Una Visión

We went to Puno to find a house this weekend.  And we had a task at hand, for sure.  We searched for a day and got nothing, then another and still nothing promising.  Seven people left, but some of us stayed to look some more.  On the third day of looking, we were able to make a deal and get a house.  I don’t actually have a picture of it though…oh and did I mention we didn’t actually see inside where we’d be living.  It’s kind of a long story, but after a lot of faith in the pastor and just an overall sense of peace, we made a deal.  We made a deal to rent a house of 2 floors for 3 months.  That way we’d have somewhere to land in Puno.  We also only signed for three months to give us the option to find somewhere else, if this place doesn’t work.

 

That’s all well and good, buuuut more interestingly, I had a revelation or however you call, it this weekend.

 

So on the way to Puno, we pass through the city of Juliaca.  Now Juliaca is bigger than Puno and even has it’s own airport and it’s about an hour from Puno.  It’s actually a really ugly city.  It’s in the middle of nowhere and it looks like no one finishes any building.  It’s just dirty overall, but it is home to the factory of the world's best coffee. I had been thinking about Juliaca earlier in the week, and even looked up on Extreme’s website if it was going to be a district.  I watched the video online about Juliaca, and well just set it aside.

On our way up, we passed through Juliaca and I had this burning feeling for the city of Juliaca.  Almost a burden for the city, but impossible to explain.

Cool.  Well, later that night my partner Geremías comes up to me and says, “Hey you know I was talking to this lady today and she was from Juliaca.  She was a really nice woman and I was just wondering if anyone will be working there in Juliaca.”  I said, “Waaait, have you been thinking about Juliaca today?”  He said that he had been, and I explained to him the story I just shared above.  Crazy?  We decided that we’d pray about it and ask for direction.

It keeps going.  The four who stayed, went back on Wednesday morning.  On our way back, I had a vision.  The first one in my life, that I can recall.  I didn’t really know what to call it, or that it was a vision until I was explaining to Chad what had happened.  Then he was like, “So you had a vision.”  Anyways, we were on our way back, about thirty minutes outside the city going through this district called Paucarcolla.  A tiny mud hut town of about, my guess of, 1000 farmers of cows and alpacas and stuff (more animals than people.)  Well, we were going through it and I saw myself living there.  Whaaaat? Living there?  I saw my partner and I building a mud brick house, with tin roof.  And living there, with the people.  100% immersed, 100% showing them what it is to be a Christian through actions, not just words.

One of my friends here was telling me a story about how he was working with people, showing them what it is to serve.  He said, “If we’re just simply telling people about the gospel, not showing them and loving them into a relationship with God, we’re nothing more than the Mormons or Jehovah’s witnesses.”  Very true, I had known this before but not really put it into words.

It’s all an answer to prayer, because in reality, I have been stressing which districts would be for best…which should I choose?  Well it only makes sense that they would choose me, isn’t that the best way anyways?  More prayer, fasting, and I’m sure I’ll be confirmed about these districts.

On a side note, we were actually able to experience weather in Puno.  99% here in Arequipa has been the same.  While we were there it rained, it poured, and it hailed, too.

Psalms 91 --- Click It!

So Thankful

The important thing here is that to be thankful shouldn’t be limited to today. But everyday.  It seems impossible, but one day a year also should seem impossible.

Being down here has given light to many things and has made me more thankful than ever.  That is no understatement, I have never more thankful for the things I have than now.  I have compiled a list of things in which I am thankful.  The majority of these things I don’t have, and that is why I am so thankful for them.

Family.  The importance of family is revealed to me everyday.  I have realized this upon building a new family, and being away from my own.

Cars.  More specifically, my own car.  The complete luxury it is to be able to hop in your own, and go exactly where you want.

Silence.  Is golden.  And I would like a day of silence for my birthday.

Alone time.  Always being with someone is not good.  It makes someone who normally sleeps in get up an hour before everyone else.

My own space.  I once had a Garren space, and I didn’t realize how awesome it was (not because I was in it) because it was my own.  It didn’t smell bad, it smelt Garren.  It was always just the way I liked it.

Not cars.  I’ve lived without the constant sound, smell of cars for my entire life.  The roar and odor of 3rd world country cars has made me wish for the country.

The weather.  More specifically, the changing weather.  Rain. Snow.  Cold. Hot. Humid.  It’s nice to throw a little bit of variety in there.  (Oh what I’d do for a thunderstorm.)

