March 1, 2010

A slight pause allows me to catch my breath, but even as I look around me there is so much I want to do! So many lives I want to impact and encourage, but that involves creativity and openness. This last weekend was thrilling. I will be really honest and admit that I didn’t want to leave Lima on Saturday. I so enjoyed shadowing Becky and saw so many opportunities in Manchay that I wanted to keep going there. I would have loved to get involved in Joana’s life or to continue visiting Vilma, Julia, and Yhenny. But why do I ever question God’s will? On the bus, I prayed that God would show me that He had a purpose for me in Chimbote and that I hadn’t reached a dead end with so many of the girls (which was how I left feeling…you should never live on emotions!). We arrived just in time to change clothes for Kids’ Club (but we’ve gotten used to that). Only five kids showed up…disappointing and challenging at best. My lesson seemed to flop, or at least I didn’t think it flowed very well. I was ready to throw in the towel (not that I would have even admitted that to myself).

After kids’ club I started to write my weekly text to Cinthya to remind her about our discipleship meeting (fully expecting her to have yet another excuse), when she appeared at the church ready to go! Shocked doesn’t even scratch the surface. We spend some time talking about the example of Mary and Martha and the importance of a person quiet time with the Lord. Then we brainstormed about ways that I could encourage her in the coming week as we walked to pick up Elizabeth for our youth meeting. Elizabeth actually came (the first time since I have been here)!

On Sunday I talked with Devie about our Sunday school class and some other projects for that. We planned to decorate and alternate teaching responsibilities. She also gave me a few other projects and invited me over for a Saturday lunch (followed by a time of organizing the SS materials at church). I was also surprised in SS when Saraí asked me a question without me saying anything to her first.

Then after church I talked to Valentina and she said she would come to the youth meeting on Saturday (something she had always been vague about in the past).

That afternoon I had a good talk with my “sister” Gina about growing spiritually (although I fear it is just a talk, I was glad to know that that door wasn’t closed).

I came away from the weekend astounded by God’s grace. He had worked through so many of my failures. I had not planned any of these encounters. Sure, I had prayed for them, but that had slacked in the business of camp. How can it be that just as things are getting exciting, I only have four weeks left (before returning to Lima)?