Captivated

When I look into the mountains I see Your face
When I look into the night sky it sparkles Your Name

The wind in the clouds and the blue in the sky
The sun and the moon and the stars so high
That's what draws me to You

I am
I'm captivated by You
I am
I'm captivated

When I wake unto the morning it gives me your sights
When I look across the ocean it echoes Your might

The sand on the shore and the waves in the sea
The air in my lungs and the way You made me
That's what draws me to You

I am
I'm captivated by You
I am
I'm captivated

The wind in the clouds and the blue in the sky
The sun and the moon and the stars so high
The sand on the shore and the waves in the sea
The air in my lungs and the way You made me

The blood in my veins and my heart You invade
The plants how they grow and the trees and the shade
The way that I feel and the Love in my soul
I thank you my God for letting me know

I am
I'm captivated by You
I am
I'm captivated

-Shawn McDonald

28 de Octubre (You dance over me while I am unaware)

Since our classes weren’t going to start this week until Tuesday, Elizabeth and I decided that it would be the perfect week to go to the 9:00 a.m. Spanish service at FRC. Although it was a challenge to get up a bit earlier than usual on a Sunday, we did it! We were very proud of ourselves and thoroughly enjoyed hearing the service en español. Usually the way the Spanish service is run, is that they have live music and then the service is broadcast in from Florida. It is then translated and appears on the big screen as such! This week, though, our local pastor preached, and we enjoyed that, too.

So, we got to hear the service twice! We heard it once for what we THOUGHT it was and heard it again in English for confirmation. :) I think we actually understood most of it in Spanish, so that was encouraging. The lesson was about “Keeping it Real” or “Mantenlo Real.” Often times we find ourselves going through life trying to live as the “best Christian,” trying to prove to others, and maybe even to ourselves, just how “holy” we are. The funny thing about this is that God always knows our true motives. There’s no sense in trying to hide things from Him because He knows us better than we even know ourselves. “Lord, you have examined me and you know me. You know everything I do; from far away you understand all my thoughts. . . . Your knowledge of me is too deep; it is beyond my understanding.”—Psalm 139:1-2, 6. There are times that we may not even know just how fake we are being. It’s important for me that I pray constantly for God to reveal my shortcomings and struggles so that we can work on them together. Especially at this time in my life, I really need God to remind me that He is in control; He is big; He is above everything. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”—Jeremiah 33:3.

After church, Junior, Liz and I went over to Pasquale’s for lunch! Liz and I were having some mega cravings for our favorite “Peruvian” restaurant. :) While in the restaurant, we were even lucky enough to hear some of our old favorite songs. . . “Truly, Madly, Deeply” and “Where is the Love?” Haha. It was great. :) When we got done eating, we went to Baranco which is another district in Lima. We hadn’t been to this part of town yet, so being the wonderful tour guide that he is, Junior offered to show us around.

*Liz and I posing with a statue in Barranco. We felt right at home seeing as how all Texans have horses and live on farms. :)

Barranco was beautiful and quaint. When we first got there, we saw a man on the street who had a trained monkey who was doing little tricks! It was so funny! I have to say that I WANTED to shake the monkey’s hand, but in the end my fear got the best of me. Oh, well. :) There were also people selling jewelry and such, and we bought a few more things. I’m working on my Christmas shopping. . . Haha. After a little stroll, we went over to a place where they were selling food outside. Here Junior and Liz got some dessert. I opted not to on the off chance that I would get sick. Eeek. I’m just not in the mood for that. They seem to be fine, though. :)

Also, while we were walking around, we learned that Barranco was having an anniversary celebration complete with a parade! Walking down the street, we saw everyone lined up in the parade procession line and watched for a bit! There were men on stilts and kids of all ages dressed up in costumes. A couple of the groups even did dances! I was so excited and joined in a little bit. Haha. The scariest marchers were the soldiers and the police! The soldiers marched with actual guns pointing out towards the crowd! Geez. I think we could’ve had a good enough parade without that fear. There were some guns I’d never even seen before. Yikesy. And then the police came through and had these HUGE dogs on the back of their trucks. Granted, they were muzzled, but I was frightened! Then a neighborhood dog, who wasn’t on a leash, came out to use the bathroom or something and started a ruckus with the police dogs JUST as we were walking by. I almost had an attack. I promise, 5 more seconds of that and I would’ve been in tears. Turns out that Liz is a better bodyguard that Junior. :) I think the police noticed that we looked a bit TERRIFIED and got a hold of their dogs. I don’t know what the owner of the neighborhood dog was thinking! People here just don’t put their dogs on a leash. It’s insane.

*this is a video of some of the parade participants doing a Peruvian dance! (notice that they aren't wearing shoes!)



click here for more pics!

Anyway, it was a great day in Lima! My only question is. . . Where is that sun I keep hearing so much about?

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—these things God has prepared for those who love Him.”—1 Corinthians 2:9

Katrina

You dance over me
While I am unaware
You sing all around
But I never hear the sound
Lord I’m amazed by You
How You love me

27 de Octubre (Facing the Giants)

*our Lighthouse Bible study group!

Today we had a going away party/movie night for Jeff and Judy at the Lighthouse. Jeff and Judy are going back to the states for two months during which time Elizabeth and I will keep the ministry running. It was nice to relax with our friends while watching Facing the Giants. For anyone who hasn’t seen or heard about this movie, I suggest that you check it out! It’s a low-budget film made by Sherwood Baptist Church from Albany, Georgia. The theme of the movie is that nothing is impossible with God. The stories in the film are used to convey to us the way that God is mighty beyond what we can imagine. Nothing is too big for Him—not time or distance, nor resources or money. There are truly no limits to God’s power; He is bigger than EVERYTHING.

One anecdote told in the story is of two farmers. They are each praying for rain so that their crops will grow, however, only one of the farmers takes the time to get his fields ready for the rain. Often times, I find myself living my life much like the farmer who is simply waiting for the rain. I wait in anticipation of the great things I expect from God, yet I take no time to prepare myself for His actual answer. If we are to have faith that God will answer our prayers, we need to live in anticipation of this. We need to be in constant preparation of the rain.

My prayer is that not only will God give His harvest, but that in the meantime, I’ll work to plant the seeds that will need His rain. I pray that God will keep my heart focused on preparing for all that He is going to do. I know He is going to do amazing things. I can’t wait for the harvest.

