So I’ve officially been back in the USA for about two weeks now, and I’ve finally had a good amount of time to process this past month serving in Peru. I decided to write this blog (sorry it’s more like an essay, y’all) to share all of the things I’ve learned and how God has been continuing to work in my heart. Because I know He’s not finished; this is only the beginning.   What would seem like one of the biggest challenges going on this trip, actually turned into one of the most freeing blessings. We were all able to be so much more disconnected from...

So I’ve officially been back in the USA for about two weeks now, and I’ve finally had a good amount of time to process this past month serving in Peru. I decided to write this blog (sorry it’s more like an essay, y’all) to share all of the things I’ve learned and how God has been continuing to work in my heart. Because I know He’s not finished; this is only the beginning.   What would seem like one of the biggest challenges going on this trip, actually turned into one of the most freeing blessings. We were all able to be so much more disconnected from...

Well, here I am, nearly one month after I left home. This trip may be coming to an end, but I can definitively say that I believe my trip is just beginning. I’d never been on a mission trip before coming here. While some people were really excited for me, others thought that I was crazy to leave on a one-month journey with people I had never met in my entire life. Still, as great of a place as I was in, I knew that God was sending me here to truly experience his greatness. Every time people told stories about the mission trips they’d been on, they would explain how we don’t...

When we rolled up into the second community we visited, we expected it to be much like the first. We had a set plan of what we wanted to do. But as soon as we stepped off the boat, it was evident that our plans went down the drain. The community of José Olaya was the opposite of everything we had been told. The kids there were anything but shy; they were practically jumping on the boat with excitement as we parked. Without hesitation, they jumped in to play soccer, helped us create a makeshift bowling alley with some old cans, and even taught us one of their favorite games called “kiwi.”...

Just under 2 weeks from the day I left home, and I have never felt so lost and found at the same time. It’s a bit odd to be on two different ends on the spectrum at once. Coming here, I thought I knew exactly who I was. I’ve never been so torn apart in my entire life, but as much as I hate to admit it, this is exactly what I needed, and God knew it all along.  Life was perfect before this trip. Unfortunately, there is a problem resting in perfection. Although I knew that I could never be perfect, I continued to strive for it. I would set new goals before old ones were met, and...

After much preparation and traveling, we finally made it to Iquitos, Peru yesterday morning! It felt like we’ve been stuck in an airport for weeks, even though it hasn’t even been a day and a half. I think I slept for total of 5 hours between three different airports, and I didn’t get much sleep on the planes. After our final flight landed at the smallest airport I’ve ever seen, we grabbed our baggage and prepared for the unexpected. We met our host and were quickly squeezed into taxis with all of our luggage, heading to an unknown destination. Cars and motorcycles weaved...