The length of time in place does not define the impact it can have on me. These last three months in South America may have been short and went by faster than I ever imagined, but they were oh so beautiful and life giving.
I started out this journey in a country I wasn’t particularly excited about. I didn’t have very high expectations upon arriving in Colombia. I even remember having the thought that I was glad I was getting on of more difficult countries out of the way early. The thing about expectations is that even if they are low, you still have them and if you let them, they can heavily affect your attitude. Bogota, Colombia surprised me. Not necessarily because the scenery or city was different than expected, but because I loved it just the way it was. Waking up in that church up on the mountain, serving along amazingly strong and devoted followers, and being attacked by dozens of the neighborhood kids every day brought more joy into my life than I expected. In Colombia, I witnessed the fruit of obedience through our ministry hosts Lucy, Ricardo, and Laura. This family relied on the Lord for everything and taught me the reality of needs vs. wants in life. The sweet kids of Formavida taught me that a little love goes a long way. It didn’t matter that I didn’t speak their language and had little to nothing to offer them, those children only needed love. I cherish the times little Sophia or Laura curled up on my lap, I miss wrestling with the boys as they tried to steal my hat, and the sweet sound of giggles that came from the many hours of jump rope rests in my heart still. Colombia also introduced me to the sweet word intimacy and what can happen when I intentionally seek the Father’s heart. Month one was not easy, resulted in several bruises and cuts, was full of laughter, was full of growth, and was the perfect beginning to both my life as a missionary and as a daughter to the King.
Ecuador kicked off with our first debrief and it rocked my world a bit. Our squad mentor Ashley just has a way of setting my perspective upward. Month two was full of adventure, whether that be zip lining through the jungle, or living with the entire squad in one house. I loved being able to see the hearts of my squad-mates as they shared about their day at ministry. Shoutout to team Redeemed and Remade for really seeking after the Father’s heart and seeing super awesome fruit from your obedience. You all really embraced the mission and it was very cool to witness. In my own walk in missions, I discovered purpose in the work my team did at Camp Hope. The Father filled up the place in my heart for people with special needs by placing me as a caregiver. In Ecuador, the Lord began to teach me a lesson about trust (check out my blog about it) and while that lesson continues, I will forever cherish all learned from the sweet kids at Camp Hope. While my heart broke in many ways in Ecuador, it healed in a way that created space for even more compassion and hope. I learned that the Lord truly does work in funny and mysterious ways. Month two gave me community and testings, visions and hope, all while drawing me closer to purpose. It was a good month.
Oh sweet Peru, you definitely stole a piece of my soul. After two months of exponential personal growth, I wasn’t sure what more the Lord could possibly have up his sleeve for me…LOL. I walked into ministry in Peru with a ton of excitement and willingness, then the enemy got ahold of my emotions and sent me into a slight tailspin. The first part of this month was spent bouncing between positive and negative. I was struggling a lot with my emotions and even found myself in place of anger towards God. Anger has never been my first reaction and I was surprised by the hold it began to take on my life and my relationship with the Father. I am not ready to disclose all the dirty details of this struggle, but the important part is I found redemption. I walked even deeper into trust, pressed into the painful places, and walked out the other end faith filled and ready for obedience. The Lord moved mountains in my life, and released me from a lot of the pain from my past and present. Personal growth is not what I expected to take the forefront of my World Race, but what I have discovered is that it is nearly impossible to see the things we see, serve in the ways we serve, and live in a community like we live in and not have exponential personal growth. Things like this change you, but more importantly, a willing heart is destined for change. Obedience to the Father may take you in a drastically different direction than you ever imagined, but 10 out of 10 times the new direction is better and more fulfilling. In one of my favorite books there is a line that reads, “We accept the love we think we deserve.” How true that is…but a lot of times, we accept the life we think we deserve. And the sweet thing about following the Lord is that he gives us so much more than we deserve. I don’t deserve to live this life, to see the things I’ve seen, to meet the people I’ve met, or to be loved in the way I’m loved. But I do, I have, and I am. The Lord gives us a life far better than we deserve, and for that I will continue to live the life of a follower and servant. Peru, you taught me so much about life, love, and beauty. Month 3 was a sweet one.
There is my heart for South America. She is a beautiful place full of exceptional people. My time here was not wasted and I cherish the many memories and relationships found here. As I step into uncomfortability again, my prayer is that the Lord continues to push me into the hard places, that he continues to break my heart for what breaks his, and that I have the strength and obedience to come out the other end a better and more faithful follower. I pray for my squad as we enter a new country and a new continent, that our hearts and minds may be open and ready for what the Lord is walking us into. I pray that the people of Indonesia may open their hearts to receive our love and service. I pray safety as we travel over the next few days. I pray peace over our families at home. I thank the Lord for this calling and the sweet life we live.
With love,
Lina
