Update:
February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September... Wow! I've now been living in Peru for more than 7 months. At times it seems like forever, yet in other moments it feels as though I just arrived.
When I think back on the year so far, I'm reminded of both joyous and difficult times.
Learning the culture: greeting everyone in the room, and doing the same before leaving, living in a city of 9 million people, taking taxis and busses, and of course the language! I'm still learning at least one new word a day (today's word sobre de jugo = literally envelop of juice, actually Kool-Aid packet).
Some of the challenges: missing my family, missing many friends' weddings, missing my friends and knowing how to interact socially in my own culture and language, being robbed on the street, missing a whole Iowa summer (including Grandma's pool with the cousins & time at Twin Lakes Bible Camp).
Above all, His great blessings: Fantastic roommates, teaching with 40 Christian co-workers, 17 students to greet each morning, teaching Bible everyday, becoming part of a great church family, huge improvements in Spanish, having a great support base lifting me up in prayer back home (Thanks Again!!), meeting many other missionaries and being encouraged by their heart for God and for the lost.
My time here has been a time of growth, and I trust and know that God is using this time to prepare me for what He has in store for the future.
The future...A popular question here, "How long are you staying?" followed by my memorized response since I arrived in February, "I'm committed to stay till December, but I'm praying that God would show me his will beyond that."
The first several months I think said this more because I thought it was the "correct response," not that I wasn't actually praying, but I was praying more for my will, God please bless this year and use me here, but please don't have me stay another year, away from my family. Then as I continued praying, God worked in my heart and allowed my prayer to change to, Lord, if you want me to stay, please show me clearly, if not I will plan to return home in December and serve you there. It was during this time, that God used many people both here and in the states to encourage me to stay and remind me of how God was working in and through me here. The thought of returning to teach for a second year in Peru at MCS, changed from being an anxious thought to a thought filled with excitement and peace. My prayer has now become, Lord please show me if you do not want me to teach another year in Peru, otherwise I will plan on continuing to teach for another year at MCS.
I write all this with two purposes: 1) To share my heart with you ad thank you for your support and prayers thus far. 2) To ask you to pray that God's will would be done in this decision. I hope to decide by the end of September if I will be returning for a second year or not. Please being praying that I will be seeking God daily and that I will be in tune to His leading.
February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September... Wow! I've now been living in Peru for more than 7 months. At times it seems like forever, yet in other moments it feels as though I just arrived.
When I think back on the year so far, I'm reminded of both joyous and difficult times.
Learning the culture: greeting everyone in the room, and doing the same before leaving, living in a city of 9 million people, taking taxis and busses, and of course the language! I'm still learning at least one new word a day (today's word sobre de jugo = literally envelop of juice, actually Kool-Aid packet).
Some of the challenges: missing my family, missing many friends' weddings, missing my friends and knowing how to interact socially in my own culture and language, being robbed on the street, missing a whole Iowa summer (including Grandma's pool with the cousins & time at Twin Lakes Bible Camp).
Above all, His great blessings: Fantastic roommates, teaching with 40 Christian co-workers, 17 students to greet each morning, teaching Bible everyday, becoming part of a great church family, huge improvements in Spanish, having a great support base lifting me up in prayer back home (Thanks Again!!), meeting many other missionaries and being encouraged by their heart for God and for the lost.
My time here has been a time of growth, and I trust and know that God is using this time to prepare me for what He has in store for the future.
The future...A popular question here, "How long are you staying?" followed by my memorized response since I arrived in February, "I'm committed to stay till December, but I'm praying that God would show me his will beyond that."
The first several months I think said this more because I thought it was the "correct response," not that I wasn't actually praying, but I was praying more for my will, God please bless this year and use me here, but please don't have me stay another year, away from my family. Then as I continued praying, God worked in my heart and allowed my prayer to change to, Lord, if you want me to stay, please show me clearly, if not I will plan to return home in December and serve you there. It was during this time, that God used many people both here and in the states to encourage me to stay and remind me of how God was working in and through me here. The thought of returning to teach for a second year in Peru at MCS, changed from being an anxious thought to a thought filled with excitement and peace. My prayer has now become, Lord please show me if you do not want me to teach another year in Peru, otherwise I will plan on continuing to teach for another year at MCS.
I write all this with two purposes: 1) To share my heart with you ad thank you for your support and prayers thus far. 2) To ask you to pray that God's will would be done in this decision. I hope to decide by the end of September if I will be returning for a second year or not. Please being praying that I will be seeking God daily and that I will be in tune to His leading.
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| Some of my awesome co-workers at MCS! |
I'm teaching 5th grade now. Would you like to have some penpals?
ReplyDeleteWow!! So great to read how God has been working in your heart. When He tells us to delight in Him & He will give us the desires of our heart - the cool thing is that HE GIVES US THE DESIRES HE WANTS US TO HAVE! Our hearts line up with His.
ReplyDeleteObviously you have been delighting in Him and He is filling your heart with the desires for what He has for you in the next many months.
We will pray as you have asked...love ya!!