Psalm 119:32

"I run in the path of your commands,for you have set my heart free."







0

Oddly humble pie

 I am seeing a trend in my life. Well two, they kind of go hand in hand. Odd jobs and being humbled.
Do you know what an odd job is? Like a random job, something that needs to get done, usually not fun. They are practical but sometimes very odd.

It first started at camp, all the staff have to to odd jobs at the beginning and the end of the season, and even sometimes in the middle. Things like washing tarps, picking up gumballs, weeding the grass, mowing the woods (yes I had to do that), and the list goes on and on....no really it does. Somehow it NEVER ends!
Then, in Peru, I had an assortment of jobs. When they had a job that they didn't know who to give it to, they usually gave it to me. I did things from gardening, digging sand holes for compost, to wiping down cabinets, to speech therapy.
This past summer at camp I was donned "AAA" (all around assistant) sounds like an award rather than a job title. But yes, that is what I did. Anything and everything. Kitchen, program helper, take phone calls, babysit, vacuum snow....
OK I am starting to see a trend here.
Present day, it all started with Sunday school. They needed a teacher for 4-6 grade girls. I offered to help. Since then I have started to working at the local thrift store (which a friend asked for help), helping out a local business owner with her odd jobs around the house and her work (it is the busy season!), and this week I am cleaning house for a dinner party on Monday.
My life is anything but consistent.

For some reason the Lord wants me to do odd jobs. ALWAYS. I think.
Always I am thankful for good work, always I am learning something new, always I can be flexible, always I am happy to help. Always I am being HUMBLED!

Yes, these years of odd jobs have been nothing more than stretching, growing me and more importantly humbling me. I am learning that the behind the scenes work has to be done. That not always, hardly ever, am I going to be the center of attention in work. 

OK let's get real...yes I am human, I complain about my work, my feet hurt, I am tired, I want to do things for me most of the time.Do I really want to be humbled and doing dirty work?, no. Being humble is a battle, constantly I am fighting this battle, I fall on my face a lot, thankfully He picks me back up. and the good news is that if I allow Him to work in my heart, He will do so much in my life to give Himself glory!

So for now the Lord is using me.....quietly. I am not the one shining brightly (actually I am dusty and dirty) HE is. He shines brighter because I do the dirty work.

What is the bigger picture for my life? I know the ending. It is BEAUTIFUL! But for now I am human and want to know the now, now. I have a feeling I am not going to be a famous: artist, missionary, or even camper. I am going to be a behind the scenes girl for something big. I just know He is going to use me in a big way, but quietly eating my humble pie.

I like the way it is said in I Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
0

Orphan Sunday

I am not sure where to start on this one. This is probably one of the hardest things but yet most enjoyable and passionate thing I like to talk about. Orphans. Yes, orphans. We all know I was over in Peru for a long while at AIHE volunteering. There was no mistake that God, my God, my King, my FATHER, had me over there. I think it is very interesting how he uses one passion to reach another. I obviously have a passion for the camp ministry. Through that passion he led me to Peru where I found my next passion. Orphans. I fell in love with those crazy, wild, sweet, loving, trying, exciting, wonderful, parent-less, kids.

Today is Orphan Sunday. the Lord laid it on my heart yesterday to speak about orphans in sunday school, I have one girl in my class who was adopted from Russia 5 years ago. I know it must of been hard for her to listen to me talk about how orphans live and what they go through, because who in there could relate to what I was saying. HER. The other girls had looks of concerns and actually listened and participated today, while she sat there looking away. I know I brought back those awful memories and possibly traumatic times she had there. But I know that (and she does too) God saved her, he gave her a family that loves and cares for her so much. I hope that she can take her experience and share it with other orphans and give them hope. Next week we are writing letters to some kids from AIHE. They are really excited. And so am I.

I am still going through a lot of transition. It has been much longer and harder than I thought it would be. I often break down and cry for what seems like no reason, but it is because I saw and experienced so much, so much I have a hard time telling and expressing to others what it is. I want to so badly but don't know how. Anyway.....