“His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain:
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.” -John Wesley

"I see what you've done. Now see what I've done. I've opened a door before you that no one can slam shut. You don't have much strength, I know that; you used what you had to keep my Word. You didn't deny me when times were rough.”—Revelation 3:8

Katrina

26 de Octubre (Friday!)

*Placemat at a restaurant we went to in Miraflores. Notice “WELLCOME” in the top left-hand corner. :)

Liz and I got up this morning to head over to ICPNA so I could take that placement test. We decided to take the bus instead of a taxi, and we got there in about 25 minutes! Not bad! Eva was waiting for me, so we set off to go take our tests.

The instructor giving our test talked with us for a while. I was so glad that Eva was there and I didn’t have to take it alone! I get nervous when speaking Spanish and freeze up a lot. The instructor said we could both skip level 6 and promote to level 7. So, we left and went on our merry way. But, when Eva went to register, she found out that level 7 was not being offered this coming month. She came and found me in the library and we went back to take another test. The instructor decided to promote us to level 8! I’m so glad that we’ll still be in the same class. :) The class should be a challenge, but I’m glad to have the opportunity to learn more. There are 12 levels total for the Spanish program, and I’ll be able to get through 9 of them before I leave. Still working on that Spanish conversation. . . Es muy difícil!

Oh, and did I mention that Eva is teaching me how to say my last name? Haha. She’s from Germany, so she’s teaching me the REAL way to say it. Yeah. It’s hard . . . :) She also taught me how to say seesaw . . . spielplatz (like schpiel-plots). :)

Anyway, after that whole ordeal, Liz and I went to Papa John’s for some good old fashioned American pizza. We enjoyed the Halloween decorations that they had up including the fake spider webs that kept getting stuck to us while we were ordering. The pizza was pretty good, too. The best news is that I have leftovers—my fave! :) I do get tired of eating so much peanut butter; I’m already on my second jar since I’ve been here. Eeek. I don’t think I’ll ever want peanut butter or Starbucks after I get home. Well, maybe I will. :)

So, Friday night is our small group night. Junior, Liz and I ate a KFC (here they just call it Kentucky), and I got a chicken crunch wrap thing. I wasn’t really that hungry, so I decided to take my leftovers with me. I didn’t realize until we’d gotten out of the cab at Bill and Jennifer’s house, that I had left my food in there! Boo. T’was a sad day for me; I don’t like to waste leftovers. :) Oh, well.

Sadly we were on our final installment of our small group series. It’s been so encouraging to spend time with other believers who are willing to share their struggles and words of encouragement. It’s nice to know that there are others out there dealing with life just like I am. We talked about temptation and the way God says we should deal with these things. God is so amazing that He promises us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” Isn’t it amazing that God KNOWS that we are going to be tempted; He KNOWS that we aren’t perfect and doesn’t expect perfection from us. But, He does promise His faithfulness to us in that He’ll never let us go through something that we can’t handle with His help. He’s ALWAYS there with us offering His path and His guidance. I’m just glad to know that my life is not in my hands. God is in control, and He knows best. It’s comforting to know that He has written the next chapter of my life and all of those left to come.

“In your great love revive me so I can alertly obey your every word.”—Psalm 119:88

Katrina

25 de Octubre (Exams)

This week has been one of recovery from our great weekend. :) It’s also been exam week at ICPNA. It’s hard to believe that we’ve now completed TWO of our Spanish classes! Time sure has flown here. Two more months to go! Some days I wish I could slow down time and stay here forever and some days I desire to see those that I love back at home. The most important thing that I’ve learned is to love the time that I’m spending here and do all that God has called for me to accomplish here. I’m working on it. :)

So, we took our written exam on Wednesday and our oral exam on Thursday. Both went very well and I was pleased to receive a 97 in my class! I wish that could be factored into my GPA back home. Haha. After class, my teacher asked me and my friend, Eva, if we’d like to take a test to place into a higher lever. We’re going to do that tomorrow at 10:30. It’s not so much fun that we have to go to school on a day that we don’t normally have to go, but we’ll do what we have to, I suppose. :)

Tonight was NOOMA night. I really love this series that we’re doing and the wisdom that Rob Bell has scripted out for his viewers. We talked about trusting God and having faith that He can see the bigger picture. He described a situation of a father not buying his son a toy because the father was planning on buying his son an even better toy from the store across the street. The child whined that he wanted the toy, but the father just told him no. God does this in our lives; He knows the bigger picture; He knows that in the long run, we’d much rather have the toy from across the street. Sometimes it’s so hard to have this much faith. When faced with situations like this, where we can see an option but not quite the whole picture, it’s so easy to just want the thing that we can see. It seems easier to just take what’s right in front of us, what’s tangible, rather than trusting that there is something better for us later. I have struggled with this throughout my life and continue to do so. I so desire to give God full control of my life, but it can be hard to trust that He really is all knowing and that He really is going to come through for me. I’ve been praying that the Lord would increase my faith and fill me with hope and trust only in Him. He does know best and He does have a plan for my life and I need to stop worrying about my own plans.

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it’s the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

Katrina

21 de Octubre (Machu Picchu Parte 3)

This day was one I will not soon forget. It began normally enough with the owner of the hostal giving us our wake-up call at 5:00 am. (Ok, maybe it wasn’t THAT normal.) :) Anyway, we had to catch our train back to Ollantaytambo at 5:45! We made it on the train in time and felt proud that we were able to get ready so early! The train ride was much better than the one to Aguas Calientes because it was actually light outside! As we rode through the beautiful grounds of Peru, we found ourselves entertaining an Irishman who was lucky enough to be seated right next to us! Ha. We told him just about all of the jokes that we knew and then began making some up. . . I won’t make you endure that here, but I think deep down Bernie had a good time. Haha.

*First of all, check out my sunburn. Secondly, it's 5:45 in the morning here!

So, we finally arrived in Ollantaytambo and to our surprise there were zero buses back to Cuzco. Let me explain something about Sunday. Sunday was census day in all of Peru. This translates to mean that all Peruvians were not allowed to leave their homes between the hours of 8:00 am and 6:00 pm so that they could all be counted. Antiquated? Insane? Yes, I think so, but that’s how it goes around here.