The weather.  More specifically, the constant, perfect weather.  I’m so thankful for a 75 and sunny type of climate.  I never knew I would love it that much.

Friends.  I’m thankful they come in all shapes and sizes, and that has helped me a lot.  Since being down here I’m thankful that God has shown me who my real friends are, who I consider my real friends, and how much I truly love them (those in the States, and here.)

Money.  I am so thankful for money, and the fact that I have it.  Being reduced to the monthly allowance has really tried me and forced me to adjust.

The Bible.  Got so much to rely on with this one, and so much to be thankful for.  I wouldn’t be here without it.

Food.  Who ate food before? Not me.  But now I am thankful for every type and the time/hard work it takes to put it all together.

Being able to communicate.  Without having to think.  Being able to talk to the clerk or the neighbor without hesitance.  Being able to express your absolute true feelings and thoughts.  That doesn’t come easy when you have to start from the bottom up.

Cardboard.  Moreover, the stuff I get in the 6 sides of cardboard.  Always so thankful for the stuff you send and the care you have.

Fall.  Autumn.  Otoño.  Without it, everything is…the same.

Computers.  I can’t imagine doing the work I do without being able to stay connected with my family and friends back home.

The Fridge.  Countless times I used to walk over to the fridge, open it up, look up and down.  Then 50% I would close it, and the other 50% I’d get something out.  That is soooo luxurious.

Wal-Mart.  Being able to go there.  Being able to go there, have everything you need, and not having to talk to anyone.  Them having the lowest prices, where here the equivalent of Wal-Mart (I use equivalent lightly), have the higher prices as compared to the markets (which smell great, bppppt.)

The Ol’ Any Time Shower.  Or not having to have the sun to be out to get a shower, a warm shower at least.  Cold ones are always available.

Dishwasher.  Put the plate in, done.

Music.  Music. Music.  Being able to play it loud in my car.  Being able to play it.

Carpet.  Soft, fluffy, warm.  My feet long for the feel of carpet.

Grass. To go along with carpet, but outside.

Much more.  The small stuff.  The stuff I never used to think about.  That’s what gets me.

I am so blessed to be here.  This is an amazing opportunity, and all those little things that I miss that I mentioned above don’t add up to be even close to the job I get to do on a daily basis.  I ran into some missionaries from South Afrika.  They said we have “greatest job in the world.”  Without a doubt.  I can’t be more thankful than this opportunity I have.  It truly is the greatest blessing.

Both Extremes

Not much going on lately.  We’ve been in school and just recently have had a break from it.  Tomorrow we’re going to Lima to get the process started of getting our residency cards (holla!) which is going to be really exciting.  I’ll be bonafide Peruvian coming up here before the years end.

 

The main entry of this blog comes from two stories that I think you might find interesting.  These stories spawn from almost opposite ends of the spectrum, so including them in one blog post makes perfect sense.

 

So a little over a week ago Roy, Nelson (the Peruvian partner of Micah), and I were sick of being in the house, so we took off downtown to get some ice cream and music.  We were walking by the main plaza and turned a corner.  We were in a very touristy section of town, with a fair amount of people.  About 100 feet after we turned the corner, this huge hairy man came running at us screaming.  He was babbling, screaming, and spitting nonsense right at our face.  It’s not like anything I can explain, but much easier to show.  He wasn’t babbling Spanish, he wasn’t screaming English, but now (afterwards) I realize that it was demon. 

So this guy picks us out, out of all of these people.  At the time, I thought it was because we were gringos and didn’t think too much about why us.  I looked at him, and was like what the heck and continued my pace.  But then he followed us.  Oh no, now it gets to the point: what do I do?  Nelson veered off to the right to go into a store and I kept pace, still.  A couple steps later I didn’t here him anymore.  I looked behind me and saw Roy walking back to me.  Roy was like, “Duuude, that guy was all up in my face spitting and everything and I started to quote Bible verses and say ‘Jesus, Jesus I rebuke you’ and the dude took off running.”  We had just had an encounter with a possessed dude.  As soon as I saw Roy coming back to me and he had that look on his face, I knew that this guy had demons.  I mean, I can’t explain that even 50% correct.  It was like nothing I’ve never encountered.  And I’m so glad it happened early on in the process because now I know how to handle it.  But man, after that, Nelson, Roy, and I had some good laughs about what we’ll do if we meet him again.

