Hello Everyone!
So...don't forget to read the blog below this one.
I also wanted to let you all know that my team and I are stuck in a village until Thursday. Upon arriving yesterday to Ayacucho City after a long and eventful overnight bus ride, we found out that a "Paro" was about to start. This word means "road strike". There has not been and wont be any form of vehicle movement until thursday morning. (they say) So, we are stuck in a (really nice) village until we can get out to continue research. God is so good because we can now write all of our reports and get them prepared to be printed once we arrive back in Lima.
Don't worry, although they are rioting, we are not in any form of danger. We just stay inside and write basically all day. And of course we go out to grab so food once in a while.
Please pray that everything will end smoothly and we will be able to get back on the road.
Thank you all for your prayers!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
God and His Curve Ball
I received an awesome e-mail from one of the missionaries here in Peru. (Mike Weaver) ANd this is what he had to say to me. Really hit home ;)
Do you like baseball? Well, how do you hit a curve? I hope you would say, "be patient and wait on it to straighten out" and then "step into it making full contact with all I have". After reading your blog I want you to begin to believe the Lord for something which might seem like "God pitching you a curve". Be patient....wait...let it come to you...step by faith into what He delivers! Make sure that it is a strike though (from Him).
This really made sense to me and I believe it with all my heart. He went on to invite me to return back to Peru next semester and serve on an ESL (English as a Second Language) team. Wow...the Lord knows that I would love to return to Peru and serve Him in any fashion He sees fit. It honestly does feel like home here to me. I am taking his invitation and bathing it in prayer.
One of the main obstacle's I see is the financial support part of it. I do not have any of the support in order for me to live in Peru from the end of August until the end of December. It's quite a large sum of money. I don't know or see how I can raise that in a little over a month and being in Peru while doing it. I do have a peace that if the Lord leads me to go, He will provide the finances.
The other obstacle is schooling. I have felt the Lord's leading in registering for classes for next semester. Which, I have already done and it is such a knock off my shoulders. All of the classes that I have registered for, I can take online via my schools virtual college program. So now, school is not an obstacle because I can take classes over the internet. And the best part is that my schooling is paid for!
I am still praying and sitting in that waiting room for God to come out and say something. So far, Peru has jumped out and that is an open door that I would love to enter if the Lord provides. You know...I am beginning to enjoy the waiting because God nurtures the heart in such and amazing way during the waiting process. God may decide to keep me in Miami. I am perfectly fine with that. I just want what He wants. First and foremost.
If anyone has any ideas, thoughts or concerns about raising support and or "the waiting room", I would love to hear them.
josuesarco7@hotmail.com
God Bless everyone!
Do you like baseball? Well, how do you hit a curve? I hope you would say, "be patient and wait on it to straighten out" and then "step into it making full contact with all I have". After reading your blog I want you to begin to believe the Lord for something which might seem like "God pitching you a curve". Be patient....wait...let it come to you...step by faith into what He delivers! Make sure that it is a strike though (from Him).
This really made sense to me and I believe it with all my heart. He went on to invite me to return back to Peru next semester and serve on an ESL (English as a Second Language) team. Wow...the Lord knows that I would love to return to Peru and serve Him in any fashion He sees fit. It honestly does feel like home here to me. I am taking his invitation and bathing it in prayer.
One of the main obstacle's I see is the financial support part of it. I do not have any of the support in order for me to live in Peru from the end of August until the end of December. It's quite a large sum of money. I don't know or see how I can raise that in a little over a month and being in Peru while doing it. I do have a peace that if the Lord leads me to go, He will provide the finances.
The other obstacle is schooling. I have felt the Lord's leading in registering for classes for next semester. Which, I have already done and it is such a knock off my shoulders. All of the classes that I have registered for, I can take online via my schools virtual college program. So now, school is not an obstacle because I can take classes over the internet. And the best part is that my schooling is paid for!
