To the Extreme

Ayuma

2010-01-28T12:24:00.000-08:00

Shortly after Christmas, my two bosses and I went on an investigation trip to a Quechua village called Ayuma. We had an amazing experience there. As always, we never know what to expect. Everything we do goes against what my culture tells me is acceptable. It never gets easier going into a random community without knowing anyone, without any notice, or any money. We go out relying on the Lord to go before us, preparing the way, leading us to the right house and hoping that someone will be willing to feed us and put us up in exchange for what little help we can provide and Bible stories.

Don't get me wrong, we might not be able to provide much help to them but what we bring them is something worth far more than anything else this world can offer. We go out with much confidence in the power of our message but a little nervous about how to work past culture and language barriers to convey that message. In the end the Lord's Word is always shared and, whether we feel confident about our work there or not, we leave with a peace knowing God is always working through your prayers on many different levels.

While in Ayuma we were very well-received. There were some men there and children who knew some Spanish and tried to translate at times when our Quechua was, well... awful. I have never met such amazing people in my life! I have to admit that before I went to Ayuma I was very burdened at realizing that my heart had changed and that the deep passion and brokenness I had once had for the lost here had slowly dissipated. I pleaded with the Lord to give me that brokenness and a love for these people but the Lord chose to withhold those feelings from me, teaching me to be obedient to Him with or without the feelings.

One of our biggest struggles with being in the communities sometimes is when the people will not let us work. They put us on pedestals because we are white missionaries and feel we want to sit around and just preach or if we work we will get hurt. However, in Ayuma we begged the believers to let us try to help and eventually we were right there with them. I'm not going to lie, it was some of the hardest physical labor I have ever done and I began to wish I wasn't out there. However, we soon realized that everyone in the village was beginning to take notice and see that we were serious about helping. We saw this as our great opportunity and worked all day long as hard as we could.

Our work consisted of pastoring sheep with the women, which was an all-day event, climbing up and down mountains, chasing after sheep that would eat themselves right off a cliff , and my personal favorite - using a warhaca, or slingshot, to through rocks at a group of sheep going the wrong way. We unfortunately only packed sunscreen with SPF 15 so, needless to say, we got blasted by the sun. The next day we helped a widow in her field all day with long sleeves and socks trying as best we could to protect our skin from another burn. That was the worst day for me because not only was I being outdone by a 60-year-old lady with a pick-ax, but my skin was sizzling from the last burn, and feeling the pain of yet another coming on was killing me.

The food there was great, but that's not the problem - it's the amount! I have never eaten so much in my life. More than any of the other communities we were given tremendous amounts of food! In this culture, it is extremely rude and offensive to turn down an offer to a meal. During the meal, you must eat with a smile. We got invited to several different houses to eat huge meals back-to-back. We tried to explain we had just eaten but they don't take "no" for an answer. For one of the meals, we were given so much food we had to leave to throw up.

Overall our trip was amazing and God gave me a love for these people that I can't explain. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be used by God to bring these people truth, joy, and peace in life through Jesus. I ask you to please pray as we struggle to do this through our broken Quechua. They asked me to tell you thank you for praying for them and please continue to pray for their village and the lost villages around them. We will be returning to Ayuma in March and we are all very excited!

Where the Team Stands

2010-01-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have not yet heard, the community we were supposed to go to, Qochumi, kicked our boys out after two years of working with them. We were all devastated and confused as to what happened after two years of building relationships and working hard alongside them. It all happened so fast - they asked our guys to leave and said they didn't want to hear anymore. We all know who is behind this, but we are not surprised, just broken-hearted for the people of Qochumi. We did our best to understand and try to work out any issues, but it was clear we were not welcome there anymore.

Please continue to pray for them and the other villages that have not yet heard. The enemy is hard at work using many of their superstitions and fears to keep them from allowing us to come in. After language school, Misty and I were to work in Qochumi discipling the few believers there, but due to this abrupt change we were left searching for other communities to work in. Thankfully, word got out that there were missionaries looking for places to share bible stories, and we received an overwhelming response. There have been many villages that have few or many believers that are begging to be discipled.

