This last month

Hello again, sorry, I almost forgot I had a blog.  I’ve been so busy it feels like I am never on the computer- ever, and so then you have not heard from me in a very long time. So, let me catch everyone up a little.

Uruguay was wonderful! What a blessing! We got to travel all over Uruguay and see everything from their beaches to their cities on the beaches.  I am very thankful that I had the chance to go there. Also while we were there we got to do a little ministry, which was really precious. We went to a church in the middle of what I do believe we would consider the Ghetto. It was a broken down building with three small rooms full of very content and excited believers. We went and invited kids to come to the church and had what I think was some sort of VBS day. We played sports and sang with them. Actually funny thing, while we were there, they asked me to sing a few songs in Spanish. It was…. Hard. I had never sung in Spanish for anyone before then, but they asked me and friend of mine to sing and play the guitar for them, for me it was a little nerve-racking. But may I say the Lord definitely humbled me as I stumbled through the lyrics of some songs I kind of knew and tried to be courageous. Also the next day we sang a song at their church service, but this time in English (with translated words), and I really enjoyed being there. It felt kind of homey to sit and listen to a sermon and listen to a body of believers with love for Jesus worshiping him.

It’s so interesting how the Lord always seems to pick the most unlikely of leaders to lead; He certainly has with me. I often feel so inadequate when I am chosen for a leadership position. For some reason they choose me to be the person over gardening this semester. It’s interesting, remembering all the gardening vocabulary and asking others to do things. I think my favorite part is at the end when I have the opportunity to pray over my girls in Spanish, God knows I probably butcher the words, but I’m thankful He understands me anyways.

            Class started a month ago. (haha wow it really has been awhile since I updated.)  I really love class. We have new classes every month and then we have an exam on what we have learned. For me it keeps things interesting, we change teachers every month, which I enjoy because it gives me another persons outlook on the scripture. I can’t say that I particularly enjoyed the last teachers I had, they were so nice, but they had really monotone voices and slurred a lot of their words which took a lot more concentration to understand. But the material from the classes was really good, and I feel like I am learning and growing a lot. I had my tests this past week, and I think I did okay by God’s grace, but it was certainly hard, I think I memorized 26 verses in Spanish more or less. Please pray the Lord would enable me to press on and that He would give me the ability to do all that is required of me here.  This past month we had: “Evangelism and Discipleship,” and “Christian Life I.” This Tuesday we begin: “A study in Genesis,” and “Hermeneutics.” I am really looking forward to these next classes.

As for my Spanish, I feel that your prayers have helped a multitude. God is blessing me with understanding and conversations I never dreamed I could have in Spanish. I have had countless conversations with my roommates about what God is doing in my life, and I get to listen to what God has done and is doing in theirs. Just an hour ago I spent 4 hours talking to Miriam, one of my room-mates from Ecuador, about God’s goodness- we were relating to each other about Abraham and how God called him to walk by faith, just as it is with all of His sons and daughters. We discussed things in Hebrews and the calling to live by faith and not by sight. She is so precious and I know the Lord has a marvelous plan for my friend, as he does for all that are His own. Pray for Miriam if you will, and really for all my roommates (Rocio, Damarís, Anita, Miriam, and Tania.) that God would give them direction and peace that surpasses all understanding, and that they would never cease to walk by faith. These are the first roommates here that I have really understood well enough to know them. It’s so beyond cool! I know that none of this is because of me, but in the Lord’s strength alone. God knows I have a long way to go though, so much more to learn, pray for me, if you will- for these next two months here, that I would strive to finish well and glorify God in all that I do. Pray that I would understand better every day and that I would never try and do any of it in my own strength. (Because God knows I can’t.)

            Another blessing I got to experience here was that my mom got to come visit me. It was so awesome! I am so happy that she got to come here. We traveled to Buenos Aires for the weekend, and spent a week in of the dorm rooms here. I am thankful that I got to see her, I think the homesickness is getting harder at this point. I wish I could keep my whole family with me during this time, but I know the Lord is teaching us all through this time of separation. Two more months and I’ll be home once more.

