Woah, I don’t even know where to start in telling you how much I have enjoyed being in Peru and Ecuador.
Peru took me off guard and I LOVED Cusco!! Being in the mountains, being able to wear sweaters and be cozy was what my heart needed. I struggled a lot in Spain (before my mom and Cari came and loved me) to the point where I was wanting God to release me so I could go back to GA or Norway. I think through this year I have realized how much I was blessed with my community in Norway before the race. I discovered that the love God put in my heart for Norway was not just for the few years I was there but that I truly want Norway to be a part of the rest of my life – be cool, I’m not moving there any time soon. While these are all good things to see and to learn, I think it was being used as a distraction. I think in a way it kept me from choosing to be intentional in my relationships with my team and the squad. I can see how much I compared that community to the one I am currently in, instead of seeing the good in both and just pressing into where I am now.
We were in Cusco for about a week before the whole squad got together and we had a few days where we could process, worship together, and continue to build relationships with one another. I got to be with my CAKE girls and that was another sweet thing that my heart needed to fully be able to step into what God had for me.
While in Peru I also started to notice my energy levels just plummet. While a portion of that was due to the elevation, it continued on to Ecuador. If I spent a full day with my team walking around and being social I would spend the next day in bed sleeping. I never felt rested, and it has continued until recently – please continue to pray for high energy levels!
After a month in Peru we made our way to Guayaquil, Ecuador – which is where my family is from! We had a family friend who allowed us to turn her living room into our room and we had a little landing spot. I didn’t realize how much us staying there would affect the lady we stayed with. Our relationship grew during the two weeks I was in Ecuador and was able to encourage her in her identity and in her season of life. I am always so blown away when I am presented an opportunity to speak life and purpose into someone’s life, what an honor it is. I also made family visits, enjoyed catching up with cousins, and was there for the 3rd anniversary of my Great Grandmother’s death. It was special to visit her grave and see more traditions that I never really experienced being in the States. Unfortunately, we left Ecuador before our month was over. There were protests and some violence happening while we were there. We were not allowed to leave Guayaquil and would not be able to cross the border unless we flew so we headed to Bogota early. Thank you to all the people who covered me and my team in prayer during the protest in Ecuador; we were pretty safe and were able to have really cool interactions with the people there.
Love you all, currently working on my next blog that talks about Colombia and more of a personal // heart blog.
<3 America
