Wow! It's month 4 and we are in Trujillo, Peru. This also happens to be my birthday month. Woohoo! I turned 26 on April 8th.
My team surprised me on April 7th with a trip to the local shopping mall for some WiFi and ice cream. But the extra surprise was that they had contacted two of our other teams in Trujillo to come to the mall and surprise me!
It was so sweet and so wonderful to see the lovely people of team Radical and Firestarters. It's weird to be in the same city and yet be so far away from those two teams.
On my birthday, my team pulled out all the stops.
A poster for my morning greeting. An egg and cheese breakfast sandwich with bananas on the side. oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, popcorn, and a movie to end the day.
They presented me with a gift of some of my favorite things.
Plantain chips, salt and lime chips, Dr. Pepper, olives, almonds and chocolate!
I love my team! They are my home away from home.
Our ministry this month is with an organization called Torch Light Ministries.
We are living in their preschool for the month but I am so thankful because we have running water, a roof over our heads and beds to sleep in.
These items are a luxury. I'm so thankful to have them.
We have a lot to do for ministry this month.
We will be teaching English classes, music classes, P.E. and crafts for the preschool, painting doors and windows, setting up the garage for Sunday services,
leading worship for Sunday in Spanish, leading a Women's bible study and planting a garden in the front of the building.
We are in a lower altitude this month so that will make all the manual labor a lot easier. :)
I am so thankful to be here in Peru.
My team is reading through Nehemiah together. We read through chapter 4 the other day and it reminded us a lot of this race and our squad.
In that chapter Nehemiah and his people are rebuilding the wall. They come against some opposition while they are rebuilding.
When some people heard about the progress of the wall they became very angry and plotted to fight against Jerusalem. Nehemiah hears about this plan and immediately prays.
Nehemiah said to the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember The Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes."
Nehemiah reminded the people that they couldn't do this in their own strength but that God would fight for them.
When we read this chapter it reminded us of this race. God has called the 45 people on my squad to this route and as we make our way across Latin America we are building up the wall to keep the enemy out of these places.
With God's strength, we are pushing back the darkness and calling forth His glorious light.
I am overjoyed to know that I serve the God of the universe and so humbled to be apart of this mission.
But I can't do it alone I need every single person on my squad. One of my teammates,Karli Newton, is in need of your financial support.
They have extended her financial deadline until the end of this month.
She is still in need of $1,200 to continue to stay on the race.
The perfect birthday present would be to have Karli stay on the race. She is an asset to our team and to our squad. The race wouldn't be the same without her.
She has a beautiful heart for children and children's ministry and she has already grown so much. God has called her to this trip for 11 months not 4.
Will you help her fulfill this calling?
If you feel led to give, click on her name in this post and it will take you to her website.
Thank you so much for your continued support through prayers and finances.