Today has been emotional to say the least. My heart is so burdened with the 145 mil orphans out in the world. I want to just scoop them up and cradle them all in my arms, protecting them and comforting them, telling them that they are safe and the world cannot get them anymore. But how can I, just one person, do that? I wish, oh how I wish that I could. But, even though I am not that big I know that God can place me somewhere where I can make a difference and change the lives of some of them. I want to go. I want to protect. I want to comfort. I want to heal them. These unwanted kids. I have some road blocks though. I owe money for my student loans. Pray for me, that I wouldn't stress and worry about them so much. That God would take care of them (even give me a full time job to get rid of them) so that I can go and be free to serve and care for the children of the world.

watch this clip and please think about how you can help too. Prayer even helps so much. Please pray for the orphans and abandoned children of the world.
Orphans Sunday

I want to leave you with this.... "Defend the cause of the fatherless..." Isaiah 1:17
Alleluia, Dios es Rey!  
0

Father, Let your light shine down on me

I have been doing some running again (more on that in a minute). But this morning during my run I was listening to my "chrisitan" play list instead of my usual "peruvian running" play list. And while I was running this one long stretch the song, Let you light shine by Bethany Dillon, came on and the lyrics are so powerful. I encourage you to look at them. Our Heavenly Father did, is doing, and will do so much for us. How can we begin to fathom all of that? Sometimes I think instead of trying to figure it our we should just bask in that light. Enjoy who He is and what He is to us! We should let HIS LIGHT shine down on us.
Matthew 5:14-15 says, "You (insert name) are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but in the lampstand, and it gives light to all that are in the house."


This picture was taken in Cajamarca, Peru during a trip I took for a friend's wedding.I like how the light shines on this one spot. Are you that one light spot on a hill amongst those in the dark? Is God's promise rainbow radiantly shining above you? Too often I find myself blending in with the gray shadows of life. Conforming to the world. I, however, desire to be the city on the hill with my Father's light shining down on me wherever I am. It is hard, but I know with HIS help and with the surrounding of other believers I can be that light! Hallelujah to our KING! As you go about your day doing new exciting things, or even those monotonous daily routines, think about how His light is shining upon you.

Sarah Skid and I have been running 5k's recently. Well, we ran one and are running towards our second on the 20th of this month! What joy, I am so thankful God gave me legs to run with and a friend to push me on! Here we are at our first race with Sarah's friend Sarah.


 We are planning a race in May to raise money for CRS. More to be posted on that later!
0

Bah!

Agh! Bah! Grrr!
That's how I feel right now. I am waiting, thinking, deciding and alone on what to do with my life. And I feel trapped! (in this small town with nothing to do, and in this house all by myself).


I sometimes just want to SCREAM! but i am the only one here so it seems kind of ridiculous to do that.


So i am swimming and cleaning and cooking a lot to make my life seem like it has some kind of meaning, until i can get a job. but i am still teaching sunday school which is awesome! so i have that to look forward too!

-feeling stuck.
0

Wait...wait? Wait for what?

Now that I am looking at it the word wait is an odd looking word. Oh well.

I was talking to some friends one night during camp and we were talking about what we all were doing/ thinking of doing for this next year. Job wise. We all were in the same boat. Lots of different options, but we all wanted to go and do what God wanted us to do. I had been looking at different schools to work at all over the country and was telling them about some of my options. When I got home that night, God had different plans.

I was reading my (bilingual) bible in the book of Psalm and EVERYTHING I read screamed, "Susanna, what are you doing? Just WAIT on ME and MY perfect timing." So it was double time with Spanish and English... I just sat there, stunned. I didn't know what to think. Time, I thought, was running out, I needed a job asap! But God knew differently.

These are all from Psalm.
37:7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him...
37:34 Espera en el SENOR y guarda su camino, y El te exaltara para que poseas la tierra.
39:7 "And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in You."
40:1 Al SENOR espere pacientemente...
40:4 How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust.