We are truly blessed and are so humbled to be used by the Lord in this way. We by no means feel qualified for this but we are continually reminded that it is His work and not ours. We can barely carry a simple conversation; cooking with the women results in a lot of laughs, strange looks, and burnt food; the kids soon become our best friends and teachers helping us understand the culture and how to fit in. If there is one thing I have learned so far, it is that God does not need me - He just wants my heart in obedience.

Please pray for Misty and I as we leave this Saturday to go to our next community, Falsuri. We have heard that there are a handful of believers here that have been asking to have someone come and share more Bible stories with them. We are very excited and nervous. Trips are always amazing times of growth and precious times with Jesus but, like always, there are many trials and rough times ahead. Please pray for wisdom, clarity to speak and understand the people, God's moving in the hearts of the believers and unbelievers of this community, and protection from the attacks from the enemy. We will be gone for a month and really depend on your faithful prayers. Thank you so much, I love you!

A Big Thanks!

2010-01-18T12:08:00.000-08:00

Once arriving back to Sucre on Dec. 23 we were able to rest and spend Christmas with our friends Trent and Kay who are the bosses of the guys Xtreme team. We had such a great Christmas with them. We watched Christmas classics like: A Christmas Story, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Its a wonderful Life, and Home Alone. We all cooked our favorite side dishes and had turkey. It wasn't grandmas cookin but it sure was delicious! We tried to get in the Christmas spirit as best we could in the summer temperatures but the Lord blessed us with a cloudy cool day on Christmas.

I was greatly surprised to find a big box full of Christmas gifts waiting for me. I just want to thank everyone for their sweet cards and gifts they sent me. I was not expecting anything and came home to lots of my favorite treats, lotions, candles, and the biggest of all a brand new computer! A big thanks goes out to the Awana kids for raising all that money for me to get my computer. I love it and use it all the time to talk to my family. I heard about all you did to raise money for me, but you know you didn't do it just for me but for Jesus, so He says thank you to and He is very proud of you! It was the best gift I could have ever gotten! I love you guys and can't wait to talk to you!

To my core team I can't begin to express what you mean to me! Your faithful prayers and continual support gives me such peace and strength to continue through the rough times in the communities. I by no means feel alone with all of you lifting me up back home. Thank you to everyone else who is praying for my team and the lost here. Your prayers do not fall on deaf ears. God is blessing our team in many ways and opening up many opportunities to share His love and we couldn't do it without you! THANK YOU!!!

Language School

2010-01-17T17:10:00.001-08:00

As of the beginning of October my team and I have been in language school studying Quechua. Our time there was amazing! We were able to form great relationships with our teachers and other students who were from different parts of the world. It was so cool to meet so many different people and learn about their culture, traditions, and beliefs. The Lord opened up so many opportunities for us to share our testimonies and beliefs with many people we met while

being there. However the most lasting relationships were made with our teachers who we met with everyday. It became very clear the Lord was really working in their hearts as time went on. Several times one of us would come home and share how the Lord opened a great opportunity to share our faith, stories, testimonies, etc. They were very curious and showed much interest in what we did and made comments about the difference they saw in us as compared to the other students. Of course we told them the reason we are different is because Jesus has changed our lives.

Kelli asked one of our friends what she believed in and she told us her family was Catholic but she really didn’t know what to believe in. She told us she was open to anything and was interested in hearing what we believe. We were very excited to have found someone so honest, willing, and ready to listen. Over a course of 2 months she hung out with us and we all became very close. We continue to pray for her and praise the Lord for the many times we were able to share His love and truth with her. Please pray for the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all of our teachers and friends in Cochabamba.

Well, I bet you are wondering about the language now, right? This was a different story. Quechua is a very difficult language and proved to be a big struggle for all of us. It was very easy to get discouraged with this being the second language we learned in 8 months. We found ourselves struggling to remember how to talk in English. The other day I made out a grocery list and intending to write ham I wrote jam (the j is silent like h) this is how it is spelled here. So Misty bought jelly thinking I meant jam making it a total of three jars of jelly. We felt we were all going crazy. You know it gets bad when your partner speaks different languages in her sleep.

