Welcome back to the blog 🙂
Before diving into what the Lord has been doing lately, I wanted to share a few updates!
- I’ll be posting blogs every other week.
- My squad and I just got back from North Carolina, where we spent a week doing disaster relief and children’s ministry!
- We’re now back in Georgia for about a week for debrief, and then we head to Eswatini in early October!
- I’ve been given the role of worship coordinator for my squad, along with two others.
- My team has been announced!
The squad is everyone going on the trip — 37 people in total — and within the squad, we’re split into smaller teams that will travel separately while on the field.
My team has 6 people:- Carter (one of our leaders)
- Tony
- Ezra
- Parker
- Presley
- And me!
What the Lord Has Been Doing…
The Lord has been teaching me a lot lately — honestly, it’s been almost overwhelming. The main theme has been letting Him mold my heart. Like a potter with clay, He’s showing me what it truly means to follow Him.
Growing up in the mission field, my biggest influence has been my parents. They’ve modeled what it looks like to lay everything at God’s feet, turn to Him, and walk in complete faith. I’ve seen firsthand that the Lord provides when we are obedient.
I remember when my parents were called to move to Puerto Rico. They obeyed, and in December 2014, we moved with just $800 in cash and a lot of suitcases. I was only 8 years old at the time and didn’t fully understand what was happening — I just remember being sad that we were going to miss Christmas. I thought we wouldn’t have any presents that year because we didn’t have much money.
But I was wrong.
Somehow, my parents managed to get me and my siblings gifts and even a Christmas tree. It turned out to be my best Christmas to date. I remember waking up that morning so surprised that there was anything at all. It was all God. He provided.
Looking back, I know my parents were in a tough spot financially, but they still wanted us to celebrate Christmas — and somehow, God made a way. We had gifts, a tree, a car, and even a home. The Lord was so good to my family because of my parents’ obedience.
Hurricane Relief Work
While in North Carolina this past week doing domestic ministry, my team worked on hurricane relief. Our specific project was helping a house that needed drywall repairs, but most of the other houses needed cleaning and gutting — ripping out everything that was damaged by last year’s hurricane in preparation for rebuilding.
For those who don’t know, my family and I lived through two Category 5 hurricanes while we were in Puerto Rico.
The first was Hurricane Irma, which devastated the Virgin Islands in early September. My dad and brother went to help with relief efforts on St. Thomas, while my mom, sister, and I stayed in Puerto Rico.
That’s when Hurricane Maria started forming. At first, we didn’t expect much from her. All hurricanes start as tropical storms, and Maria was just beginning to grow.
But then it escalated — fast.
By the time Maria became a serious threat, my dad and brother couldn’t get back to Puerto Rico. They were stuck in St. Thomas, and my mom, sister, and I were on our own. When Maria hit, we were in a closet for 18 hours, not knowing what was going on outside.
When we finally came out, it looked like a war zone.
Maria is still considered the most catastrophic hurricane to ever hit Puerto Rico, with over 3,000 deaths.
Because of that experience, I was able to relate deeply to the people we were serving in Black Mountain, NC. I know what it feels like to have everything ripped out from under you.
A Word That Hit My Heart
During our time in North Carolina, a friend of mine named Cesar said something that really struck me:
“All of this work we are doing — the mucking and gutting, cleaning, refining, sanding, and finishing these homes — that’s what God is doing in our hearts. He is cleaning us out and making us new.”
That perspective hit home.
From that point forward, I approached the work with a new mindset. I walked in gratitude, praising God for the work He’s doing in my heart. He’s been cleaning out the old, broken pieces and rebuilding something new and beautiful. Cesar is 63 and happens to be Puerorican
To wrap it up: the Lord has been moving in my life in powerful ways, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.
Thank you so much for reading — it means a lot!
– Bridger Hoogeveen
Support Update
I’m currently 61% fundraised! If you feel the Lord leading you to partner with me financially as I continue on this journey, you can follow this link to donate:
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