So I took a week after camp to "wait". God didn't think that was long enough. So now after a month I am still waiting. Here this though, I am being active, not just sitting around saying, "Okay Lord, I'm just a waiting send me a job." I think we should be active waiters. I have given my resume to several different people from New Mexico to Honduras. I am teaching Sunday School at FCPC for girls grades 4-6 and I love being involved there again! So here I am waiting on the Lord and what He has in store for my life. Patiently waiting. (but can I wait here bc this is a really cool couch!)


0

CAAAAAMMMMMP!


Things in America that are going on:
-I am at CRS again this summer.
-Chief Hannah gave me a missle pop and I have soooo much energy right now!
-I think in spanish a lot still but manage to talk in english.
-Christmas in July at camp right now, feels more like Christmas in Peru but the english version.
-I still wear my overalls....ALL the time.
- Looking for jobs....
-All over, New Mexico, Texas, Illinios, North Carolina
-In transition. Its hard.
-Missing Jhoncito.
-I love Hannah Parish!
-Chauuuu!



0

Que bonito tus hijos, O Dios!


How beautiful.
Que bonita.
Wow!
Lately when I see these faces of these precious and BEAUTIFUL ones I cry. For many reason. I cry because I am not with them anymore, they have to live in the albergue, they may or may not have families, but mostly I cry because God, our God, made them. He made them each in a very special way and loves them with everything He has. He made them in His own image and made them beautiful!
















 Mark 10:16
And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

Psalm 68:5
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

(many photos thanks to John Foster)
0

Este es mi familia.



                                                                         picture thanks to Couttney!

This is my family. What is family? What do you call family? The dictionary says this.

a. A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.


b. Two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place.

2. All the members of a household under one roof.

3. A group of persons sharing common ancestry.
 
Well I agree that these are all correct answers but I think family can mean much more. For me family is not necesarily the ones you come from, the same color, the same language, the same background....family is those you love. For me I have a great family, a huge family, a diverse family. I recently had to leave my "new" family to help my "old" family. It was the hardest thing I have done in life. I just left Peru on a minutes notice to come back to the states to help my mother who was in the hospital with my father, we weren't sure he would make it. I can gladly say he is alive and doing well! God is not through with him yet, and I am so thankful!
 
Sunday and Monday I was ripped from my family in Peru. I felt like someone was tearing my guts out of my body, stretching my limbs from one side of the room to the next. My head was pounding, my legs went limp, my eyeballs turned into waterfalls. Never-ending waterfalls. I hurridly packed my things up. Left a mountain of my things in my room, and cried as I spent the last few hours with my family, playing, singing, dancing, cooking, cleaning, and enjoying one another's company. I had the sweetest crieyest despedida in the world.
 
I have been in the states helping my family and as I am here I am terribly homesick. I am homesick for that once called foreign land and language, my children, my tia's and tio's, my sisters, and my mothers. I am homesick for rich peruvian food, dry desert land, loads of laundry washing, and much more. I am homesick for my family. I have succesfully cried my eyes out since I have left and writing this is very hard. I pray that God is not finished with me over there. That I will get to be reunited with my family again.
For now I have to deal with that change and get to see what God has in store for me here in this land.
 
-Praying for change over here!
 
                                                                            Becca, me, and Courtney
 
 
Miller school singing a song to me and spelling out we love you.


The Tesoros (aldiar and samir) doing a rap song

                                            One of the sweetest moments- Junior holding me and sobbing. I will miss this dear one.
0