I am still praying and sitting in that waiting room for God to come out and say something. So far, Peru has jumped out and that is an open door that I would love to enter if the Lord provides. You know...I am beginning to enjoy the waiting because God nurtures the heart in such and amazing way during the waiting process. God may decide to keep me in Miami. I am perfectly fine with that. I just want what He wants. First and foremost.
If anyone has any ideas, thoughts or concerns about raising support and or "the waiting room", I would love to hear them.
josuesarco7@hotmail.com
God Bless everyone!
Sunday, July 1, 2007
On the move again
Hello everyone!
So after a week in the touristy town of Nazca for our Reapsouth Mid-Summer Debriefing, we are waiting until 11:00pm to head back to Ayacucho city (where we started off our research). We have to go there to get to our next cluster of villages to research.
Praise the Lord for an amazing time we had in Nazca with all the other 50 some college missionaries. We got to spend time in the word, in song, fellowship, eat good food and just relax. The best part was...ENGLISH! Yay! Now don't get me wrong, I love Spanish, but there is just something about doing all those things in your own heart language. It was also amazing to see the Weaver's and the Austin's again. THose are the two missionary families here in Lima, Peru. Both families treat us all like there own and take such good care of us. THey are such a blessing!
So some prayer requests:
1) Continue to pray for my grandmother. She is not in the hospital, but when I called her this past week, she was very disoriented and could not answer my questions. The doctors are getting her medication worked out and her body just needs time to rest and work itself out. God is really teaching me how to trust in Him and increase my prayer life.
2) Well, my family has been on a braking and injuring rampage. Within this past few months, my brother has split his skull at work, my brother and sister have broken there fingers, my dad has torn something in his knee and had surgery and I just found out that my little sister broke her wrist. So...please pray for there safety, protection and health.
3) As is obvious, Satan is not happy. Ever since God called my family into the ministry, Satan has tried to stop everything. Please pray against the enemy and for relief. My mother (I can imagine) is pretty stressed having to be the one who takes care of things. (everyone else is immobile)
4) Have you ever been in the situation where you know the Lord is working, but you also know that you are in the waiting room not knowing anything? Well, I am in the waiting room right now. Honestly, it is driving me nuts. Again, the Lord is increasing my prayer life. I feel a peace about registering for classes in the fall in Miami. However, I don't have a peace about returning to the ministry I am a part of there. I don't know why, but God hasn't given me that peace. I know that if the Lord doesn't somehow show or tell me where I am suppose to be, then I will definitley be back in Miami. The Lord knows that I cannot function if I am not somehow serving Him in active ministry. My heart would love to return to Peru for whatever time the Lord desires, but all I know now is that I do not have the finances to support myself in returning. If the Lord provided, I know that the classes I need to take next semester can be done online. Then again, He might do something totally different. So, please pray for me as I am praying for myself about what the Lord would have me to do. If it is to return to Miami, then I am perfectly fine with that, if it is to return to Peru, then I am Ecstatic(!), if it is to do whatever, then fabulous! The great thing is that I have a peace about whatever the Lord will have me do. Is that weird? I just know He is in control and whatever He decides for me to do will be amazing. It may take me a while to learn that it is amazing, but He will NEver leave me or forsake me. Gosh...that was a long prayer request. THank you for reading this...I know it is long.
PS. Please know that I am praying for you all and your prayers are always felt and appreciated. :)
So after a week in the touristy town of Nazca for our Reapsouth Mid-Summer Debriefing, we are waiting until 11:00pm to head back to Ayacucho city (where we started off our research). We have to go there to get to our next cluster of villages to research.
Praise the Lord for an amazing time we had in Nazca with all the other 50 some college missionaries. We got to spend time in the word, in song, fellowship, eat good food and just relax. The best part was...ENGLISH! Yay! Now don't get me wrong, I love Spanish, but there is just something about doing all those things in your own heart language. It was also amazing to see the Weaver's and the Austin's again. THose are the two missionary families here in Lima, Peru. Both families treat us all like there own and take such good care of us. THey are such a blessing!
So some prayer requests:
1) Continue to pray for my grandmother. She is not in the hospital, but when I called her this past week, she was very disoriented and could not answer my questions. The doctors are getting her medication worked out and her body just needs time to rest and work itself out. God is really teaching me how to trust in Him and increase my prayer life.
