When I first created this Blog, I thought it would only be used for recording my accounts of my time in Africa but it seems as though it will be used as a continous record of not only my travels abroad but my life journey...Though sometimes I feel unmotivated to write or I think I don´t have enough time to write, I am always so relieved and thankful to have had the opportunity to share the windows to my soul. Thank you all who read this for caring to know those spots in my heart.
It´s hard to believe I have already been in Peru for one week! I still find it hard to believe that I am even here. I think it´s because this whole trip was kind of a seemingly last minute, whirlwind of a trip. I feel as though i had more time to prepare for my trip to Kenya than I did this trip...maybe it is because my life prior to the trip has been the craziest it´s been in a while...moving a lot, working a lot, and seemingly transitioning always. In hindsight I wish I would have been able to take more time to prepare for this trip, especially emotionally and spiritually. I´m finding myself on this end of things feeling as though I rushed and never really took time to be still and talk to God about things here like how He wanted to use me, or how I could be an encouragement to the people here, or even how I could have taken more time to study spanish, etc...and I wish, in hindsight, i would have taken some time to just listen...I know for certain that this is where God has me, i guess i am just really reflecitng on the utter importance of purposeful, internal preperation, and that is something I would have done differently, had i the opportunity to do this over.
Wow, already, the blinds of the windows to my soul are lifted and there it is...just how i am feeling...honest...How writing these things out helps me process the things I didn´t even realize were there...
On a lighter note, things are going so well here! I am living in a city called Ventanilla about an hour bus ride from downtown Lima. We, the four Americans that are on the team as of now, live with an amazing Peruvian family. The husband is the pastor of the church in Venatanilla, which also meets in the house that we live in, and the pastor of the church in a city about 20 minutes drive from here called Paccacutec. Paccacutec is a very poor area and is considered a slum. I´m not sure how big the city is but it seems to stretch accross a pretty significant amount of land. We do most of our ministering in Paccecutec. The first couple of days we were here we took a lot of time and worked on the church building. We painted, cleaned, and three of the guys were even able to put a roof up in just over a day! We were working hard on getting the church ready by Sunday because that was the first service we had there. Saturday we did a huge youth outreach which was kind of a kick off for the church opening. A lot of interns from the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Lima came out and helped us. We were able to spend the day playing with the kids, doing dramas, painting faces, and different things like that. It was a lot of fun!
Since we had been working so much, yesterday was our day of rest. It was so nice to sleep in and relax. We also had an opportunity to go bowling with some of our friends and that was a treat for me.
The weather has apparently been abnormally COLD! It kind of makes me sad how cold it has been. I knew i was coming to a Peruvian winter but i had no idea it would be this cold. According to Raul, the pastor, it hasn´t rained this much in a long time. It´s just funny to me that in a South American winter I am wearing a hooded sweatshirt, a down vest, long pants, and a beanie! I´m hoping it clears up soon.
Tomorrow is a big day. We are getting the building ready for a wedding of a family friend. Tomorrow is the civil wedding and then Friday is the ceremony. We will be cooking and decorating all day in preperation for the big fiesta in the afternoon! I´m looking forward to celebrating with a really great couple.
With that in mind, I should probably go to bed. I will try and update this at least once a week. Thanks for pateintly reading! Also, if you think of us as a team, please continually pray for unity and health and energy for we are all feeling pretty run down and tired. It would be much appreciated.
Love to you all!
3 comments:
This is Majell: Oh, how I miss my Shayla! Has it only been a week?! It feels like SO much longer...! Aaahhh... Part of me wants to say, "Get back now!," (That's Suzie. She's the selfish self) but the other part of me says, "Yay, you're doing an awesome job and so much good will come of this trip!" (That's Majell. She's the nice, giving self. Listen to her. = )
Yay! I am so glad you are updating this. I'm praying for you and can't wait to see you in a few weeks! Much love!!
Shay, it's so good to read this (finally). I hear you talking in it. Thank you for sharing. I am praying for you guys. For unity, health, safety...all that. But I honestly haven't been praying that it would be easier. I think there is such blessing in the struggle. I pray that the struggle wouldn't distract you all from what the Lord has for you...or from just simply loving him and loving others. But I think it's ok if its hard. Let that push you deeper into Him. I pray for great intimacy with him in ways that you haven't experienced ever before. I love you. You are missed. But I am so glad you are there. You'll be back before you know it. Soak it all in. Let it change you. I can't wait to hear about it!
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