(Note… I wrote this over a week ago, and because photo blogs are so difficult to post, I am only just now getting to it… so some of the things I requested prayer for have already happened!)
Life from my Eyes
Here is my first photo blog! Although these are amazing photos, they unfortunately do not include ministry here in Los Andes. I will provide a short written summary of ministry to make up for lack of photos! (I did not bring a camera, and do not want to whip my phone out during ministry… thank you to Elise for letting me borrow her camera during some of these adventures!)
•One sunny adventure day, we went with our ministry host and his family to a “public pool”. This photo was taken atop a spiral stairway that lead to a rickety and questionable metal slide near the pool.
•Views from the aesthetic clinic we were able to stay at for Leadership Development Weekend. An enclosed lush garden made for perfect early morning quiet times.
•The Andes mountains. Los Andes is in a valley completely surrounded by them, and this is the view atop a small mountain close to our home that makes for perfect sunrise adventures.
•Claire Jones… a gentle, encouraging, and stunning woman who I never tire of talking with.
•Claire Jones and John Mark Weaver were exchanging cute conversation before they posed for this… I still love the outcome anyway.
•Claire Jones and Abby Moore in front of previously mentioned lush enclosure… I am now noticing how many pictures I have of Claire.
•The sun sneaking into a shot of Los Andes homes atop the mountain near ours.
•The perfect combination of lush farmland and snow capped mountains.
•I’ve heard good things about the wine in Chile… I will have to return someday in the future to form my own opinion.
•Andes Mountains creating a stunning and consistent background.
•I wish I could take credit for this lovely cactus flower, but all is due to John Mark Weaver. I just really enjoy it.
•A mediocre shot of the mountains from the airplane window that does not even come close to capturing their size and greatness.
•Just Elise Sappington casually sipping some freshly steaming tea.
•A stunning “gato” we came across while hanging posters and handing out fliers for ministry.
•Chile is vibrant with flowers on every corner.
•Cannot get enough photos of them!
Ministry:
It’s Christmas time!! Every year, our host’s church puts on a live nativity, which we get to take a huge part in. We have been building sets, cleaning (it takes place in the back yard of our church/house), and practicing our lines in Spanish. There will be live animals as well, which is almost just as exciting as the play itself. I personally am playing a woman who sells perfume, which sounds odd until you realize that we are literally recreating the streets of Bethlehem. Because my character is not specific to the actual Christmas story, I got to create her story and write her lines! We are thrilled to see what the Lord does through the play. Side note: look out for a new blog with details on the Nativity (over 10 people received Christ!)!!
Aside from the nativity, John Mark, Claire, and I have been visiting a local school for the past two weeks. We were originally told that we would be teaching English, but our days look more like doing small odd jobs for the school’s English teachers and hanging out with the kids during our breaks and lunches. It has been so amazing to get to know the teachers and some of the kids, who’s ages range from elementary to middle school.
This is the last week of school since they are approaching summer break, and the live nativity takes place for 4 hours on both the 8th and the 9th this week. With both of them wrapping up, please keep us all in your prayers as stress is high and we say difficult goodbyes. I am, however, excited to find out what else Chile has for us after this!
Goodbye for now 🙂