So the other story is quite different as I said, and as you’ll see.  Our support family told our group that we should do a group fast today and use our lunch money to help somebody somehow.  My Peruvian partner and I decided that we wanted to go to a place that we had never been before on a bus that we had never been on.  And that we did.  And we ended up in the middle of nowhere.  I wish I would've brought my camera.  It was like the desert, with these stone walls that were people’s houses.  My partner wanted to get off at a market if possible, but there was none.  No market.  Which is saying a lot, because these people live in markets.  So we got off on a dust road and my partner says, “What are we going to do here??”  Well I had no idea, but he didn’t need to know that. 

We saw a person off in the distance and headed that way, towards humanity.  This lady we saw, stared us down up until the point in which we asked her if there was a market around.  She said no, then wanted to know what we were looking for and said that there are small stores.  She asked what our business was here and I told her what we were here for and what we were doing.  My partner went off saying what we believe and stuff (which annoyed me to a point.)  I told her we just wanted to know if there was anything we could to help her.  She didn’t understand what we meant by that.  I mean who helps other people?  She took us to the little store, which was a little odd because she could’ve just told us where it was.  I kept asking her if she needed anything, and even threw in some suggestions.  She wanted something, I could tell, but she didn’t want to say.  It wasn’t too hard to arrive to the conclusion that she, Sovina was her name, wanted oil.  So we bought her some vegetable oil and some evaporated milk.  Ooooh, she smiled and grabbed the food and took us to her home to meet her husband (after all, I was from the great United States and we just bought her some groceries.)  We went back, met her husband and got to talking with them.  They said that they wanted to come to church to visit us.  It was so good to make a contact for the other missionaries in this town, although I still don’t know who would take over in this place.

We took off after that, and walked around a bit more.  The idea came to me to collect plastic bottles for Sovina, because that was her job.  She goes around and collects plastic bottles and sells them back to the recycling plant.  That’s her living.  So instead of throwing mine away, I’ll definitely be collecting them within our house and stuff.  They also told us to come visit them again.  I’m going to Lima but after that we’re going to go visit them, bring them some bottles and possibly a Bible.

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All Moved In

I hope you like the new creepy Halloween theme of the blog.  No worries, I'll change it after.


So we moved into our new house on Saturday, and it was quite a chore.  The beds we were using were metal triple bunks, and they couldn’t fit in to our new rooms.  So we had to disassemble them first.  Then bring them down 2 floors to cut, weld, and reassemble them.  Then from there, we brought them 2 blocks down the road to our new apartment.  Re-disassemble them to get them through the bedroom doors, then re-reassemble them inside the rooms.  Ay ay ay, that was the worst part.  While we were doing that we also were bringing (by foot, and pickup truck) loads of our stuff.  It was an all day thing, I went from 6:45 in the morning to about 5:30 at night. 
One bonus, I got to drive the truck!  And it was stick, which was even greater of a bonus.  I was super nervous because I haven’t driven in 5 months, let alone stick in like a year.

I’ll explain the pictures above:
Top left: The second floor dining and hang out area, which is the girls floor.
Top right: Our view from the second floor, where they are constructing a mega complex with a pool and everything.
Middle left: They guys hang out area, now complete with entertainment system.
Middle right:  My bed that I like to be covered, because it blocks a lot of stuff out when I’m sleeping.
Bottom left:  Our armoires in our room, my whole life fits in one.
Bottom right:  Our laundry room, go DragonBall Z Towel!

Our spirits are up, you must know that.  To be in a building that is like a home, and not like a dorm setting inside of a church gives me a feeling of comfort.  To be part of a community and not locked away inside our own little world.  We have our own little pad, own kitchen, and I only share a room with three other guys.  It’s too bad we’ll only be here for a month and a half though, because we’ll be graduating soon from school also.

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You Got Change?

One of the hardest concepts to wrap my head around comes from Romans 13: Submission to authorities.  Ughhh baarff.  I had talked about this to Roy about two months ago.  We had a good conversation and Roy told me that what the passage says is what it means to say, no way around it and I wasn’t taking it in wrong.  Paul explains that any authority is God-given and we must obey it.  It’s impossible to comprehend when the person in authority doesn’t do things that you agree with.  It’s a lot easier said than done.  Why am I saying this?