Mi Jhoncito



"J-H-O-N, jota-hache-o-ene, jota-hache-o-ene, J-H-O-N". Jhon. Let me tell you a bit about my favorite job here. I babysit Jhon (2yrs) every afternoon 4-6. We have so much fun together. We do laundry, play outside, count to 10 and spell his name (which he can do by himself!), go to the library (he says biboteca) to read and do puzzles, watch his favorite tv show at 6 Chavo, and cuddle. His face lights up when we run into each other during the day and recently he as started to run towards me with his arm wide open! Then I run to himand scoop him up and tickle him as he laughs and laughs. My heart is full when I am with this little one. He will be the hardest person to leave when I go. Yuck, I don't wish to talk about that yet. Yesterday we spent not only the morning but also the afternoon together. Here are two funnys fromt the day. 1st we went to do my laundry, when we were in my room he saw a photo of my nephew Parker, who is the same age as Jhon, and my sister Elizabeth, Jhon saw it and said, "Jhon, tia, Jhon, tia Susana". I told him, "no that's Parker and Elizabeth." He refused to think it was anyone other than us. Later while we were talking to Becca who was hanging laundry I was holdin him and he was playing with my face when he grabbed my cheeks and kissed me on the lips! I was so surprised. Most kissing I have had in years hahahah!
We also have been matchy matchy lately, wierd. Yesterday it was orange and grey, today it is overalls.

0

What I believe.

Ready for it?

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight,
 Red sky in morning, sailors take warning"








And there you have it!
-ps i found this cool verse to go along with it Matthew 16:23
0

Grace

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace. How sweet the sound!


What a beautiful song! We sang this sunday and what a wonderful one it is. We also sing it in spanish and let me tell you that the words are still just as strong! I love that God saved us, gave us grace the very frst hour we believed. God takes us in and comforts us when we are in danger and in touble, he has promised good to me and not only does that cover what I get on earth, but much more in heaven and the new earth! When we get to heaven it will be glorious and we will keep singing these praises to him not only for ten thousand years but for ever to come! God's goodness and grace is sometimes infathomable to me, how could he possibly want me, this wretch of a person, to sing praises to him for eternity? Well he does and I sure am happy about it! I am so excited about his love, grace, and mercy for me and that I, yes ME, I get to praise him for ever to come!

-Love you all!
0

Newest update letter

May 12, 2010

Dear friends and family,

I hope this letter finds you well as you finish up the school year and start your summer activities. I pray that God will bless you all this summer and give you good fellowship with family and friends as well as that much needed rest! Summer is far from our minds here in Peru as the kids have been in school for the past two months and the cool fall weather is creeping upon us.

God has blessed me so much here at Hogar de Esperanza. I have been through many job changes, which has given me different perspectives of all sides of this ministry. I am currently a "casita assistant." I help clean two houses as well as help out in the afternoons when the kids are home from school. This job has been one of my favorites. I have had the chance to become much closer to the kids in my two houses. Our relationships have grown and gotten deeper and more real. I have gone from the fun volunteer who only plays with the kids to the volunteer who fills in when the house mother is out for the day. We have shared many hard but also many exciting times together.

I want to share with you a little bit about Mother's Day here. Unlike at home, Mother's Day here is very extravagant, filled with lots of special events at schools, here at the orphanage and also in churches. A lot of our kids have mothers who are not active in their lives, some have mothers who have died, and a few have mothers they get to see on a weekly basis. The two weeks before Mother's Day were filled with crafts and preparation of skits for the "big" day. Along with those activities came stories and lots of questions. Most of the stories were sad ones. I heard little girls telling one another why they got left here, a little boy in class saying "no mama, no mama," and a little orphaned girl crying longingly for her mother. It was very emotional for all of us here--the kids looking back on their old lives with their mothers or focusing on their current lives without their mothers, and of course we volunteers who have mothers and don’t know at all how these children were feeling.

Sunday during the church program one of the classes did a singing/thanking moms act, and the main speaker was one of our girls whose mother had died a little over a year ago. I thought I was going to lose it right there in church. Later that day I talked to my own mother, and we cried and prayed as I told her that I have started to see how much God has blessed me--more than I will probably ever realize. I only pray that God will bless these little ones much, much more than He has me.

So as my time here quickly comes to an end, please be in prayer for these relationships and all the emotions that are involved. Pray that God will continue to use and change my life in a way that will bless others that I come in contact with. And lastly, pray for these little children, God's children, that they will be comforted, loved, and hopefully adopted!

