I would like to take some time and talk about all the things that went on in the last couple of months in Santiago de Chocorvos. We made some really awesome relationship with a number of folks in that village and toward the last few weeks we were meeting and hanging out with some pretty regularly. I was really blessed by a number of situations. One of which was with a lady named Pilar. Pilar had two young kids and lived with them and her husband and her brother-in-law. We were able to share stories with her on a number of occasions. One specific time that was awesome was when we were sharing the story of Joseph. We did the story in two part and when we came to share the second part she had already read it and told the whole story to us! We were amazed and rejoicing that the Lord was giving her a passion and desire to read the Word! We are praying that he will continue to do that.
We also spent a lot of time with a lady named Marcelina. She loved to hear us sing. Salomon had his guitar with us and we learned a number of praise songs in spanish so we would go and sing all of our songs with here and then share either a story or read scripture verses. Sometimes it was hard because she would be really tired. But I know that the Lord was using us and that she was understanding much of what we said. I feel like her heart was in wonder about what the Word said and about the stories. In the last week she told us that she found out she has pancreatic cancer. We were alarmed at the news but were able to pray with her and let her know that the Lord can be her refuge and strength. I am continuing to pray for her and her family as she learns more about the cancer. Please pray for her as well.
I was so blessed by a number of people in this village and made some relationships that were really hard to leave. I don't know if the Lord will ever take me back there but I would love to visit again at some point during my time here.
It is really hard for my to sum this up. There were so many amazing and fun experiences. I have decided that I am just gonna bullet some sweet memories that I would like to share:
- Making pancakes with two families as well as a young lady that I became friends with
- Playing cards and Phase 10 with various people in the village in the evenings
- Purchasing the movie Fireproof and passing it around so that various people could see a godly perspective on problems in a marriage... the response and questions that developed from the movie were amazing
- Going to work in the fields on numerous occasions and doing tasks that included: picking potatoes, leveling the ground to sow seed, gathering wood to carry back for cooking, picking pumpkins
- NO electricity for days at a time
- Showers once a week with only cold water
- Eating enough potatoes and rice to last me for the rest of my life
- Spending a day by the river with some of the kids
- Teaching english to the kindergartners
- Playing volleyball with government workers and locals in the afternoons
Needless to say the Lord really blessed me and taught me a lot! It was hard to be away from family and without a way to talk regularly with them but we made it through. I can't wait to see what is in store for this next month in Tambo. I hope that this finds you all well. I will be blogging again in early May when I get back to Lima. The first of May will mark a transition for me as I will be starting research projects and will hopefully be doing research primarily from here on out.
Mad Loooooove
Psalm 62:5-7
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge."
