I told you all that I was going to the middle of the Amazon Jungle.
That is a true statement.
We are approximately five miles from untouched rainforest. It took a seven hour Andes mountainous bus ride to arrive at our ministry location. Plans changed a slight bit and my team and I are staying in a tiny roadside village called Huaticocha. When I say tiny, I mean, blink when you are driving and you will miss it. We are staying above the local church (that has approximately 10 members) with the pastor, his family, and his extended family.
Three minutes (by back of pickup truck that has to be pushed to be started) is the home of three full-time missionaries and the construction site of a future missions school that will be started in January of 2015. This missions school will be a place of training for the local indigenous youth, that they might grow in knowledge, confidence, discipline, and trust in the Lord so that they might take Christ back to their local villages where no outsider can enter.
Thus far, our mornings consist of construction at this site (staining, pouring concrete, clearing the land, etc…). Our afternoons consist of community outreach (door-to-door prayer/evangelism, kid’s lessons/activities, building relationships with the locals).
I feel at home. More than I have ever before.
Highlights:
My Spanish has turned conversational. broken, but conversational.
I have macheted part of the rainforest into a clearing.
I have harvested cacao.
I have gained multiple shadows—children who follow me around everywhere I go – children whom I cannot help but just hug and tell them how much Jesus loves them.
I have played hours of soccer, with no pain from the torn ligaments in my knee.
I have looked into the eyes of a widow and entered into her pain.
I have fallen in love with this country and the people here.
And I am on DAY 3 of The World Race.
Praise the LORD!