Thank you so much for supporting me and praying for me on this journey! It means so much. I cannot wait to see you all when I get back in July, Lord willing!

God bless,
Susanna Davenport

-if you or someone you know are interested in adopting a Peruvian orphan, check out our website at http://www.perukids.com
1

La Campina


Yesterday was John's birthday (the volunteer not to be confused with the 2 yr old I babysit), and we took him on a surprise trip to the Campina! This is a little piece of countryside near Salaverry and Moche, a small peice of heaven here in the Trujillo area. The Huacas are located here as well, making it a popular place for the tourists. However, our trips to "la campina" or "Javier's" are never, may I repeat, never touristy. We are now dear friends to this rather large family of brothers, nieces, nephews, throw in a grandmother and a few wives! So we spent this birthday night listening and dancing to the guys play some newer but a lot of older traditional music, eating good sudado and chicharron, and salsa dancing well past our appropriate bedtimes (9pm haha!). As we were saying our goodbyes and see you laters, I was talking with one of the girls about how much I love this little hidden treasure (our friends) and how much culture there was here. La campina and all it comes with will be greatly missed by all of us, but well remembered in our hearts and ears (as we have their cd!). Thank you Robyn for letting us join your "campina family".

-I googled La campina de Moche and these pics were 1st!



The brother's band!


This is their workshop.
They make traditional Moche pottery. Also here is the Moche god "Aiapeac" a very popular design in the area. Mom be expecting great pottery with this guy on it!
0

Escalera al cielo

New Find! A "novela" or soap opera that I just love! It is called "Escalera al Cielo". Saturday while in the Luces house we watched this most of the afternoon. It is a korean soap dubbed in spanish. I was reading my book and then found myself drawn to this show. I literally couldn't tear my eyes off of it at times. I was so ethralled. It is quite ridiculous and not the best filming or acting at that, but I was so excited that I could understand what was going on and being said! So here it is garanteed you'll love it...ahahahahaha!

it is below!
0

Escalera al cielo Ep 9 (2/6)

0

This glass is so transparent I can see the pain


Today I had the privledge of getting to stay in one of the girls houses (bc it is labor day) and I have to share this moment with you.

To set the scene I was in the living room helping out with math homework, I had 3-4 girls asking for me to make up problems/check their work. Getting a little crazy. I heard a cry of one of the girls from the other room. She pretends to cry at times, but is really laughing, so I ingnored her. But after a couple of minutes I had enough and shouted, "you sound like (a girl in the other house), such a crier." I was hoping this would shut her up. Nope. She kept on, so I left my spot and went to see what was up. I found her curled up on the floor by her closet with big crocodile tears pouring out of her sad brown eyes. I tried tickling her to get her up, but ended up having to pick her up like a little baby (she is 6). I held her and waked over to her bed where I tried to get the story out of her. She mumbled something and then proceeded to tell me she got in a fight with another girl over something silly. As I held her I found myself at a loss for words. I don't know what happened to me, but everything I tried to say just came out weird and awkward. So I just sat there holding her like a baby and trying to calm her down. As I sat and looked into her eyes I saw who she was. Her past. Her new life here. Her hurt. A scared, upset little girl who needed a mother.  Her eyes told me she was alone in the world. Not only is she here away from her family, but worst of all her mother died a few years ago. I looked at her and saw her pain. I wanted to cry. My heart was hurting so much for this little one. Here I was a temporary "mom" trying to do my best, and I knew that my best would never be even good enough for her. As she cried I started to tear up. The pain was awful and I could feel it seeping out of her body and it spread all around me. It was like it escaped through her tears or something. I think she needed that cry so bad to release a bit of that hidden pain. The actual "problem" got solved, but there is a bigger problem that is still there, and probably always will be. Pray for our little ones who have lost their moms or dads. They try and cover up the pain, but you can't do it forever.
0

Things, these are JUST things. They comsume us.

