God Using Partnerships for His Good
In June of 2018, I wondered if I would ever be able to move to Nicaragua. I was eager but still underfunded as a missionary to take the leap and move to be a full-time staff member with Amigos for Christ.
I’ll never forget what happened when I met with my local church, The Water’s Edge. In one single Sunday morning, they pushed me well over what I needed to reach my fundraising goal. I can still remember exactly where I was when Pastor Craig gave me the call, and the tears of gratitude came right after. Then, I swear I beat the world record for the fastest flight booking from Omaha, Nebraska to Managua, Nicaragua!
I had no idea what would unfold over the next years, but one thing was for sure: The Water’s Edge would continue to be a part of my story.
There have been a lot of ways that I have experienced and learned about God’s love through The Water’s Edge, but most specifically, it’s been through taking chances – and choosing to show up, serve, and be generous.
From little middle school Morgan going through confirmation classes, going on her first mission trips, and getting named “Scooter Girl”, to being a high school student, proud to attend a church that left the building on certain Sundays to serve others.
To most recently – to sharing our first mission trip together as The Water’s Edge community in Chinandega, Nicaragua. These experiences marked me, for so many reasons, but mostly for love.
God’s love experienced through taking chances and being in service with one another.
Water’s Edge took a chance on the new girl to the youth group, the 13-year-old who switched churches, who was terrified to be an outsider on mission trips, and who years later as a college graduate was scared to ask for help to move to Nicaragua. And they keep taking chances.
They took a chance on Amigos for Christ.
With never having stepped foot in Nicaragua and never having met a single person on our staff, the church said – let’s love people we’ve never met and might not ever meet. They took a chance and blessed a whole community with a clean water source of a deep-drilled well.
And then, most recently, when I brought a few of my staff members to visit Omaha, we invited the church to provide 5 Modern Bathrooms to families in need. And what happened? A lot of generous people came together, took the chance, and said, “Let’s do 40.” And better yet, let’s come build a few with you guys in October and bring 10 duffel bags worth of donations while we’re at it!
As I reflect and write this, I realize The Water’s Edge community was never taking chances to begin with. They were just modeling God’s love and grace, in real tangible ways.
To watch this community all the way from Omaha, Nebraska, come to Amigos for Christ in Nicaragua (after a solid 22 hour travel hike), and take a chance on so many Chinandegans is something I’m still working on putting words to. At Amigos, we say transformed people, transform people. Exactly what I lived with my story and upbringing in The Water’s Edge community, and now I get to see it played out in my community here in Nicaragua.
This past week, I saw this special group of individuals come with open arms and hearts to serve and love the community of Los Rotarios, the kiddos and young adults in the Amigos Baseball Academy and Leaders in Action, the hundreds of people who showed up to dig in El Bejuco, and our team at Amigos. It was two worlds coming together juntos for me – in the most beautiful way possible. The hugs, laughter, tears, and prayers shared this week I think are marked on all our hearts forever. It was the cycle of transformed people, transform.
My gratitude abounds. Thank you, God, first and foremost for taking the chance on us and for giving us this love and grace. Thank you, Water’s Edge, for teaching me this lesson, from my days as a youngin’, to now as a young adult. It’s a gift to learn about God’s love through you and with you.
Come back soon. <3
