about time for an update...

hey ya'll,

this month has been challenging in a lot of ways, but things are beginning to get brighter.

last Friday (the 14th) i met with a nutritionist. he put me on an EXTREMELY bland diet. it will be easier for me to tell you what i can eat than what i can't eat.

things Lane can eat:
meat with mild seasonings (no pepper, no lemon, no soy sauce....)
pasta with olive oil (Praise the Lord for olive oil!)
rice
potatoes(no butter, no nothing)
white bread
refined cereals
jello

are you getting the idea? thankfully i am able to use milk without lactose, but i can't have any other dairy.

i have had to write down every morsel that i put into my body on a calendar.

the good news is that my body is recovering. i haven't had nearly the stomach pain or problems that i have been having. the most difficult part is eating these things while everyone around me is eating holiday goodies.

i went back to the nutritionist yesterday (the 21st) and i have to remain on this bland diet one more week. i was pretty disappointed in this news, but thankfully i will be able to start adding more variety the following week.

the week of my vacation to Italy (Dec. 28th - Jan 8th.) i will be able to eat cooked veggies and he told me to try dairy foods slowly building up. i will still have to write everything down and i will go back to see him in one month.

i am thankful to finally see improvement in my health. i am extremely thankful to all of you for praying me through this time.

starting in January i will have a new job description so that i will be able to stay in Lima for the remainder of my term (May 30, 2008). i am not sure at this time what the new job will entail, but i will do my best to keep ya'll up to date.

i hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.

i love ya'll!

Elf! Just call me "Buddy"!

check it out!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1170880668

AND i really did update my picture page today... sorry about the earlier post that said I had new pictures when I actually did not...

www.lanembrown.shutterfly.com

13 Soles down the drain?

So, I thought it was time for a more entertaining blog. Lucky for us... I had something rather entertaining happen to me today!

I walk down stairs bright and early (about 11:00 a.m.) and decide to make some Bisquick biscuits straight from my mother with love. As I am getting things ready I immediately notice the state of our kitchen -- quite disgusting. I figure it is time to get a handle on this mess and then I see the source of the problem--the kitchen sink is clogged. Yep, lots of nasty dishes sitting in even nastier water. So, I left the biscuits in the oven and went to the corner store to see if they had some drain-o. No such luck. So, I texted my roommate, asked her to take the biscuits out of the oven, and I was going to the grocery store. I couldn't handle the mess any longer. I went to a larger grocery store found the biggest bottle of drain-o that Peru makes (costing the grand total of 13 soles... 4 and some odd American dollars) and came home. I poured the entire bottle down the drain and I think all I accomplished was making the sink fuller! So, it was time to get serious. I went and got my knife (with a handy screw driver) and started taking a shelf out from under the cabinet so I could get to the pipe. As I started on the first screw Kristen (my roomie who was helping with all this) let me know that the drain-o had kicked in and the sink had started draining! Well, that is all fine and well, but things were still moving a little slow and I figured it was still time to get to the bottom of this clogged drain. I put a large pitcher under the pipe and it was time to see what was holding up progress down there....

Can you see it? Wait, maybe the picture isn't large enough... here is another:

and one more, just for good measure:

Well, there you have it my friends. A Knife, in my sink! Welcome to my life... it is always quite entertaining!

I think this can definitely be added to the list of strange things I've done in Peru.. right up there with killing a baby snake with my machete. Okay, maybe it doesn't rank that high, but I think I'd rather play with a snake than touch that nasty goo that has been sliding around in my sink for months.

Hope ya'll enjoyed!

Continue to pray for my stomach and the decisions that I am going to have to make this month.

new pics

i just added three new albums to my shutterfly site. check them out.

www.lanembrown.shutterfly.com

"Home" Again

Friends and Family,

I am so sorry that it has been so long since I have updated you on my life. I have been in the village of Lampa since October 13th and I returned to Lima the day before Thanksgiving. While in Lampa my teammates and I looked for opportunities to disciple believers and to also evangelize. We showed two different movies in the Municipal Theater in order to present the gospel. We had many youth come to these movies. We probably had 100 at the first movie and around 60 at the second.

We had Bible studies on Sunday nights and Tuesday nights each week. We had a steady group of 4 or 5 who were either believers or persons who were very interested in learning more about the Bible. We also talked on the local radio three times a week in order to teach more about the Bible. We taught on the radio every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I spoke each Monday for about 30 minutes. Some of the topics we spoke about were Salvation, Following Christ, Love, and many others. We had many people tell us that they listened to our radio show and I really think it was a great way to get the word out to the people.

We also visited a couple more remote communities/villages each week. We visited one village named Huayta Central where a man named Juan and his wife Rosa and children live. Juan is a strong believer who is studying his Bible and sharing his faith with others. It was an encouragement to be able to share with him and encourage him each week. We also were able to talk with a group of men in the community of Tusini Grande about 3 different Saturdays. There were a couple of these men who were very interested in the Bible and had lots of good questions for us. Pray that a seed has been planted among them and that the Holy Spirit will continue to work in their lives.

Continue to also pray for Senor Mendez (our hostel owner and prospective leader of the church in Lampa), as well as Carlos (a local teacher and coach), and a young man named Alex. We also had a lot of interest from some young people. One young lady named Damaris and a young man named Alejandro. I believe that both of these young people really understood and desired to truly study the Bible. It is always difficult to leave a place because you have to trust that the Lord is in control to continue the work that was started.

I have several other prayer requests for you also. While I was in Lampa my stomach began acting up again. I talked to my Doctor through email and he put me back on some medicine. I also went to see him as soon as I got back in town. As a matter of fact I went to see him at 9 on Thanksgiving morning. We talked in his office for a while then he issued some tests for me to have run. I had my blood drawn that day. The following day he called and said that I would need to have further tests done on my Thyroid. I had those tests done on Friday and Saturday. Currently I am waiting for the results of those tests. I will most likely talk to my doctor again on Monday... at the latest Tuesday.

I had planned to go with my team to Nazca for a training event; however, my doctor informed me on Friday that I would need to stay here. So instead of going I will be babysitting my Boss' dog and resting until I hear from the Doctor.

This latest episode with my stomach is making it more clear that I will probably not need to continue traveling the way I have for the past several weeks. We have all but decided as a team that I will not continue traveling as I have been doing. Instead, I will have to be placed somewhere where I can find the foods that I need to have a consistent diet. I'm not exactly sure what this means for my future. My boss is working very hard to find something for me to do here in Peru. The most important thing, however is finding the source of the problem.

Please pray that my doctor will be able to tell me what is going on with my body. Also, pray that my boss will have wisdom as to where I should work for the next 6 months before my term is over. Pray that we (my boss and I) will be open to the Lord's will no matter what that means.