2) Well, my family has been on a braking and injuring rampage. Within this past few months, my brother has split his skull at work, my brother and sister have broken there fingers, my dad has torn something in his knee and had surgery and I just found out that my little sister broke her wrist. So...please pray for there safety, protection and health.
3) As is obvious, Satan is not happy. Ever since God called my family into the ministry, Satan has tried to stop everything. Please pray against the enemy and for relief. My mother (I can imagine) is pretty stressed having to be the one who takes care of things. (everyone else is immobile)
4) Have you ever been in the situation where you know the Lord is working, but you also know that you are in the waiting room not knowing anything? Well, I am in the waiting room right now. Honestly, it is driving me nuts. Again, the Lord is increasing my prayer life. I feel a peace about registering for classes in the fall in Miami. However, I don't have a peace about returning to the ministry I am a part of there. I don't know why, but God hasn't given me that peace. I know that if the Lord doesn't somehow show or tell me where I am suppose to be, then I will definitley be back in Miami. The Lord knows that I cannot function if I am not somehow serving Him in active ministry. My heart would love to return to Peru for whatever time the Lord desires, but all I know now is that I do not have the finances to support myself in returning. If the Lord provided, I know that the classes I need to take next semester can be done online. Then again, He might do something totally different. So, please pray for me as I am praying for myself about what the Lord would have me to do. If it is to return to Miami, then I am perfectly fine with that, if it is to return to Peru, then I am Ecstatic(!), if it is to do whatever, then fabulous! The great thing is that I have a peace about whatever the Lord will have me do. Is that weird? I just know He is in control and whatever He decides for me to do will be amazing. It may take me a while to learn that it is amazing, but He will NEver leave me or forsake me. Gosh...that was a long prayer request. THank you for reading this...I know it is long.
PS. Please know that I am praying for you all and your prayers are always felt and appreciated. :)
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Arrived in Nazca
Hello Everyone!
The past few days have been very amazing! Thank you all once again for your prayers for my grandmother. I really appreciate it!
My team and I went to the village I was in last year for a few days. We were close to it doing research and Jenna (one of my teammates) has been wanting to see how ministry is done after the research, vision trip, and a couple of years ministry in an area looks like. She wanted to see what the almost end result looked like. So we went and had a great time with Cindy and with the people in Pausa and the Paucar de Sarasara. We had a few american things from Cindy's "american closet". Yum Yum they were!
We left Pausa on Saturday after about 2 days there. We arrived back in Chaviña. This is the town we had begun research in. We finished it up that night and then we were off to Puquio on Sunday. We got to Puquio and found out the bus schedules for when we return to go to other villages and then we were off to Nasza. Wow...although it is really touristy here, I am loving the ice cream and some what american food! Thank you Jesus!
God Bless you all!
The past few days have been very amazing! Thank you all once again for your prayers for my grandmother. I really appreciate it!
My team and I went to the village I was in last year for a few days. We were close to it doing research and Jenna (one of my teammates) has been wanting to see how ministry is done after the research, vision trip, and a couple of years ministry in an area looks like. She wanted to see what the almost end result looked like. So we went and had a great time with Cindy and with the people in Pausa and the Paucar de Sarasara. We had a few american things from Cindy's "american closet". Yum Yum they were!
We left Pausa on Saturday after about 2 days there. We arrived back in Chaviña. This is the town we had begun research in. We finished it up that night and then we were off to Puquio on Sunday. We got to Puquio and found out the bus schedules for when we return to go to other villages and then we were off to Nasza. Wow...although it is really touristy here, I am loving the ice cream and some what american food! Thank you Jesus!
God Bless you all!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Urgent Prayer Request Update
Hello to all of my prayer partners...
Praise the Lord my grandmother is doing very well. It honestly was a big scare. She has a severe bladder infection and her medications are taking a toll on her. The doctors are running some tests and said that everything will be fine.
