I Should’ve Brought My Rain Boots!

I have officially been in Peru for 2 weeks and 3 days. The first week went kind of slowly, but now I can’t believe it’s been over two weeks already. Sorry I haven’t updated sooner, I am currently living with a host family and they don’t have internet. Now I am able to walk to this internet café. Not next weekend, but the following (March 12th) I will be moving in with two other missionaries into a house with internet. Like I said, I am currently living with a host family. They are really nice and take good care of me. At times it is a little difficult because they don’t really speak English, but my Spanish is definitely starting to come back and we play charades sometimes. They have three kids too, which is fun. My host dad works at Promesa as well. School starts this Tuesday (March 1st). The last two weeks I have been here we have been going to school 8-2 (like we normally will) Monday-Friday and doing lots of prep. This has been a nice time to get to know the other teachers better. There still seems to be quite a bit to do before school starts, but I feel at peace about it, praise God. But prayer for the first week of school would be great. I know it is going to be different and challenging at times, but I am very excited for school to start.
As for the title of this blog, it rains here a lot. Like, it can be sunny one minute and torrential downpour the next. It generally rains at least once almost every day. And when it rains the street I walk often (from the house I am living in, which is uphill) becomes a river. So, I am so wishing I packed my rain boots. I thought about it, but then I thought they are large and how often would I really wear them…the answer to that is a lot! Apparently now is the rainy season (also known as summer, but it isn’t generally warm, unless the sun is out). About a month more then it won’t rain as much they say. I’ve also been told it is warmer in their winter (June, July…). They say the sun is very strong during the day, but when the sun goes away the temperature drops drastically.
I would be lying to you if I said it was always easy, or I never got homesick, but it is definitely getting easier the more I am here and with the more relationships I build. I know this is where God wants me to be and I know it’s not always easy because it’s out of my comfort zone, it’s different. But I feel like God is going to use this experience to drastically change my life and I am very excited about that. I just need to focus on the positive and all the wonderful experiences I am getting here and not the few I am missing. I can just see so many things God has already shown me while here and it makes me excited for how much more he will teach me! Not taking anything or any moment for granite is definitely a big thing God has taught me. Another is about being weak. During my training before coming here, I started to realize that I really don’t like to be weak. Through my time here God has already shown me that it’s okay to be weak. In fact, I need to be: “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness,” 2 Corinthians 12:9. I need to be weak and realize I can’t do this (or anything) on my own; I need to rely solely on God, each day. One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 17:5-8 (hence the title of this blog). I was reading over it the other day and God showed me how it tied into strength. God has been bringing this verse to me often, and I feel it is very important for this time in my life. I feel He has really been calling me to be like a tree planted by the water with my roots so very deep into Him. The other day He reminded me that a tree with no roots or very shallow roots can be easily knocked over, it is weak. A tree with deeply embedded roots is much harder to knock over, it is strong, and what makes it strong? Not the tree itself, it is the same in both circumstances, but the roots (God) are what make it strong.
Praise God I am starting to adjust to the altitude. My stomach was not happy for a while and doing simple tasks made me breathe hard, but it’s definitely getting better! I get stared at a lot, haha. Of course skin color comes into play but I think my height has a lot to do with it too. One of the kids from my host family was introducing me to his cousin and he was like, this is Kristy, she’s tall isn’t she! My curly hair may have something to do with it as well. I found out they love curly hair here, probably because it isn’t very common. I do love the people here, though. They are very loving and welcoming.
I have started to be able to find my way around somewhat. When I first got here I thought it would take me forever (everything kind of looked the same at first). I am currently taking Spanish classes at a place in San Blas. It is about a 45min. to hour commute. I get on a combi (it’s like a bus- I will explain more in March’s newsletter) and ride for about 35 min. Then I have to walk up to the place where my classes are (and I mean up, there are lots of steep inclines here, I swear I’ll have legs of steel before I leave ;)) which takes about 10-15 mins. So from that I am starting to learn more of the combi stops and how to get some places, which is nice. Well, I could keep going…but this is already getting long, so I’ll stop now. If there’s anything you want to know that I didn’t talk about just ask!

If our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?

"Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!

And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us.
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against.
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us.
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against.
What could stand against..."

We sang this song at church the other day and it really stuck out to me. I feel like it really fit my current situation. God wanted me in Peru and He provided for me to get there. Nothing is stronger than Him...even though the large sum of money I still needed seemed pretty large and strong, it could ot stop Him and His plan. Through this God has really shown me so much that if He calls us and we listen He really will provided...no matter what. And I can really see God touching people in my life through the work He is doing in me, which is really exciting!

Currently I am in the Miami airport. One flight down, two more to go...I have a 5 hour lay over here in Miami. It's going well, other than me having no idea what I am doing (in reguards to flying and the airport), but people have been generally very helpful :)