I wonder if God put me in Peru, this foreign place, with another language, different cultural norms, and little direction in regards to work, spiritual support, and even just how to live here, to help me grow too? I wonder what kind of roots He wanted me to grow, putting me in this HUGE pot that I was put into exactly a year ago. Well, let me tell you…1 yearand 1 day ago, I was like that tiny cactus in a tiny pot. I was comfy and cozy and content with a great job, great friends/family, and a good church….. But then….God pulled my tiny self from that tiny pot and put me in an ENORMOUS pot where I could grow strong deep roots, and then grow upward as well. Honestly, this year has been tough, and wonderful....I have yet to fill that pot with my roots, but they have grown deeper, and my life has grown so much since He took me out of that small pot, and I even see the beginnings of some small fruit. I’ve grown in Patience with others, myself, and with God. I’ve grown in Humility, Love, Understanding, Discipline, Confidence, and the biggest being Trusting in Him.
Before I came to Peru, I trusted God, but, I also trusted in the “American life”. I thought I could always take care of myself. So, if something happened like I needed to buy something above my budget, I could just get a side job to pay for it. If I lost my job, I knew there would be 3 more I could take, if I got sick, I knew I had medical professionals that I trusted and I understood the system. If a friend moved away, I knew I had others that I knew and could build those friendships up. When I came to Peru, I had to throw all those things that I had trusted in out the window, and truly trust in God’s provisions for me. I rely on monthly support from gracious donors to pay my salary. I can’t get a side job here even if it presented itself because it is against my missionary visa rules. I still don’t understand the medical system here. Building new friendships takes time and gets more difficult when there is a language and cultural barrier. So, in this year, I have grown to put my trust more in God than in other things, people, and myself and it is something I hope I never forget. God is bigger than ANYTHING that we go through and He is there ALL THE TIME. He longs to be the one that you run to when you need help…And, He rejoices when His children seek His face for support, guidance, strength, friendship, and love.
Recently, I got to do something I never thought I would do. I went rappelling off a cliff. I am NOT an adventurous person and walking backwards off a cliff just seems counter intuitive....But, I did it and it was amazing!!! It is just one more way that God is showing me that He wants me to live and experience different things in life with Him and that taking a leap of faith (literally) is so worth it.
I can't believe that I have completed my first year here and I don’t know what this next year will look like…But I pray that I will continue to grow both deeper roots and outward fruit and maybe, just maybe will need to grow into a bigger pot at the end of this 2nd year of my first term here in Peru. I am so thankful that God put each one of you in my lives to support me in the way that you do. Thank you all for helping to make it possible to allow me to grow in the Lord and serve Him here in Peru.