Pictures and Highlights

1st Week:
Five Team Members- Two Peruvians, Three Americans; One Plane, One Boat, Two Rivers(I think), Two Communities, Three Machetes, Several Dozen Asheninka, “Bastante” (Lots of) Farm Animals, One Wedding, Two Different “Houses”, Three Outhouses (and Plenty of Tall Grass), Too Much Luggage, Lots of Babies Scared of White Faces, Three Futbol(soccer) Games—Five Goals scored by ME, One Possibly-Broken Toe, One Night of Illness, Six Bathes in the River, One Million Bugs, Several Beautiful Sunsets

2nd Week:Same Boat, Two Different Communities, One Fiesta, Half Dozen Tarantulas, Five Bathes in the River, Several More Beautiful Sunsets, Eight Baby Chicks, Two Lives Changed for Eternity!, One Leaky Roof, Three Different “Houses”, Two Very Refreshing Cold Showers in Atalaya, Same Plane to Pucallpa


This is a video of our take-off from the Jungle Runway. Don't you just feel like Nate Saint--oh, wait, that would be me--I feel like Nate Saint.


And these are the kids in Galilea singing in Asheninka. No matter how loud you make your volume you still can't understand the words--SORRY! :)
The following are a few of the couple hundred pictures I took while out in the communities:

Asheninka ladies cultivating the community walkway with machetes. I was able to help with this a little...it is very hot and tiring work.

The cutest little baby. I love this child. Her older sister (age 5) took care of her most of the time and was always willing to let me take her off her hands for a while.

This was my bathtub in Puerto Esperanza (the third community we visited)

These were my toilets in Pensilvania (the first community I visited)

This was my house in Pensilvania

The plane that took us to Atalaya (small town/village on the rivers-- we took a boat from Atalaya to the communities)

I will try to give a more thorough update later. I have been online since 6 a.m. this morning trying to get out my Newsletter and put pictures online for all of you. Dial-up makes the whole process pretty slow. It is now 8:15 p.m.

I'm going to Lima on Tuesday where I will have access to fast internet. I plan to upload alot of my pictures onto a website while I'm there. Just keep checking back for updates! Thank you all for your prayers these past two weeks!

I love ya'll!!

Whoa! Can we say "CRAZINESS"?

ok, so last night i went to a concert here. the group is Christian. they are like rappers from Honduras. they are MKs -- se llama (called) DC Reto. they are like the most popular band in Peru right now, which is really cool since their whole message is Christian.
so Autumn and i go to the concert, right...of course, i mean this has the potential to be a cultural experience of a lifetime! and boy, i think it was!

first, the tickets say the concert starts at 8:00 -- yeah right! we are in South America! but being the grigas that we are Autumn and i showed up at 7:45 to get our spot in line... and it is a good thing we got there at that time because the line started backing up for blocks after about 30 more minutes. so, as we stand in line and begin talking to the people in front of and behind us. the guy in front of me was named Omar and the girl behind Autumn was Milagro (meaning miracle). i believe they let us inside the park area (soccer field i think) at like 9:00. we get inside and there is all this space and so we just kinda walk toward the front with our new friends Omar and Milagro. then Milagro keeps wanting to get closer...and so we go with her...at this point Omar stays back. we end up standing about 3 rows back from the front---CRAZINESS i tell u. we are squashed in there like sardines. so we wait there all smashed up for like 45 more minutes. i think the band finally came out at 10:00. and then it was pure craziness. we were jumping mosh pitt fashion surrounded by Peruvians. after a few songs the white guy (band guy) says, "how many latin americans are here" and all the Peruvians go crazy screamin' and stuff. THEN, he says, "now i see some faces like mine out there, some gringos...how many gringos are here?" and me and autumn are jumping and screaming....haha! then he says, "and i bet alot of you gringos are missionaries...how many missionaries are here?" then we scream louder. it was way fun. after a few more songs these crazy guys came pushing through the crowd and squished us, so i grabbed Autumn and we headed farther back where we could breath. we had a great time....very much a cultural experience.

Okay, so Tuesday I leave for 2 weeks. I will be out from September 12th - 29th telling Bible stories to the Asheninka. I'm all packed and ready to go.

this would be my clothes for the next 2 weeks. that is right 3 outfits, one waterproof bag! and this is my trusty Kelty and my sleeping mat-- which will be strapped to my pack. oh, and my fancy new shoes from buffalo peak!


