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The Time I Shared My Testimony in Front of an Entire Village

She stood in front of 150 strangers and was asked to speak. When Guatemala short term trip missionary Kathy Sikora was asked to give her testimony at a church service, she expected only 15 people in the audience.


 

While on our mission trip to Guatemala, our team was asked to share at a village just outside of Chichicastenango. I was excited, anxious, and nervous about this village visit, mainly because I had decided to share my testimony for the very first time.

As I started to pray about what I was going to say, one thing was very clear to me: I was to do this without any notes. What I was going to say would come directly from the heart, which was okay with me because I was only expecting 15-30 people to show up.

Well, God had other plans as probably about 100-150 people showed up to greet us. HELLO STAGE FRIGHT!

The crowd ranged from toddlers to grandparents, and if I’m being completely honest I was panicking inside. Apparently the pastor had made an announcement on the radio and the entire village showed up!  

I never thought I would share my story in front of 150 complete strangers, but when God says go, heck you just gotta go! It was like I was standing on the edge of a cliff preparing myself to jump head first.

The crowd quieted and the pastor looked at me. It was time for me to speak.


As I braced myself to take the ‘stage’, Matthew 28:20 popped into my head—And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

I began to speak, finding that my words were not my own. What exactly I said is blurry, but I know it came out exactly how God intended.

I didn’t wake up that day knowing I was going to speak in front of an entire village but God did, and He more than equipped me to share His heart.

I am finding that it is in times when my knees are quivering and my hands are shaking, that God uses me the most. It’s the times when I can’t rely on my own strength that I know I can fully rely on a good God who gives me strength in my weakness.


 

How have you seen God’s power in moments when you were afraid?

Is God calling you to serve him on a short term mission trip this year? Click here to find out how you can go to Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America this fall.