I will be frank, this week Extreme sent home a 40/40 in another cohort based on various things and I do not agree with that decision that was made.  I wanted to revolt, I wanted to pull an “A Bug’s Life” move like on the grasshoppers, I wanted to stand up for myself and what I believed to be right.  It made me mad, and it kept on bringing me back to Romans 13.  So I ripped that chapter out and now it doesn’t count. Joke.  Submit, submit, submit.  I didn’t want to, I didn’t agree with that decision but the best thing that I could do was to do what was plainly in front of me.  One of the ways I study the Bible is going through a bunch of steps that I have made every time I read.  You know what the last step says?  LIVE IT.  And I then noted that to be the most important step.  Nooooo, I trapped myself.  While I still don’t agree with the decision nor the way they handled it, I take into account many things including that I don’t know the whole story.  And it gives me a peace to arrive at this decision.  Though throwing fists might give me peace equally as much.

This week also, we say goodbye to Cohort 3.  Or say a half-goodbye.  They finish school this week and head off to be full time.  Congratulations to them!  A part of them go to Cuzco and the other part gets to stay here with me (hence “half-goodbye.”)  So we’re going to have more room around here, more room for all of our tons of stuff.  I am seriously excited to see what they do while we’re still in school.  They will be working full time and I am excited to see what they sow.

With the departure of Cuzco, we are moving to the other apartment.  Pics will be posted once we move in.  To be honest, I am so-so about the move.  I’d just rather stay here and tough it out for 2 more months before leaving for Puno.  But it doesn’t matter because we’ll be moving and it’ll be just fine, probably better.

One final note, I am climbing this lady:

Volcan Misti.  The wife of Chachani.  Around Thanksgiving I will be summiting, and not submiting to this volcano (inactive.)  That’s a blog post I’m super excited about writing.  I’ve been running to get my lungs in shape to make this easier.  Just a thought to look forward to.

Click here.  Haz clic aqui.

House and Hearts Hunting

We recently went to Puno to check out houses/apartments for us to live.  Above is the manner in which they advertise: boards and boards full of advertisements.  They have a deal here in Peru called anticresis.  What it means is, for example, we would pay $10,000 to a renter to live in a house for two years.  At the end of the two years we get our money back and the renter would get his land back.  A win-win situation because the renter gets a non interest loan and we would get a place to live, with only the loss of interest, for two years.


So this is the first one that we checked out with the anticresis deal, so you can see what kind of business we’re in.  This was actually in a pretty run down ghetto area but right in the center of town.  And we all know that location, location, location are the three most important things.  It was too small and still not finished, so it was easy to turn down.
Other than that, we couldn’t find any other anticresis deals that would be suitable for fourteen people.  We went to check for rentals, letting the pastor know that he has to keep his eyes out in Puno for an anticresis.

The leading candidate for apartment is the one pictured below.  It was two separate apartments behind the same gate.  One with two floors and the other with five.  I have various pictures of what would be the guys’ apartment.


























Well that’s the business side of things.  We actually had a great experience while we were down here.  It reads as follows on the Extreme website…

“We have a praise from the city of Puno!  We recently traveled out to Puno to look for some prospective living places and to get to know the city better.  During some of our free time, we decided to explore the city.  From our explorations, we discovered the most authentic “Punonian” souvenir shop!  Garren and Roy initially discovered it, and then Kristen, Francisca and I met them there.  By the time we had gotten there, Garren, in an attempt to get a discount on a hat, had told the store owner that we were missionaries working in Puno to plant churches.
The store owner, Hector, showed immediate interest and started asking more questions about what we were doing there.  Francisca, being our only native Spanish speaker there, took the opportunity to share more about who we are and what we believe.  Then, she asked him if he was ready to make a decision to give his life to Christ.  There was no hesitation. He immediately said yes as he wiped away tears.  We gathered around him, and Francisca led him through the sinner’s prayer.  Afterward, we were joyful and shared more with him about our Christian walk and tried to feed him spiritually as much as we could in the short time we were there.
I think one of the most amazing things is how he shared how he had been looking for the truth in other religions.  He had gone to Seventh Day Adventist, Mormon, and Living Water churches, but he didn’t find what his heart we looking for there.  He told us that he could feel God’s presence with us.  Then, I think the most amazing thing is that he told us he never has his shop open in the mornings… and that he knew that that day he needed to open his shop.  I told him God had a plan and wanted him to come to him that day!
We gave him the address to the local Nazarene church in Puno, took down his information, and gave it to the Pastor.  Pastor Herman said he would be in contact with him!
We are all blown away with this blessing.  Not only was it awesome to see this man come to Christ, but also to see how God is preparing Puno for us before we are even there!  His hand is working, cultivating the hearts of these people. It is so encouraging to see the evidence.  Praise the Lord!  He is so GOOD!  Keep praying!  The Lord is listening!”