And finally, do not think that all this sickness ruined my Thanksgiving meal! It did not. When I got home from the doctor on Thursday I made a green bean casserole! I think the thing I was most thankful for this year was CANNED GOODS! Last year I had to make my green bean casserole from scratch, but thanks to volunteers and my mama I had all my ingredients in a can! It was amazing how much smoother the cooking went this year! We had about 50 missionaries together at my Boss' house for Thanksgiving lunch. The food was amazing- just like home! My doctor told me to go ahead and enjoy myself because he knew it was Thanksgiving, but to start a more bland diet after that big meal. I have been doing my best to eat smart, but I have always loved food that is not so good for my insides. Pray that I will have self-control to eat the things my body needs.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please do not worry about me. I have a great doctor and a great team who are taking care of me. The Lord is in control and I am trying to take each day at a time and learn everything the Lord wants to teach me through this.

I love ya'll,
Lane

Lampa

Hey Friends,

I just wanted to give a quick update on what I've been doing here in Lampa. Kristen and I arrived in Lampa last Monday. We stopped through Arequipa to visit a couple of our friends who are living and working there. We hit the ground running on Tuesday and went to the Radio Station and Municipal building to try and get some public shows going. We were able to get 30 minutes each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for a Radio Show. When Kristen went to do her show last Friday the guy ended up giving her 45 minutes. So we paid for 30 minutes for 3 times a week for a month and we are getting 45 minutes for that price. We also were able to book the days of October 31st and November 8th to show a movie in the Municipal Theater. The movie we are showing is called "La Esperanza" which means "The Hope". It is a very thorough movie that teaches the Bible from Creation to the End in Story form. I am excited about those days, please be praying for them as well as our days on the Radio. I had my first show on Monday the 22nd. I really enjoyed myself and a Peruvian friend of mine, Claudia, told me that my pronunciation of Spanish was well done. I am thankful for that, in that hopefully those who were listening were able to hear, understand, and comprehend the Truth of Jesus Christ.

We have had a group from the church in Lithia Springs, GA here with us since last Thursday and they left yesterday. They are the church who has adopted the area of Lampa (adoption of areas by U.S. churches is REAP's strategy for reaching South America). We stayed very busy the days they were here. We visited several village communities as well as having 3 very good church services on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights. Brad, Kristen, and I will continue and followup with the things we did last week. We also have a strong vision for the youth and young people of this area. We have come up with several ideas for reaching and being part of the community here.

Please pray for Fransisco, Carlos, Alex, Italo, and Senor Mendez as they are the men that we are working to invest in and grow as leaders of Lampa. Several of them have lots of potiental. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to work in there lives and they will be motivated to reach their own community for Christ.

I will try to keep ya'll updated weekly as to our work here in Lampa. I will be back in Lima on Thanksgiving in order to celebrate with my team there. Until then keep praying for the village of Lampa. Pray that the people's eyes will be opened and they can break the chains of rote religion that has been handed to them for centuries and see that they can see there is freedom in Christ.

You can see some pictures of my visit to Arequipa on my picture page. www.lanembrown.shutterfly.com or just click on the link to the Right that says "ALL MY PICTURES". enjoy! and i will try and post some from here in Lampa when I have acess to fast internet.

new picture site

hey ya'll,

i'm working on putting all my pictures on a new site called shutterfly. i deleted facebook so you can't access my pictures that were on there any more. sooo, i created this:

www.lanembrown.shutterfly.com

you can also click on the link to the right ----> ALL MY PICTURES and it will take you straight to them.

i'm working on putting them in categories of my life since i came to Peru last August. i doubt anyone has that much serious interest in my life, i mean, it's like over 400 pictures and i haven't even finished yet. But hey, some of ya'll might be really bored one night... and i just want you to know that i'm here for ya'll... or my pictures are anyways!

also, just to let you know... my wisdom teeth came out this past Friday. i'm still having a small amount of pain and pressure/tension, but i think overall i'm recovering well.

i will be leaving for the mountains again on either Saturday or Sunday after i have my stitches removed on Friday. i am looking forward to this trip. Pray that it will be fruitful and the work there in Lampa will multiply.

Thanks!

i love ya'll!

mountain roads and the many ways to travel them

hey friends,

i'm back from an exciting adventure to the mountains surrounding the the coastal town of Chincha. We visited Chincha and the surrounding mountain areas for the purpose of research. Our boss needed to know how many people lived in each village (we visited 4 and stayed in 3) and if there was any type of hostel, food, or fuel in these areas. The information is needed for when a U.S. church is looking to adopt an area they will have an idea of what they are getting into.

Chincha is about 3. 5 hours from Lima and the surrounding mountain villages that we visited were anywhere from 4 to 10 hours from Chincha. i learned that there is no one way to get from one village community to the next, in fact, i was able to personally expierence 4 different modes of transport. let me show you:

1. first mode of transportation, the "happy bus" as noted by this sign above the driver's head. we sat on this baby for about 9 hours up and down some of the steepest, narrowest roads i have ever been on. thankfully we had a seat on the inside vs. the roof!

some of our fellow travelers weren't quite so blessed so they made themselves comfortable with the luggage up top...

2. second form of transportation, a tractor. we sat *cough* comfortably in the trailor for about 5 hours. it actually brought back childhood hayride days for me.

kristen and i seated in the trailor beside a nice drum... the ppl were going to the next village to give a concert... how nice a random, at least they gave us a mattress to sit on!

3. we sat in the front seat of this bad boy for the record of 10 hours. a nice man who went back and forth from this village, where he cut wood, to the town of Chincha, where he delivered it, gave us a ride. we left at 3 p.m. and arrived at 3 a.m. with a two hour nap on the side of the road at 10:30 p.m.

4. this was our final form of mountain transport. these trucks are called "mixtos". not exactly sure why, but there are three rows of seats in the cab, and about 6 rows or benches up top where people can sit. the trucks also haul produce and other things that may need to be transported to the villages... in this case, mattresses.

here is a shot of the inside. notice how the cab has been cut and a wooden cab has been built around it. not sure how this works...and i'd rather not know. it got me up the mountain, that's all that matters.

here is one of the more tame portions of the road which we traveled a total of 4 times in one week.

now, all those hours of transportation can really allow for lots of thinking time. i don't know about ya'll, but driving and riding have always served the purpose of helping me think through tough issues and spiritual matters as well. i've never been able to read on a moving vehicle(and i didn't bring my MP3 player on this trip); therefore, after a combined 32 hours of mountain travel not including the 3. 5 hours each way to and from Lima i think i've pretty much thought through every aspect of my life. please allow me to share a bit of that with you.