I have to confess, I do not come from a weathly family. I know, I know..shocker, huh? Ha! No, I am so thankul that God has made my family's life tough. That we as a family had/have to work through things, hard things. Work for our things, rather than getting them handed to us. Why yes it would make it easier, life would be smoother, more glamorous. But I am so glad that God has made us the way we are, so that we can learn to lean on HIM during the hard times in our lives. We have to depend on what we do in life  (ie jobs) to get us by, or the best of all FAITH! I love just praying something like this, "ok God, here it is, you know it but I am going to tell you. I need help. Quiet frankly I need ____ (fill in the blank). If it what you want I know I will get it." And at times, sometimes the same day or the next I get just what I was praying for! It is really "chevere" to rely on God!

Like I was saying about not having much stuff...I think God has taken things away from me on purpose. So that I can live for Him and rely on Him. Not that I do not have the things I need, I am talking about wants. The little extra thngs in life that we all drool, dream, and constantly think about. Of course I am human and I want nice things. I want lot of stuff, but when I think about it life without so much stuff is so much nicer. SIMPLER. You can breath. What happenes to all that stuff anyway. I'll let you know. It sits there! Had no idea did you? Yep thats what happens.

I have had a few recent conversations with some different people about "things". One said, "I just like to buy things, just for fun. Do I use them? No. They just sit around, but I like it. I lke to have more and more things. The bigger the better." The other said something like this, "You would be so happy if you had everything in the world." Would I? I asked. Really would I be happier with everything I could ever want, and even those things I don't want either. I don't think so. I got laughed at twice for saying, "No thanks, I am completly happy with what I don't have and furthermore, I have God." My debating got me nowhere sadly. They just kept talking louder and louder to drown me out. I do not have too much patience for people like this, so I said, "well I have God with me and I am will be happier than you ever will be even with all of your things." and walked out.

I keep reminding myself of how God wants us to live for Him and not earthly things. I also look around and see people that have literally nothing and because they have Christ in their lives they are happy as clams. These verses also help A TON!

Matthew 7:24-25 The Wise and Foolish Builders

 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Luke 16:19-24 The Rich Man and Lazarus
"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell,where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

Matthew 19:24
"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."


Matthew 6:19-24 Treasures in Heaven
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.


*ironic kinda                                                                             *orphans playing




-Love you all!
0

Along the way

Here are some important things I have learned during my stay here.

1. Little boys will gladly change into their pajamas only if it is a race...a timed race to be precice.
2. Kids do not stay still while getting their hair cut, thus ending in quite the cut.
3. Drinks with ice make you get the "griiiipe" (a cold).
4. Hot soup on a hot day is so healthy for you. Soup in general is the best thing you could eat.
5. You can never eat too much rice at one meal...even if you are 2.
6. Any kind of bite is from a mosquito.
7. You may think you know how to spell your own name, but you don't.
8. There are only white people in the USA. Everyone else was adopted.
9. I can speak chinese.
10. Glee can heal your soul!
11. We sweat because we drink lots of water, not because it is hot as blazes outside.
12. Jackets are highly recomended in weather under 80 degrees.
13. Runners are scarse, girl athletes are scarser, therefore being a white girl runner people think you are crazy.
14. Never underestimate the power of blonde hair on a bus, the people sitting by you WILL pull it out.
15. Packages from home are like little pieces of heaven.
16. Saturdays mean that it is hard to speak spanish.
17. Rocks make good weights.
18. Americans all wear the same kind of shoes...chacos.
19. The more ridiculous your birthday card looks, the better.
20. And lastly, you must wear your "going out" clothes out, and your "house" clothes in, NEVER mix the two...confuses people.

I know there is more and Becca could write a billion more...but we are saving that for the book.