            If you think of me this week please lift up a prayer for my health. Miriam and I both have the flu, we went to the doctor and they gave us medication- so no worries. But I hope that we are both on our feet again by classes Tuesday, so please pray for healing. Pray that God would use us a lot during the opportunities we have here to go out on the weekends and do evangelism, that my classmates and I would be able to share the gospel with as many people as will listen, and that the Lord will prepare there hearts and save them. Pray for strength for us all during classes, that we would understand well and glorify Jesus in our grades and attentiveness. Pray that I wouldn’t grow weary in continuing to learn, but that the Lord would continue to give me passion for Spanish. Because by it, I have known people I never could have known, people have touched me that I never would have understood, and a section of the lost that I never could have shared Jesus with God has given me the ability to share with. Thank Jesus that He is so good to us when we don’t deserve it; and praise Him because he uses the weakest and the most foolish to display His perfect strength and glory.

Rest and Relaxation

Campus without the campers is as different as I thought it would be. I admit that the lack of people everywhere at times is nice. There is a lot more time to study, and to read the word of God in peacefulness, to meditate; though my Spanish is probably at a stand still for now aside from the few conversations I’ve had here and there.

Most days consist of Spanish class, cleaning the campus, and thinking: ‘Lots of thinking.’ It’s a time for rejuvenation, but also a time that pushes me to grasp this language and understand further. Because April is coming; and with April-the start of the Bible institute, and all things Spanish will ensue- with or without me.

Here in Argentina, we are having glorious weather, and I cannot help but think of the Creator everywhere I look. How glorious and great is our God?!

Lately the Lord has been teaching me so much, in the silence as well as in the craziness that life holds. I was reading Zephaniah this morning, although I feel I cannot adequately convey all that I learned, I’d like to try. First of all I love reading the Old Testament, I cannot help but marvel every time I read it, at the great mercy of God within all His holiness. The book of Zephaniah displays such an avid jealousy of our God for his people, such a total love for Himself in his justice, and such a beautiful heart of love and redemption for our wandering eyes and souls. Here he speaks of His judgment and condemnation on Judah, warnings of woe and the day of the Lord, here, He says he would bring distress on mankind. I feel small and inadequate reading the beginning of Zephaniah, I feel fearful and afraid of the might of God. How we all can only tremble at the vast greatness of our God. “ Therefore wait for me” declares the Lord, ‘for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy all the earth shall be consumed.” But as the book continues, at the very end you see the conversion of the nation. At this time the Lord says to his people: “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save, He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you by his love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” How complete is His redemption??! It’s incredible! The Lord loves us with such an amazing intensity. O let my Lord sing over me.

On a more informative note, all the students in the bilingual program are headed to Uruguay this week for a little R&R, I am so excited for a chance to rest our minds and bodies for a little while. I think we all need it. Just to get off campus away from the textbooks and familiarity: and see a little. Please pray that we may be a light even on vacation, also that the Lord would provide us with many opportunities to share with others these coming weeks, and for the rest and rejuvenation of us all.

¿Qué más esta pasando en America de Sur?

Camp has been crazy and interesting. I feel sad as it comes to a close, because there are so many cool things that I have been learning. I think the saddest part is going to be saying goodbye to some really awesome friends, and being left without very many people who speak Spanish on campus this march. There have been some interesting stories, that at times I think get lost in my day-to-day schedule. So I thought I’d share.

For insistence: last week I woke up to my friends laughing in the bathroom, they told me they had found blood all over the floor in their room. Everyone kept complaining about the smell, and trying to figure out which girl was gross enough to bleed all over the floor and not clean it up. But as it turns out during the night a bat had flown into the fan and then died in one of their suitcases. I laughed so hard! It’s just one of those stories that would probably only happen in South America.

There have also been funny conversations, like trying to explain rocketry in charades when we didn’t know the word in Spanish. I believe what we said it is “an it’s an airplane that flies into the Universe,” I’m sure I’ve said weirder things, not that I would know lol. These sorts of things I think are the joys of being a foreigner.

On a sweeter note last night they came and got my friends and I and told us we were going to go share the gospel. I was scared out of my shorts though, because heaven only knows that I am the worst person they could ask: my Spanish is still so inadequate. I kept trying to translate the gospel in my head, as a prayed over a bunch of campers we were sharing with. I didn’t end up having to speak, but it was cool because one of the kids my friend witnessed to ended up coming to know the Lord.

I’ve seen a lot of kids getting saved and desiring to serve the Lord, which is really exciting; and makes being behind the scenes sweeter, knowing that even if we are doing battle with a mop and textbook, God’s name is being magnified.