God has been working on my faith here lately. do i really believe Him? of course i believe IN Him, but that's not the question. do i believe Him? when He gives me a promise like "He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it" or "i will never leave you or forsake you" do i BELIEVE Him? i'm confessing to you that i haven't always had the best ability to trust, but God is really doing a work in me. i really think the scary mountian roads and the not so reliable transportation or scheduling of transportation has increased my faith more than i can understand. by being able to pray that the bus would kick into gear and make it up the mountain and then immediately feel the result of that prayer increased my faith. then to pray for a place to stay when we got to the next village and then be able to sleep in a bed when i got there showed God's provision in a real way. i guess this thinking is pretty simplistic, but isn't the gospel and doesn't it all hinge on belief? during this week in the mountains i didn't trust "chance" that those needs of provision and safety would be met, but i definately believed God that He was going to provide every need. all in all this adventure has refreshed my walk with my heavenly Father.

Please click on the "ALL MY PICTURES" link to the right --> to see more pictures from my trip!

does not seek its own

Is life not just a daily lesson in love? This central theme of the Bible seems to have recently seeped into every corner of my existence. From disaster relief work in Ica to living with 4 new roommates, God is reminding me that we have been placed on this Earth to show His love and to also experience the love that He desires to give to us. It is amazing to me how He is constantly surrounding us with people that both need to feel His love through us and also those who fill our need for that same love. God tells us in His Word that the world will know we are His disciples if we love one another... how do we show this? We mourn with those who mourn and we rejoice with those who rejoice. I find it easier at times to mourn with those who are mourning, for example those who have lost everything in this earthquake, verses rejoicing with those who rejoice. I guess I am able to be happy for people, but I think at times it is just easier for me to relate to their pain. Or maybe it's because when you are in pain or difficult to understand times in your own life it is hard to understand the joy of others. However, we are not given an option here. We are not told to rejoice with others when we too are rejoicing in our own lives. The Word doesn't say you can choose one over the other, but instead in the previous verses it says "let love be without hypocrisy".

All of this is still so very difficult for me. I feel like my love is filled with hypocrisy everyday. I guess the best thing to do is just to let go of my need to "do well". My heart's cry is to have Christ's attitude and His servant nature. Please pray with me that I will learn to love and that God will get the glory.

And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. I Corinthians 13:3

Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart. I Peter 1:22

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34

For more pictures of Ica click the "ALL MY PICTURES" link to the right --->

I love ya'll!!

Ica- Disaster Relief

Just wanted to let ya'll know what I've been up to. Life has been a little crazy here lately. After returning from the U.S. I stayed busy working here in Lima in order to get food and supplies prepared to send to Ica. I was also asked to stay at the Brinkley's house in order to watch their house and dogs the weekend of the 24th -27th. Then on Tuesday (the 28th) I finally got my opportunity to go down South and help with the relief work! Yay! I was sooo excited! This is what I've been waiting for my whole life. I just love helping people. I talked to my Mama today and she said that everybody back home is very happy for me right now because they know this is what I've always wanted to do. And they (or ya'll I should say) are right... I've waited my whole life for an opportunity like this. So, I was only able to stay in Ica two days, but they were both incredible. The first day I arrived I was able to help the ladies cook lunch and clean for our teams coming in. That afternoon we went out into a community named "El Olivo". This place was unreal. Every house in the community was destroyed. The day I went we gave them blankets, one per family. In the days before they had received food from us for their community kitchen. In order to receive foods for the community kitchens the people have to have their communities organized into families. We give food to the community kitchens and they feed the entire community for a week or so at a time. We return to these communities to check on them and just talk with the people. The day I was in El Olivo I had the opportunity to talk with several women for a couple hours. They are all so open to the gospel. They have been so close to death and are really thinking in terms of eternity. I met a lady named Margarita and her granddaughter Pamela. They took me to their house (the remains) and introduced me to the daughter and I think the daughter's husband, but he could have been the grandfather. It is hard to tell sometimes. But they allowed me to take pictures and they told me their story about the night of the earthquake. Standing in the middle of the remains of their house was just unreal. I couldn't even really grasp where I was. I can't imagine what these people are thinking. I went to another community and was standing with a lady beside the remains of her house and suddenly an adobe brick fell off the back of the house. It was so unnerving. It really made me wonder how these people were feeling the night of the quake with everything falling around them.



Here are a few photos to give you an idea:

Margarita and Pamela in the front doorway of the remains of their house

the back doorway

Margarita, her daughter (doing laundry) and her granddaughter in their makeshift house

Me chatting with a few ladies

the sign on the front of the community center

I came back from that trip on Thursday (the 30th). I am staying at the Brinkley's house again this weekend so that both of them can be in Ica. I will leave again on Monday morning at 6 a.m. to go to Ica again. Hopefully I will be able to stay a little longer this time.

The people who are there now are going to start Bible studies in some of these communities tomorrow. Please pray for them and me as we teach the Bible in these devastated communities. I am thrilled to be able to help in this way.

I haven't had time to sleep in my own bed for a very long time now. I am learning that for now my life is not going to be a settled one. I talked to my Mama today and she said she knew when I was born I would always be on the go, after all, I was born feet first.
So, I'm outta here! I love ya'll!

To see more picture of Ica click the "ALL MY PICTURES" link to the right ---->

remember to read Kevin's blog and the ReachPeru updates. http://swisa.blogspot.com/, www.reachperu.com/reliefinfo

Earthquake Relief Information

Hey everybody,

Just wanted to give a quick update about what the IMB in Peru is doing in response to the recent earthquake.

I personally have been able to help with a few logistics here in Lima. Yesterday, Pam and I went with one of our Peruvian friends downtown to buy medicine in bulk. The meds went down with a team this morning. Today, I'm at our mission office in the "command center" doing whatever I'm asked. This weekend I will be house/ dog sitting for the Brinkley's (they are the administrative folks in Peru and are now the disaster relief coordinators) because they will both be down in the Ica area.

