Sarah in front of Bolivian flag at Green Lake

I just returned from the World Mission Conference in Green Lake, WI. When I arrived to Green Lake Conference Center, I headed straight to the lake to sit on an Adirondack chair on the dock. As I was sitting there I took a look around, there were kids jumping off the dock, playing in the water, and parents talking with each other on the beach. I sat and looked out towards the water and let out a deep breath and thanked God for getting me this far. You see, this wasn’t my first World Mission Conference, but it was my first conference as a new IM Global Servant!

As I watched the kids play and the boats go by, I thought of you. You are the reason I was there and you are the reason why I can call myself an appointed IM Global Servant to Bolivia. Your prayers and your financial partnership make that possible! Praise be to God and I thank God for you!

The conference theme was “Salt of the Earth” and our Bible studies and workshops were based off the Matthew 5:13 verse. I love how The Message puts it: “[Jesus said] Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage… (Matthew 5:13)” If you have listened to my story then you know that this is one of my favorite verses. I like this translation of the verse because it puts an emphasis on purpose. You are here for a reason and that reason is to bring out the God flavors of the earth!

One of the questions that our Bible study leader had us ponder was: What does it mean to be salt in your context? He encouraged us that we don’t have to have a lot of salt to make a difference. How can you make a difference? I immediately thought of the work that God is calling me to and it humbled me that God would choose me and would call me to be salt in Bolivia. The conference gave me opportunities to share with colleagues and conference attendees about how my Bolivian ministry partner, House of Hope, is being salt of Bolivia!

I was inspired by my colleagues as they shared stories of their ministries on the main stage or in workshops. They gave me images in my mind of what it means to be salt of the earth. The stories of working with street children in Brazil and the girls club in Chile made me even more encouraged and excited to begin serving with the House of Hope!

Being salt in Bolivia means partnering with local pastors and local leaders to promote health and education to the vulnerable. The leaders of House of Hope are being salt in their communities by providing meals and tutoring programs for at-risk children. House of Hope doctors and dentists are being salt when they provide free health-care with bi-monthly mobile clinics.

My hope is that together we will continue to bring out the God flavors of love, hope, justice, and peace to at-risk children in Bolivia and wherever we are. You are salt of the earth! You are salt in Bolivia! Thank you for journeying with me and enabling me to serve our brothers and sisters in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

Please pray for me as I begin my cross cultural and language acquisition training for four weeks on July 23rd. This is one my final trainings needed in preparation for service. Please pray that others will join and my ongoing personal support goal will grow 10% in order to start planning my commissioning service.

Together in God’s mission,

Sarah