snapshots from peru

I've been stateside for four days.

Although my heart isn't fully here, my body is slowly yielding to a routine, and my highlight list has officially begun ...

most necessary resource in the peruvian culture
Solid translators.  I sure do miss these gals.



most tragic attempt to embrace peruvian culture
Singing praise and worship songs to open the clinic every morning with the locals ... in Spanish.  Despite some talented leaders, we never did quite hit our stride.

sweetest honor
Sharing our faith with the Peruvian people (made possible by those fabulous translators, by the way).



best item packed in my bags
Good ol' toilet paper.  Never a guarantee in that country.  (For that matter, toilets are never a guarantee, but that's another story.)

least qualified candidates to work in the eye clinic



least favorite peruvian food
Guinea pig.



I'm an adventurous eater, but the guinea pig toes hanging off my plate were just too much.

most breathtaking view



Kels and I in the Colca Valley at about 12,000 feet, just before the canyon begins.

biggest bonehead move
Leaving my debit card in the Chivay, Peru, ATM.  I felt better, though, to find out the next morning I wasn't the only one.



the number one reason we all made it home in one piece
Our fearless leader, Dr. Bill.



If not for his diagrams, lists, schedules, and thorough instructions, we seriously would never have made it.

And so we're home, processing emotions, sharing photos, and missing people far away.

But our stories are far from over!

thankful thursday #36

I've been told that re-entry into American culture after a mission trip can be difficult.

If you asked my closest friends how my initial re-entry went two days ago, they'd giggle and tell you that "difficult" would be the understatement of the year.

While others were hugging friends and family in the church parking lot receiving a warm homecoming, I was hugging this ...



... and being welcomed home with (another) one of these (ugh!) ...



Thanks to one of those closest friends, to whom I'm forever bonded in an uncomfortably personal way, this was my homecoming that day ...



That little care package waiting for me at home was more than worthy of a Thankful Thursday post.

In brighter news, my stomach is slowly readjusting, and for a belated-birthday-and-we-heart-America celebration, we indulged in the ultimate American meal: a cheeseburger and the Diet Coke that was impossible to enjoy in South America.







Stay tuned for more Peru recaps, but in the meantime, what're you appreciating today?  Go on, be grateful!

thankful thursday #35

This half marathon I'm running in three weeks?



I've heard it said that Providence is "hilly."  And I don't love hills.

Needless to say, I've been avoiding this ...



I told myself, "That doesn't look so bad" (don't tell me if I'm wrong).

But then last night, I got a newsletter delivered to my email inbox with THIS nugget of goodness...

Course Updates Announced!
The half marathon course has been updated.  The hill at Olney and Camp has been eliminated and runners will now continue straight on North Main.

Now, I don't know one bit about the topography of Providence, or what the "hill at Olney and Camp" looks like.  Ignorance is key for me at this point.

But GLORY to God.  I am so thankful for one less hill to run!

What're you appreciating today?  Go on, be grateful!

praying for peru

"What will you be doing on your mission trip?" I've been asked countless times.

I cherish the interest, the excitement, the curiosity of the people who ask it.

"There will be medical clinics, some children's ministry, some facilitating local Bible studies."

I giggle (inside, of course) at the confusion that creeps into their eyes when they can't reconcile my answer with the fact that a) I have no medical training, b) I do not work with children, and c) I don't speak a lick of Spanish.

Several weeks ago, one of our team leaders challenged us with the bottom line of Paul's ministry:

"Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." -- Acts 28:31

She said, "When people ask you what you're doing on this mission trip, be bold.  Be clear that you are going to tell people about Jesus Christ."

So off we go, to do just that:  to share with people who haven't heard, that Jesus is the great Life Changer.

Tonight I had the privilege of being covered by the prayers of sweet friends.  It's humbling to know people back home are remembering you, and petitioning the Father on your behalf.  If you feel led, here are a few suggested prayers that I know our team will covet:

Security  (Psalm 91)
Open Doors  (Colossians 4:2-6)
Boldness  (Ephesians 6:19-20)
Endurance & Unity  (Romans 15:5-6)
Eternal Focus  (Psalm 95:1-7)

In the end, we want lives of the people we meet to be changed, and we trust the mighty Life Changer to make it happen.

