On the Other Side...

It's kind of funny...there's a team here right now from Millersville University. The same group (not people) that I came on a missions trip here in 2008. Actually, two of the people that are here were on my team, and one of them I know from college! On Sunday they did some stuff (like sing and talk) at church and today they were helping out in the classrooms at school. It was kind of wierd to be on the other side of it this time, to be in the crowd with the Peruvians as they preformed on Sunday and to be the one telling them how they can help me out in the classroom. Sometimes I still feel in schock that I am actually living in South America and doing all this. But it really is a blessing:)

Praise God for Flexibility!!

I remember back in training when we had to do a stregth finders test. One of my top 5 was adaptability. I remember Stacy saying, "oh, that's good for where you are going!" Was she ever right! Not that I am not still challenged by it at times, but that adaptability God has given me has been a blessing. There is the whole time thing, if something starts at 11, it is perfectly normal to show up at 12 or later. Another example is, that when it gets to be winter here our school schedule gets pushed back by 20 min. because it is so cold in the morning. One day at our morning meeting they were talking about this and were like, oh, we'll start that tomorrow...haha...can you imagine doing that in the states?! People would be in an uproar, but here it's perfectly normal. But this week has definitely been a week of flexibility. Yesterday (Friday) we had a parents' day program. On Wed. I ended up only having 2 out of my 4 classes, because they were practicing. Thurs. 2 out of my 5, and Friday I ended up having no classes at all (but this was kind of fun, because I got to hang out with my classes and help them get ready). Wed. after school, we stayed late to make flowers for decorations, and Thurs. until 7 decorating. And it was all pretty much a last minute decision. So, praise God that that kind of thing doesn't really bother me too much! In a way it is kind of nice to not be ruled by time.
The program turned out really good, they really went all out with dances and outfits. I added a picture of some of my second graders. They did a traditional dance with traditional outfits. Too cute!

"Trust involves letting go and knowing God will catch you." ~James Dobson

The title was just a quote from one of my devotionals this week that I really liked. It was a good, relaxing weekend :) On Saturday morning some of the teachers met for breakfast which was a lot of fun. And then at night we went to a youth thing that our church was having. Youth groups are a bit different here, it's like teeneagers until you are married, so there was quite a range of ages. A group is here from Canada, so they lead it. It was a very nice message and I was sitting next to one of the teachers who is a lot of fun, so I laughed a lot :) Afterwords, there was a concert downstairs, so we joined that. At one point there was a big circle of people holding hands and just dancing in God's joyous presence. Then a smaller circle formed and pulled Megan and I in. Then I realized the big circle had grown around us and we were in the middle! But it was a lot of fun! I felt like I laughed a lot and was just really filled with joy which was awesome! The church had a marriage conference all weekend, so Sunday church was packed! It was a really nice service (although a little hard for me to focus, because you had the guy preaching in Spanish, a guy translating the sermon into Quechua, and a guy translating it into English off to the side for the Canadian group. And then with lots of people and crying babies, it made it hard for me to concentrate, and that's what I need to do to understand the Spanish sermons. But I still got the gist) and a lot of people gave control of their lives to God and the marriage conference seemed to really make a lot of people want to work on their marriages as well, which is really exciting. Afterwards there was a meal. It was really nice to have activities at church outside of church. It helps you to get to know more people and it gave me more of a sense of belonging to the church as well.
I have been reading Forgotten God by Francis Chan. It's a really good book and it's basically about how many have forgotten about the Holy Spirit. I definitely felt the Holy Spirit's presence this weekend and feel like He was speaking to me (through people, through the bible, etc.). I also, again, got the feeling that I am where I am supposed to be at this time in my life, which is very comforting. I definitely feel like God is molding me in this time which is really exciting.
"But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel." ~Jeremiah 18:4-6

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him..."

Jeremiah 17:5-8 has just been continually coming up ever since my training to come here. It's really been neat to see how God has used one verse in so many different situautions. And also, how He keeps showing me new meanings of the verse. Like this week, verse 7 ( “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him") really stuck out to me and I realized I kind of breezed over it before. I more focused on the part where it says to be like a tree planted by the stream (to really make sure my roots are deeply rooted into God). God recently pointed out to me that it says  “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,  whose confidence is in him.They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream..." That that is how we become like the tree with our roots planted by the water, by trusting in Him and having our confidence in Him. That just never really clicked before, even though I have read the verse a lot. I feel like trusting in the Lord, I generally understand the concept (not that I can't learn more or always do it), but putting my confidence in God I don't feel like I completely comprehend (so if you have any thoughts I would appreciate them). I mean, I am thinking along the lines of having confidence in Him and not my own abilities, but then I think He gave me my abilities, so maybe just remembering that and realizing it's not my own strength? Or having confidence in His plan for me, but how does that differ from trust? So, I definitely need to keep seeking wisdom on the topic, but I am excited to learn more and that God is showing me new things.

Surprise Blessings!

I was reflecting today, and I was surprised at how supported I have felt while here. Today, I got a letter from someone that took me by surprise (I just wasn't expecting it) and they told me how much they enjoy my newsletters and they share them with their small church group. It was definitely a blessing to hear. My mom also writes me often and sent me a package and my dad wrote once too. I also get letters from my sister and drawings from my nieces and nephew which make me smile. I've also just gotten a lot of encouraging facebook messages and e-mails and good skype conversations. The amount of suppport kind of surprised me for some reason. Maybe because I had so much trouble with my funds or some of the responses when I said what I was doing. But all that doesn't matter, I feel supported and blessed. Praise God!