Now for the reflective side of Lane. I have spared ya’ll up until now by not being all self-reflective; however, I was listening to a song yesterday and it made me want to write in my journal. And now I want to share that journal entry with ya’ll.

Oddly enough the song I was listening to was “I’m Movin’ On” by Rascall Flatts.
These are the words that made me begin my journal entry: “I never dreamed home would end up where I don’t belong…I’m movin’ on…I know there are no guarantees but I’m not alone [God is with me].”

Here goes:
I’ve always known I was a little different. The first clue was when my mama told me I was at the age of about 8 or 10. However, I’ve also always known that God wanted to use that “different” part of me for Himself.
The trip that I’m about to embark on in 2 days is something I have only read and dreamed about. And for many years I thought that Missionary biographies and National Geographic articles would be the only places I would be able to experience this stuff. But, lo and behold, God has brought all things together – my quirks, my love of the outdoors, my hardships, my experiences, and my zest for the extreme – to bring me to the Ashéninka people of Peru! How exciting!
Finally, I am not reading about my dream, but living it. Now, I (not a yellow magazine) am the author of my story!

So there you have it friends… please continue to pray:

That God will give me super-natural Spanish speaking abilities
That the hearts of the Asheninka will be open to hear God’s truth
That I will be a blessing and encouragement to the Asheninka and my team
That my stomach will be calm and my back will be strong

“Praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ… that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.” Colossians 4: 3 & 4

Arive Paasoonke!

Mostly Pictures--That's all ya'll care about anyways!

WARNING!: to those of you who do not like long posts (i will not mention names--johnny!) you will not want to read this! it ended up being longer than i had planned. But there are some really fun pictures...so do as you wish!

The following are pictures of the past several days. Beginning with our trip on Saturday to the Waterfall.

On Saturday we went to a Waterfall. It was 3 and 1/2 hours away by car. The roads were bumpier than anything i have ever experienced in my entire life. i'm talking MAJOR holes in the road and instead of being made out of gravel the roads were made out of like BOULDERS...it was insane. The above picture was our first stop. This construction worker lady was all decked out in orange. She decided if she had to wear it she was going to make it look good. She had on orange earrings and a sparkly orange belt. She was also steady eating her breakfast (notice the leaf she is holding filled with something). Cars were lined up behind us for quite a ways, but no worries b/c there was plenty to be bought and eaten on the side of the road. Everyone unloaded out of their cars and the vendors got very excited at the sight of so may cutomers.

This is Dena buying tamales from one of the roadside vendors! She is all about getting the food sold on the side of the road! I garantee you she did not pay the original price offered her by the lady--she is quite the bargainer!

Here is all the cars lined up on our return trip. This is just as everyone was hopping back into their vehicles.
Here is the waterfall. It is known as the bride's veil. We had lots of fun swimming and sitting under the waterfall. Sadly, however, I did not get much of a tan.
This would be my first experience with the squatty potties in Peru. Regardless of what that sign says, there was NOTHING "hygenic" about that experience. The little plastic gave you "un poquito" (a little) privacy, but no worries because the smell scared away any curious onlookers!
Autumn and I bundled up during our Asheninka lesson (We have been studying Asheninka every afternoon at 3 o'clock-- so far I'm not very good; Autumn is the language expert between us). The temperature at that moment was 75 degrees F. Haha! We were seriously COLD! The wind blew our dry erase board over and spilled my Orange Fanta (which you can see on my clothes in the following picture). The temperature was in the 70s for two days and it was VERY refreshing--it felt like football weather!! (Hotty Toddy!)
Here you see Jetta (the McAnally's dog) with her sweater on as well. You also see the wet spots on my clothes from spilled Fanta. Jetta sleeps with me several nights a week-- please do not tell Gus, he will be jealous!
Here is the beloved plumber who brought HOT water to our lovely casa! That is our shower wall torn to pieces before it was retiled and after he put the pipes in. After I took this picture he shut the door---ooops, maybe he's a little camera shy! Elbert told me I should ask before i take photos! but Elbert, that eliminates all the candid shots!
This is one of the fruit and vegtable markets in town. Notice the truck coming down the narrow road! I would hardly call this road one-way, but somehow Peruvians are capable of driving trucks, motortaxis, cars, and fruit-stands down this ally all at once! These people are amazing!
This is at a restaurant--i forget the name, where we can get roasted chicken. This is the chickens roasting--obviously! mmmmm, good stuff. that was my supper last night (well, actually mine was fried last night!)