*Peruvians lined up to get counted for the census. Madness, I tell you.

Well, we were a bit stuck. . . UNTIL we noticed a taxi driver! We swarmed in on him and he said he would take us to (some place that I can’t remember the name of). He said once we got there, we could get a bus to Cuzco. This seemed like our best option, so we decided to go for it. The catch was that we invited our new Irish friend along with his two friends, Aidan and Ken, to join us! So, Liz, Junior and I piled in the middle seat of the station wagon with Aidan in the front and Ken and Bernie in the back. I think Ken and Bernie certainly must’ve enjoyed that bumpy ride the most. Haha. We were kind enough to alert them when bumps were approaching. Continuing on with our incessant chatter and joke telling, we headed to *insert name*. Once there, we noticed that there were no buses! Our taxi driver said that he wasn’t allowed to go to Cuzco but knew a guy who could. So, we waited in the taxi while he went in search of his mystery friend. He finally returned and said that he would be able to take us. So, we headed out on another hour long drive to Cuzco. Again, the scenery was fantastic and we even enjoyed the random pig and cow crossings! When we were almost to Cuzco, our taxi driver told us. . . “In case the cops or authorities pull us over, we’re all friends. My name is Ulyseus and we’re volunteers who work for a non-profit organization.” Well, that was actually true for Liz and I and we all agreed. Ha. I guess he didn’t have the permission that we though he did. . .

*Bernie and Ken in the backseat, Liz, Me and Junior in the middle. Aidan wouldn't let me take his picture. Party pooper. :(

Anyway, we arrived in Cuzco and he dropped us off in the square. The town was completely deserted except for some tourists and police officers. We went to the only open restaurant to get something to eat. After waiting for about 45 minutes and not even being able to order, we bid our Irish buddies farewell and caught a Tiko to the airport. We DID get pulled over, but this guy actually had his paperwork in order. We finally made it to the airport, got on our plane and thought we were home free.

*Fake llamas! We just couldn't get enough of these guys. . . :)

Once we arrived back in Lima, Jeff told us that we were actually going to pick up two more missionaries from the Extreme Team who were flying in an hour later. We picked up Graham and Amanda and then headed home on nearly deserted roads. It was so pleasant not to have to deal with Lima traffic until. . . As we were driving in the left hand lane, we noticed a car that was trying to make a left turn from the right lane. Jeff honked, breaked, but the man kept on going and BAM! The cars collided and we all got thrown around. Thank goodness we all had on our seatbelts! I was in the middle seat in the back and hit my head on the front passenger seat. I have a bruise on my forehead and a sore tummy from the seatbelt, but there were no major injuries. The police arrived and determined that the other driver didn’t have permission to be driving on the census day. As we waited on the side of the road, Graham mentioned going to jail, and I honestly got scared! What a mean boy he was being! Ha. Jeff told us to just get a taxi and head home while he dealt with the police. He had to go down to the police station and take a blood test to check for drugs or alcohol in his system. Meanwhile, Judy had prepared lunch for us, so we went over there and ate. I swear, the taxi ride back to Surco was the scariest that I’ve ever been on! We ate dinner and then went home to get some rest from our exhausting but incredibly memorable weekend!

*The Hughes's car. . . eek. I thought the Yaris took the crash a lot better than I did. :)

All I can do now is praise God for the awesome opportunity that He gave me to come to this country and enjoy all that He created. With His creation all around, the power and love of our Creator simply cannot be denied. I know that He created this world and these people and me for a reason. He put us all here, now for His purpose, for His glory. I am searching so hard these days for that path that He promised He’d walk with me on. I feel like I’m walking down a dark road and He’s the only light I see, the only light for my path. At times, I take my eyes off the light and get frightened about my future, about my life, just about everything. But then He is faithful and reminds me that I only need look at Him and He’ll keep me on that right path. All I can see is His light.

“By your words I can see where I'm going;
they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
I've committed myself and I'll never turn back
from living by your righteous order.”

Psalm 119:105-106

“Tu palabra es una lámpara a mis pies y una luz en mi camino. Hice un juramento, y lo voy a cumplir; ¡pondré en práctica tus justos decretos!”

Salmos 119:105-106

Katrina

20 de Octubre (Machu Picchu Parte 2)

Saturday morning we woke up and ate breakfast so that we could catch the 9:00 bus to Machu Picchu. Breakfast consisted of some sort of Peruvian flat bread similar to a pita with mermelada y mantequilla. To drink, I had some more mate de coca. They served papaya juice, but I can’t stand my drinks to be lukewarm which is usually how you find them in Peru. We then headed to the bus station and up the mountain to Machu Picchu! The bus ride was only about 20 minutes long, and when we got off, we booked a tour guide. Our guía, Ernesto, was very knowledgeable about Machu Picchu and really added to our experience and understanding of it.

*eating my Peruvian desayuno

Machu Picchu truly is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. To know that an ancient civilization lived in such a beautiful and efficient place is truly beyond my comprehension. When you stand on the grounds and breathe in the beauty of the landscape, it’s absolutely impossible to deny the omnipotence of our Creator. I truly cannot convey with words just how beautiful it was, so I took a lot of pictures!

In addition, we saw several llamas!! We were so excited and managed to get quite a few pictures with them!

So, the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Well, this statement is apparently universal and includes Machu Picchu tour guides. My new rule of thumb is, “When in Machu Picchu watching your dark skinned tour guide put on sunscreen, follow suit.” Yeah. I am so sunburned, it’s truly not funny. I had my hair in pigtails and have a burnt scalp to go along with my farmer’s burn on my arms and my red neck. Yeah. If anyone doubted that I was from Texas before. . . Painful. They also have mosquitoes that leave really strange bites. I have a few of those on various places including my pinky finger.

*this kid ran down the whole mountain and waved at us every time we came around a corner.

When we were done with our tour, we decided to eat lunch. However, since we noticed that the buffet right next to Machu Picchu was $29 each and since there’s no way I could ever eat that much food, we went down the mountain and ate at a restaurant located on the stream that runs through town. The restaurant was so pleasant with the fresh air and sound of the water. Ahhh.

