Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Amazing.

That’s how I describe my God.

Mighty. Powerful. Sovereign. Perfect. Wise. Loving.

How great is the might of my God! We so often fail to realize His power in our day to day lives. Greg Gomez felt God calling him to serve for the summer in Peru. As a recent graduate in the field of engineering, Greg decided to delay the start of a new job to serve my God, our God in Peru for the summer. What a risk, right? No. God is sovereign. He is in control of everything. In following God’s will, Greg gave his life while reaching those who have never heard the Good News of salvation!

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” –Romans 10:14, 15

Praise Him that He is in control.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. –Romans 8:28

One of Greg’s friends wrote this about him:

“Greg was destined to die serving God. It didn’t have to be in Peru or in Mexico or Africa. It didn’t have to be in the projects of Nashville at MFUGE, or at the homeless shelter downtown St. Louis. Greg was going to die serving the Lord because he served Him everyday in his everyday life. Greg was always on mission just so happens he’s was in Peru this summer.”

What a convicting and encouraging message. My prayer is that the same thing could be said of my life. What a challenge to serve God in ALL that we do so that no matter how or when we die, we have died serving our Creator, our Savior!

I didn't even know Greg yet feel his loss deep within me because of the bond that we shared in Christ and in our calling to share Christ with those in Peru. I am amazed at God's divine, perfect plan and His might. It's tragic that we so often lose sight of just how wise He really in times that we, as human beings, can’t seem to reconcile as just or fair. It was His will for Greg to be called home in that bus crash, and my prayer that He will be glorified among the nations through it.

Praise be to Him who loved us so much that He sacrificed His SON for our salvation!

“May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,
that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.

May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.

God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

-Psalm 67

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Updates!

Wednesday, December 5: Deivis, Liz and I went to the zoo! Parque Zoologica Huachipa is located about an hour away by bus! Deivis even took Liz and me on our first “real combi” ride. These vehicles that they refer to as “combis” are actually little vans used in the same manner as a bus. I felt a bit cramped, but it wasn’t as bad as I had expected it to be! Anyway, at the zoo, we saw leones, osos, cocodrilos, monos, pingüinos y más!

*deivis and me at the zoo!!
*a weird peruvian animal. . . don't remember the name of it. :) it kind of looked like a cross between a hog and a rhino?-ish. . . it was weird. :)
*they have the same hair! :)
*up close!
*christmas! kind of ironic that the two missionaries are in a picture with an evolution banner. :)


Thursday, December 6: felt a tremor! That’s right! I’ve officially felt earthquake-like shakes! We were all hanging out after Bible study when Noemi grabbed my arm and said, “Do you feel that?” Oh my goodness! It was crazy! We survived. . . :) Our friend from the beach, Fernando, came to Bible study. We were so happy and shocked to see Him there, but we couldn’t deny God’s grand planning. If he hadn’t sent that big wave to flood Liz and me, we never would’ve met Him! (see blog titled “30 de Noviembre al 2 de Diciembre (La fin de semana!)

Saturday, December 8: Christmas decorations!!

*liz hanging stars!*helping us with the ornaments
*all done!
*it kind of looks like an american christmas. . . oops! :)

Monday, December 10: So, I’m thinking. . . Peru is cheap. I think I’ll get highlights. . . Haha. Yeah. After choosing a salon down the street from our apartment, I thought getting a full head of highlights for $30 would be a great idea! Liz and I went down there and explained (ha) to the hairdresser what I wanted. It was quite a scene. The lady took out a book of colors and I picked a reddish-brown color that I liked. She then pointed to a brighter color suggesting that I get those instead. I shook my head “no” and told her that I wanted the original color. After the hour of hair-doing, it appeared that the Peruvian hairdresser had won her way. :) Ah. Only in Peru. . .




Tuesday, December 11: A typical Peruvian dessert is the picaron. Picarones are basically like doughnuts that are dipped in a molasses-type sauce. Erick, our friend from ICPNA and the Lighthouse, took us out to a Peruvian dessert shop that he assured us would not make us sick. The picarones were quite interesting, and we had a great time! *erick, liz and me enjoying our picarones.
*our kind friend and me

Wednesday, December 12: We saw “Encantada” (“Enchanted”) in Spanish!! It was a wonderful movie and quite understandable for us even in Spanish! I’m so proud of Liz and myself for being true Peruvians. :)

Thursday, December 13: Liz and I taught our last English Conversation Club at ICPNA in La Molina. It was so great to see our friends one last time and so hard to say goodbye! Betsy, who has only missed like TWO conversation clubs since we’ve been here, even brought us each jewelry that her mom had made for us! *Sigh*

Monday, December 18: We took a final trip to Ancon to visit the family of our good friend Deivis! His mom, Olinda, was kind enough to cook us a real Peruvian specialty-Cuy. Let me translate that for you. . .Cuy is Spanish for GUINEA PIG! That’s right, folks. She went down to the market, selected a LIVE guinea pig, brought it home in a bag, killed it and grilled it up! As much as I was looking forward to eating new and strange foods, the guinea pig still kind of freaked me out. :) *that's the HEAD!!!

*yum!
*welcome summer 2007. the sign made me laugh because peruvian summer starts in december. . . :)Later, Deivis, Liz, Deivis’ sister Fiorela and I went down to the beach. I actually showed Fiorela how to hold a baseball bat for the first time EVER! That’s right! She is 21 and has never played baseball! Crazy!! After a wonderful day there, we went home again to get started on our packing.

*i totally missed that one. :)
*just having a little fun in the South American sun!
more to come soon. . .
pictures

more pictures!


"May his name endure forever;
may it continue as long as the sun.
All nations will be blessed through him,
and they will call him blessed."-Psalm 72:17