I hope that everyone is doing well in anticipation of Easter and the celebration of our Risen King! I sure am because that typically means that warm weather is just around the corner! Well, just wanted to update you all what the Lord is doing in my life, and what the status is regarding progression towards my goal of living in Peru to provide. Well, the first thing is that I made it through round #1 of the interview process with the sending agency that I'm applying to. Now, I am the process of completing more detailed information about my life, and will be taking a psychological test sometime in the upcoming weeks which is required by the sending agency. Once that is complete, and I'm approved (hopefully), I will then fly to Houston to do a face to face interview with this agency. This is a lot of work and time involved in this process for everyone involved, so I am just thankful for the time they have given me this far on this journey and look forward to the next step.
I continue to attend my Perspectives missions classes and enjoy learning so many things about missions, cultures, and how to be successful based on past missionary experiences that were both good and bad. I'm learning a lot. I also continue to learn Spanish (slowly), but plan to be much more proactive once my Perspectives class is over (in May) by enrolling in a local community college class for conversational Spanish. I've taken this class once and I learned a ton, so I plan to repeat it, and then move on to the next level hopefully by fall. I'm also learning a lot about things that I need to change in my life in order for me to grow so that I can be ready when it is time for me to go. I'm learning about submission of control that I think I have, when in reality I don't have and never did. I'm learning about trusting Him completely and how to fight against Satan's attacks. I'm learning to be patient in His perfect timing for everything.
The Lord is making some really amazing connections with people this past month. A friend of mine at church, Kristin, has been sharing with me about her sister, Jessica, who is a Physical Therapist and lives with her husband in Dayton, Ohio. Recently, Kristen approached me at church to tell me that her sister is working on her Masters in Public Health with concentration on Global Health. In order for her to graduate, she has to do a practice placement somewhere. She contacted me about a month ago to see if there would be anything that she could do in Peru that might be helpful in alignment with what my vision is!!!! After many emails back and forth with her and some of the people in Peru at Camino de Vida, we have come to the agreement that she will be doing her project to help us on this vision! The details are still in the early stages, but it sounds like her and her husband will be going to Peru in August/September for 2 weeks. While she is there, she will be doing a needs assessment and interviews with families among other things, to get a better idea of what these people are truly needing the most! This is an incredible blessing from God that was totally unexpected and very much welcomed. I have no experience in any of this and since Jessica is learning all about this in her schooling AND is a physical therapist, she will provide me and CDV with a lot of good information and direction! I am extremely excited about this and will update you when I know more specifics.
Another connection that the Lord has made for me is with a man who is a doctor here in the area, who is native to Peru, and who organizes and goes on a medical mission every year to Peru! I will be meeting with him later today and am excited to learn about what he is doing, and what God wants me to learn from this man.
I continue to be amazed at how God has continued to provide little pieces of encouragement throughout this past year for me. It is affirming to me because I know that he is continuing to open doors for me through these connections and helps me to know that He is constantly working in people to make this effort come to be.
As for my condo, the news is really no different. I spoke with my realtor yesterday to lower my price as much as I can with the understanding that I would be paying on the closing. The grim truth that she told me was that there are 138 one bedroom, one bathroom condos on the market in my town. Since January 16 units have closed with the average price being $56, 919.00! Yikes! I have mine listed now for 138,000.00......I'm not so sure what God's plan is for this home of mine, but I know that He does have a plan and I need to be confident in Him. During my devotional time today, I read this: I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:13-14. So, I'm waiting for the Lord....
So, I continue to ask for your prayers and support. I need specific prayers for my condo to sell or for some creative solution for what to do with it and my debt that is attached to it. I need prayers for strength to fight these attacks that Satan is having on me as he tries to discourage me and talk me out of going. I need prayers for continued opened doors and connections to be made that will be helpful for the future. I thank you all for your prayers and support. I know that we all have busy lives with many things on our minds and hearts and I truly appreciate that you are interested in my life and what God is leading me to do.