But knowing what I know, if we serve people the way God commands us, I imagine He will craft us, and change us, to be a little more like Jesus in the process.

nothing and everything

Blogging has been such the experiment for me.

Will I have anything worth saying?  (Maybe.)  Will it become a burden?  (No.)  Will I find a writing rhythm?  (Mostly.  About three times a week, in fact.)

Let it be known, however, that July is the month of not too much going on, while everything is going on.  And I've found that while this kind of "everything" is going on, none of it is worth writing about.

Over the past week or so I ...

Took the Little to see Mr. Popper's Penguins.

Perhaps the lamest movie of 2011, but well worth it, to spend the afternoon with my penguin-obsessed Little.  She was beside herself.  And I was happy to share a bag of over-buttered, overpriced popcorn with her.  She's a jewel.

Ran ten miles.

In a row, that is.  Man, that hurt, and yes, this upcoming half marathon will hurt more. It was nice, though, to spend the morning with friends, and take in some nostalgic neighborhood life along the way:  women pinning laundry to an old-fashioned clothesline; the nice person who leaves cups and a cooler of water in his yard for the runners; new moms getting out with their babies before the sun's too unbearable; fresh cut lawns; a post-run smoothie in a local coffee shop. It was good. In retrospect.

Enjoyed a haircut in a new chair.

My stylist moved to a little shop in Old Town Helena called Roots.  It's simple and sweet, with white-washed walls and a window air conditioning unit.  Nikol and I were her only appointments, so we made a girls' day of it.  We were channeling Steel Magnolias all the while.

Wrapped up Peru trip prep.

Our final team meeting was Sunday, when the packing began.  Our awesomely organized leader dazzled us (me) with a diagram of how we would off-load our luggage from the carousel.  He does not play, people.  It was beautiful.  I purchased the last few items on my list -- protein bars for when our food is terrible, and Sour Patch Kids to make me happy on the flights.  (Now if I can just adhere to the 50-pound baggage weight limit...)

And that is my week of nothing and everything.

thankful thursday #34

In ten short days, I'm heading to Peru.

It's my first international mission trip, and while I'm excited, and expectant, and exhilarated at the thought of it all, I confess to having had my share of holy-smokes-what-am-I-doing? moments.

(Moments other than the vaccination situation, I mean.)

I've felt ill-equipped.  Less than qualified.  Lacking in knowledge.

Et cetera, et cetera.  You get the idea.

Throughout our preparations, though, I've been gently nudged along, being ever reminded that this trip isn't about me at all, or my feelings, or my so-called shortcomings.  Spiritually speaking, I know Who's got this, and it's really about His fame.

In fact, He's so got this, that practically speaking, I'm being led by an uber-organized trip leader, and I know that everything that we might even pretend to have control of, will be taken care of.  I have received endless lists, packing recommendations, spreadsheets and schedules, booklets and handbooks, and anything else that speaks the love language of the left-brained personality.

I believe greater works have yet to be done, and more supernatural lessons are yet to be learned.  But these are the tangible tastes of provision for which I'm thankful at this point.  Stay tuned for more!

What're you appreciating today?  Go on, be grateful!

happy fourth

Independence Day is so festive, isn't it?

The stars and stripes ...



... in our family, always good food ...



... and some fireworks and sparklers for good measure.



My great home state has another tradition you might've heard of ...



It's never been something on my personal bucket list, but I marked it off anyway and ran it this morning.  After we braved the portable restrooms and snuck into a corral together (is it so terrible to want to run together?), it was a fun time spent (as 6.2-mile runs go) with family and 62,000 of my closest friends.

Amidst all the festivities, though, it's never lost on me that our freedom here came at a great cost to our forefathers, and that men and women today continue the valiant fight to protect our liberty.

May we never take our freedom for granted, nor forget the One who has blessed our nation for such a time as this.

Your love divine has led us in the past;
In this free land by you our lot is cast;
Oh, be our ruler, guardian, guide, and stay;
Your Word our law, your paths our chosen way.
-- "God of Our Fathers" by Daniel C. Roberts