*enjoying some Peruvian kabobs. mmmmm. :)
Going around town a bit, we stopped in a souvenir shop to look around. As we were walking in the shop, the song that was playing sounded familiar, so we asked the shopkeeper who the singer was only to learn that it was Tracy Chapman! Now, my family is going to get a kick out of this one because I’ve certainly overplayed that CD! Anyway, he went and changed the song to Fast Car and then asked Junior to ask me to explain the song to him. I told him about the theme and basic message of the song and Junior translated for me. The man seemed very grateful to finally understand music that he’d been enjoying for so long. It was quite an interesting experience.

Later, we went back to the hostal and took a little nap before heading out for dinner. Since we had to catch the train the next morning at 5:45, we figured that in would be a good idea to find the train station. So, we went out in search of it, and found it with ease. As we were walking back to the hostal, we stopped in at a little restaurant and each ordered pizza which was delicious! As we finished our food, we bundled ourselves up so that we could run back in the rainstorm.

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

“To you, O God, belong the greatness and the might,
the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor;
Yes! Everything in heaven, everything on earth;
the kingdom all yours! You've raised yourself high over all.
Riches and glory come from you,
you're ruler over all;
You hold strength and power in the palm of your hand
to build up and strengthen all.
And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to you,
praising your splendid Name.”

1 Chronicles 29:11-13

Katrina

pictures!

more pictures!

19 de Octubre (Machu Picchu Parte 1)

Friday morning, Liz and I woke up so that we’d be ready by 7:15 when Raul picked us up in his taxi. He arrived en punto and we set out for the airport. On our way, we picked up Junior who was eagerly anticipating his first flight! After we got to the airport, we ate breakfast at McDonald’s which was actually a real treat. Once we paid our airport tax and went through security (*side note—we didn’t have to take off our shoes!), we got ready to board the plane. Things went off smoothly and we landed in Cuzco as scheduled.
*on the airplane

Our original plans included arriving in Cuzco, getting our tickets for Machu Picchu and then staying in a hostal there. We were going to take the train to Aguas Calientes on Saturday and see Machu Picchu and then return that same day. But. . .

Once we got there, we set out to the train station in an effort to book tickets to Aguas Calientes which is where you get on the bus to go to Machu Picchu. Unfortunately they didn’t have any tickets ida y vuelta (round trip) for Saturday. Our only option was to leave that night from Cuzco at 8:15 and not return until Sunday morning. So, we called the airlines, changed our flights and booked the trip! It was amazing that the train tickets cost $30 less than we expected. We were starving by this point, so we stopped at a nice restaurant in the plaza and got some almuerzo y mate de coca! This is a drink that they make in the higher altitude areas from coca leaves. Yes, those are the leaves that they make cocaine from. Interesting. The mate was pretty good, but I did put a little bit of sugar in mine. :)

*drinking that mate

Then, we went to find our tickets to Machu Picchu and an internet cabina so we could book a new hostal. Originally we were supposed to stay in Cuzco, but that was no longer an option. Things were going great until we realized that we needed to take a bus to get to the train station. No wonder the tickets were cheaper; they didn’t go the whole way! We weren’t aware that this would be a two hour long bus ride, so we high-tailed it to the train station and managed to catch one that left Cuzco at 4:40. This only cost us s/.5 each, so we were really glad! The bus ride was actually one of the most beautiful trips I’ve been on. The countryside was absolutely gorgeous and an awesome reminder of why I’m in Peru—to serve this wonderful God who created so much beauty for us to enjoy. After arriving in Ollantaytambo, we ate supper at a little restaurant that we prayed wouldn’t make us sick. I got the lomo saltado and felt much better with a full tummy. Then, we got on the train and took a dark bus ride to Aguas Calientes. Arriving there, we walked up a road. When I say we walked up, I mean UP. I, apparently, need to do some cardio. My nearly sea-level upbringing was really taking a toll on my stamina. :) Anyway, we made it to the hostal and checked into our rooms.

*bus!

*and the train. whew.

When I went to take a shower that night, I was surprised that no water came out of the hot water knob! So, I got Junior and he went and talked to the owner who fixed the problema. Our hostal was really nice. We had two beds with seemingly clean sheets and towels, HOT water and a Peruvian breakfast!

All in all, we took a taxi to the airport, a plane to Cuzco, a Tiko to the bus station, a bus to the train station and walked to our hostal. All we needed was a good boat ride and we would’ve been complete. :)

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

Katrina

Going to Cuzco!

Hi, all!

I just wanted to let you know that Liz and I along with our Peruvian friend, Junior are going to Cuzco tomorrow!! My friend from school, Eva, went last week and was unable to get tickets to Machu Picchu! I’m so worried that we won’t be able to get them. . . Say a prayer for us!!

Meanwhile, I’m so thankful for the opportunity to even go to Cuzco! I certainly never thought that I’d ever be here in Peru much less that close to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. :) Well, I’ll write more later!

I didn’t write this, but I like it:

“Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message) tells us, "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track."

It's so easy for us to trust ourselves or our own sufficiency or our own talents more than God. Too often, we do try to figure out everything on our own, and that's exactly when we mess up and go off track, just like a train which has been derailed.

The wise man who wrote Proverbs 3:5-6, be it Solomon or someone else, knew exactly where to put his trust, and it wasn't in himself or in his own skills, or in his own intellect, or in his own understanding. He knew to put his trust in God and in His supernatural direction and guidance, knowing that He would direct our paths, keep them straight, and keep us from getting off track or derailed.

We must do precisely what the wisdom writer exhorts us to do. We must trust God more than ourselves. We must submit to Him and His will for our lives. We must listen for His voice and His guidance and His direction in everything. When we do this, then we know that He will make our paths straight, with Him directing the way for us and keeping us on track, step-by-step and day-by-day.”

Tenga un buen fin de semana!

Katrina

15-16 de Octubre

*our friends at the English Conversation ClubMonday morning we left the apartment in anticipation of a transportation strike. Apparently Peru, or at least Lima, is just beginning to enforce the laws they have in place regarding vehicle inspection. If you could see the cars here, you would see why inspections are necessary and you’d also see why the drivers of these cars are against such a thing. Luckily, though, it appeared as though most taxi and bus drivers opted to not participate in the strike. I can’t blame them for not wanting to be out of work that day. Liz and I were talking about how interesting it is to look through history at the ways people have grouped together to stand up for things that they believed in. Our country wouldn’t be around if it weren’t for such a type of people. Change can come if there are people who are willing to make the sacrifice necessary. It does make me thankful for those in the past who are responsible for the freedoms that I have in America. Food for thought. . .

