Written by: Colleen Van Houwe
I’m sitting at a small table in Starbucks sipping a Gingerbread Latte, my favorite drink around this time of year, and wondering how I am going to explain all that happened this year while I was in Spain. I wish you could sit in the chair across from me, enjoy your own coffee and an hour of conversation, but that doesn’t always work out. So, I will do my best not to just skim the surface of all that God did in my life, in the ministry of Tlc International, and in the community of Altea, Spain.
First, I want to thank you for faithfully supporting me prayerfully, financially, and through your friendship. This whole experience has been a whirlwind of events and lessons learned and I could not have grown as much nor seen such an impact without your support.
I returned to the States at the end of October and have been on a fast track to acclimate to America culture and lifestyle while processing this past year. God never ceases to amaze me and He will always show up when you leave doors open; well, the door to the gallery. El Diseno, was always open and the presence of God rocked the community of Altea. I had the privilege of living in Altea since February, learning the language, building and deepening relationships, and creating opportunities for people to discover God through creativity and spiritual conversations.
Because of the culture and the nature of my ministry, my greatest memories and the moments that made me stop and say, “This is why I’m here. It’s so worth it,” were the simple conversations! I was able to see the power of God in the mundane, everyday Spanish life. From meeting people in the local bar to having dinner nights with my neighbors to spending the day with someone who needed a friend, God was working in the normal life moments. Simple moments become opportunities to speak truth into people’s lives. A conversation becomes the basis for real relationship. With a mission’s mindset, everyday is intentional and orchestrated by God, which is why this kind of work is hard to show. My investments are in people and their stories.
Cross-cultural missions are not always an explosion of people giving their hearts to God; sometimes it’s a slow process of simply being a light in the darkness and watching God soften hearts. It looks like my neighbor saying that my faith is silly in the first month we met and then knocking on my door every night to have spiritual conversations with me the week before I left. It looks like a girl I just enjoyed cooking meals with last year ask me to pray before every meal now and call me to pray with her when she’s in a crisis. It’s having a guy share his story about how hip hop dancing healed him of a break-up and sharing with him how God uses creativity and love to heal broken hearts. It’s a girl rediscovering her love of art, and through creativity, renewing her faith and trust in God. There are so many more stories like these that I could share with you that truly are a testament to God’s love, faithfulness and power.
Anyone can be mission-minded regardless of whether they live in another country or not. It just takes filling the need and being available to go, or stay behind and be intentional. Allow your everyday lives to be altered. So, that’s what this key is for. Print this article. Cut out the key and put it somewhere you will see daily. I believe that we have the keys to the Kingdom of God through prayer. I hope that every time you see this key it reminds you to pray for your community, that God would give you opportunities to see Him work within your own relationships.
If anything, this year has reminded me of the simplicity of a life abandoned to Christ, loving God, loving others, and the power of prayer to affect change. And, because of Jesus, we have the key to doing just that!
