So what religion are you from? What church do you belong to? Have you ever been asked that? What's your response to a question like that?  Do you say your evangelical, new age evangelical, none denominational perhaps.

I was in Lima for close to a month studying Spanish in a Spanish emersion school, and while there I met a variety of people with a variety of beliefs, I am not a very social person so mingling is difficult for me, but in my class of four students we did a lot of talking about ourselves and our opinions on a variety of different subjects, needless to say it didn't take very long until it was obvious what my beliefs were. I found myself being the only one besides the teacher who believed in God, the others openly admitted that they did not believe in God, in fact most of them had a bitter taste in their mouth over Christians, so I thanked God for the opportunity and asked for wisdom on how to show them that God is for them and loves them very much. Because of the class setting in that everyone had a chance to speak their opinion on all sorts of subject I focused my opinions on gently teaching them who I was in Christ. Most of the people coming through the school are travelers who just want enough Spanish to be able to communicate to people during their vacation travels. And I found that the majority were single people traveling on their own  to see the world. At first I felt an uneasiness from them every time it came up to my turn to speak, but they soon found that in  all the different opinion I had I never dishonoured or insulted them. We had topics like, abortion, sex before marriage, the death penalty, death by drug if a person is in great suffering with no hope of survival, (can't remember what that's called). And down right do you believe in God. There was tons more but these were some of the tougher ones, o and also gay marriage. By the end of my term I had some of them come up to me and explain my thought on some things during our break time, and I became great friends with them. I believe God planted a seed in each of them that will start to grow when God chooses to water it. But by love and respect you when them over, it's our job to show the world what we have, the love we received from Christ should pour out of us like milk and honey.
My afternoon class was a private tutoring session, one on one with an amazing teacher. For some time I sensed that he wanted to ask me some personal questions, but didn't because that wouldn't be professional, but eventually he couldn't hold back, he asked how come some people don't feel bad for their sins and others(himself) just couldn't forgive themselves for something's they had done in their lives. Well this was all I needed, in the power of the spirit I launched into a teaching session, (all in Spanish by the way) about Christ and what he did for us, the power of the cross and that by trying to save ourselves by our own works we are emptying the cross of its power for us. He was a catholic, devout to his church, so this was not new news to him, but no exaggeration he was literally on the edge of his chair for two hours, and every time I would say "the bible says) he would move a little closer. It was an amazing class. He was always smiling but that next day he glowed, I asked him how he was and he said Awesome! He had an hour bike ride to and from work to think about all I had said and he understood in a new way, a weight was lifted that only Jesus could lift. We had many other conversations about God after this.
Sometimes we make our plans and don't realize God is guiding us, I don't believe at all that it was a coincidence that I ended up going to that school,  besides learning a lot, and teaching some at the school I made some great friendships outside of the school as well, Roberto and Sharito who have been known Avis for a long time, and the prophet Willy Mead who was part of the beginnings of Casa de Paz and now has many churches in Mexico and is a we'll known prophet. I love God from the bottom of my heart, I fail him often and I'm under his mercy, but I know he loves me as well, and he loves you too. No matter your history or current state, God loves you so much, enough to die for you, no matter how little we feel sometimes and how incapable, our goal should just be to love God and in that we will have the strength to carry out everything he has in mind for us to do. May God bless you and make himself known to you plainly, in Jesus' name amen. 

Half Way There

2 weeks down, 2 to go. We are half way there! Please Lord let these next 2 weeks fly with supernateral speed. 4 weeks is a long time for the kids to not see their daddy, and for me not to see my man. We are all missing him like crazy. My heart breaks for my youngest..she seems to be taking it the hardest.  Everyday when Jake calls I let the kids talk to him and Tahlia always does this half laugh/half cry when she hears his voice. It makes me want to cry.  But, as hard as it is missing him, we are holding up ok, thanks to God, and I know it will be worth it.  There is nothing more frustrating about living here than not being able to communicate with the people we work with everyday. For me it is still ok, I can get along for the most part with the little Spanish I know (accompanied by many hand gestures), but with Jake being in the position that he is - managing the orphanage, talking to lawers, signing papers - he needs to be able to clearly understand what's going on and being said, and for that he needs to either 1) always use a translator, or 2) learn the language.  

Well a little while ago we talked to a beautiful missionary couple who we met through a divine appointment, who also live in Peru, and who also run an orphanage and school, ANd who are also Canadian :D So cool meeting them.  We found out that they also came to Peru not speaking any Spanish (We have so much in common:) But, the one difference was that they were now speaking fluent Spanish! And we are not.  So they told us about the great school they went to in Lima, and with that Jake had his mind made up that he too would go to Lima to learn Spanish so that we could once again have everything in common. So off he went on the bus for the long ride to Lima.

It was hard for me to imagine how things would go without him here for such a long time, but as I've been praying daily and learning to trust more, I'm seeing God's goodness more than ever. He is faithful, He is taking care of us. It took me awile but I'm starting to see that maybe I will benefit some good out of this too. It is pushing me to do jobs that normally Jake would take care of, and it's stretching me and growing my faith. For example: Driving. It's one of the things I've actually missed while living here. Yes, I drive to the women's bible study every Saturday, but that is dirt roads out on the dump. Driving in town is a whole different story, and Jake is scared out of his mind at the thought of me driving on those narrow crazy streets, so he always does all the driving....until now :)) I have already had several opportunities to drive since Jake's been gone, one of them being last week when all the Casa kids had to be taken to the lab in town for blood tests. I was so excited, and a bit nervous, to drive with a van full of kids. Everyone made it back alive Praise the Lord. 

It's amazing. God can do so much more than what we often expect him to do.  Jake is not only learning Spanish in Lima, he is being stretched too and growing in his faith through this. He got to go to an important conference while he's there, and he's made some new friends, and I am learning new things too. I thank my heavenly Father for all He does for us. 

I can hardly wait for our little family to be reunited in two weeks from now, but I'm excited to see what else God does in the meantime :)