kingdom. GRACE is changing lives on a daily basis, mine included. What He has done through GRACE is just getting started.
Haley Rae
Shining Light Abroad Ministries 