Anyway, on Tuesday we had our final conversation club for the cycle. We have enjoyed spending time with these students and learning even more about Peru. Things never cease to surprise me especially when we start talking about eating guinea pig and anticuchos (cow heart). I didn’t say I wouldn’t try them, but I insist that my guinea pig be served headless. :)

*with Erick at conversation club

*with Besty at conversation club

Recently a new friend of mine sent me a verse that I’ve found to be very encouraging this week.

"I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in Him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Another version says:

“May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

God’s joy and peace . . . and an overflowing, growing hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. . . yes. I’d like that.

Katrina

i added new pictures to the end of this album!

14 de Octubre (Sunday!)

Sunday was a really nice day for us. Last week, Dorcas, the pastor’s wife, asked Elizabeth and I if we would be able to come early to help greet people before the service. So, we arrived at the Cineplanet at 10:00, 30 WHOLE minutes before church started! We’re very proud of that accomplishment. :) It was nice to see all of the people as they filed into the service. In Peru, as in many other countries, it is a custom to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek; this is something that I’m still trying to master. . . It’s not that I mind being kissed, but it kind of freaks me out to have just met someone and then two seconds later they’re giving me a smooch! I guess that’s the gringa in me. :) Haha. Well, needless to say I did not greet anyone at the door with a kiss. I don’t know if the service is supposed to be in English or in American (ha), but in my mind, it’s in American. Hopefully no one was offended.

Anyhow, Pastor Troy spoke this week on being insecure and how our insecurities can sometimes dominate our lives. Often we begin to attribute the results of our insecurities to being “part of our personality.” I know I’ve heard this said many times by people, “I have a temper because it’s just part of my personality.” No, the truth is that some people need to work extra hard to control their tempers. I know what things will set me off and make me the most angry. I’m learning about my insecurities and learning to conquer them. The truth is that we are all wonderfully crafted by God; He made no mistakes in His creations. I believe that He does give us the choice, though, of living our lives in accordance to His law and His will or against it. In mastering our insecurities, the first step is to decide how we want to live. PT gave the analogy of riding a bike with our feet down trying to put on the kickstand. This is no way to live, in constant fear of falling. We should rest assured that God is right there with us, always beside us. God has a plan for your life. And God has a plan for mine.

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and you’re there, then up ahead and you’re there, too—your reassuring presence, coming and going. . . If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there. . . Then I said to myself, ‘Oh, he even seems me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!’ It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.” Psalm 139:3-5, 7, 11-12

“. . . then guide me on the road to eternal life.” Psalm 139:24b

Katrina

13 de Octubre

The past few days have seemed a bit warmer than usual. We’ve seen bits and pieces of what we could call sunlight and have enjoyed them very much!

Saturday Bible study was wonderful. As we’ve been going through the book of John, we’ve finally come to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. When I was a child and we’d review this story each Easter, I often found myself bored and repeating the events in a play by play fashion as though I knew them so well I never needed to be reminded of the magnitude of the sacrifice. But we do need to be reminded. We need to remember and reflect often upon the great plan that God had in sending His Son to save us. Jesus died for me. Each nail that was driven into His body, each minute He hung on that cross was for my sake. When I see my life and the way the world has become, I have a hard time wrapping my mind around the way He loves me so much. I don’t deserve His grace, none of us do, but I guess that’s why it’s called that—grace.

I truly hope and pray that each of you who are reading this would take some time today to reflect upon the gift that God gave each of us through His Son. He gave us the gift of eternal life, of freedom from our sin. All we have to do is accept it.

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.” John 3:16-18

Katrina

11-12 de Octubre

*with some friends we met in the halls at ICPNA

Bible study on Thursday was really great. I thought our topic was so appropriate considering the things I’ve been experiencing in my life. We talked about going to church, what the point of going to church is and how people can make this act something to make themselves look good. Often times as kids we go to church because our parents make us; we have to go. The Bible teaches us that our motives should be pure in wanting to spend time with God. The point of going to church, of participating in “Christian” activities, the point of being a missionary is to serve God and obey Him, not to put on a show for others. Our motive for doing these “Godly” things can sometimes become skewed when we allow ourselves to consider what it is that others expect of us versus what we desire and what we know God desires. Of course God wants us to go to church and spend time honoring Him through fellowship and acts of praise, but He also wants us to want to go. We should never participate in these activities because it is just the right thing to do, but because as Christians, we should have a desire to do what God asks of us.

It wasn’t until I got to college that I really began to enjoy going to “big church.” Before, I always felt that it was something that I was supposed to do but was usually bored doing. Once I really began to have a desire to spend time with God and other Christians and to learn the things that I have been taught in church, I began to understand why I was there.

Another thing we talked about was how our human nature can tell us that what others think of us is important. When other tell us things that we are doing are either right or wrong, we should always be quick to go back to the word of God and compare what they are saying with what God teaches us is right. Our sense of personal value should never come from what others say about us but always from what God’s word teaches. Sometimes it seems that other can put us down at every turn, that they can bash us for every little mistake that we make. This can be very hurtful and damaging to our self-esteem especially when fellow Christians treat us this way, but we should know that God forgives us even when it seems that others hold grudges. In the same way, we should remember that other people are not perfect and that our hearts should be full of grace for them. Some tend to hold a bit more grace in their hearts than others, and we should seek to have this as part of our character. I know that it is something that I have to ask God to give me on a regular basis.

