Daily awakenings # 4…
Day 19: Sharing a devotional at Buenos Nuevo School
We got the honor of getting to go to this school and share with the students what the Lord’s been laying on your hearts! Who we are and how the Lord’s been revealing things to us this year!
Side note: We actually went out to the school on their last three days of school, before their Christmas/ summer break! (Yep, I said that right, they are actually opposite of us in the USA! They have summer from December to March!) They were so gracious and loving to us, even though they were in the process of finishing up finals and getting antsy to get out of school!
Day 20: San Miguel, Lima, Peru
This is the view out our window, we were living in this community and also going to church in this area! As I was drawing this, I prayed for the community; that they would have open hearts, for their eyes to be open to the gospel, and that the Lord would do great things in their lives!
Day 21: Christmas celebration
So this is one of the few Christmas celebrations we got to help out at this Christmas season! Here we partnered with a man (Jorge), we had meet one night holding signs for the Church. He walked right by, and asked about what Grace Life Lima was, we proceeded to tell him it was a new bilingual church that had started to meet right down the street in Miraflores! He put up his dog and came back to the service that night. While he was there we talked more with him, and he said that he had a volunteer organization that goes and helps teach an after school program in a poorer part of Lima! He said he was planning a Christmas celebration for the kids and would love our help with that celebration!
The Christmas celebration consisted of having presents and Santa, balloon animals, Fútbol (aka soccer in the USA), twister, relay games, an optical course, and food! It was a great celebration and everyone had a good time!
Day 22: Share for you never know what will happen
This is sooooo true! A lot of times this month, my group and I were asked to hand out flyers… (and if we’re being honest it’s not our favorite thing to do and can be kind of hard…) So this day we decided to hand out flyers at the park right down the street from where we were staying! We split up in two groups, my group got to talk with a guy who was watching his kid and was looking for another church close to him.
While the other group talked with this guy on the bike! He ended up coming to church that night and knowing like five people! I got the honor of meeting him and he was so sweet! He actually road the bus back with us to the San Miguel neighborhood, where I got to have a long conversation on the bus with him!
Day 23: Unique gifts
On church, on Sunday we were helping out with the children’s church! One of the things the kids were asked to do was to bring something of theirs as a present to give away to another child! Once they brought them they were going to wrap them up for the other kids.
It was amazing to see these kids hearts; they brought all kinds of stuff to give to other kids! One of them, even bought a gift with his own money and brought it for another kid!
This opened my eyes to how generous these kids are and how generosity should be taught from an early age! Imagine if we were all like these kids and giving generously to each other!
Day 24: Israel really?!?
This one gets me… As some of you know, I’ve started to read the Bible through on the race! I’m currently in Judges! I read this verse today!
“…again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord…” Judges 3:12
If you read up to this point you realize that this verse and this cycle is very accurate of the Israelites!
The Israelites sin… the Israelites are oppressed…the Israelites ask God for help… God hears them and sends someone to help them…the Israelites are saved and turn to God…the Israelites forget… and the cycle starts all over again!
Day 25: An unexpected Sighting
So this Christmas has been different! Besides being away from my family, friends, and my home! We were in a completely different country Lima, Peru! Yes it was hard, but so unexpectedly good!
We celebrated with our team! We had a nice breakfast with the team, exchanged gifts from our secret sister, and had stocking stuffers! Then we had the opportunity to go to Starbucks and talk to our families and loved ones!
This Christmas I tried to do what the preacher talked about, and focused on looking for Jesus this season! I put aside all the worldly Christmas expectations and focused on the Lord! Seeking him out when I felt anxious and uncertain! So I’m spending the holidays away from home, there was a family staying at our housing facility! They were the sweetest Venezuelan family, who adopted us into their family! Many a night was spent talking with them about our day, Jesus, and what we are learning now! They realized that it was a really hard day for us and were so kind to us! They brought us some of their traditional Venezuelan sweet rice(rice with milk, cinnamon, raisins & sugar), some pan de jamon (ham, cheese, olives, and raisins), and they even gave us a Venezuelan chocolate candy (which was truly a treat for us and a sacrifice for them, Because of their country being in such an uproar, the chocolates are extremely rare)! They were sharing the Love of Jesus that day with us, not only sharing their cultural food, but just loving on us!
Day 26: At the market
Hannah Jean and I explored this Peruvian artisan market today! It was beautiful, colorful, and full of stuff! We walked through booth after booth amazed at the beautiful items! As I was going through here, I was thinking how the Lord has blessed these people with these awesome talents!
Day 27: A verse to remind us of the Father’s love
Sometimes I forget how much the Lord loves us… I feel this verse, describes how much the Lord loves the Israelites, he feels their misery and couldn’t bear it any longer! This is definitely a God who loves…
Day 28: Cards with friends
This was a very special night where we got to just hang out with one of the Venezuelan couples that we had meet at English class. From that day on we continued to spend time with them, many meals, text messages, and so much more! They are a truly cute couple who have touched our hearts greatly! We had this last night to hang out with them playing cards and laughing a lot!
Day 29: Offering box
Our last night of ministry in Lima, we got to go work with Pastor Victor in Callao! We arrived at 2pm and they had prepared a typical Peruvian meal for us to eat! Arroz con pollo (chicken and rice), they also had some ceviche for us to try, as well as the drink that they are so proud of Inca Kola!
After we ate, we went over to another church that has a connection with Pastor Victor! We got to speak to the youth group, where we played some games, shared a testimony, and we got to pray with the kids!
Then we got the joy of speaking to the adolescent group! We’re we got to sing some praise and worship songs to the Lord! (Side note: I’m really come along on my Spanish worship songs, especially the ones that repeat! Do I fully understand all the words no!) We share with them a testimony, and I share with them about how much the Lord loves them, just as he loves the Israelites!
The box in the picture is the offering box! They left it on the stage and the adolescences all put in their offerings willingly! I don’t know if I’ve been to a youth group where there ever was an offering plate and the young group willingly gave without their parents being present!
Day 30: Venezuelan Arapa
On the way out of town to Lima, our Venezuelan family that lived next to us; wanted to make us Venezuelan Arapas for breakfast! They made us all our very own Arapa, which we devoured while “grandma” sang us a Venezuelan song! It was so sweet for them to make us all this treat! It felt like we were having one big happy meal with our extended family!
They will forever be in our hearts! Please help me to pray for this family; the older couple and their daughter go back to Venezuelan in February! As y’all know, Venezuelan isn’t in good shape right now as a country! I pray for this family; that they can share the hope of Jesus in a country who is going through such a hard time right now!
Day 31: Celebrating 2018!
We finally arrive in Cusco! We are staying with another team, More Amor at the church they are doing ministry at these next few days! Their hosts have invited us over for a Peruvian New Year’s meal! So we go over to the house and have a grand dinner at midnight! What a night to celebrate 2018 and look forward to 2019!
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This month in Peru has been very eye opening! The Lord is working and he has taught me a lot! I know that he has more in store for me next month in Bolivia!
Speaking of Bolivia, we leave tonight at 10pm and have 24 hours until we reach the capital La Paz! Once there, my team will spend the night, then off to the northern section of Bolivia! Which is another 30ish hour bus ride!
Please be praying for us as we travel the next few days, for safety, for the changes in elevation (aka no altitude sickness), no motion sickness, for us to get sleep, and for our eyes to be opened to what the Lord has in store for us…
