After incessant sweating for 7 long but incredible months, I was ready for some cooler weather. We had quite the travel day from the Philippines to Argentina, which took us through South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile, for a combined travel of about 3 days. We flew through multiple time zones, and July 26th actually lasted for 36 hours! We were exhausted and overjoyed to finally arrive in Mendoza, Argentina. When we got out of the car at the YWAM base where we would be staying for the month, however, the horror of South American winter hit me smack in the face… Bone-chilling winds, snow-capped mountains, numb fingers and toes, instantaneous freezing of the lungs… and then I looked at my weather app to find it was 62°. So do you think that frightened this Minnesota-made girl?? Yes, yes it did indeed. I immediately bought 4 pairs of socks, a winter coat, boots, and a beanie. And felt no shame.
After getting used to the cold (aka literally wearing 4, yes cuatro, coats every day), Argentina was one of the best months this year. We were crazy busy, but got the opportunity to do SO many different types of ministry! We helped in a soup kitchen, prayed for patients at a local hospital, helped prepare and put on a massive children’s day (where I had the once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to be a clown and make 14 children cry), helped teach elementary school students about feelings, shared testimonies and about our World Race journey with high-schoolers, preached at several local churches and youth groups, painted a mural, tutored English, served in the base’s kitchen, and visited and preached at a women’s prison. We drank copious amounts of mate (a traditional Argentine tea drink), flew in a hot air balloon, hiked the foothills of the Andes mountains, and met some of the most incredible people. Being on a YWAM base felt especially home-y with several of the long term missionaries being from the US! They were hosting a Discipleship Training School as well, so we got very close with the 4 students who were there for that from different parts of South America.
I think my biggest take-away from this month was just that you really can’t imagine what the Lord has in store for you when you say yes to Him. Of course I had expectations, hopes, and a bucket list for this year, but especially this month I was stopped dead in my tracks several times with a smile on my face saying “what the heck.” How the heck did I get here? Standing in awe of the sun setting behind the massive expanse of the Andes mountains… preaching about Hosea and redemption to a room full of women in jail… telling a whole church about our experience in Malaysia and how the Lord provided even when we had no idea what was happening. And so much more. Stories that sound unbelievable or made up, simply because they are so random and incredible. Like that one time I was covered in clown face paint, dressed like a buffoon, standing in a swarm of 400 kids screaming in Spanish, all trying to high-5 me harder than the last. I freaking love my life. I hate clowns, but what a life ya know? Just some little rubia (blondie) over here in the middle of some Argentine street, seeing my reflection in a broken window nearby, cheeks aching from smiling at how I get to do something like this, everyday. Not the clown thing every day, but all of this. I’m so grateful.
And you know what? I almost didn’t say yes to this year. I was scared, anxious, feeling unworthy and like a fraud for not fitting the “missionary” stereotype I had in my brain. I doubted I could raise the funds, I didn’t want to quit my job and release control over my life and my plans, and I felt like I wasn’t close enough to Jesus to tell people how to follow him when I didn’t feel like I could even measure up. But when I felt Jesus calling me to this trip, the more I felt my mind telling me NO, the more my heart, yes my heaaart, kept on telling me YES (am I allowed to reference R. Kelly in a Jesus blog? Jesus loves R. Kelly too people!). Saying yes to God can seem scary, the future is unknown, uncertain, and unseen. But isn’t that how it should be? The future belongs to the Lord. When we try to grasp at it with worry and entitlement, we’re trying to take control of what is His. My job is just to say yes, then follow Him step by step, day by day, even when it seems like I have no idea what’s going on. And when you do that, in complete trust and surrender, I can guarantee you that the places you end up will be beyond anything you could ever hope or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Today is our first day of ministry in Chile! I’m happy to report it is slightly warmer here, and we even have a heater in our bedroom, holla atcha girl. We are excited to be working with a local church this month, and expectant to see all of the amazing things the Lord has in store. Stay tuned for this month’s vlog and blog to come, and as always, MANY thanks, abrazos, y besos for all of the support, prayers, and encouragement you all give me each month!!
Bendiciones!