Please continue to pray for my grandmother and for my family. Although everything appears to be fine now, she still suffers from many illnesses. But praise the Lord that He is in control and I have found comfort in that.
Thank you all for your e-mails and prayers that you sent me in regard to this situation. I had a good cry and really appreciated how much you all care.
Blessings to everybody~
Praise the Lord my grandmother is doing very well. It honestly was a big scare. She has a severe bladder infection and her medications are taking a toll on her. The doctors are running some tests and said that everything will be fine.
Please continue to pray for my grandmother and for my family. Although everything appears to be fine now, she still suffers from many illnesses. But praise the Lord that He is in control and I have found comfort in that.
Thank you all for your e-mails and prayers that you sent me in regard to this situation. I had a good cry and really appreciated how much you all care.
Blessings to everybody~
Monday, June 18, 2007
Urgent Prayer Request
Hello to all my faithful Prayer Partners...
I just received word that my grandmother is in the hospital with a fever and is having a very hard time breathing. Her name is Mona Hodge. Please pray for her health and for my family.
For those of you who don't know. Last summer, my grandfather on my father's side passed away unexpectingly. My grandmother on my mother's side was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's after already having a bipolar disorder. My heart has been troubled thinking about "what if".
I so terribly do not want to be out of the country again when one of my dear loved ones pass away. Last summer, the Lord led me home for the funeral and led me back to Peru to finish the work He called me to do last summer. I have been praying even before I left the country for the same situation not to happen again.
As you can imagine, my heart is troubled and burdened. I ask you to pray for my grandmother first and foremost, my family second and for me to remain focused thirdly. My team and I are suppose to leave tomorrow on another research trip and I feel as now I could not emotionally handle it.
I just received word that my grandmother is in the hospital with a fever and is having a very hard time breathing. Her name is Mona Hodge. Please pray for her health and for my family.
For those of you who don't know. Last summer, my grandfather on my father's side passed away unexpectingly. My grandmother on my mother's side was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's after already having a bipolar disorder. My heart has been troubled thinking about "what if".
I so terribly do not want to be out of the country again when one of my dear loved ones pass away. Last summer, the Lord led me home for the funeral and led me back to Peru to finish the work He called me to do last summer. I have been praying even before I left the country for the same situation not to happen again.
As you can imagine, my heart is troubled and burdened. I ask you to pray for my grandmother first and foremost, my family second and for me to remain focused thirdly. My team and I are suppose to leave tomorrow on another research trip and I feel as now I could not emotionally handle it.
Friday, June 15, 2007
An Amazing Birthday and Many Adventures
Hola Mis Prayer Partners!!
Let me tell you, rugged does not even begin to describe it. First of all, there are no toilets in half the towns, and if there is one, it has 3 walls and two rotting boards over a hole. Also, I almost ran into a chicken carcass that was hanging in our hostel this morning. We are having a blast, and are so blessed with people who want to help us that we have to hike a mountain to get away from them. That poses a problem because I fall on cacti, a lot! I am not even kidding, it happened yesterday.
My Birthday went extremley well. There was a small store in a town called Morcolla that we ended up in on my birthday to do research. The store had a pack of Oreos. Wow..my favorite snack. God is so good. I slept outside on a roof of an adobe house the night of my birthday with 8 blankets and my 15 degree sleeping bag. The stars we so amazing. It was like glitter above. Today, we found a "cake"...peruvian. It was so good though and Sarah and Jenna (my teammates)sang me happy birthday and we enjoyed half of it. Wow how we miss sweets.
Have you ever met a lady with way too much peace? WEll let me tell you. Part of our research includes finding a person of peace. Our lady in the the previous village would not leave us a lone and brought us every official in the town...plus more. This is a good thing, but when it turns into all day and that they won't leave you alone, you get kind of annoyed. WE call her...la mujer con bastante paz. WE were thankful for her.