Friday was a busy day for us. After class was over, we came back to our apartment for a bit and then went over to the mission guesthouse with Jeff and Judy. A group of volunteers from the church that Elizabeth grew up in were in Lima on the last day of a weeklong trip to Peru. We were able to eat lunch with them and then take them to the Indian Market. Ordering lunch was fun, and I even had the opportunity to help a few of them make sure they got the right meals. Hey, I had some trouble ordering food when I first got here and still end up with some surprise meals from time to time. :) Being the expert Indian Market shoppers that Liz and I are, we were certainly up for the challenge of helping a bunch of gringos negotiate prices and such. :)

When we were done there, we headed back to Surco and met Deivis and Junior at Starbucks. From there we headed over to McDonald’s for a quick supper and then over to the Marshall’s house for our Flamingo Road Church small group meeting. We discussed further the topic of being tired that we started on Sunday morning. I really enjoy our time of fellowship with these people and feel so blessed to be able to get to know them better as each week passes. One thing that was reinforced to me as we studied our topic was how we should give our worries over to God. It can be hard sometimes to quit worrying about things that are important in our lives. However, in order for us to truly be free of the burden of our worries and to truly trust in God, we must relinquish ALL of our cares to Him and have faith that He is in control of our lives. I once learned through reading The Purpose Driven Life, that when I am in a worrisome state of mind, instead of saying to myself, “Don’t worry about ___,” and, therefore, reinforce the worry, I should instead replace that thought with a positive one. Through hard times in my life, my replacement thought has always been, “God has a plan for my life.” Even when things may not be going as I had planned, I always know that God is in control and does have a plan for me.

“Do not fret—it only leads to evil.” Psalm 37:8

“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

Katrina

Mail!!

I was so excited today when Jeff and Judy brought over mail for Elizabeth and I!!! I got 2 packages and 4 letters from my beloved friends and family back home. To be in a foreign country and to receive any indication that those I've left behind miss me is truly a spirit booster!!

Thank you, Jenna-Wade, for the wonderful chocolate chip cookies that you baked me!!! They still tasted great even if they were a little bit smooshed. :)

Thanks mommy and daddy for the letters and gifts that you sent me, too. :) I loooove them! ;) (In case anyone was wondering, I DO have the best parents in the world.) :)

Thanks Gayle and Susan for the cards of encouragement that you sent me. It's wonderful to have women in my life who are there to offer me wisdom in the areas of life that they've had more time to experience than I have. :) You have no idea how much you mean to me.

OK. Almost time to get ready for Conversation Club. Hasta Mañana. :)

"Every time I think of you, I thank my God. And whenever I mention you in my prayers, it makes me happy. This is because you have taken part with me in spreading the good news from the first day you heard about it. God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain that he won't stop before it is complete on the day that Christ Jesus returns.

You have a special place in my heart. So it is only natural for me to feel the way I do. All of you have helped in the work that God has given me, as I defend the good news and tell about it here in jail. God himself knows how much I want to see you. He knows that I care for you in the same way that Christ Jesus does." Philippians 1:3-8

(This was Paul's prayer to the church in Philippi and my prayer for you.)

Katrina

7-9 de Octubre

Sunday morning we got up and made it to FRC. The sermon was, fittingly, on being tired! I think Pastor Troy must’ve read my mind . . . :) He talked about not only being physically tired but being spiritually and emotionally tired as well. At the times where we have the least energy, the enemy attacks. In order to be ready for these moments, we must prepare in advance.

I’ve felt that since I’ve been here, Satan has tried to attack me through ways that I never thought would be possible. I feel that he often tries to break us down from the inside, through those we expect it from the least. How tragic it is when we allow him to break the unity that God has given us through our fellow Christians! Also, sometimes he uses our human nature to cause us to judge those who are different from us, those who don’t always meet our standards. When in a foreign country especially, I’ve learned that we must have an open mind and love people in spite of our differences from them. It’s important that we prepare for these attacks in advance and that we don’t let the enemy get to us at times that it’s the most difficult to fight him off.

Another important thing that we talked about was leaning into our friends when we are having troubles. It’s good to ask for help when we are tired; people are there to help each other and usually are very happy to do so. Also accountability is a valuable thing that is often removed from our perspective so that we don’t feel “judged.” However, I believe that it’s an important part our relationship with God; I believe that He puts people in our lives to verbally communicate with us that we are doing things wrong at times that we stray from God and can’t hear Him telling us those things.

So, after church we went to a restaurant in Larcomar and ate some delicious seafood. For those of you out there that live for my pictures of my meals, here you go! (Yes, that's an octopus on top of my food. Fue muy sabroso!)

Monday was a holiday! That means we were able to sleep in! The holiday was in celebration of the “Battle of Angamos;” from what I can tell, the Peruvians lost this battle to Chile some years back. Oh, well. At least we get the day off!

Liz, Judy and I went over to Chacarilla, a shopping center, to see about getting our plane tickets to go to MACHU PICCHU!! After checking on those, we ate lunch at a restaurant called T’Anta. I took pictures here, too. :)

We decided to go shopping but were sad to see that a lot of the stores were closed! It was around Peruvian lunchtime (2:00), and everyone was taking a break! A little café was open, though, and we stopped in for dessert!

Tuesday turned out to be an interesting day! We had our second conversation club meeting of the month and had about 10 students. The discussion was great, and I’m so excited to see so many different faces each week!

After conversation club, we went down to Chacarilla again to make our final arrangements for our plane tickets. We were disappointed to learn that there was only enough room for two passengers on the flight we needed to take! So. . . we had to go back over to Jockey Plaza which is near the school that we have the conversation club at. While there, we were finally able to get the tickets! We’re leaving next Friday to go to Cuzco and then we’ll see Machu Picchu on Saturday! I’m so excited!! :)

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.” Matthew 7:1-5

“When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” Proverbs 10:19

“The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Proverbs 13:3

Katrina

new pics!

6 de Octubre

Bible study at the Lighthouse on Saturday was wonderful! We were so blessed to be able to spend that time with over 20 of our friends! Although it was a bit crowded, we were happy to squeeze together so that as many people as possible could hear the word of God. After all, we’ve all heard it said, “There’s no room in the inn.” I would hate to have been the one to turn away the Son of God. The more the merrier!

Liz and I had invited our friend from Flamingo Road Church to come on Saturday, and we pleased that she made it as well. She is such a sweet lady with one of the biggest hearts for God I’ve ever seen. She truly has a heart to follow in the direction God has for her and will not hesitate to tell you that. In learning English, her main desire is to use it to glorify God. We sang a song that stated, “Let the river flow.” As she was trying to explain that we should let the river of God’s love flow in our lives, she lost her words in English. Although she couldn’t quite get her point across through speech, it was clear through her demeanor and presence that she desires to be filled with the Holy Spirit and encourages others to seek the same thing. How refreshing!