0

Home

So while sandboarding in my backyard in sunny Peru, those in my home town got hit by a tornado. We have always had tornadoes since I can always remember. I remember never being afraid but rather fascinated that the sky could turn so black and th wind could go so fast. Then comes the hail, sometimes as big as small baseballs. Finally if you are unlucky you see the tornado. I remember trying to wait by the windows so I could catch a glimpse of one. But my smart father would always rush us into their bedroom closet so that if it hit the house we would be safe. And then there was the sound. Like a train coming through. I remember the endless drills at school, how painfully boring they were. I remember thinking that I wished we could have earthquake drills just because they were different. (very thankful now that we do not live on a fault line, especially after having been in Peru during a few earthquakes here and around us). But even through the worst of the tornado winds God always protected us and those around us.

So like I was saying, yesterday Choctaw county and Yazoo, MS go hit hard by a tornado. I had no idea until I was on fb later and saw that my parents had no power at the house. I called the phone and found out that thankfully they were safe and the actual town of Weir (ie. our street ha) was fine. But just down the road houses were gone. Nothing there. I was sitting there trying to imagine my entire life just gone in one storm. I couldn't. I also heard that there were a few deaths caused by the storm. I can only praise God for sparing the rest of the county. It was awful, but it could have been so much worse. Think Haiti or more recently Chile. My town, my county, my people....you are in my prayers. May the God of Wonders use this to strengthen you together as a family, the body of Christ. May he bring you together to help one another, to lend a hand to your neighbor or the family in need down the way. I wish I could be there to help out. But God's plans are perfect and His will is being done, even through this hardship. Keep strong and may He be praised through the storm. I love you all, and we here in Peru are praying for you! See you in July!

Psalm 121:1-2
I lift my eyes up to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

"I will praise you in this storm"


Left - a little town in Peru called Cajamarca during an afternoon rainstorm. Right- I am watching the storm.
0

Study study study...


I thought after college that I wouldn't be faced with the things of my school days like studying, reading, and memorizing, ever again. Well wow was I wrong! I move down here to Peru and guess what, they speak spanish. Why yes, I have studied for 4 years but was far (still am) from being fluent. So I come here and have been taking spanish classes every friday. I am on the intermediate level! I was thrilled to hear that! So I have to study a lot for that. But in reality, I really don't study nearly enough. They even give us homework. But I will say that it is much less and easier than that which Senora Dieckman gave us in sp 1 and 2. :)
So on top of that, I have been more interested in photography and recently design. I am doing research and constantly trying to find new ways to learn more about these things. I am also looking into home businesses. So if you are one who has started your own home business and have advice let me know! Aside from all of that, we as a group of workers and volunteers are reading a book of the bible every month. AND I am involved in a bible study with the madres on The Purpose Driven LifeA few of us have also decided to start a bible study on Beth Moore's Living Beyond Yourself. So I have a lot to study. I really hope I am not taking on too much with all of these bible studies and spanish class, mixed in with my normal schedule (which surprisingly has calmed down a bunch!). I pray that God will open my heart to hear his words and live my life in a manner that he wants me to. I do hope I can be faithful to these things, because I know it is so important to be in his word and get to know him more. Pray for a renewed strength!

-I am just starting The Purpose Driven Life and already have found some amazing things to live by. Check it out. Paul's secret to spreading the gospel...he was FOCUSED! No one can serve two masters (be it a person or possesions). "The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose." And well-formed love banishes fear! I am excited to find out more and to enforce what I already know, so that I too may live my life with a Christ-like purpose!
0

Week in a list

It's friday, what did I do this week? Let's take a look.

1. Had a nice Easter lunch with some volunteers from the Albergue.


2. Photo shoot with baby Jhon.




3. Learning to crochet.


4. Read part of The Lovely Bones.


5. Hemmed two pairs of jeans.


6. Ate soup.


7. Watched LOST.

 8. Talked to an old friend.


9. Went to visit Kevin at his new albergue (where we proceeded to talk to one another on finger phones).


10. Got a package from my family (included with an 8x10 school pic of Caroline).


11. Wore my old lady glasses.


12. And realized the 4 of us who workout together in the am's look like a legit exercise class!


I think that does it for this week. Man, ya me canse´. Or man, I made my self tired.

Love you all!