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!