I hope I will get to go South here soon, but I'm waiting my turn. Until then, you can read all about what we are doing at www.reachperu.com/reliefinfo or
Kevin's blog: http://swisa.blogspot.com/

i love ya'll!!

pics of my apartment

hey ya'll,



i bought a camera while i was in the U.S. so i decided to take some pictures of my new room here in Lima. some of you had asked what it looked like... so here you go...pretty and pink!

my bed, and fun new paintings from the market hanging there on the wall

bookshelf, a cute little pink chair where i sit to work on my computer... those big windows are all the way across that wall... i love 'em!

bathroom

well, i hope ya'll enjoyed 'em.

and an update on the earthquake relief... some of our missionaries went down to the affected area today to assess the situation. they will be letting us know if there is any way we can help and they may request volunteers and relief money... i will keep you updated. i'm itchin' to get down there, but i'll just wait until i'm called on:)

love ya'll!

this is the link to Kevin Shearer's blog: http://swisa.blogspot.com/ he is giving daily reports about the earthquake and how IMB missionaries in Peru are helping! Kevin's family is who i stayed with in Lima while sick. check out the blog!

safe and sound

hey friends,

i'm sorry that i've neglected to update this blog for like a month now... i really don't have an excuse, but anyways.

i made it home to the U.S. for my vacation. i took 10 days in order to be in my best friend's wedding and visit with my family. it was a fast-paced trip and i missed out on seeing several of ya'll. however, i was able to update the folks at FBC Oxford and i really enjoyed seeing all of you. and again, i really appreciate the support that all of you have given me.

i managed to stuff myself with every kind of American food that i have missed out on the past year and i'm pretty sure i drank more sweet tea than any normal human can possibly hold... but i'm still alive!:)

i flew in to Lima last night. i was in the air when the 8.0 earthquake hit in the South of Peru. there was no damage done here in Lima and my friends picked me up from the airport as planned late last night. all i really know about the earthquake is what i have read from news sources. i haven't heard of anything that our missionaries are doing as far as relief work, but if i hear of anything i will let you know. personally i would love to get down there and get my hands dirty, but i'm not sure it is feasible at this time.

i think i will be leaving for my next trip to the mountains in September, but i do not have an exact schedule at this time. while i'm here in Lima I will continue to contact young ladies and lead them in some discipleship. please pray for me that i will be intentional with my relationships with these girls.

it is good to be back here. i'm thankful that i have another 10 months here in Peru to be obedient in my calling. please pray that i will listen to and follow the Lord's direction everyday, that i won't pass up opprotunities to share God's love and that my attitude will reflect our Savior.

thanks again for your prayers. if you would like to see my pictures from my time at home you can follow these links:
http://olemiss.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2090152&l=35369&id=6518921
http://olemiss.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2091122&l=f4d76&id=6518921

i love ya'll

this is Kevin Shearer's blog: http://swisa.blogspot.com/. he is giving daily updates about the earthquake and what IMB missionaries in Peru are doing to help. keep checking back to that blog for new information.

not a word little girl. . .

hey ya'll,

just thought i'd catch you up on the latest happenings. i haven't really been doing anything here lately, except that i managed to get a pretty rough cold while in Lima. nearly everyone gets sick during a Lima winter (it is winter here in Peru right now) and that did not exclude me :). i went to the doctor on Friday night and he told me that i could not speak for three days. . . and what is worse, Mr. Kevin isn't allowed to talk for 3 days either. Poor Mrs. Pam has been bored out of her mind. my ears are all plugged up and my chest is pretty congested. . . i'm on all kinds of medicine that was suppose to make me sleepy, but it kept me up all night last night!

i was suppose to go on a short 6 day trip to the mountains to translate for a volunteer group, but i got sick and can't talk. that kinda puts and end to translating!

besides that i should be moving into my apartment on MONDAY!! yay! my new roommate flies in on Monday night and i'm suppose to be able to talk again on Tuesday. so i'm looking forward to a good week.

really that is about all that is happening. i have some kinda funny Doctor stories, but i just don't have the energy to tell them right now!

i love ya'll!!!!!!

A Month in the Life of Lane

Hey Ya'll!!

My Team: Me, Brad, and Beth

I am back in Lima resting after a long month in the Southern Mountains of Peru. I had a wonderful time in the Pueblo of Lampa. I was working along side of Beth Dowdy (a Volunteer from Georgia). We worked together to intertwine our lives with those of local believers. Carlos, a Coach at a local school in Lampa, was our number one disciplee (is that a word?). We spent nearly every night with him teaching through the Bible and the importance of taking what you have learned and sharing it with those around you. Two of his young friends Italo and Alex joined us many nights during our Bible study times.

We also had the opprotunity to go further out to some small villages and teach Bible stories to some children and in one community we met with a local believer, Juan. He was a very teachable man and seemingly influential in his community. We sat and talked with him for about three hours one day. He was very caught up on his poverty here on Earth and I simply reiterated that we are not able to control our earthly circumstances, but we are promised a reward in Heaven --- that is our goal. His eyes seemed to light up upon hearing this. However, he did state that it was to hard to convince the people of his community the truth of our eternal situation. I told him that we are only responsible to tell and the rest is a decision for them to make. He and his wife (as well as all the locals) work very hard harvesting beans and potatoes in order to sell them for about .30 U.S. cents per kilo. They really do have a very sad situation, but the truth still remains... our reward is not an earthly one. Many of the people are gone during this time of the year harvesting their crops and plowing the ground for the next season making it difficult for us to find people to meet with.

Me and some of the kids we taught in a village

Juan's wife sifting through her beans

(Juan wasn't there that day)


I arrived back in Lima last night after having a mid-summer debriefing with other summer missionaries that are in Peru during this time. I am not sure how long I will be staying in Lima this time. I have been washing clothes and relaxing today. Brad left today to go back to Lampa. I could not join him because Beth is going back to Atlanta this week and we didn't have a third partner to stay with us.

Please pray for Brad as he continues to disciple Carlos, Italo, Alex, and Juan this month.

Thanks ya'll!!

More pictures of Lampa if you click the "ALL MY PICTURES" link and look for the album titled "Lampa"

¿where am i?

okay, i am terribly sorry about the lack of updates... my life has been crazy and the internet has been slow... i mean SLOW!! i woke up early this morning to try a beat the rest of the pueblo to the internet place so that i could possibly get some things accomplished. it looks like my plan worked as i've been able to put some pictures on facebook and write this blog entry. check out the pictures: http://olemiss.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2080615&l=8b4dc&id=6518921

now, for what i've been up to...
i finally got the medical transfer so that i will be based in the capitol city of Lima, but almost as soon as i received the transfer my new boss asked me to go to the mountains for 8 weeks! i'm talking i barely had my things moved from the jungle and i was repacking and heading 12,000 ft. above sea level! now, before ya'll get all worried that i can't handle all these changes... i can! i'm in Lampa, Peru now and doing good. the mountains are drastically different from the jungle. for one thing the people here understand the concept of boiling water for sanitation...besides the fact that i can find bottled water everywhere i go. i am in a small, small town (pueblo) now, but it has everything i need. it is not like traveling to the communities where we have to bring everything we need.

so what exactly am i doing here? i am now on the REAP South team and the strategy of our team is to have churches in the U.S. adopt villages in the Southern half of Peru. during the summer college students come from the U.S. to assist the churches in their adopted villages. i am serving on one of these "summer missionary" teams. myself, brad (another journeyman) , and a girl named beth (from georgia and the church that has adopted Lampa) will be here at least until the end of June.(beth leaves at the end of june) i may or may not stay through the end of July.