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:13

Katrina

4-5 de Octubre

We finished up our classes for the week and are eagerly anticipating our holiday on Monday! I guess this random Peruvian holiday makes up for Columbus Day that we’re missing back home. :)

So on Thursday, since the Mississippi Singing Churchmen were still here, our attendance at Bible study was down a bit. That was alright, though, because we were able to get into a pretty good conversation with those that were here. We studied a bit about creation and how things in this world are just not right, how there is something wrong with the world that we are living in. It is important for us to not only recognize injustices but to do something about them as well. What are we doing individually to combat poverty and sickness and child abuse in this place we call home? What are we doing to impact the lives of individuals for eternity?

Friday night we were able to spend some time with our small group from Flamingo Road Church. Liz and I are so blessed to be in such a wonderful group of believers who are truly on fire for the Lord. I can only pray that God will ignite such a passion in my heart to become close with Him, to walk with Him daily.

We discussed the topic of anger and how we should deal with this. We all respond differently to anger and should learn to deal according to these differences. Sometimes if we are not careful, in our anger we might say things that we don’t really mean. Once these words have been spoken, we can never take them back. It is important to prepare ourselves with the power of the Holy Spirit BEFORE we become angry. It is imperative that we pray about control of our anger before we are in situations where we feel these emotions.

In a similar way, in a Nooma video that we saw the first Sunday we were here, the topic was anger. It was said in this video that anger can be a good thing because it allows us to discover those things about which we are most passionate. If something unjust, something not right has the power to stir us deep within our souls, this could be God’s way of telling us that He has called us to fight against it. The key to using our anger for God’s righteous plans versus using it for our own selfish desires is discovering why it is we are angry and how we can use that anger for good, for building up instead of for our own selfish purposes. Often times someone can do something trivial that we feel is wrong. Instead of using the emotions that result from this to aid that person in his or her spiritual walk and going to them with a heart full of love, we just go to them and blast them with what WE think is right and how WE don’t like what they are doing. Our own feelings shouldn’t be a concern in this field. We should lovingly approach them with the word of God and the love of Him in our hearts and voices. I pray that God can fill my heart with the fullness of His Spirit and His love so that I may honor to His name. I pray that we will all take the time to sort through our anger and dissect our intentions. I pray that our motive becomes bringing honor and glory to God and God alone. I pray that when we approach others we will recognize those times that we are speaking from our hearts and long for times where we speak with dialogue breathed into us by the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 6:1-2 "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

1 Thessalonians 5:11 "…encourage one another and build each other up…"

Hebrews 10:24 "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."

Katrina

3 de Octubre

After school today, we decided to check out this Italian restaurant that we see on our way home every day called “il forno.” When we arrived at 12:30, we were told that they would be ready to serve us in about 20 minutes. It never ceases to amuse me that Peruvians tend to eat lunch so much later than we do! We’ve gone to KFC 30 minutes after they’ve opened and they haven’t been ready for another 20 minutes, too. ¿Que loco, no? So, anyway . . . we ended up eating the lunch buffet that they had prepared at Il Forno. It was so delicious! There were various appetizers which we almost filled ourselves up on, and another buffet full of different types of pastas. Then, to finish it off, there was a dessert buffet! I was in heaven with the chocolate desserts! So, since we were so full, we decided to walk back to our apartment . . . haha.

*the buffet! *some really good stuff. :)* me encanta chocolate y azucar!!! :)
*IL FORNO
On our way back, we came across a SURCO sign that I’d been wanting to take a picture in front of. Surco, of course, is the district in which we live in Lima.

On another note, I came across the following quote and began to really ponder over its implications:

“Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible.”—a West Point cadet

Sometimes it can be so easy to stay trapped in our own mindset. The book I’m reading, The Fuel and the Flame, was talking about how if we are going to have an impact for Christ, we must go share Him with those who do not know Him. The book warns us against getting trapped in our “holy huddles” and encourages us to make friends with those that we don’t know and may even be different from us. The Bible does not call us to become like the world, but does call us to love the world. Christ came and spent 33 years here on earth so that He could show His love for us. He became like us, lived among us and spent time with us. It can be so difficult to really understand the meaning of self-sacrifice and love. I pray that as I spend more time here in Peru, that God would give me a desire to spend time with those who are different from me so that His love might shine through my life. I pray that I will become a Christ-filled loving body that radiates with the message of God and His salvation for all.

“I am a free man, nobody’s slave; but I make myself everybody’s slave in order to win as many people as possible. While working with the Jews, I live like a Jew in order to win them; and even though I myself am not subject to the Law of Moses, I live as though I were when working with those who are, in order to win them. In the same way, when working with Gentiles, I live like a Gentile, outside the Jewish Law, in order to win Gentiles. This does not mean that I don’t obey God’s law; I am really under Christ’s law. Among the weak in faith I become weak like one of them, in order to win them. So I become all things to all people, that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible. All this I do for the gospel’s sake, in order to share in its blessings.” (Paul) 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Katrina

new pics!!

1-2 de Octubre (First day of School)

School started again on Monday. It is nice to be back in a classroom with the some of the same students as last time and some news ones, too! My teacher is really nice and takes time to explain things to us in ways that we can understand. Right now we’re working on the imperfect past tense. It’s not too bad so far. . .

Yesterday I received my first piece of mail!! I was so excited! :) Apparently Mrs. Adams sent it to me on September 5^th and it arrived in Lima on the 10^th. Somehow when Jeff and Judy went to check the mail at the mission office, it either got placed in the wrong stack or it was hiding from me for the past three weeks. But, it’s here now, and boy was I happy. :) Muchas gracias!!

In case anyone else wants to send me something ;), here’s the address:

Katrina Goetschius
Apartado 18-0765
Lima, 18, Perú

Otherwise, nothing too exciting has been going on. We start our first English Conversation Club class on Thursday. Hopefully we’ll see some old and new faces! Keep that in your prayers this week, and pray that these students will have a desire to come to our Bible study classes so that they may hear the word of God.

“When I came to you, my friends, to preach God’s secret truth, I did not use big words and great learning. For while I was with you, I made up my mind to forget everything except Jesus Christ and especially his death on the cross. So when I came to you, I was weak and trembled all over with fear, and my teaching and message were not delivered with skillful words of human wisdom, but with convincing proof of the power of God’s Spirit. Your faith, then, does not rest on human wisdom but on God’s power.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

“Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another when they face Christ in me.”—Jim Elliot, missionary who was martyred by the Auca Indians in Ecuador, 1956

Katrina

30 de Septiembre (A Sunny Day!)

