April 20, 2005
Dear family and friends,
It is hard for me to believe, but I only have a week and a half left in Peru. I have had more time lately to think back over the year and see the ways that God has worked and how He has changed me. I see areas where God showed tremendous patience with me while He was forming me, I see trials that He gave me from which I was able to learn and grow. I see areas where I failed and areas where He picked me up again and encouraged me to keep going. I am realizing lately the value of being content with where God has placed us at different times in our lives, and enjoying the moment. Life is rich, and I don’t want to let it pass by not enjoying the here and now but always just looking at the things in the future.
This last month went pretty fast. We got back from Iquitos and did our best to get back into the groove of things here in Musa. It was a little difficult having traveled for so long and then just being at home again and trying to pick up where we left off. It was a difficult time for me, but the Lord taught me through it. I was really weary and drained, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. We had traveled for basically two months straight doing camps and missions trips, going through a lot of different things and sleeping conditions and foods, and teaching a lot of lessons. I got back to Musa and felt for about a week or so like I had been run over by a truck. I didn’t feel well health-wise, and I felt like I just had nothing left to give. And then I started studying for a lesson (that I had prepared during Ladies camp) for a Ladies meeting and it was just what I needed. The Lord showed me again that we should not be weary in well-doing, but continue working for Him. (Galatians 6:9-10) He showed me that I have to be serving Him and focusing on Him or the rest of my life just falls apart! I thought I was weary and tired and didn’t feel good, but once I started thinking about Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, things were put into perspective once again. Instead of thinking, “How can I possibly go on?”, it was changed to, “How can I possibly not go on?” I thank that Lord for putting the difficulties in this year, for they have really showed me a lot about Him and a lot about myself. God showed me, and is continually showing me, how He uses trials and difficulties in our lives to perfect us and mature us in our walk with Him.
We have just been working on our regular ministry things this last month, which includes Ladies meetings, Jóvenes, Kid’s Clubs, teaching Sunday School, and discipling. We also have had a few little other things to do like translating some Sunday School lessons for a missionary and making songs visuals for the church in Manchay.
I am realizing the importance of teaching how to read the Bible in discipling. So my focus the last few weeks of discipling is that they see the importance in the Bible and teaching them how to study it, not just skim while they read. This has also been a challenge in my life. Pray for Solange and Paola (the girls I disciple), that they would have a deep desire to read their Bibles and that they would let the Lord change their hearts through it.
I am teaching Sunday School for the “Brillantes” class, the 12 to 15 year old girls. My class consists of Paola, Solange, and two sisters from a home that has a lot of problems. Pray that in these last days that I have here that the Lord would use me to impact them in their spiritual lives.
As this year comes to a close, many things are running through my mind and heart. I realize that things will be different as I come home after a year down here. I am changed, friendships have changed, and a whole year has gone by. If life was like a book, I would be about to end one chapter and start another. Sometimes the endings and startings are hard, but they are always worth it.
I ask that you all would continue to pray for the funds that I have yet to raise. I need around $900 more dollars. I trust that the Lord would provide that for me, and I ask that you would prayerfully consider giving or at least praying that the Lord would lay it on the hearts of some to invest in this manner in the Lord’s work.
Thank you so much for all of your prayer and support throughout this whole year, which has truly been a life changing year.
We fly back to the States at night on May 1. We will be in Cleveland, Ohio speaking in the chapel at Baptist Mid-Missions and then we will be flying home on May 3. Remember to keep us in your prayers as we are traveling.