our objective is to start small Bible study groups here in Lampa (the pueblo i'm staying in) and the surrounding small villages. the villages are straight out of some 1800s book or something. mud houses with thatch rooves and sheep, llamas, and alpacas running around in the fields. it is all so beautiful and primative.

please pray for us as the work here is slow. there are about 3 very promising Christian men here in Lampa but they all have busy schedules and it is hard to get them together in order to train them. also people are very willing for us to work with the children out in the villages, but it is very difficult to work with the adults. they are either in their fields and very busy or just not interested and keep asking us to work with and bring stuff to their children. it can be very frustrating at times. so please pray!

again, i will be based in Lima for the remainder of my time in Peru, but i will continue to travel to the mountains when there is a need. while i'm in Lima i will be working with our translator ministry discipling girls my age in both spanish and english.

thank you all for your prayers. don't forget to look at my pictures. again i'm sorry for the delay. email me with any questions and i will do my best to write you back!! laneyboggs7@yahoo.com.

i love ya'll!!!!

in need of patience

hey ya'll,

this is going to be a short update because i do not have a whole lot of information for ya'll. i am still recovering in Lima. each day i am feeling better. for about 3 days now i have been able to eat mostly normal meals with little pain. it is very exciting to be able to eat again!!

other than that i have requested a job transfer due to medical issues. i am still waiting through this whole process. i have no idea where or when i will be transfered. this is very much a test of patience. as far as i know i will be in Lima until i have another job to move into.

please pray that i will have patience and wisdom.

thank you all so much! as soon as i know more i will let you all know!!

i love ya'll!

momentary light affliction

"Therefore we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 4: 16 - 18

* FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO GET MY PRAYER LETTERS THIS IS A REPEAT

I know that many of you have been curious as to my health. I have had quite a week or so, but I am now on the road to recovery. I will spare you all the "not so fun" details. However, for those of you who are in Med or Nursing School (Arthur and Amanda) or those who just like all the gorey details of my sicknesses (Lyle) I'll be happy to send ya'll another email full of details. :)

So, now for the general public:

Ever since I had parasites in late February/ early March (I can't even remember now) my stomach has not been acting "right". Two days before my next scheduled trip (April 5th) to the Asheninka communities I woke up and felt very bad. I was not sure if this was something in my head or something that I could just shake off. However, I decided to go to the doctor anyway. Doctors in Pucallpa are not much help, but I did get some blood tests done. They didn't reveal much, but I still was not feeling well.

I made a final decision on Wednesday April 4th not to go on the trip to the communities. This was a very difficult decision because I had already been "out-of-commission" since mid-February. I didn't want to let my team down, but I also did not want to be unwise about my health. So, I just prayed for wisdom.

Well the trip ended up being postponed one day due to rain. By Thursday morning, the original travel date, I was quite sick. Let's just say I was running to the bathroom very frequently. My team left for the communities Friday morning and I left for Lima Friday night -- still unsure if this was going to be a passing thing or something more serious.

I went to the doctor on Monday morning and it was pretty clear that I had him baffled. (He is a WONDERFUL doctor who speaks perfect English.) He ordered me to have tests run. On Thursday all of the test results were in and I was pretty dehydrated (from my FREQUENT trips to the lady's room--we are talking 10 -15 times a day for a week!). So, the decision was made Thursday for me to check into the clinic (like a hospital) to get on a drip and then I would have a colonoscopy done on Friday morning because my tests showed "unknown inflammation", but no parasites.

I was in pain most of my hospital stay and the colonoscopy results showed that I had an inflamed large intestine and ulcers. The doctor immediately started me on anti-inflamatories and a handful of other medicines. I am recovering at the Shearer's home in Lima. I am in much less pain now and I think I will be able to eat some pretty normal food within a few more days.

I have a follow-up appointment on April 25th. I will then learn the results of the biopsies and if I have a more serious Inflammatory Bowel Disease or if it was just a flare-up. I will be in Lima until at least the 25th, maybe longer.

I would like for ya'll to pray for any future decisions I will have to make about my health. Right now I'm just focusing on getting better, but sometime soon I'm sure I will have to make a decision about continuing to live in the jungle or possibly switching jobs because of my health and risks, etc. Please don't take this as me saying I'm going to switch jobs or move. I simply need your prayers for making the wisest decision.

Now for all of you "super-worriers" out there. I AM FINE! People in Peru have the same kinds of sickness and diseases that we Americans have and the medical professionals are able to take care of them. I am being very well taken care of and in fact my doctor studied at an Ivy Legue school in the U.S. I have better medical care than we do in Mississippi. So, DON'T WORRY!!!

I appreciate you all so much. I know that God is in control of my life and I fully trust Him with it. Being overseas does not change the fact that He is in control of my life and being diagnosed with a somewhat stubborn disease does not change that fact either. He is good (say it with me)...ALL THE TIME!

Now that you have your Sunday Morning Sermon feel free to skip church today! Just kidding!

Remember what is unseen is eternal...and ya'll's prayers are working for eternity.
-Remember to lift up my team as they continue to work in the jungle for the next two weeks.
-Please pray that I will have opprotunities to share truth with people as I am here in Lima.
-Pray that I will not get frustrated with my circumstances, but will be able to rejoice.

I love ya'll so much!!

Lane

Sick Again...

well friends,

i'm back in Lima. i'm not sure if i have parasites again or something different. i went to the doctor yesterday and had lots of tests done. i'm sure i will hear from the doctor tomorrow as to what it is that is completely tearing up my stomach. he gave me some medicines that are really helping to calm my stomach, but i'm still running to the potty way too much! he threatened to put me in the hospital on a drip, but thankfully i was able to keep more food and liquid in me today for longer amounts of time.

i'm not sure what God is wanting to teach me through all of this. i haven't been with my people group since the beginning of February. but through it all i will continue to praise Him. He deserves all the glory.

pray that i will continue to seek His face. that i will have wisdom when it comes to deciding things about my health.

i will keep ya'll updated as best as i can.

i love ya'll!

esperate hasta.......SIEMPRE!!!