I actually had to wear my sunglasses today because it was so sunny!! I guess that’s why they call it “SUNday.” Ha. Maybe not . . . :)

Anyway, leave it to Pastor Troy to always speak words of spiritual conviction. The lesson this morning was on anger and how we should learn to control it. He stated that anger is a secondary emotion reacting from a primary emotion. For example, we can become angry because we are frustrated or stressed or insecure. Anger is something that we CAN control and must learn to control. The more we allow anger to become part of our lives, the more relationships we destroy. Many of us are aware that our anger DOES affect others. Just because we are feeling bad and angry doesn’t mean that it stops there; our moods can alter the way those closest to us feel. He spoke of things that his “angry” father said to him when he was a child. Although P.T. said that he had long since forgiven his father, he still remembers things that were said that had a lasting impact on his life. All of us can remember things that the people closest to us have said out of anger. I know that there are things that I’ve said to others that were hurtful and so justifiable at the time. It’s only now that I realize just how much we should control our tempers and our tongues and not allow them to control us.

“A rebel shouts in anger; a wise man holds his temper in and cools it.” Proverbs 29:11

“From a wise mind comes careful and persuasive speech.” Proverbs 16:23

*deivis, liz and i in the taxi going to eswin's house

On a less serious note :), after church our friend, Eswin, invited us over for a home-cooked meal! So, Eswin, Ashleigh (who is from South Africe), Deivis, Liz and I hopped in a taxi and headed over to his apartment! La madre de Eswin nos preparó una comida muy sabrosa! We started with the typical Peruvian dish of ceviche which is raw fish marinated in lime juice and cilantro. Along with that we had camote al horno(sweet potato), maiz (corn), y arroz (rice) con cebollas (onions) y pavo (turkey). I don’t remember the name of the turkey dish, but it was wonderful! For dessert we had torta boracha (drunk cake). The cake had chocolate on top, so I loved it!

*deivis, liz, me, ashleigh, and eswin enjoying our lunch!*our lunch. yum!*torta boracha! looks like liz may have had a bit too much. . . nah. jk. :)

Once we were stuffed, we headed out to a mall that I can’t remember the name of. We were in search of some tennis shoes for Liz. After that, we went to central Lima to check out some things there. We even ran into Gina and Quentin who were passing out flyers for the singing churchmen! How interesting!

*deivis, liz, me, ashleigh and eswin at the fountain in downtown limaAfter stopping for some ice cream, even though we were already cold, we decided to head back home. We rode partway home in a taxi and then got out in Miraflores and took the bus back to Surco. Deivis was nice enough to be our “bodyguard” on the way home. It was already about 7:30 by the time we got home, but we were so glad to have been able to spend time with our gracious Peruvian friends.

I love the attitude that most of these people carry around. Although according to “American” standards some of them have very little, they possess such a spirit of hard work and unity that it reflects in their actions toward us. I really don’t know how kindly I’d take to never having hot water, but I must reiterate that I won’t soon take it for granted. I only pray that my general disposition can someday be as pleasant as some of theirs.

Katrina

29 de Septiembre (Singing Churchmen)

Bible study tonight was really wonderful! Liz and I were so happy to see two of our “bathroom friends,” Nadya and Carmela, join in on our fun! We continued our study of the book of John specifically the story of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. How hard it can be to serve others only increases the value of this act when we are obedient and follow the example Jesus gave us. One point that was brought up during the lesson was the fact that Jesus washed Judas’ feet even though He knew Judas was going to betray Him. This example shows us how we should serve others EVEN IF they are unkind to us. That can be a hard lesson to learn.

A group of music ministers from Mississippi came to Lima this week to share the gospel through song with the people here. While we were waiting to go to the concert Saturday night, we had the incredible opportunity to spend some time with our Bible study group. We chatted for a while and then decided to play the game of “telephone” or “gossip.” This game begins with a group of people sitting in a circle. One person thinks of a sentence to whisper into the ear of the person next to them. This continues around the circle until it gets to the end. The last person then says what they have heard. Often times, by the time the sentence finally gets to the end, the original phrase is long gone. :) We had a great time playing this in both English and Spanish! Then we taught them a few tongue twisters in English and our Spanish-speaking friends taught us some in, well, Spanish! Tres tigres tristes comen trigo en un plato de trigo. . . I think that’s right, anyway. :) We had so much fun with them.

When it was time for the concert to begin, a group of about 10 of us went over to the Surco Centro Cívico de Vista Alegre. The men did an excellent job with their songs in Spanish and with their hand bells! I was surprised that they sang all but about two songs en español. :) The crowd especially loved hearing the national anthem of Peru which I’d never heard before.

After that was over, we all walked back towards the Lighthouse. Deivis, one of our friends, lives about 2 hours away from Surco and rides the bus over here frequently! Since he had such a long trip ahead of him and it was already really late, I offered to make him a sandwich. So, I made him his first-ever peanut butter sandwich! I was shocked that he’d never tried it before! I was also surprised to learn that he doesn’t have hot water and washes his clothes by hand . . . like with a washboard. Interesting. I guess we tend to take things like hot water for granted since we’ve always had them. I truly value the hot water that we have in our apartment here, too.

*Deivis enjoying his sandwich. :)

While Deivis was busy eating his second sandwich, he shared with us a bit of his testimony. I wasn’t aware that he’d only been a Christian since April, but apparently since then, he has really allowed God to work in his life. He was telling us that just the other night his father asked him what the deal was with him always hanging around missionaries and going to Bible studies. Deivis told his father that he’d first joined a group (Reap South) to practice his English. He said that it was OK for the first month, but then he began to feel uncomfortable with studying the Bible even though he was able to practice his English. After that, though, God began to speak to him and he realized that he needed Jesus in his life. He then accepted Christ and knows that God has a purpose for him and he’s seeking after God in an effort to find this. He told Liz and me that he felt as though his dad wanted the same relationship but he wasn’t sure how to tell him he could have it. I find that God often uses our testimonies so that we can share with those around us in such a way that they will understand our transformation. In my opinion, Deivis did exactly right by sharing with his father how his life had changed since accepting Christ. I pray that he will be a witness to his family through his actions and newfound freedom in the Lord.

“I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you.” John 13:14-15

Katrina