from left to right: brad, mike (my boss), Kathy (mike's wife), Sandi (my roommate)
Tuesday morning around 2:30 a.m. I returned from a wonderful week of fellowship and learning. The Lord really used this past week in Chile, where we had our annual mission meeting, to renew my passion for the lost and my energy for each new day!
i loved the sunshine!
We started each day around 9 a.m. with worship music and a sermon. Several members (including their pastor, youth minister, and music minister) from First Baptist Church Tupelo, MS came to volunteer their time. They served us by leading our times of worship and also taking care of the children during our sessions. Bro. Randy Von Kanel spoke to us each morning from the book of Luke. The Lord really blessed that time each day. It was during those sermons that God really began to speak and minister to my heart. After months on end of sickness I realized that my heart had really become hard and closed. Bro. Randy talked to us about the wilderness experience that we often face as believers, but we are not there alone and certainly not without reason. Our own Lord and Savior had to go through the wilderness where he became completely dependent on the Father. We can't truly follow Jesus without following him to the wilderness (where we will be tempted) and then on to Calvary. Bro. Randy really brought us back to the fundamentals of the Christian faith and God spoke to me each day through His word. After these times of worship we then had morning and afternoon sessions with Dr. Jim Slack. Dr. Slack works in the research and global outreach department of the IMB. He is an amazing man who has more knowledge than I thought was possible. He talked to us about Worldview, Heart Language, the History of the Church, and numerous other thought provoking subjects. I went away each day thinking about how I could better serve my people group here in Lima. All the statistics he brought to the forefront also made me wonder how I could ever NOT be a missionary. There are so many people who are still so lost in their sin. Someone MUST go to them. Again even in the midst of all these never ending statistics and people group histories my passion for the nations was renewed.
Then there was the food!!! I think I could live the rest of my life in Chile just for the food. Each day for lunch we had a buffet that consisted of 5 tables of food choices and then dessert!! There was always a soup, then you could choose a meat, cooked vegetable, and salads. There were also amazing french fries everyday (for the kiddos---and other more picky adults, no names will be mentioned). Then the real kicker was that right after you had enough time to finish your meal a table of ice cream would be rolled out and beside it another table would be filled with fresh fruit. I broke all the "bland diet", no raw fruits/veggies rules that I have been placed on. And you know what... I didn't get sick once! Chile was good for me in every way.
It stayed daylight until nearly 9:30 everyday and the sun was bright and warm until at least 8 p.m. I enjoyed the sun each day after lunch before having to return to the air conditioned conference room for more sessions.
i was kinda excited. . . the austins had been looking forward to Subway also
i think i gained a few pounds
From the mall we went on to an Artisania market where I bought a few little souvenirs then we were on our way to the airport.
Between the food, fellowship, and fun I think I have been thoroughly refreshed. We'll see how Peru treats my system for the next four months. I am confident, however, that if the Lord has led me this far He has no intention of giving up on me now.
"We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul." -- Hebrews 10: 39
We started each day around 9 a.m. with worship music and a sermon. Several members (including their pastor, youth minister, and music minister) from First Baptist Church Tupelo, MS came to volunteer their time. They served us by leading our times of worship and also taking care of the children during our sessions. Bro. Randy Von Kanel spoke to us each morning from the book of Luke. The Lord really blessed that time each day. It was during those sermons that God really began to speak and minister to my heart. After months on end of sickness I realized that my heart had really become hard and closed. Bro. Randy talked to us about the wilderness experience that we often face as believers, but we are not there alone and certainly not without reason. Our own Lord and Savior had to go through the wilderness where he became completely dependent on the Father. We can't truly follow Jesus without following him to the wilderness (where we will be tempted) and then on to Calvary. Bro. Randy really brought us back to the fundamentals of the Christian faith and God spoke to me each day through His word. After these times of worship we then had morning and afternoon sessions with Dr. Jim Slack. Dr. Slack works in the research and global outreach department of the IMB. He is an amazing man who has more knowledge than I thought was possible. He talked to us about Worldview, Heart Language, the History of the Church, and numerous other thought provoking subjects. I went away each day thinking about how I could better serve my people group here in Lima. All the statistics he brought to the forefront also made me wonder how I could ever NOT be a missionary. There are so many people who are still so lost in their sin. Someone MUST go to them. Again even in the midst of all these never ending statistics and people group histories my passion for the nations was renewed.
Then there was the food!!! I think I could live the rest of my life in Chile just for the food. Each day for lunch we had a buffet that consisted of 5 tables of food choices and then dessert!! There was always a soup, then you could choose a meat, cooked vegetable, and salads. There were also amazing french fries everyday (for the kiddos---and other more picky adults, no names will be mentioned). Then the real kicker was that right after you had enough time to finish your meal a table of ice cream would be rolled out and beside it another table would be filled with fresh fruit. I broke all the "bland diet", no raw fruits/veggies rules that I have been placed on. And you know what... I didn't get sick once! Chile was good for me in every way.
It stayed daylight until nearly 9:30 everyday and the sun was bright and warm until at least 8 p.m. I enjoyed the sun each day after lunch before having to return to the air conditioned conference room for more sessions.
We left our little valley town at 10 a.m. on Monday morning and headed to the Santiago mall. Our team from Lima had been looking forward to the rumored Subway Sandwiches for about 2 weeks. Sure enough the land of fresh bread and lunch meats was there. I indulged in a footlong (or 30 cm if you like) Subway melt (that somehow never got melted because Chile's Subway decided the toaster oven wasn't that important for their business) with chips and a drink. I ate all but about 3 bites and enjoyed every bit of it!
I then proceeded to Starbucks where I slurped down a Carmel Frappacino. About 30 minutes later I made my way to an ice cream shop and finished off the afternoon with a giant waffle cone filled to overflowing.
From the mall we went on to an Artisania market where I bought a few little souvenirs then we were on our way to the airport.
Between the food, fellowship, and fun I think I have been thoroughly refreshed. We'll see how Peru treats my system for the next four months. I am confident, however, that if the Lord has led me this far He has no intention of giving up on me now.
"We are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul." -- Hebrews 10: 39