WAIT!...just one more thing!

so, i'm with Hilda today waiting once again to get some small task accomplished in town. the task itself is never all that hard, but you always have to wait hours upon hours before the simple task can be realized. for example,in order to get my moto licencia (i can't spell that in english any more) i had to have a "medical exam". so, i was at some random "medical clinic" for like 3 hours today and when i finally get to go in for the exam the "doctor" practically tells me the answers! i mean, i couldn't see this #2 on a color blind chart (evidently b/c i'm color blind) and he freakin' tells me the answer!-- WHAT! no wonder the Peruvian roads are so wild. anyways, in the midst of all this waiting, i blurt out "la vida peruana es una vida de esperando"....basically--"the peruvian life is one of waiting". and as i'm saying it i realize, not just life in Peru, but life in general. i think waiting is highlighted in places like this where life moves slower and businesses aren't as efficent, but it's the same everywhere. especially the Christian life is one of waiting. i don't know about you, but i can't wait to see my Savior face-to-face...this moto licencia (and legal access to Peruvian roads) may just be my fast track to Heaven--JUST KIDDING YA'LL!

so, after being in town from 8:30 - 12:30 we get back to the house and start working on getting our second phone line--which we "got" last week. so Hilda calls them and after about 30 minutes of discussion she gets off the phone and looks a me and says, " esperamos"--we WAIT!!

but all this waiting really is teaching me something... while i was waiting with Hilda she began to pour her heart out to me. i'm talking she is crying in the lobby of the doctor's office. that my friends is why i went to town to "wait" today. it's never about the actual thing, but it is about the relationships. that's what God wants us to realize too. the more we have to wait, the more we put our trust in Him, the more we fall in love with the Father, and that my friends is what this Christian life is about--Loving God and Loving Others. Just you wait, i'll grasp it all one day!

love ya'll!!!

p.s. no the photo doesn't really have that much to do with actual blog. but i was waiting in this picture... and it does have the said "moto" in it. and i actually had on that same outfit today-- 7 months later. ha!

A Day at the Lake

hey friends

i've had such an amazing day today!

i'll just share the highlights. since my camera broke i've been unable to give ya'll any photos...so today i had some friends take pictures so that i could share with you.

i promise i was not posing for this photo...it was a candid!

this evening while the sun was setting we were able to watch hundreds of white herons fly across the sky and land in the tops of these trees across the lake. the sun was setting on our side of the lake and the last rays of the day were shining over right onto those trees. it was one of the most beautiful things i've ever seen. and the birds just kept coming and coming in their V formation across the blue sky. BEAUTIFUL! words could never describe it...i just wanted to share a little with all of you!

the sweet little girl i was with today said to her mother:

"mommy, they look like flowers in the sky"--refering to the birds!

i love ya'll!

Mosquitero

yay!! my new mosquito net. i love my room!

so, i have returned to Pucallpa. for those of you who don't know, i'll let you know that i still have parasites. they are slowly dying however...and i should be bug free very soon. i will know more on Monday. but for now it looks like i will be traveling on April 5th with the rest of my team.

since returning to my jungle home i decided to invest in a dream of mine. since i was a child i always wanted something covering my bed like a curtain or netting. well, what better time in your life to buy a mosquito net to cover your bed than when your home is a mosquito infested jungle? there is no better time! so now i have a lovely pink "mosquitero" hanging over my bed. i slept under it last night and i loved every minute of it!

and just a little update on Sunny, my lab puppy. i have decided to give her away. i found a nice lady who can afford to take care of her. i don't think it was fair to Sunny for me to be away from her as much as i was. my trips will not get any less frequent so i think it is better for her overall well-being that she has a more consistent owner.

so it looks like i traded one childhood dream for another-- a puppy for a mosquito net. not sure that's an even swap, but that, my friends, is life. and i'm learning daily that life is not always what your childhood dreams consisted of.

okay, i love ya'll!!!

Wait and Rest

Wait for the LORD; be courageous and let your heart be strong. Wait for the LORD.
Psalm 27:14

Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him.
Psalm 61:5

It is very comforting to know that the God of the universe has my life in His hands. I trust Him completely that He knew I would be sitting in Lima, Peru at 12:25 a.m. on Monday March 12th unable to sleep. He knows my every thought and worry and He gently says, "Lane, sweet child, give that to me; it is not for you to carry". I do not wish to carry the burdens I have on my heart any longer. As much as I know that "being effective in ministry" is not the goal of my life it is very difficult for a driven person like myself to take so much "sick time". I have long desired to save the world, but it seems that each time I get to the next "big thing" in my life the infamous WAIT sign in put up. Right now I feel like I am wearing the sign on my forehead.

I have been in Lima for over 2 weeks now and as much as I know that this is what my mind, body, and emotions have been in need of...I still very often feel that I am failing someone. I'm not quite sure who I think that I am failing. And when I start trying to figure it out I realize that the most important One already loves me. In fact before opening my Bible this morning I said to myself, "Lane, you are not doing this to earn God's approval, you cannot earn that. He already loves you". I know that what God truly wants is intimacy with me. He wants to talk with me, converse with me, hear my thoughts, my fears, my joys, and then He says, "go ahead give that to me". Why? Now, that I do not understand. He has chosen me. Chosen. How amazingly, wonderful!! Chosen me and now He wants to fellowship with me, spend intimate time with me. I think I understand this better than I ever have in my life. Maybe that is what all this waiting is about...learning about love--how to accept it, how to give it. I praise God that He is giving me a small glimpse here on earth of the infinite love with which He loves me.

I talked to my Aunt tonight and I started trying to say "I don't know what I'm going to do when....." and she gently interrupted me and said, "Lane, just rest". All I could say was "yes ma'am". She is right. God has given me this time. No, I may never understand why, but I can take advantage of every moment to learn more about His love and in turn thank Him for that love.

God, I praise you because you first loved me. You chose me before the foundation of the Earth. You have sent me to Peru. You knew exactly where I would be tonight and You know why you have had me in Lima for so long. I pray that I will learn that this is not about what I'm DOING, but about a RELATIONSHIP with my Creator. My goal is not to please others, but to sit at your feet and to find my joy in that. I pray that my life will bring glory to your name. Until you move me I will rest and wait.

Wait for the LORD; be courageous and let your heart be strong. Wait for the LORD.
Psalm 27:14

Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him.
Psalm 61:5

As Promised

alright friends. i am terribly sorry that this has taken so long. first i was sick and didn't want to write and now i'm just lazy! but here we go....

on January 29th i left Pucallpa on a plane for the "port town" of Atalaya. Autumn and I stayed in Atalaya over night and left the morning of the 30th for the community of Pensilvania. we weren't able to take our team boat because something has happened to it. no one can really be sure...we live in Peru.