…what was crazy was how much God it was.  It was nuts because the shop wasn’t supposed to be open, and that for some reason I picked that shop.  I told Roy I wanted to go buy a hat, so we headed on our way to the touristy area of town.  He had a few suggestions for stores but I kept saying no, and told him I wanted to go around the corner and down a little ways to see the shops there.  I don’t know why I turned down those shops at the time, but obviously now I know.  It was also God that everybody else showed up right at the time I was talking to the store owner about missions.  Fransisca told me that she noted his interest in the subject and she took over the conversation. Crazy!

Quick note: They’re obsessed with slides in Puno, and I’m chillin with some kids who only know one word: Hola.
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The New Normal

Normality, how……boring.  Well I can’t say that a day here is boring.  By no means am I bored, because I know what to do with my free time.  I’m easily always doing something, and when I have nothing to do…I further my studies in the Bible, to get to know my Boss better.  The saying here at Zamacola is:

“Either you’re overwhelmed or you’re bored. There is no middle.”

That can be true, but I’m in South America for only two years.  I can’t let that happen.

Normality, how……intriguing.  The new normal me is a completely different normal. I’ve changed so much since being here.  These are only the things that I am self aware of, who knows the things that others observe:

What legalism I had, is gone.  Having seen what legalism does to people made me self aware of what I thought.  Now in comparison, the amount I had and the amount I see on a daily basis are worlds apart.

A dedicated time of devotion.  Before, I would not have a set schedule but I would get my daily readings in.  Now, first thing in the morning is my devoted time.  A day without it is literally hell because of the spiritual warfare.

I wake up sooo early.  Some days I am the first up.  You get so much more done.

I like eggs.  Vegetables. Meat. Sauce.  It all.  There are some things I don’t mind and wouldn’t choose, but I will eat.  Before, I used to think how in the world would anyone put an egg in their mouth.  Now, I make two huevos fritos for myself daily.

I would say I was on the more cold side of things before coming here.  Now I feel so much love for others.  Before stuff was just a fact of life, now it’s how can I help this or that person.

My Spanish, of course.  I am picking it up so well.  I truly think it is an answer to my daily prayers, I can only give the credit where it is due.  I understand about 90% of what the professor says in class and my tongue is improving every day.  I talk with confidence most of the time and am not afraid to start a conversation with someone on the street.  I always secretly hope that people will talk with me on combis and stuff so I can tell them who I am.

I have such a grateful heart.  I am thankful for things that you cannot realize you have unless they are take away.  I see materials in a completely different aspect, including money.  For example. Imagine you need to go somewhere across the city.  Let’s say 15 minutes away by car.  You don’t just walk out to your car and hop in it.  You go to the end of your driveway.  Wait there while a ton of buses buzz by with names of districts on the front of them.  You pick the one that you need and hop on it as fast as you can because about 20 other people are thinking the same thing you are.  You’re in.  You’re packed in.  You didn’t get to be the lucky one and you standing, squished.  Of course this bus doesn’t take the direct route to your destination.  In fact it doesn’t go exactly there at all.  It goes relatively there and you have to walk there.  This takes and hour, and you’re standing.  More people are getting on, and actually hanging out because it’s so packed.

I didn’t mind it at first, for the first couple of months.  But now it’s such a pain.  It makes me wish that Carlos was down here with me.  If you just want to go to the grocery store, you have to go through this hassle (well it doesn’t take an hour, but it’s also only 4 or 5 minutes by car.)

The new normal, for me, is actually the new awesome.  You thought I was awesome before, well you were being deceived by my awesomeness.  Now I am truly awesome, and will only excrete more awesomeness to others.

Be in prayer for me, as they always help.  My awesomeness took a hit this week as I really felt the spiritually warfare.  Somebody doesn’t want me to be here, and I felt like I went into a slight depression.  It’s tough, but it’s also good to know.  It means I’m doing the right things.