The main difficulty is not the pronunciation of the many plosives but the length. Quechua is a very literal language and the average word in Quechua is about 12 letters long. A one page bible story in English or Spanish can be anywhere from 2 to 3½ pages in Quechua. This wouldn’t be that big of a problem if we weren’t working with some of the hardest working people in our time. It isa struggle for them to find time to stop working long enough to listen to a story and when they do they are usually so tired they either struggle to stay awake or pay attention. I don’t mean to sound like a downer but these are some of the harsh realities we are facing. So, this being said, we appreciate all of your prayers and ask you to continue praying for us in this area specifically. I will do my best to keep you updated with the language-learning process.

The Bad Trade Off

2009-11-05T08:48:00.000-08:00

While living in the jungle I experienced many trials that differed from any trial I had ever experienced in the States. One of those being the dire feeling of hunger. A constant craving for chocolate, ice cream, Dad´s bbq, Chik-Fil-A, pizza, etc. My mind would wander off daydreaming of winning the lottery in Wendys hamburgers or a year supply of Ben and Jerry´s ice cream. Crazy things happen to you in the jungle!

During our approximate 5 months of training in the jungle, we were allowed a small allowance each week to buy food from the market. In an effort to push us to our breaking point, our boss J would occasionally limit our budget, forcing us to learn to ration our food and learn to go without. We all attempted to ration our food as carefully as we could but, unfortunately, due to our American mindset of eating excessively and for pleasure, this was a struggle.

One week we ate rice and beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for several days. One can imagine the results of such. That made for very long nights as we were squeezed elbow to elbow in a small wooden truck bed. The situation only worsened as time went by. One of our friends, an older Xtremer, brought us some fruit flavored fiber pills. We all tried one and were immediately hooked to the mouth-watering taste of sugar. I was the worst at controlling my daily dosage of pills. I found myself sneaking 2 and 3 at a time, and on average eating anywhere from 5 to 10 a day. You can probably guess what happened next!

As the effects of the fiber pills were setting in, my team began to get worried. They asked me all kinds of medical questions and couldn´t figure out what was happening. Not wanting them to find out, for fear of losing my sweet, fruit flavored friends, I blamed it on a parasite. No one knew of my secret addiction until they realized the bottle of fiber pills were almost empty. They immediately questioned me and after denying their accusations my red face and nervous twitch gave it away. Therefore, a new rule was set in place, that no one was to allow me to eat any more fiber pills. A couple days later I claimed it was a miracle that the stomach issues had disappeared, however, they didn´t think it was funny.

As I dreamed about food, home, a warm bed, hot shower, etc., I became very discontent and overwhelmed. After not having eaten in three days I reached my limit and left the girls to take a walk. Immediately I broke down as thoughts of leaving, quiting, and regret began to flood my mind. As I walked deeper into the jungle, my mind sank deeper into these negative thoughts. I began mulling over every negative aspect, difficulty, or trial I was facing: bug bites, infections, sickness, bland food, hunger pains, sleepless nights, hard continuous work, extreme heat and humidity, and having to give up my rights and desires.

The jungle was no longer beautiful, adventurous, and inviting, but suffocating, foreign, and miserable! I felt I was on the front lines being attacked right and left. At that point I fell to the ground holding the surrender flag and with everything in me cried out to God, ¨I´m done! I give up, I can´t do this any longer, I surrender! Please, if you love me send that 100 ft anaconda to eat me!¨

At that moment God reminded me of the story of Jacob and Esau. In that time the birthright was everything, your treasure, prize, and joy. This was your livelihood, the greatest blessing you could have. However, in a moment of weakness and desire Esau traded it for the temporal pleasure of a BOWL OF SOUP! Crazy, right? That is what I thought until God showed me how I was like Esau. My flesh was in a state of misery desiring that sweet feeling of comfort again. I was so busy focusing on the negative and whining about my discomfort that I was forgetting all the things God was doing in me.

