Felipe’s First Trip: Understanding God’s heart
Felipe once dreamed of building a successful life as a doctor. His goals and his focus stirred towards building a nice house and working hard, but he discovered something greater. He experienced the joy that came with giving. This is the story of what Felipe learned and how God prepared him to do ministry at Reflejo.
One day, Felipe’s friend took him to a church where they were organizing local mission trips to impoverished neighborhoods. He felt curious and signed up, joining a team of volunteers offering free health care and education. He initially thought missions were merely providing services to those in need. However, upon arrival, he discovered that true missions also address emotional and spiritual needs. This revelation sparked something within Felipe. Recognizing that he had more to offer, he eagerly volunteered for additional trips within Argentina, each time growing more passionate about serving others. But could there be more that God was calling him to? That’s when Felipe felt a pull toward a distant place.
God led him to a small village in Africa, a place that was vastly different from anything he had known. There, he lived in a house made of sticks, slept on the floor, and lived without electricity. But what stood out the most was the community he encountered in the small village church. Despite their circumstances, the people were united in their love for Christ, coming together to share meals, care for one another, and give generously from the little they had.
Felipe had come to volunteer and help the people in this village, but instead, they taught him what it meant to be a part of Christ’s body. Even though the women who led the worship at church couldn’t play any instruments, they praised God by dancing and singing. Felipe had read and studied scripture before, but he started experiencing God in a new way. He didn't need anything else other than to dance and sing in his presence to feel his spirit around him. He realized then that you don’t need to have a lot to please God, you just need to do it wholeheartedly.
In this village, Felipe was beginning to understand God's heart more deeply. As his time there came to an end and his team was getting ready to leave, he sought God's guidance on what to do next. “Stay” God said. Felipe knew then that there was something more God wanted him to learn. So, he remained behind to participate in a baptism. Although Felipe had witnessed many baptisms before, this one would be different.
“There will be days of persecution and many difficult times ahead, but Lord we ask that you strengthen our brothers and sisters in their faith so they are not discouraged and remain strong in You. God, use them for Your kingdom.” the pastor prayed. Then, the entire congregation erupted in celebration and praise.
What struck Felipe was how their first prayer was for strength in the face of inevitable persecution. For the first time, he saw the hardships of faith up close, realizing the immense challenges of being a believer in a context where faith is met with hostility. It was then that Felipe understood that the need extended beyond just treating physical wounds; there was a profound spiritual need among those who didn't know Jesus. And he realized that God's plan for him was not just to serve as a doctor, but to be a disciple to others.
Because of these experiences, Felipe reached out to Reflejo, he wanted to be a missionary. Now, Felipe is preparing to go into the mission field long-term, but before all this happened, he took another important trip where he experienced sharing God’s word through an encounter with a young man in his English class.
To read more about Felipe’s journey, go to Felipe’s Second Trip.*