“Growing where you’re planted”

Wow it’s been a while since I’ve posted! Sorry friends and family! These last two weeks have been challenging and rewarding. We’ve had some changes to our team and officially have our new team leader which is exciting! On the morning of Tuesday the 13th, our team accidentally went to the wrong class and tried teaching English to a Communications class, which was hysterical, they know some verbs in English that’s for sure! In the afternoon our lovely host had a little fiesta down the street for the local kids. We had a piñata, blasted Hillsong Español, and got to simply be their friends. The best part was after the party was over we got to pray over the children and lead them in a prayer!!!! On Valentines (#Galentines?) day some of our team went to the middle school we teach at and watched their Valentines celebration, it was nice to not just teach but get to develop relationship with them.

We had the opportunity on Thursday the 15th to go to the elderly home! My heart was grieved to find out that families sometimes leave their parents outside the facility, ring the doorbell, leave and never come back. Because of this some of the elderly folks have resentment against God because they feel rejected and forgotten. We were able to spend time with them, let them know that they are loved and not forgotten, give them lollipops and pray with them! This is our last full week in ChiChi, before packing up next Wednesday and heading to the city for our next two months of ministry. It feels surreal. Have we really been in ChiChi for almost a month now?

These last few weeks have gotten me out of my comfort zone for sure, but thankfully I’ve become accustomed to community living and I kinda love it. These humans have become my family. We dance together, eat together, cry together and laugh A LOT! I’m glad God put each of us together for a time and a season. I’ve learned a lot about “Growing where you’re planted” in a little bit of time we’ve been here.

For those who don’t know me to well, I love learning about words; I love knowing the meanings to words, I love understanding where certain words come from, it’s my secret little quality that not a-lot of people know about. But God does. This week He has been teaching me about being intentional with words and the weight that they carry. Here are some words that I’ve read in my Bible countless times but never knew the meaning according to biblical concordance. It’s rather cool!

Patience (n) – The power or capacity to endure without complaint something difficult or disagreeable; forbearance, long-suffering.

Love (n) – The ultimate expression of God’s loyalty, purity and mercy extended toward his people – to be reflected in human relationships of brotherly concern, marital fidelity, and adoration of God; a beloved person.

Mercy (n) – A blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion; withholding of the punishment it judgment our sins deserve.

Redeem, Redeemed (v) – To buy back ; to save by payment of a ransom ; to free from the consequences of sin.

Matthew 6:25-26 “This is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life- whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the burds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”