I had been growing more than I ever had. Experiencing a true relationship with my Father. Daily, as my flesh was being crucified with Christ on the cross I was becoming one with Him. I don´t know any other way to put this except that I was falling in love with my maker! Never have I felt so much love within me. I loved taking walks with Jesus, just He and I walking together. We would talk, I would cry telling him of my struggle, and we would laugh together as I attempted to sing to Him. (Many of you know I am the one choirs tend to put in the back, claiming it´s a height issue.) Nevertheless, here I was ready to give it all away; trade this precious time in my life for temporal comfort and pleasure.

How many times do we do this in our daily lives? Excluding God fom our personal lives, relationships, work, decisions, even ministry for our own pride or comfort? Also, when facing trials we whine or complain, questioning His love, power, and soveriegnty. My prayer for you is that you recieve His love and will for your life in the many different forms it may come. The majority of the time He just wants your attention, love, and dependency on Him. Trust like Job in His unconditional love and wisdom for you , His beloved child.

Zeph. 3:17, Jer. 29:11

A Mountain Experience

2009-10-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks my partner Misty and I have been living in a Quechua village in Bolivia. We stayed with a believer named Te Adora, who quickly became like our mama. The first couple of days I experienced something thats hard to describe. Our two bosses, Leah and Kelli, took us to the village where we would be living. We all had a great time laughing, talking, and getting to know our new family. I was feeling comfortable until the next morning when it was time for Leah and Kelli to leave. As I watched them drive off after hugging them bye, something within me broke. Immediately I was filled with emotion. I was scared, sad, and overwhelmed, like a little girl when her mom drops her off at her first day of school. Tears filled my eyes as I watched them fade away into the mountains into that once seemed so beautiful but now were new, different, and scary.

I was overwhelmed as I turned and headed toward the mud house that was now my new home with a new family, who spoke a new language, and had a completely different way of living. As I neared the house a million thoughts flooded my mind, and emotion swept through my heart sending adrenaline pumping wildy through my veins. I began to walk back very slowly, with each step being more painful as the first. I fought back tears as I entered the house to find a pot of food waiting for me to eat. I looked ate my partner Misty, gave the host a fake smile, and inwardly screamed, ¨What am I doing here! Ican´t do this, get me outof here!¨

The rest of the day the feelings worsened and finally when we left thier house to go to bed I burst into tears. I think I freaked Misty out crying for hours without much of an explination. We had done this many times before in the jungle for longer time periods. I just came out of jungle boot camp , nothing should faze me, what was going on? The next two days I became like a robot. Waking up and blocking off my emotions, putting on a big smile laughing an talking with the people but flooding my bed with tears at night.

By the third day we had a break to rest so I hiked up a mountain to get away and spend time alone with God. As I was up there I had what I call my ¨Moses moment.¨ While on the mountain, God met with me! It was a very windy afternoon the skys dark grey filled with rain clouds ready to burst, it was beautiful. I love storms, they always make me feel so close to the Lord. Watching his creation put on a show for him delcaring his power, beauty, and glory. I looked up at the clouds, closed my eyes and imagined myself at home on my grandma´s porch watching the storm.Immediately I felt at home. I began to cry and didn´t want to open my eyes.

At that moment God whispered to me, ¨Amy, if you go to distant lands, the farthest of places with the strangest faces, with me you are always home.¨ I will never leave you, I am with you Amy! At that moment the wind began to pick up and it blew so hard I thought I was going to be thrown off the mountain. I burst into tears as an incredible peace and joy flooded my heart. For the first time in the year of being away from my home, friends, family, and all I knew , I felt at home. My home is with my father wherever that may be. We are not of this world we are just passing through.

I felt my Dad, God, was wrapping His arms around me and as the wind rocked me to and fro I felt as though I were in his lap wrapped so tight in his arms and He was rocking me back and forth wiping the tears from my eyes saying don´t worry honey your home, your daddy is here. I felt those same feelings I had when I was a little girl and my mom would rock me to sleep becuase I had a bad dream. I could rest in her arms trusting her love for me, knowing she would not let anything happen to me.