I feel that I have so much more to learn, both spiritually and as far as language goes. Honestly though, I think I will be saying that till the day I go home to be with the Lord. Lately I’ve been reading Isaiah and studying a book by C.J Mahaney called: “A cross-centered life.” It’s been such a beautiful thing the way they go hand in hand with what I have been learning spiritually all through camp. I’m learning how avidly passionate Jesus is for people; I knew this, but it’s beautiful to see examples of his love every day. I think on how often the Lord is not at the center of my heart and my life- and it’s a shame, because He is so beautifully worth being at the very center of everything; and He will be. My prayer is that, we, as a church and heirs- will rise up and glorify his name in all the earth.

I’ve learned so much about missions, perhaps from just sitting back and contemplating it while I mop floors and study verb conjugations. God has us all to share His message and to serve people, missions is certainly not a place, and it is not a people group- though God does place specific ones on our hearts at times. Our mission: is to proclaim his gospel with our words, with our actions, and our lives no matter where we are or whom we encounter along the way. Anyway this is what God is teaching me, apologies for the sermonette. Please as you pray for me, pray that I would have a passion for Jesus beyond all things, and that I would keep Him and his death for me at the very center of all that I do. Pray for genuine understanding of the gospel this last week of camp. Pray God gives me the strength to press on, and learn how to learn another language; in order that I may have another tool to do what God has commanded us in sharing his gospel-that one day I would fluidly be able to put into words how the cross of christ has changed my life so entirely. Pray that I would not be selfishly inwardly focused, and forget that nothing is truly about me, but it’s about my Father- and O’ that He would be glorified!!

I end with this quote: “The cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of love is kindled, but we have to get near enough for its sparks to fall on us.” ~John Stott

Bienvenidos to summer

Hello World. Sorry I sort of fell off the face of the earth for a while. Christmas break was awesome! It was so nice to go home for a few weeks. Crazy as it is: I had to have my tonsils out while I was home, but thankfully it didn’t mess with my date to return. Thanks to everyone who prayed for me during all of that, it was definitely your prayers and God’s grace that got me back here on time.

I’ve been back in Argentina for the past three weeks, and I love being back. Summer definitely has its upsides and downsides. Upsides being that I’m beginning to enjoy speaking Spanish more, and I don’t feel sick like I did last semester. The downside being that it can be hard to sleep at night due to the heat. Summer ministry in Argentina consists of a camp for teens. I can’t say that I have been a huge part of it: I’ve definitely done more work behind the scenes here, helping in the medical center every night and registering campers for swimming on Mondays. I’ve been busy studying a lot of Spanish every day, and getting to know various roommates that randomly show up and leave. Right now I have 6 roommates, but normally there have been seven, or eight including me. I’m really enjoying getting to know them, they are so sweet, and have such a love for the Lord.

I feel like I’m learning and growing a lot: God has taught me so much in such a short time. I know that every part of this summer term will be a trying and growing period. Please pray that I would keep focus and not loose heart, pray that God would continue to move in the ministry here and that countless teens would come to know the Lord as their Savior. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to study and to serve here, and I’m excited to see all that the Lord will continue to do in my next six months here.

A short summary

Another month gone by, and it feels like it all happened in a day. Time has gone by so fast I can’t even distinguish one day from another. I’ve learned a lot this last month, both intellectually (with Spanish) and spiritually. I still feel like I should know a lot more. But when I think back to the first day I got here and I look now and see that I can communicate and get around (even if it’s still pretty broken Spanish) I can only thank God and give Him the glory because I am completely incapable on my own.

This past month was a busier one because we hosted an evangelistic event (a picnic) for all the people in this area. So we spent twice as much time working to prepare for all the people that would come. We had a turn out of 4,000 and it still blows my mind all that was done by God’s grace. I was part of the work crew and spent 10 hours that day outside in the sun picking up trash. Unfortunately it was really hot that day so I got pretty burnt. But it was worth it. I didn’t get any opportunities to share the gospel but it was presented many times and many of the students here had the job of handing out tracks and talking to people. I am not sure exactly how many people came to know the Lord but I know that it was close 430. God is so cool! I was so very privileged to be apart of serving that day.

Christmas is drawing near and in about two weeks I will be on a plane headed home for a month of break. I’m so excited to come home and see you all. It’s quite a blessing to get a little time with family and friends. I’m sorry this is so short but this is unfortunately all the time I have to write, right now. Please pray that God would continue to strengthen me as I learn Spanish and his word. See you shortly. Much Love.