And finally my bed! That would be an OLE MISS blanket! Go Rebels!! Ya'll made me proud on Sunday as I listened to the game on the internet.

My first trip out to the Asheninka communities is on September 12th. That is 6 days from today. We will visit three different communities during a two week period. I have been given the responsibility of sharing my testimony (in Spanish, of course), teaching 1 story to the adults, and 1 or 2 stories to the children at each of the 3 communities. Please pray for my Spanish ability and that hearts will be open to God's truth. Also pray as I prepare these stories over the next several days that I will know what words to use. Pray that my nerves will be calm and that my STOMACH will be calm as well. This is what I have dreamed about and I want to take the truth to these people with joy and not with aprehension or nervousness! Please pray for boldness!

1st Video (and what I did while it loaded)

the picture is my team. the mcanally's(dena, jacob, and marty) and my partner autumn beside me



Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing

i hope this thing works! i waited an hour and a half for it to upload to the internet! ya'll better stinkin' enjoy the traffic in Pucallpa! :) j/k. this is a video of us riding back home from town on a motor taxi. motor taxis are self-explanitory...just watch the video and u will see a million of them. we did almost get hit by that fruit truck and we ran a red light too--fun times! don't worry, my life really isn't in danger:)

while i waited for this video to upload i watched the plumbers (someone has to be here with them), talked a little to an Asheninka lady and her son (they passed through on their way to Lima--he has to have surgery). They walked to days to catch some kind of bus and came here and now are taking a bus to Lima. Be thankful you can drive to a local hospital!

i also ate a bag of cheetos...or should i say chizitos (that sounds like our made up language courtney!--hizzy kizzy!) anyways, all the while my roommate has been at the McAnally's house helping prepare for Marshall's(the volunteer from the States)going away party which is in 30 minutes! Let me go try to wipe some of the Pucallpa dirt off my body before i go to the party!

Bike Riding 101 -- Motor Bikes that is!

Friends!!! I have been in Pucallpa for 5 days now and they have flown by. The high points have been learning to ride a motor scooter and a motorcycle (yes, they are different), shopping for a monkey in the market, and going to a mini-zoo full of odd jungle animals.

Each day has been slap full of activities. It is amazing how many things can happen here in one day and the number of random visitors you may have. For example, today I decided to sleep in a little --til 8:30. I went to get in the shower, but as soon as I sat down on the toilet the plumber showed up(with his helpers) ready to install the hot water. So, I took all my stuff over to the McAnally's and showered there--which was fine cuz they already have hot water. Did ya'll hear that? I'm getting hot water--now all of you will have hot water when you visit!!!-exciting stuff! Meanwhile after I get out of the shower a teenage boy was going door to door to make sure people did not have standing water around their houses. He was explaining what dingi is and how misquitos are bred--I did not know how to tell him that I'm from Mississippi and we don't leave water standing either:) A while back there was an outbreak of dingi(that fever that killed the girl in John Grishom's book The Testament). Anyways, our house got a stamp of approval for not having standing water. He really stretched my Spanish skills though---he talked really fast. I did, however, understand when he told me that i looked 16--thank you little peruvian boy! And yesterday the phone company came by to put in an extra phone line for my room. So, now I can sit in my room and update this blog instead of having to sit on my roommate's bed. That is all the exciting visitors I can think of at the moment, but I assure you, there have been more.

After learning how to ride the motor scooter (moto) I decided to take it a step higher (actually I was encouraged by my team) and learn how to drive a motorcycle. I never thought I would do that--but don't worry ya'll, I never went past 1st gear. I will though--one day. The next thing on my adventurous to do list is to drive the McAnally's stick shift truck. If I get good enough and confident enough I will get a truck of my own--oh boy!!

I'm still waiting to hear back from the monkey guy (the guy from the market who said he would call when he got the kind of monkey we wanted).

I don't want ya'll to think it has been all play though. Me and Autumn did rake the yard yesterday--that was quite a chore. And everyday we have to wash the dishes by hand (no dish washers here). Amazing how well I can do these things when my mama is not telling me to! See I did pay attention when she was teaching me!

One last thing, Dena has been teaching Autumn and I Asheninka these past two afternoons. I bet ya'll could learn to really "hold it" if you had to say "Where is the bathroom?" like this:
Tsica picaatapiintaca? Now maybe that will make ya'll pray a little harder for me when I'm out in the communities:)!