The love He has for us is indescribable! He is waiting to love you. God almighty, Holy, Righteous, creator of all we see longs for you and me! The greatest mystery of all mankind the love of God! Read Matthew 10. 29-31 and Zepheniah 3:17. The very hairs on your head are numbered. He knows every tear that falls, and every up and down. He has a plan and purpose for your life.
To love Him and be loved by Him.
Gods Love!!

Get to Know the Team

2009-08-18T18:01:00.000-07:00

I apologize, this blog is way overdue. I figured before I begin telling you stories about my team I should introduce you to them first. I am very blessed to be apart of such an amazing team. I truly feel as though I am experiencing in many ways what it felt to be apart of the first church mentioned in Acts. I am continually being challenged, held accountable, encouraged and because of that I am growing in many ways. So without further delay, meet the fam....

Meet The Boss Man, Jeremy Talifero. He is a big roughin, black wearin, tattoo sportin, pony tail hangin, Johnny Cash lovin, kinda guy. At first glance one might think he escaped from prison, or begin having sudden flashbacks of the big bully in elementary school; But WAIT, before you reach in your pocket to give him your lunch money, stop, and talk to the man, and you´ll realize that he´s actually a relatively nice guy!

All joking aside, Jeremy and his wife Susan have been leading the Xtreme Team with the IMB for many years now and have made a profound impact on my life and the lives of many who have had the privilege of being under their leadership.Although the classes we had each day in training were beneficial, watching their daily lives made the greatest impact in my life. Together they gave up their time, home, comfort, and most of all each other to pour into the lives of a couple young girls.

Just to give you a little run down of what training looked like. Every day J would come to our camp with Jeff, the walking post-it, or Susan, who would teach us stories or just be there to encourage and support us. Arriving at mid morning he would teach us for hours, sometimes missing lunch or just takin down two cans of raw tuna, and continuing the lesson, leaving late in the afternoon. After a long day of teaching, answering numerous questions, frequent bathroom breaks, and listening to many silly girl chats, he would head home; probably feeling the need to work on the car, work out, spit or whatever guys do, to regain his masculinity after spending a whole day with a bunch of crazy girls!

On a serious note God has blessed J with such a wise and discerning spirit unlike anyone I have ever met before. The wisdom and truth he pured into us with such a passion was something that kept our team going through those rough days. He might be a tough guy but it is clear his heart is so tender for the the Lord and His work. To me that's what makes the difference between a leader and a role model, and that is exactly what he became to all of us. I can´t lie, some days we did hate him, shooting him the evil eye and wishing Susan were there instead. Haha, J/K, maybe. Anyways, the impact he made on my life is a life long one and one that Will never be forgotten!

Meet Kelli the walking, talking, biblical concordance. One might think she is a theologian, but she is actually a pharmacist. One suggestion, don´t ever play Bible Trivia with her unless you´re on her team,lol. Kelli is one of my SC´s(Strategic Coordinators)or boss. She is a blast to be around and has become such a role model for me to look up to. Her knowledge of God´s word is unlike anyone I have ever met.She has the gift of teaching of which we all benefit, and she unknowingly spreads that passion to others around her. Her gift of teaching coupled with her passion for God´s word makes it impossible to become bored listening to her or content in your walk.

Meet Leah our Xtreme nurse. She is no bigger than a minute, but has a huge heart. Leah is also my SC and has, along with Kelli, gone through training with us. Leah is the most genuinely caring person I know. Her heart is so tender for the lost and sensitive to others around her. She has such a heart like Jesus and continually is serving others counting it as a true joy. Her gift of encouragement tagged with her silly personality makes it evident why everyone wants to be around her. I can honestly say her positive encouraging spirit is one of the major reasons I was able to make it through training. She clearly walks so close to the Lord and is a challenge to us all.

Meet My partner Misty. We couldn't be more different if we had been born on different planets,lol! She is tall, artistic, and unfortunately for me sarcastic:)Misty has an incredible sense of creativity. She has a certain eye for things that any normal person wouldn´t look twice at, but she can see the potential and turn it into something beautiful. In the same way she can look past the external and see the light and darkness in people and places. She has the spirit of discernment and in many situations this has proven to be very beneficial. I guess you can say I am naive in this area, and here in SA I have found there is usually meaning behind the pretty smile and nice guy act. I guess you can say she is my personal body guard and in many ways an answer to my parents prayers. She is a great friend, accountability partner, and team mate. I am very blessed to have her!

