Joining Hands: Partnering with Local Leaders in Nicaragua
Episode 18 | 20 Minutes | April 29, 2025
In this episode, Brenna sits down with Molly Riggs, a university student who recently returned from a mission trip to Nicaragua. Molly shares how her team partnered with local organizations to support ongoing work—through manual labor, relationship-building, and spiritual reflection. She reflects on how the experience reshaped her understanding of missions, deepened her faith, and challenged her to trust in God's presence already at work.
In this Episode:
Meet Molly Riggs, an interior and architectural design student with a heart for missions and cross-cultural service.
Mission in Nicaragua — Molly recounts her spring break trip where she partnered with local organizations through the Shalom Project and One Collective.
Hands-On Service — From farm labor to church cleanups, the team supported ongoing local efforts rather than initiating their own.
Spiritual Growth — Molly shares how witnessing the deep faith of local families reshaped her own trust in God.
Collaborating, Not Leading — The trip reframed her view of missions: not bringing God to others, but joining what He’s already doing.
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Molly Riggs is a sophomore at Olivet Nazarene University, studying interior and architectural design with minors in graphic design and intercultural studies. Originally from West Virginia, Molly is passionate about using her creative skills to serve others—whether through designing safe, inclusive spaces or engaging in cross-cultural missions. Her heart for service is deeply influenced by her family’s legacy of ministry, and her recent trip to Nicaragua further deepened her understanding of faith, humility, and collaboration. Molly is driven by a desire to walk alongside others and contribute to work that’s already transforming lives.
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Brenna Carson: Hi, Molly. How are you doing?
Molly Riggs: I'm good!
Brenna Carson: I'm well. Thanks for being here.
Molly Riggs: Yeah, thank you.
Brenna Carson: Of course. Molly, can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself? Are you currently a student? What are you studying? Do you have any hopes or dreams you can share with us? We'd love to get to know you a little better.
Molly Riggs: Yeah, so I'm Molly Riggs. I'm from West Virginia, and I'm currently a student at Olivet Nazarene University. I'm studying interior and architectural design, and I'm double minoring in graphic design and intercultural studies.
One thing I’d love to do with that is go into missions—either part-time or full-time—and help build shelters or support children with autism. I want to create safe environments where they feel comfortable. It feels like an awesome opportunity to use my skills and knowledge. I'm still figuring it out—I'm a sophomore, so I’ve got time.
Brenna Carson: Yeah, time. That sounds incredible. What a cool blend of study areas—practical, creative, and relational. Now, you recently went on a spring break trip to Nicaragua, right? You mentioned your minor in intercultural studies—was that part of why you were interested in this trip? How did that come about for you?
Molly Riggs: So my dad's side of the family—my grandparents were missionaries, and my dad was a missionary kid. I grew up knowing I wanted to go on a mission trip. In my youth group, high school was when we could go, but my freshman year was during COVID, so it didn’t happen. We didn’t have any mission trips throughout high school.
Then when I got to Olivet, I heard about the mission trips they do through the Shalom Project. I knew I had to be part of one. My dad told me not to go freshman year—he wanted me to settle in first—so we decided sophomore year would be the time.
Brenna Carson: Wow. So this was your chance, finally, after all those years of wanting to go.
Molly Riggs: Yeah, and it’s funny—people assume that as a pastor’s kid, I’ve been on a mission trip before, but that’s not always the case.
Brenna Carson: I understand that. Timing, opportunity—it doesn’t always work out. I'm so glad it happened for you sophomore year. We'll get into more details about what you did in Nicaragua, but I'm curious—after thinking about this for so long, how did it compare to your expectations? Did it live up to what you'd imagined, or was it different?
Molly Riggs: I had heard so many stories from my parents and grandparents about missions, and I expected this kind of spiritual high—teaching people about God, making a big impact.
But once we got there, I quickly realized that God was already doing amazing work. One of the leaders from the Marshall group said something like, “We’re not there to bring God to them. God’s already there—we’re just helping further His kingdom.” That really hit me.