Well, I guess that is all for now. I hope you enjoy the pictures. I will try to do more later!

that's me on the scooter

the covered boat is the kind we rode to the zoo, this is the lake that turns into the river during rainy season

mi casa

WOW! what a week!

ok! here goes! warning!: this entry is going to be super long, not very reader friendly with its lack of pictures--it is not for the faint of heart! now don't say you haven't been warned!

here we go! I think I will start with Tuesday. Yes, Tuesday is good. I did not receive word about my Visa on Monday as I had hoped so badly. However, Tuesday afternoon, I received word that my Visa was in the U.S. and ready to be picked up! I was so excited I could barely breath. I looked at my mama and said, “what do I do now?” haha, so I got on the phone and started calling the powers-that-be to get me to D.C. Well, needless to say, I couldn’t leave that very minute so it was this huge high just to be let down---b/c there was nothing I could do THAT MINUTE! Well, I had become very anxious over those two days and had many things on my mind, so Tuesday night I read and prayed through Psalm 139. It was so powerful to me at that time (it always is, but that night I felt God was speaking right to my heart). He was saying to me, “Lane, I love you so much, I know everything about you and everything you need, Do you trust me?” So, I journaled for a while and just poured out all my “anxious thoughts” and told him how much I really did trust Him with everything. I knew that He wanted me in Peru to work with the Asheninka, and I surrendered to His timetable. I slept better that night than I have in a long time!

He also comforted me with these words: "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I take the wings of the dawn(on a jet plane!!), If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea[or jungle!], Even there Your hand will lead me." God is so good to give us such words of comfort!

Wednesday morning I woke up and things were already moving (because God says, "When I awake, I am still with you")!! Yay! I did as I was told and called the consulate first thing Wednesday morning. Well, right after I left a message and hung up, Brenda(my regional office secretary) called me and said that I could be ticketed for that afternoon!!!! I started screaming I was so excited. Then she put me on hold and while I was on hold the Consulate called back to set up an appointment for me to pick up my Visa! So, I talked to him on the other line while my mama held for Brenda. When I got back on the phone with Brenda my plane tickets were being confirmed and they were working on getting me a hotel close to the airport. Needless to say, God’s timing is SOOO perfect. Everything happened at once. (this was all about 9:30 a.m.)

I left mama’s office at 12 and went home to wrap up the details of my luggage. Granny came to see me from 12:30 until I left at 2. She said she couldn’t go to the airport because she would cry too much! I love that lady!!! So, I left my house at 2 in order to be PLENTY early for my 5:30 flight. It is normally a 1 hour drive, but OF COURSE we got behind a wreck!! We sat there for 45 minutes and I got very impatient. And I prayed Lord, have you taught me nothing about your timing—I KNOW you have it in control! I know that I’m a slow learner and I guess He thought I needed another lesson in patience. So, of course, I made it to the airport in time and got checked in. I believe I was there at 3:45, checked-in, and sat down with my family and waited for the final goodbye. I said my final goodbyes at approximately 4:25; there were no tears on my part---crazy I know! I’m just so ready and my dream is coming true!

So, after my layover in North Carolina I boarded my last plane of the night and made it into Washington D.C. at ten til 11(EST). I called the hotel and asked for the shuttle service, an attendant helped me get my bags off the baggage claim and put them into the shuttle(the u.s. airways attendant that helped me was from Africa--Ghana. he wants me to go to Ghana and be a missionary--i told him i wanted to one day!). I made it to the hotel (with all four bags!) about 11:30 and went to sleep around 1:00 I think.

However, I didn’t sleep long because I guess I was just thinking about the details of the next day---having to go get my Visa. I looked at a thousand maps and just decided to forget the metro and take a taxi to the Consulate. The address I got offline was for the Peruvian Embassy---I wasn’t sure if this was the same as the consulate or not(and am still not..lol!). So, the nice taxi driver (that the hotel called for me) took me to the Peruvian Embassy. I went in said I had an appointment with German (Herman) and was informed that he was not in the Embassy but the Consulate (OHH, so there is a difference!). Well, where is the consulate? No worries just across the street! Easy enough you say!! Well, not when you’re on a corner!! So, I walked around some more, found the Consulate of the Philippines! Nice folks those Philippines. Anyways, German had given me his number so I called and got EXACT directions for “across the street.” I found it!! I was there early and waited 30 minutes. I got my Visa stamped in and that was it! Back out into the big city to catch a taxi for myself. The right one(an iranina taxi driver who wanted to know my story--go figure:) came along after a little walking and I was on my way back to the hotel.