Quilmer is our Peruvian partner that works with us on the Rivers (i think i have mentioned this before...but i'm not good at names so i like to review:) so, he and his dad and sister went with us on the boat. quilmer and his dad went to another community while autumn, myself and flor (quilmer's sister) went to Pensilvania.

the highlight of our trip was visiting in the homes of Asheninka people. typically, (as in, the way it has always been done) we have had a time at 3:00 each afternoon when the people are invited to come listen to us teach about the Bible. well, Autumn and I decided to do things a little differently and take church to the people. we still had teaching times at 3, but we also visited in the homes of sick people and hiked trails to get to their houses (huts i should say).

the second day we were there we helped Tomas and his wife cultivate (cut grass with machetes) their yard. other members of their family came also. then we ate lunch with them (or brunch i guess). we had some jungle bird (and we wonder why i have parasites right now:)

then, that same day we went and visited in the home of a sick lady. it was about a 15 minute walk. we visited her a total of about 4 times. i shared the gospel with her twice (her and her husband once). sadly, they decided to just "think about it".

another day we went about a 40 minute hike(through creeks and over logs and lots and lots of mud) to another family, including grandparents, brothers, wives...9 adults total. and i shared a creation to Christ story. the grandfather said, "no" therefore no else even considered accepting.

we repeated this in another home close to the center of the community. the teenage son in that family is already a believer, but his family is very cold. they did not accept the truth this time either.

finally, we shared with a lady and her daughter in a home close-by. i shared about God's love and what Jesus did for them on the cross. both of them accepted the truth with smiling faces. it was such a joy to lead Asheninka to Christ.

each time we went to these places Tomas (the church leader) went with us. he clarified things in the Asheninka language. i also used those opprotunites of walking to share with him that this is what the church does. i told him about the functions of the church...that its not just about Sunday's, etc. i made him share the gospel with the people we visited so it wasn't just the white missionaries doing it.

on our final day i shared the message about Jesus feeding the 5000 and how the next day they came looking for Jesus because their stomachs were filled. i encouraged them to seek Jesus for the right reasons. i encouraged them to go to their neighbors.

overall i feel the trip was very eye-opening. i learned a ton. it was hard. i felt homesick alot, but God was sufficent. i fed on His word like never before. i devoured huge chunks of the Bible. God taught me so much. i'm still processing it all really. and then i immediately got sick. He has His reasons for everything that He does. most importantly, i TRUST Him!! He is my Father and He desires to give me good gifts. and if it hurts...that's okay too...my reward is waiting for me!!

i'm still in Lima for at least another 2 weeks. God is good and i'm recovering physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

i love ya'll

ever thanked God for your toilet seat?

hey friends,

some of you may be surprised to see a blog from me since i am suppose to be in the jungle right now...but you know, plans change which always keeps life interesting.

so, with that said i find myself awake at 4:30 a.m. back in Pucallpa. i guess you are now waiting for an explanation for the change of plans and the fact that i'm awake before the roosters. well, long story short, i'm sick. i won't go into details here because i don't believe that the general public will appreciate the details.

however, i do want to tell ya'll a little story. one involving kind peruvians, a float plane landing on the river, and, of course, toilet seats--no, let me rephrase; the absense of toilet seats.

on monday february 12th Autumn (my partner) and i left the community of Pensilvania to head back to Atalaya (a jungle "town"). this was a planned trip. we were to rest there for like 2 and half days before going to the next community of Jose Olaya.

well things were going along as planned until about Wednesday the 14th--that would be Valentine's Day. so Wednesday late morning i called Dena, my SC's wife, to inform her of some health issues that i thought might need to be considered before going to the communities again. i asked her to get in touch with my doctor in Lima. she did and i called her back that evening to get info from the Doctor. well, i was instructed to buy a certain kind of medicine and keep them updated on how it was treating my symptoms. the plan was still for me to leave the following day at noon for the next community (aka village, aka middle-of-NOWHERE!).

so, i took the medicine as instructed and woke up kind of late Thursday morning (about 9). i didn't have the greatest feeling about the trip, so i called Dena back. told her i felt a little weak, but i would tough it out. she said, "no, you call this doctor." soooo, i called my doctor in Lima. we conversed IN SPANISH. not that big of a deal i guess, but none-the-less difficult. she told me not to go on my trip and to go get the same medicine in an "ampolla". i had yet to come across that word while sharing the gospel in remote villages; however, the day before the pharmacist tried to sale me the medicine in the form of "ampolla" so i knew she had it. so i went straight back to the pharmacy (well, we will call it a pharmacy to make all of you worriers feel better) and i bought the "ampolla". haha, i soon learned, after being led to a back room with one of those lay-flat doctor chairs, what an "ampolla" is. a SHOT. yes, my friends a shot, in the jungle, in something i will refer to as a pharmacy. i completely trusted the lady because this town is so small that i had already conversed with her about 4 times and that day learned that she was a believer. so i was injected. i left there and went to tell Autumn what all was going down. well, i had to walk about a block and a half. i found her and i told her the story. she, however, didn't realize that i had already gotten the shot, but thought that i was going to have to get a shot. so i left to go back to our hostal to call Dena and lie down. now here is where things get interesting...

i was walking with Quilmer (our Peruvian partner) and i told him that i had not been able to get Dena. he informed me that he had the cell phone numbers in his calendar. perfect. so the plan was for me to try the house one more time while Quilmer went to get the cell numbers (up in his room in the same hostal).

so i picked up the phone and realized that i needed to lean on the counter a little because i was feeling weak. then, i heard Dena's voice on the other end. and this is how our conversation went:

i heard myself say: "Dena!".
she said: "yes, Lane."
i said: "we can't go and the doctor told me to get a shot."
she repeat: "a shot"
then i heard myself say: "Dena, i feel really weak."
Dena said: "sit down, where is Autumn"
then as if from dream world i heard my voice say, "mama, i want my mama."

the next thing i know i'm laying on the lobby couch with several Peruvians around me spraying water, rubbing alcohol and amonium. i was extremely confused and Quilmer was sitting beside me. i said--IN ENGLISH--"what happened"...to which he looked puzzled. then i said, "que paso". to which he tried to explain, but i couldn't put anything together.

i proceeded to cry and try and figure out what happened. it was all very overwhelming. but i finally got the entire story.

i fainted, Quilmer caught me, the kind Peruvians awakened me, but sadly I never talked to my Mama!

well, needless to say Autumn and i did not finish the second half of our trip. a plane was sent for us on friday...but because the regular plane was unavailable we were sent for in the float plane. you know the kind that lands in water!

so what's all this about a toilet seat? well, in my 2nd home there of Atalaya the toilets had no seats...only the rims. now coming from a squatty potty i have found myself numerous times thanking God for my seatless potty. however, when your body goes through what mine did the result seems to be long periods of time spent on the toilet. therefore, as i was sitting there, dizzily (with my head resting on the sink cushioned by a toiletpaper roll), for those long periods of times i was thanking God for all the toilets in the U.S. and in Pucallpa that had nice soft seats. then i thanked him for the toilet in Atalaya that was not a squatty potty. and then i prayed for all the Asheninka who get sick with no float planes to rescue them and no soft potties to comfort them.

