Testimonies

Yesterday was nice... After breakfast, Yas and I went with Eduardo to the open-air market.... I must say, I had a little bit of culture shock :). But then I got to thinking... and God began to show me, that even though things are very different here, and almost incomprehensible to my germaphobic, hand-sanatizing mind.... They are not necessarily bad, After all, people have been living like this and preparing food this way for centuries! In the span of history, the concept of germs is relatively new... God took my culture-shocked, freaking-out self, and calmed me down with the choice to trust Him. Trusting God is not a pick-and-choose deal, you either trust Him with EVERYTHING, or nothing...

Back to the market... There are so many neat things here! Like the fact that practically ALL the food is fresh! And there are more fruits and vegetables here than I think I have ever seen before... Most food in the US is pre-packaged and processed... So on the one hand, fresh food is much better for you... on the other hand, I can trust God and still like my hand-sanatizer :).

Last night, three girls from the church came over for fellowship. Relationships are an important part of Peruvian culture. For the first 2 hours of the fellowship time I struggled. I had a headache, and wasn't understanding the Spanish at all... I was getting bored, but trying to be polite and not show it. I also felt left out... I excused myself for a minute and took some ibuprofen for my head. I was still frustrated, and while in my room just cried out to God... "PLEASE help me understand something!" I know I serve a God whose vocabulary in any language does not contain the word "impossible" so why should I get discouraged and think I can never learn Spanish?

I returned to the group, and shortly after was asked to share my testimony.... in Spanish! I did not know how I was going to do it. I did not think I knew enough Spanish. But God totally helped me, and without any preparation on my part, I was able to share my testimony in total Spanish (with some help from Yasmin for some words). I know my grammar was no where near perfect, but they were attentive, and understood what I was saying. After I shared, we went around the room and all shared our testimonies. It is so neat to see how God is at work in all of our lives!

God continues to open my ears to the language, and each day I find myself understanding and speaking a little more. Praise God!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. - Eph. 3:20-21