Ok...so yes i fell in a cactus. I have fallen in a lot of cacti while I have been here in this beautiful land of Peru. Well, yesterday we had to hike up a small mountain to take a picture of the town we were in for our research. WHile Sarah and I were hiking, i suddenly fell through a whole and a cactus caught my fall. I have no idea where the hole came out of. It was DEEP. All but my shoulders and head were in the hole and I was freaking out. I thought something was going to eat me underneath. The earth around me also fell through and I was honestly just freaking out. Sarah started laughing and didn't know what happened because she was infront of me. Well, i spent the rest of the day with a nife in many areas of my body taking out "espinas"...cacti whatever the word is in english. I forgot. I am still getting the out of my shoes.
Don't freak out...I am fine. Just very well ventalated. (from the many holes i have in me)
The day before yesterday, we were in a hostel that had a pet parrot. That was interesting. It would charge me and peck at me. I ended up kicking it our of instinct because it sort of scard me once. It was an interesting friend to have at the hostel. IT also served as our hostel guard "dog". It sounded like it was barking when it cherped sometimes.
God has been doing amazing things. WE have meet with most of the mayors and have found many people of peace. WE have been able to gather lots of information and plus more from the amazing people our Lord and Savior have put in our place. Tomorrow we got to Andamarca and then on to Puquio from there.
OH:::we get Ducha calliente tonight. That means a hott shower. You have no idea how long it has been since we bathed. Yes, we smell. I lost track after about two weeks i think.
Well, until next blog...Blessings to you all!
Let me tell you, rugged does not even begin to describe it. First of all, there are no toilets in half the towns, and if there is one, it has 3 walls and two rotting boards over a hole. Also, I almost ran into a chicken carcass that was hanging in our hostel this morning. We are having a blast, and are so blessed with people who want to help us that we have to hike a mountain to get away from them. That poses a problem because I fall on cacti, a lot! I am not even kidding, it happened yesterday.
My Birthday went extremley well. There was a small store in a town called Morcolla that we ended up in on my birthday to do research. The store had a pack of Oreos. Wow..my favorite snack. God is so good. I slept outside on a roof of an adobe house the night of my birthday with 8 blankets and my 15 degree sleeping bag. The stars we so amazing. It was like glitter above. Today, we found a "cake"...peruvian. It was so good though and Sarah and Jenna (my teammates)sang me happy birthday and we enjoyed half of it. Wow how we miss sweets.
Have you ever met a lady with way too much peace? WEll let me tell you. Part of our research includes finding a person of peace. Our lady in the the previous village would not leave us a lone and brought us every official in the town...plus more. This is a good thing, but when it turns into all day and that they won't leave you alone, you get kind of annoyed. WE call her...la mujer con bastante paz. WE were thankful for her.
Ok...so yes i fell in a cactus. I have fallen in a lot of cacti while I have been here in this beautiful land of Peru. Well, yesterday we had to hike up a small mountain to take a picture of the town we were in for our research. WHile Sarah and I were hiking, i suddenly fell through a whole and a cactus caught my fall. I have no idea where the hole came out of. It was DEEP. All but my shoulders and head were in the hole and I was freaking out. I thought something was going to eat me underneath. The earth around me also fell through and I was honestly just freaking out. Sarah started laughing and didn't know what happened because she was infront of me. Well, i spent the rest of the day with a nife in many areas of my body taking out "espinas"...cacti whatever the word is in english. I forgot. I am still getting the out of my shoes.
Don't freak out...I am fine. Just very well ventalated. (from the many holes i have in me)
The day before yesterday, we were in a hostel that had a pet parrot. That was interesting. It would charge me and peck at me. I ended up kicking it our of instinct because it sort of scard me once. It was an interesting friend to have at the hostel. IT also served as our hostel guard "dog". It sounded like it was barking when it cherped sometimes.
God has been doing amazing things. WE have meet with most of the mayors and have found many people of peace. WE have been able to gather lots of information and plus more from the amazing people our Lord and Savior have put in our place. Tomorrow we got to Andamarca and then on to Puquio from there.
OH:::we get Ducha calliente tonight. That means a hott shower. You have no idea how long it has been since we bathed. Yes, we smell. I lost track after about two weeks i think.
Well, until next blog...Blessings to you all!
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