I wasn’t there to change people’s lives. I was there to support what was already happening—whether that meant manual labor or just building relationships. That was a big shift from what I expected.
Brenna Carson: Wow. I’d love to hear more about that. But first, can you help set the scene for us? What kind of work was your team doing in Nicaragua? What projects did you take on, and who did you partner with?
Molly Riggs: Sure! We were about 45 minutes from Managua. We partnered with One Collective and stayed at one of their businesses called Betos—a beautiful café.
The first day, we did work around Betos—painting a wall to prevent rainwater from seeping in, some landscaping. Then, throughout the week, we met local Nicaraguans involved with One Collective’s programs.
We visited a family that makes incredible ceramics and heard their testimony. We also worked on two farms—did manual labor, used machetes (which was wild!), cut plantain trees, gathered eggs, burned leaves, moved wood.
One morning, we split into smaller groups and cleaned local churches. We talked with staff and pastors and got to hear about their churches’ histories. The whole week was about being flexible and doing whatever was needed.
Brenna Carson: Did you enjoy that kind of work—the manual labor, the variety of tasks? Did it connect with your interest in building and creating spaces?
Molly Riggs: I loved it—which surprised me because I’m not a big fan of bugs and outdoor stuff. But there’s something so fulfilling about having a goal and working toward it for someone else. I’d do that kind of work all the time.
Brenna Carson: That’s great. From what you’ve shared, it sounds like this trip was more about supporting existing work and communities—different from what you originally pictured. What did you take away from that? How do you reconcile your expectations with the reality of what you experienced?
Molly Riggs: Yeah, I used to think mission trips were all about going into impoverished places, seeing how little people had, and coming back feeling grateful for what I have. But I didn’t feel that as strongly as I thought I would.
Instead, I was struck by how grateful the people were and how strong their faith was. I felt more humbled by their spiritual strength than anything else. One family talked about facing a storm without a roof and how they just sat together and prayed. That made me question—what do I put my faith in? Myself or God?
So I came away realizing that I need to trust God more deeply. Their faith challenged and inspired me.
Brenna Carson: Wow. That’s such a powerful lesson. It’s amazing to see how, in a place where people might have less materially, they can have such richness in faith. Do you feel like that experience has changed you—maybe in your daily life or spiritual walk since coming home?
Molly Riggs: Definitely. I’ve been talking with mentors, like a former youth pastor who’s now a great friend and guide.
I also kept a journal in Nicaragua—writing every morning and night about what I was seeing, learning, and how God was speaking to me. I’ve been revisiting that journal to remind myself of what I experienced and how to carry it into daily life.
Coming back to the busyness here has been hard. Life in Nicaragua felt slower, more intentional. I didn’t even have my phone, and I felt so present. It’s been a challenge to maintain that mindset, but community has helped.
Our whole team is still in touch—we get together, we text. They’re my accountability. Just talking with people who went through the same thing helps so much in processing and living it out.
Brenna Carson: That’s so good—community really is key. As you think back on preparing for this trip and everything you’ve learned, what would you say to someone considering a mission trip? Any advice—spiritually, emotionally, practically—for preparing their heart well?
Molly Riggs: I’d say take advantage of any preparation meetings or materials. At Olivet, the Shalom Projects gave us a pamphlet and had us meet a couple of times to talk about expectations, culture shock, and mindset. That helped so much.
One thing I wish I’d done more was pray—not just about going, but about being open to whatever God had planned. I was so focused on the excitement and the possibilities that I didn’t fully surrender it to Him beforehand.
So yeah, pray for openness and trust. Remember that you're not going to "bring God" somewhere—He's already there. You’re just stepping into the work He’s already doing.
Brenna Carson: That’s a beautiful reminder. And even though you feel like you could’ve prayed more, it’s clear God was so faithful to show up and draw you closer to Him through it all.
Thank you, Molly, for sharing your story. We’re excited to see where life takes you and how you continue to walk out this experience.
Molly Riggs: Thank you! It was great talking to you.