Welcome to my journal of this adventure I am about to embark upon with my youngest daughter and four others to the Andes Mountains of Peru. We are a group of six going on a short term missions trip for two weeks.
We leave in less than two weeks but I think you might like some background how I became a part of this adventure to bring Christ to the Andes Mountains.
I currently serve on my church's mission's committee. We strive to provide opportunities for our congregation to serve in our church, community, and world. With that in mind, as a group, we desired to offer a short term missions trip opportunity further than a day's drive.
Our church has a relationship with a missionary currently living and serving in Peru. She was sent out by this congregation. Coordinating a short term missions trip with her seemed appropriate and natural. We will get to see her mission field, learn about her work first hand, and have a clearer understanding how to pray and support her. We also will have the opportunity to serve along side of her and hopefully bring her encouragement.
For myself, I have long desired to go the mission field. My adult life has been a continual exposure to the larger field of world-wide missions. Being a part of a the Christian Missionary and Alliance I have gained friends who are missionaries. I follow the ministries of several missionaries, read about missions, pray for missions, and financially support mission work. This season of my life has not been conducive for me 'to go', raising a family. I have watched others and have been waiting for my turn.
I have visited some very dear fiends on the missions field. These were not official mission's trips, I was visiting my friends. I quickly learned that visiting a missionary is an opportunity to serve. I saw up close and personal what is like to move your family to another country and culture, to navigate in a place without language skills, to create a home, to make friendships, networks, and ultimately tell other of Jesus in a place far from home.
We have so much going on in our lives right now with two teenagers. I told my husband, initially that I did not think I should consider this trip. The timing, again, did not feel right nor was I convinced of the financial aspect of the trip. At about that time, I began reading a book entitled Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis (http://www.amazima.org/katiesbook.html). Katie was a high school student desiring to go a missions trip, she lobbied her parent to allow her to go to Uganda. Her mother finally agreed to go with her in December of her senior year of high school. This trip changed Katie's life forever. She now lives and serves the Lord full time in Uganda. That short trip was a life altering trip in Katie's young life.
My next conversation with my husband about the Peru trip was different. Our youngest daughter has had a life-long interest in the Spanish language - - this is a trip to a Spanish speaking/Latin country. I told him that rather than building a garage and continuing our home remodeling projects of 20 years, perhaps I should go to Peru with our daughter, which will ultimately impact her relationship with the Lord. Where do I want to store up my treasure, in things that rot and decay or in the heavenly realms? Please understand my deep desire for a garage. We have an upcoming grad party in the spring, I have awaiting 20 years for a real garage and am tired of fighting the ice and snow. I would also really like to finish the interior of our home, the never ending remodeling. We live with half finished walls, unstained woodwork, walls needing to be torn down and rebuilt, and flooring in desperate need of replacing. This is not an easy sacrifice for me. My husband quietly and confidently agreed, as if he had been waiting for my conclusion he had made long before, that we should go. His agreement gave me the final nudge I needed to commit. Thus our preparations began in earnest.
That was in February/March. It is now July and we are leaving shortly. I am excited and nervous all at once. How I wish my husband was going to lead me and handle all the complexities of travel into a foreign land as well as carry my luggage *grin*. This is also the longest period of time I have every been away from home. My husband has been gone longer but I was the one at home in the comfort zone holding down the fort. I am being stretched and look froward to all there is to learn in my faith walk, but, admittedly, scared at the same time.
Here in this blog, I hope to journal my experience as we go forth.
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