i am back in Pucallpa now. still spending lots of time in the bathroom, but this time with a much more comfortable seat. i will go to Lima either Monday or Tuesday to visit my doctor and get everything straightened out.

before you click off of here...please thank God for your comforts. however meanial you think they are...you have been given much. i too have been given much. and to those who are given much, much is required. will i ever learn this truth?

i love you all,

lane

A Sittin' Spot

I like to think I’m pretty much the same girl I was at age 13 and things like this morning tend to prove that to me. As I escaped the heat of the house at about 11:00 this morning my screen door slammed shut behind me only to be reopened by my ever-growing lab puppy, Sunshine. How wonderful I thought. How many times in my childhood did I pray for a dog that would follow me around with love and devotion? So with these thoughts in mind I started down the gravel neighborhood road on my “prayer walk”. Now for all you prayer walkers out there let me redefine the word. My prayer walk this morning was more of the “selfish” variety. Because of my ADD/OCD personality I often find it hard to pray while sitting still. I will either fall asleep (which doesn’t fit into ADD or OCD but more like lazy) or think about one million other things to do in that moment. I also can’t sit in a room and pray if things are untidy because I will have to get up and fix them. So the point is, I left the house to walk and pray and my beautiful lab puppy followed me all the way.

Now you are asking, “what does this have to do with your childhood?” Well as I was walking I found a spot to stop and sit. Now I didn’t find it as in “discovered” it because I’ve seen it before and even sat there before. I think I may be the only person in the world that would find this little spot exciting, but as I sat on the broken gray concrete under the Mango tree I was taken back to my adolescent years. In my neighborhood in Brookhaven there was an old rusty metal box (the kind that covers wiring for the neighborhood) with a lock on it and it sat under a Gumball tree. Now why those spiny things are called gumballs I have never quite figured out. I asked my Daddy once and I suppose that his hour-long lecture was too much for me to remember. He tends to answer the simplest questions with nice, long drawn-out stories. (At least ya’ll know where I get the long-windedness from)

So back to the Mango tree and cinder block… it took me back home. I realized that I have been searching out shady spots and walking to think for many years. My adolescent years where filled with lots of thinking and confusing thoughts and now that my memory has been jogged I remember that I battled out lots of questions under that Gumball tree. I was that neighborhood girl that sat alone and looked lost in her own little world. I suppose really I was always imagining this world—the one I am currently living in. I know that I spent many of those hours praying for a dog that would be loyal to me…or that my Daddy would allow me to own ANY dog. I did have to leave his house and that lazy neighborhood in order to see all those summer daydreams realized. And as I sat there under the Mango tree I came to understand a couple things: 1) Mangos can be much more dangerous than gumballs when falling from the tree even though they don’t have spines. 2) I will always be that girl that has to battle out her thoughts, dreams and realities. That is just who I am. I’m a thinker. I want to save the world and yet I struggle daily with laziness and business (how’s that for a contradiction). 3) I think I’m as much of an absentee parent as ever there was… poor Sunny has only seen me for 6 days and I’m leaving her again on Monday. I don’t deserve the love and devotion that she is so ready to give, but you know what friends we don’t deserve Grace and Mercy either. I have done nothing to earn the love that is daily given to me by my Heavenly Father and yet he gives it—new every morning. And the harder I try to earn that I love the less I am able to enjoy it.

So, today, if only for an hour before the mosquitoes drove me back indoors I was able to thank God for my past, present, and the future that I know He has waiting for me, without feeling like I needed to “straighten-up” something in my life to come before Him.

I love God so much! I need Him so desperately. I cannot do this work, live this life, or make decisions without Him! Praise Him for the fact that He has reached down from Heaven and made a way for us to know Him. We are welcomed into His throne room only by the saving blood of Jesus Christ. Have you reflected on that today? Thanks to a shady “sittin’ spot” I was able to do just that.

I love ya’ll!!

llegamos con la lluvia

It has been too long since I have updated my blog. I kinda have an excuse but not really. My team and I have been in Lima for about 10 days. We had a mission meeting where I was able to hang out with lots of other missionaries from Peru and Ecuador. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I met some amazing people that really helped renew my purpose for being here.

In these past two weeks I have also had the privilege of influencing several teenage lives which in turn reminded me of my teenage years and my calling (which occurred during my teenage years). The first group of teenagers that I was able to hang out with was some MKs (missionary kids) there in Lima. Their energy was contagious and just reminded me of myself at that age. In so many ways I feel like I am still that teenage girl. I still feel small a lot of times and that the world is a scary place…but then I am reminded of who I am in Christ and I am ready to take on that big world again. I hope that I was able to remind those girls of who they are in Christ.

The other group of teenage lives I was able to be a part of was the 9th grade Sunday school class from Broadmore Baptist Church in Madison, MS. I was asked by their teacher to call their Sunday School class and talk about my call to missions, etc. They are studying Acts and Paul and his persecutions during his missionary journeys. While I in no way would put myself on a level with the Apostle Paul, studying the scriptures with this class helped the passage come alive to me. Even from thousands of miles away I was able to put myself in their shoes (I could see myself sitting in my high school Sunday School class) and talk from my heart. Things I wish I had heard at that age and things that I want people to know about me. And that is this: it is all worth it! Everything I go through here in Peru is worth it…because the gospel is THE most important thing EVER! How small and insignificant my “persecutions” seem in the face of God’s glory. Daily I fight with what my flesh wants to do like sleep late, waste time, complain, etc and then I am reminded of what it is I have come here to do!! I did not come here to sit, but to share the Truth! And if I don’t tell these people, who will? Oh Lord, I pray that I will be faithful to the call that You have put on my life. Being a part of that Sunday School lesson really reminded me of all these things. To all of Sunday’s 9th graders…thank you for letting me talk with you! I will pray for your group that God will raise up many missionaries from that group. Know that He desires to use each one of us in making His name known among the nations. Do what you can to be a part of that now!!

In other news… I will head back to the Asheninka communities on January 29th. I will be gone until February 26th. I covet your prayers during this trip. I know that Satan is going to try and attack our efforts, but we know who has already WON!! Every day in the communities is a challenge…from finding a place to use the bathroom to cooking lunch---everything is harder there. It is hot and there are always bugs—lots of biting bugs…and honestly sometimes I just want to sit down and not get up again, but as stated above: I did not come here to sit!!!

Please pray that I will be faithful in the work. Pray that the teaching times will be productive. Pray that I will use every minute to tell about God’s truth. Pray that I will invest in peoples’ lives for eternity. Pray for the Asheninka people that they will understand and grasp the truth of God’s word. Pray that the Holy Spirit will move among them to teach them!!!! And most of all that I will just get out of the way and become an empty vessel that is used by God! I can't do this without ya'll's prayers!