I waited there for about 2 and ½ hours and then the shuttle took me back to the airport, an American Airlines attendant helped me with my bags and I waited in line and checked in! Now, here I am!(i wrote this while waiting in the D.C. airport)
Every person that helped with my baggage was so nice and I was able to share my story with several people along the way. I was asked more than once why I was not married. (haha, i guess a little white girl with 4 massive bags makes people want to ask questions!) I said that I really want to be one day when i find the perfect man God has for me! Every person I dealt with those two days was International. It was a great all around cultural experience! Not to mention the Peruvian consulate! It was just a little Peru! It made me so excited --- I used more Spanish than English and that was exciting too!

So, then i flew from D.C. to Miami, i waited about an hour in the Miami airport before boarding. I thought, "here i go...my dream is about to be real!"
Now, my flight from Miami to D.C. deserves a entry all its own, but i will spare you---my new friend Raul deserves a blog all his own!--lol, let me explain.
I got on the plane and found my seat. it was between a Peruvian man(window seat--important detail) and an Italian man(isle seat). when i sat down i thought that the Peruvian man was going to be very quiet and sleep the whole time; HOWEVER, when the plane took off, he came out of his shell.

He first asked me where i was from and then immediately asked me if i was a Christian! when i responded, "yes", he said, "we should pray for our flight." now wait just a minute...I AM THE MISSIONARY!! that is suppose to be my question! haha! before i prayed i made sure that he too was a Christian. he interrupted my prayer with, "don't forget to ask forgiveness of our sins". so then i finished praying and he said, "if this plane crashes we will go to heaven." i said that is right!
So, the night goes on and Mr. Raul, with two children--twins who are 30(boy and girl), would not let me sleep. well, i guess he wasn't opposed to my sleeping, but he needed to ask me lots of questions during the entire flight! however, the most hilarious thing that happened was when i was dead asleep at one point and i suddenly felt water in my LAP!!!!!!!! i woke up with a jerk and the stewardist and Raul were just looking at me. they had managed to spill water in my lap--Raul was just trying to take care of me by getting me some water. well, i tried to go back to sleep, but my blanket and lap were wet. i did not want to disturb the sleeping italian beside me so i did not ask to get up. i waited about an hour and Raul had to go to the bathroom so he woke up the italian and i took my chance to go change pants(those "forced overnight clothes" are good for more than one thing). i also helped Raul figure out his headphones for the movie--he watched it for like an hour with no sound, hoping he would let me sleep, but he continued to wake me up. once he woke me up to tell me that his wife had died 5 years ago--now how could i sleep knowing that. and most other times he just wanted to look at my watch! now i know i'm OCD when it comes to looking at my watch during flights...but i think i have met my match! and he was looking at MY watch as well!

Anyways, i have a wonderful friend now and the flight was just fine! so, i landed in Lima got through immigrations got my bags and made it through customs no problem! Dena, the career missionary, met me outside and off we went to the guest house. i slept for 2 hours before waking up to check in with the police station here. but not before we ate breakfast at Starbucks, and afterwards I ate lunch at TGIFridays, and did i mention i just finished supper at Chili's!! haha, needless to say, i'm not in the Jungle yet!! But i will be there TOMORROW. my flight leaves at 10 a.m. going to Pucallpa!

now this has been long enough! i love ya'll! sorry for so few pics! they will come!

Wait for the Lord

okay! here i am waiting! its all good though. i think my visa will come today. if not, surely by tomorrow. but word is that today is the day. now what happens after today is the tricky part! i will have to fly to washington d.c. to get the visa stamped into my passport at the peruvian consulate. it may end up that i fly from d.c. to peru, but it may not. everything is in the air--except me, of course, and that is where i want to be--in the air in a stinkin' plane!
so anyways, that is the latest as of monday august 21st at 12:39 p.m. CST. and here is a picture of how ready i am!!!! this is for those of you who asked "if i'm packed?" here is your answer:

the puppy is my baby, gus gus. he doesn't get to go, but don't tell him. i think he smells something in the air cuz he will not leave my side-EVER. that is why he got into the photo :)!

i will sent out an update newsletter as soon as i know about my visa. thank you for the continued prayers!

i love ya'll!

