The team was all ready. We had traveled hours up to this point and we were finally about to leave the States for Lima, Peru. This being my first mission trip, I had no idea what to expect. I didn’t think being homesick was actually a thing, especially when I hadn’t even been gone a week. I’m sitting in my plane seat, and the tears start rolling. Soon my breath becomes difficult and before I know it, I can’t breathe. I am in the midst of a full on anxiety attack and the plane hasn’t even taken off yet. The people around me think it’s because I’m afraid...

There are a wide variety of animals here in the beautiful country of Peru – some including llamas, sheep, cows, pigs, cats, leopards that attempt to kill you, etc. but about 70% of the animal population consists of dogs. They range from big to small, nice to mean, loud to quiet, dirty to clean..ish. We’ve name and attempted to adopt probably about 50% of the dog population. Our main focus in ministry this month is to encourage the believers in the area – pour into them so they can, in return, pour out into their community. We’re stationed in a little town in cajamarca,...

Faith. What does faith or having faith mean to you?    Faith is the reason I am here sitting on the rooftop in Peru. The noise of chickens clucking, dogs barking, guinea pigs doing what they do and even a turkey on a rooftop gobbling. Strange I know, but I promise it is real. Mountains surround the city of Cajamarca. I’ve never seen something so beautiful. This is the first time I have been on a mission trip, the first time I have been out of the United States and the first time I have been on an airplane. One day God placed this on my heart. I was at work one morning and the...

The Lord has shown me these past few weeks in Peru that He will always equip me for what He has called me to. Coming on this trip I had no idea what type of ministry we would be doing and needless to say preaching was the last thing I thought. For those of you who know me I am very quiet and not at all an extrovert. I’m not one to get up and talk to a room full of people, so when I found out that was exactly what I’d be doing on this trip I began to doubt. I kept asking the Lord, “Are you sure this is what you’re calling me to?” And His answer was always the same,...

Before this trip I had done a few short term mission trips overseas. I came into this trip thinking “oh it’s going to be awesome, I’m going to be so busy” but let me tell you, there is so much time for me to spend with the Holy Spirit. I must say it’s awesome & He is speaking to me and my team. But let me also tell you, I miss my bed, my family, Chick-fil-A, my coffee dates with my pals, and much more. But this is where I find strength in the Lord. I wasn’t expecting to find so much peace while living in Peru for a month, but when you ask the Lord –...

We just passed the halfway point of our trip, and man has God done some pretty amazing things. This trip has not fit into any of the expectations that we had leading up to it, but God has completely re shaped lives during the past two weeks and, although I expect him to continue to do so, I wanted to share something that He has worked in me. In the spirit of expectations being shattered, I’ll start by sharing a comical story that happened on our first day of ministry. Fresh off of a 15-turned-18 hour bus ride, we arrived to the home of our host and began unpacking. Our ministry host then...