Great Unexpectations

These last two weeks have been interesting ones.  I've been doing a lot of thinking and praying and am finding myself in a fairly ambiguous time right now.  God's presented me with some new options recently that I was not expecting.  The big one that has been weighing on my heart is the question of the amount of time I will be staying in Peru. 

I've been telling everyone that I'm going for two years.  This may still be true, but only if I can discern that that is God's will, and to be honest I'm not sure right now.  I've been thinking about how I arrived at the decision to go for two years, and I feel like it was my own pride.  The mission agency originally suggested going for one year to see what it was like and then I could decide if I wanted to stay longer, but I brushed that off immediately, claiming that anything less than two years was not worth it, as it takes at least one year to get acquainted and comfortable with the culture.  And I'm ashamed to admit that my attitude toward other missionaries who only went for one year before coming back to the States and settling down was that it was not a true missions experience.  Wow!  What a jerk I've been!  I realize now that wheather someone goes for one year or twenty years, as long as they are obeying the Lord's personal calling on their lives, their missions efforts are not only genuine, but effective. 

I want to have a genuine missions experience too.  I want to do the Lord's will and have the most effective ministry possible.  Please keep me in your prayers that I will be sensative to hear what God is asking of me and to be obedient to His will.  Thanks.

Weapons, Work & Monkeys

Just to give an overview of everything that's been going on:

This is my last week of self defense training...watch out bad guys!  You don't want to mess with this girl!  If anyone's interested in getting some great self-defense weapons, some that were recommended to me were the Hideaway Knife and this cool Tactical Flashlight!

There was recently a SAM missions conference in Peru.  I was unable to go but some of the people from the home office who were able to go re-assessed the needs on the field and my new "job description" is actually a variety of jobs: Bible and P.E. teacher at missionary kid school, abstinence teacher through Latidos de Esperanza (the crisis pregnancy center), and, still, outreach and discipleship ministry to the youth through the development of a community recreation center.  I've been informed that I will have very little free time, but that's ok.  They don't call it the Lord's "work" because it's easy. 

To make some money until I leave, I've been working part time at the SAM home office in Fort Mill, SC, and doing some yard work and cleaning jobs on the side. 

Also, I've gotten to talk a little with the two other single women I'll be rooming with when I get to Peru.  One of the women blessed me so much this week by praying for me continually and then pledging $50/month for a year to my mission fund just to help get me down there sooner!  Yeah, that's right...another missionary is pledging money to me out of the little savings that she has!  Incredible!  The other woman also is a blessing to me as I keep hearing about her contagious happy spirit and energy.  Below is a picture of a baby monkey she saved and is now keeping as a pet.  His name is Scott Sawyer :)

Thanks for reading, everyone, and please keep me in your prayers as I continue to prepare in faith to head to Peru very soon!  God bless!