Lost in the city

So this is day 5 in Peru.  Things are still going very well.  I am currently taking it easy in my apartment.  I had my first meeting with the team today and met a couple with a little boy who are working here in Lima as career missionaries and they were very sweet people.  It's always an encouragement to see a husband, wife, and their young child/children out on the field fully surrendering themselves to the Lord.  At the meeting we discussed the upcoming arrival of many folks and about all of the many church groups and individuals that will be coming in during the US summer.  I am so thankful for my current team members and am looking forward to meeting more in the next few weeks.

I have been trying to walk many of my routes and learning street names and where important places are in town.  I got lost for about a half hour the other day on my way home but eventually figured it out.  And again today I found myself a little confused but managed to get back safely and saw many beautiful parks with blooming flowers, green grass, and big trees while I was lost so it wasn't so bad.  The Lord is really showing me how with just a little faith and trust he can get us through anything.  Whether it be large or small.  I am finding joy in small victories... like finding my way around town, figuring out how to make the shower warm, and fixing the constant running toilet.  

May each of us find joy in the small things in our lives.  I ask that you would continue to pray for a smooth transition into the culture and language.  Pray for the missionaries that will be joining us very soon and that together we can begin doing the work in the small villages of South America to which the Lord has called us.  

MAD Love

P.S.  If any of you have skype please let me know so that I can add you.

Goodbyes, Planes, Beaches, and Bem Bos

Hello all!

Hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season.  I am so happy to say that this is my first post from PERU!  I am in my apartment and about to head to bed!

Saying goodbye to family was really hard.  I already miss them dearly.  During my last days I was able to go to the lake with poppa, momma, and my brother to enjoy the warm weather, we went to my favorite restaurant Pasquales, we spent lots of time just hanging out with the in the house, and we had a wonderful celebration with friends and family on New Year's Eve.  I could never thank the Lord enough for the blessing of my family.

My day on plane rides went pretty well besides a little spurt of sickness on the way to Lima.  I flew with a couple of girls who will also be working in South America which was very comforting.  We finally arrived in Lima, Peru around 2:00 am on Saturday.  We were met by a number of missionaries working here in Peru.  After getting luggage loaded we headed to my apartment.   I was the only girl in the apartment last night although there are 2 others living here who will be back tomorrow.  I unpacked until around 4 am and then hit the sack.  

Today was spent with two new friends who are working on the ReapSouth team.  We spent lots of time talking and walking.  They helped me to get familiar with the city.  We then took a trip down to the beach.  This was quite an experience as the beaches were packed with locals.  We set up a spot and enjoyed the warm air.  But ended up spending most of our time avoiding the burning looks from a group of surfer guys who were smoking marijuana.  We left the beach and headed back for home and later went to a local restaurant called Bem Bos where I got cheese sticks and a burrito!  It was a good meal for my first night.  I am looking forward to church tomorrow and more time with my new friends.  More to come soon!

Please be in prayer for me as I try to get back into the groove of understanding and speaking spanish constantly.  Be in prayer for the people in Lima and for Christ to have a strong impact on their lives.

Besos

The tree @ home

Back in Kentucky

So... I am back in good ole Kentucky once more. I am sitting on our comfy couch, listening to the rain, marveling at the Christmas tree. It is wonderful to be with family after a couple of months away and I look foward to this blessed time together during the holidays. I have been talking with them about the many things that I learned at orientation. But more than anything I continue to share about the believers that I met and how they sharpened me and how they did life with me for two months. Another example of how the Lord has put amazing Godly people in my life. I continually missed friends and family but the Lord provided.

Prior to orientation my family and I struggled in coping with me being gone for two years. My entire family lives really close and we spend lots of time with one another. There was an overwhelming sadness for us at times. The one thing that sustained my was the Lord and knowing that my obedience to go and fulfill his call was above any of the wishes of my family and my own doubts.

Recently the Lord again proved faithful when my grandfather met a young woman who had served in Peru through the same program as me. She was able to share with him and put some of his fears at ease. He was able to share with other family members. The Lord has not only revealed his call to me but he continued to reveal it to my family while I was away.

Great is his faithfulness!

Blessings to all

Much Love

"I will sing about the LORD's faithful love forever; with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations." -Psalm 89:1

How cool is this? The largest floating christmas tree... it's in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

We finally got some snow here in Virginia. It didn't last to long but our spirits were joyful when we looked outside and saw a winter wonderland.

This weekend consisted of more security training on Saturday, dinner out, and movie night. On Sunday we had small group time. I committed to spending the majority of my day resting and reflecting on my time here that is quickly coming to an end. It was really tough this weekend because I talked to my mom on the phone and we broke down crying because we are beginning to realize how very close it is to saying goodbye. I know the Lord is faithful and he will comfort us, and all the other many families sending out loved ones, in the this situation and teach us how to deal with saying goodbye. I talked with some friends and prayed over our time at home during the holidays as well as our farewells with family.

Last night a bunch of us decided to go ALL OUT for dinner and head to Cheesecake Factory. It's hard to believe that there is one so close and I hadn't been already. It is probably one of my family's most favorite places to go. I had an amazing appetizer of Thai Lettuce Wraps and then, of course, finished it off with a big honkin piece of white chocolate macadamia nut cheesecake. DELICIOUS... and an excellent time of fellowship. The people I have met here have been such a blessing, it's heavy to think about leaving here in a little over a week.

Mad love to all

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

Hey!

I am about to head to bed for the night... and it's only 9:00! This will be the earliest for me in a while. I am going through security training right now and it's pretty heavy stuff. There are lots of things that we need to be prepared for in the area of security because we never know exactly what we may face on the field.

Please pray for all of the missionaries here as we are in the home stetch of training. It has been an awesome process and we are all eager to begin our work on the field! I will be praying and thinking of you all during the holiday season. Blessings to all!