Been Packed for a While Now!!!

okay friends! you are probably thinking, "who has time to post all these blogs---that girl has too much time on her hands!" well, you would be right. i do have too much time on my hands. i'm just waiting for that visa to come. in the meantime i thought i would show you my room for the past THREE weeks! that's right i've been packed and ready for THREE weeks! meanwhile, i've been wearing the same two pair of pants and same two shirts for quite a while now(cuz everything else is packed)---I HAVE WASHED THEM!!!

ok, those were my bags about one week ago. now, however, they are all organized and ready to go. and my room is clean!

well, since some of you, that i will refer to as my "special friends"(you like that don't you!), are not able to get my newsletters i am going to post some of my last newsletter here. this is information about the people i will be ministering to while i'm in Peru! please everyone pray for the Asheninka people!

The Ashéninka are indigenous people (meaning they are descendants of the first peoples in Peru and their way-of-life has not changed for hundreds of years). They live in some of the most remote regions of the Peruvian jungle. The only way to reach them is by boat or small aircraft. They live along riverways (tributaries of the Amazon River) and they survive on subsistence farming, hunting, and gathering.
Please imagine with me being born as an Ashéninka child (it is only by the grace of God that you were not). Now your first sights would be muddy rivers, thatch roofs, bamboo huts, open fires for cooking, and jungle animals all around you. Now imagine growing up where the only form of religion is to live in fear of this jungle around you. For example, every animal has a spirit, some are good and some are evil, and death is only one unfamiliar, undiagnosed disease away. The spirits of the animals, trees, sun, and moon are worshipped in hopes that you will not contract one of these unexplainable diseases. There is no truth; there are no absolutes, only fear. The closest thing to an answer is a village witch doctor who is truly the evil one disguised as an angel of light. As an Ashéninka person you would never go out on your own to seek truth because the only life you know to be real is life in the jungle. I mean really, what else could there possibly be? Now, as an Ashéninka person what if in the deepest part of your heart you KNOW this is not all there is to life, yet there is still no one to give you truth. Imagine, me—Lane Brown, walking up to you in your little hut and telling you that I have the Truth that your heart has always longed to know! JUST IMAGINE!!! What would you think? How would you respond? Would you believe this little white girl from some crazy place named the United States?
These are the obstacles I face as a missionary to these people. I so desperately want them to know the truth, and they may desperately want to know it; but we have lots of barriers to cross before the Truth is proclaimed.

i will live in Pucallpa and work up and down the Ucayali River(above) and other tributaries of the Amazon River

read all about them: www.asheninka.net PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!

Goin' to the Jungle

this is the picture that i jokingly named "pretending to be in the jungle" while i was in training in Virginia. well friends, i am still pretending cuz i'm not there yet!!

alright! i broke down and created a blog. i am oh so glad i did too because now i can comment on ya'll's blogs without having to be anonymous (although mr. anonymous is known for several very good quotes).

anyways, i made up a little song for my first blog entry. it goes a little something like this to the tune of "Going to the Chapel":

"Goin' to the Jungle"
Goin' to the Jungle and I'm gonna serve Jesus.
Goin' to the Jungle and I'm gonna serve Jesus.
Goin' to the Jungles of Peru.

well, i thought it was fitting anyway because as GAs we used to go the old sanctuary at church and sing "going to the chapel". and now all my GA friends have gone to "the chapel" and gotten married while i on the other hand am going to the jungle. see life comes full circle now doesn't it!

speaking of GAs i had the awesome opprotunity of speaking to the 1st - 6th grade GAs at my home church last night. that was very exciting and they asked many wonderful questions. for example, after i assured them that i was not afraid because God has promised to be with me one very thoughtful girl asked, "you mean you won't be scared when a crocodile comes up behind you and wants to eat you?" haha, i love kids. I assured her again that I would not.

since i left MLC--lovingly known as "the farm", i have been in brookhaven waiting for my visa to come so that i can GO to the Jungle!!! i am so very ready. i was hoping to leave on August 20th, but today is August 17th and no word on the visa. so sad. but God is in control as all of you know and He will get me to the Jungle on His timetable. During my time at home i have spoken to a church nearly every Sunday and Wednesday. i have thoroughly enjoyed speaking and i hope the people all around me are catching the vision of missions.

it has been an interesting week though because my grandfather died on Sunday night and his funeral was yesterday morning. i am so glad that i was in the U.S. and able to minister to my family.

well, i don't want to make this first entry too long because i want to keep ya'll interested and coming back for more!! i know about short attention spans--i have one! but i wanted to add one final thing. one of my favorite people in the world(my high school mentor) has said to me over and over "i do not think the jungle is ready for you, Lane"---maybe she is right and that is why i haven't gotten my visa yet---however, i have one thing to say-- Jungle, GET READY CUZ HERE I COME!!!

i love ya'll!