Today was a beautiful day... I met an awesome Pastor named Hector while on this trip and he is the most incredible, amazing person I have ever met in my life! He works with the mission team when they come to Peru. Everyone seems to love him and I'm grateful God put him in my path.
It's kind of funny how that happened...You see my luggage got lost and I had to go to the airport everyday to see if it arrived. They would not deliver it to the hotel because I had to go through customs with the bag. So, that required a trip to the airport everyday because they kept saying the bag would be here tomorrow.
It had things in it I needed for the children's ministry. Hector drove me everyday to the airport and it was during these many trips to the airport that we developed a true friendship. We would talk about many things, life, love, God, wisdom, and our lives. I began to realize that God was throwing Hector and me together.
He became my translator when I did street ministry and we worked closely doing four skits for the children's program every day. But it was those trips to the airport that got us close. We were just two people getting to know each other.
I still keep asking God why? What am I suppose to learn from him or what was he supposed to learn from me? All I do know is that it was a "God" thing getting to know Hector because it would not have happened if my bag had not got lost. I still have more questions than answers about the "why" God wanted us to get to know each other. God always has a plan and in time I'm sure I will know the reason. In the mean time I'm enjoying the friendship God has gifted me with...
One very funny thing did happen. One night on our trip to the airport "my bag" did show up or so they told me. They sent me back through customs to pick this bag up with a guy who spoke no English.
Now when I saw him bringing my bag out I got really excited but the closer he got I saw it was not my bag. Now let me tell you something TRY to explain to someone who speaks NO English that a bag with your name on it does not belong to you!
This guy would not listen to me every time I tried to tell him it wasn't my bag he would just shake his head and keep going. Finally I started to panic and told him to stop so I could check the bag (as I didn't want to go through customs with a bag full of drugs as I would be writing this from a Peruvian prison if that were the case!)
When I opened the bag women's lingerie and flip flops spilled out all over the floor ( NO DRUGS). I tried to tell him again this was not my bag as I zipped it up. He just filled out the customs form and threw it on the xray machine SO at this point I took a leap of faith and prayed there was nothing in it that would get me arrested. God was on my side...we cleared customs!!!
When we got through customs there was Hector waiting for me and he seemed pleased I got my bag. Then I told him it wasn't mine. He looked at me and said NEVER take a bag through customs that does not belong to you because I can't get you out of prison! Hector told the guy in Spanish that the bag was not mine and he still would not listen. So... finally Hector talked with a supervisor about it and we got the whole mess cleared up and it did not require prison time for me or the wearing of much smaller lingerie THANK GOD!! Hector my hero....
It's kind of funny how that happened...You see my luggage got lost and I had to go to the airport everyday to see if it arrived. They would not deliver it to the hotel because I had to go through customs with the bag. So, that required a trip to the airport everyday because they kept saying the bag would be here tomorrow.
It had things in it I needed for the children's ministry. Hector drove me everyday to the airport and it was during these many trips to the airport that we developed a true friendship. We would talk about many things, life, love, God, wisdom, and our lives. I began to realize that God was throwing Hector and me together.
He became my translator when I did street ministry and we worked closely doing four skits for the children's program every day. But it was those trips to the airport that got us close. We were just two people getting to know each other.
I still keep asking God why? What am I suppose to learn from him or what was he supposed to learn from me? All I do know is that it was a "God" thing getting to know Hector because it would not have happened if my bag had not got lost. I still have more questions than answers about the "why" God wanted us to get to know each other. God always has a plan and in time I'm sure I will know the reason. In the mean time I'm enjoying the friendship God has gifted me with...
One very funny thing did happen. One night on our trip to the airport "my bag" did show up or so they told me. They sent me back through customs to pick this bag up with a guy who spoke no English.
Now when I saw him bringing my bag out I got really excited but the closer he got I saw it was not my bag. Now let me tell you something TRY to explain to someone who speaks NO English that a bag with your name on it does not belong to you!
This guy would not listen to me every time I tried to tell him it wasn't my bag he would just shake his head and keep going. Finally I started to panic and told him to stop so I could check the bag (as I didn't want to go through customs with a bag full of drugs as I would be writing this from a Peruvian prison if that were the case!)
When I opened the bag women's lingerie and flip flops spilled out all over the floor ( NO DRUGS). I tried to tell him again this was not my bag as I zipped it up. He just filled out the customs form and threw it on the xray machine SO at this point I took a leap of faith and prayed there was nothing in it that would get me arrested. God was on my side...we cleared customs!!!
When we got through customs there was Hector waiting for me and he seemed pleased I got my bag. Then I told him it wasn't mine. He looked at me and said NEVER take a bag through customs that does not belong to you because I can't get you out of prison! Hector told the guy in Spanish that the bag was not mine and he still would not listen. So... finally Hector talked with a supervisor about it and we got the whole mess cleared up and it did not require prison time for me or the wearing of much smaller lingerie THANK GOD!! Hector my hero....
Hector and Me
Now my mission trip is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I guess I should say its life changing...
We take so many things for granted in our lives, running water, an inside bathroom, a warm bed and plenty of food to eat. Some of the people I meet do not have any of these things.
Antonella the child in this picture with me lives in a home with 16 other people and they sleep on two mattress on a dirt floor. Our group built two rooms with floors for this family. These people may lack the basic necessities of life but they are rich in God’s love and they have hope, I see it in their eyes.
These people have opened their hearts and poured out Gods blessing on me. I thought I came to help them but now I think I came for them to fill up the cracks of my broken heart with their love. I have given my heart to them and I know they appreciate the love I have to give... They will not break my heart they will treasure it just as I treasure each and everyone of them. Thank you God for bringing me here to this wonderful place...
We take so many things for granted in our lives, running water, an inside bathroom, a warm bed and plenty of food to eat. Some of the people I meet do not have any of these things.
Antonella the child in this picture with me lives in a home with 16 other people and they sleep on two mattress on a dirt floor. Our group built two rooms with floors for this family. These people may lack the basic necessities of life but they are rich in God’s love and they have hope, I see it in their eyes.
These people have opened their hearts and poured out Gods blessing on me. I thought I came to help them but now I think I came for them to fill up the cracks of my broken heart with their love. I have given my heart to them and I know they appreciate the love I have to give... They will not break my heart they will treasure it just as I treasure each and everyone of them. Thank you God for bringing me here to this wonderful place...
My Sweet Angel...
The purpose of life is a life of purpose.
:Robert Byrne
You do see hope in their eyes. What wonderful blessings you have received! Love you.
ReplyDeleteI've learned to not question God's will and ask all the whys. This allows me to just appreciate what is right in front of me and know that in His time, the whys will present themselves. If I am willing to just remain teachable and open, the answers will come without self~will trying to figure it all out. I don't always know what God's will "for" me is ~ I just have to keep doing the next right thing, and let Him work his wonders in my life. To Let Go and Let God grants me peace and happiness beyond what I ever could have imagined !!! I'm loving your journey/blog and appreciate the chance to share in it with you!!! God has GREAT things in store for you ... I feel it !!! Love, Jennifer
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