Praise the Lord! He uses the weak.....

2009-08-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 1:26-31
"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

I am one of the weak ones He uses. I have close to no self-control when it comes to food, laziness, or anything that gratifies my flesh. I lack the discipline that I need to be in fervent prayer for the lost all around me. I realize others pray more for the work of the Lord to be done with our team than I do. I struggle not with loving my enemies but with loving my own sisters in Christ. I have been trying to please God with my actions, including the one of joining the Xtreme Team. I am a very impatient person. I am quick to be angry, fret, worry or get frustrated without even thinking of going to the Lord. I have perfected playing the role of hypocrite, especially in church. I often tell people I will or have been praying for them but never can seem to fit it in between all my selfish prayers for myself. I strive to please others around me and pretend to be more spiritual than I am.

Believe it or not, this list could go on and on but I hope this removes all doubt that I am by no means an "Xtreme Missionary", if there even is one. Please don´t be misled by the title. We are, as Jim Elliot says, "a bunch of nobodies trying to exalt a Somebody!" My purpose in writing this is not to lose prayer supporters, haha, but to make quite clear that, as Paul says, God uses the weak, foolish, and low in this world, so that no one can boast. Therefore, I boast in these weaknesses knowing fully that in spite of all these issues, and many more, God can use ANYONE. He does not demand perfection but a willing heart.

I wanted to clear up any misconceptions you might have had. Please know that the stories I will be sharing with you about this journey are all to the great glory of God. There were many times that I found myself on the verge of quitting, and I KNOW it was only by God´s mercy and grace that I am here right now able to write this to you. Praise the Lord that, in His rich love, He does not leave us how we are and, in His mercy, He does not give up on us. This time of training has proved to be a precious time of dying to myself, comforts, desires and drawing so close to my Savior who has proved time and time again to be more satisfying than anything I once desired.

I am sorry if this disappoints you. My purpose is not to leave you discouraged but rather encouraged knowing that God can use anyone and, in spite of all of our problems, God uses even those to bring you and others closer to Him. So if any of you are second guessing something the Lord has told you to do, know that we have all we need in Him. He will give you all you need to face the trials placed before you, and to obey his calling. He does not call the equipped but He equips the called. Oh what a promise, hope, and friend we have in Jesus.

Jungle Tales

2009-05-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

WE ARE OUT OF THE JUNGLE ONLY TO GO BACK IN FOR TWO MORE MONTHS. THINGS HAVE BEEN REALLY BUSY AROUND HERE SO I HAVE NOT HAD MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO BLOG. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE ANXIOUS TO HEAR STORIES ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITES BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS ONLY ENOUGH TIME TO GIVE A QUICK SUMMARY. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY AND SHORT SUMMARY.

FIRST, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR PRAYERS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE POWER OF PRAYER SO AT WORK IN MY LIFE. THERE HAVE BEEEN MANY SITUATIONS THAT MY PARTNER AND TEAM HAVE FACED AND NEEDED GUIDANCE, WISDOM, OR STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH THE SITUATION AND EACH TIME GOD ANSWERED YOUR PRAYERS.

WELL I WILL JUST START WHERE I LEFT OFF. WHEN WE LEFT GUATEMALA FOR THE JUNGLE I WAS SO EXCITED AND A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT ENTERING TRAINING AND FACING THE HORRIBLE THINGS I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE JUNGLE. WHEN WE FIRST LANDED IN PUERTO MALDONADO THE AIRPORT WAS SO SMALL AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE JUNGLE. WE GOT OFF AND DECIDED TO WALK TO ANOTHER MISSSONARY´S HOUSE TO MEET THE REST OF OUR TEAM. AS WE WERE WALKING WITH OUR LARGE PACKS IN THE RAIN AND STRUGGING TO BREATHE THROUGH THE THICK HUMIDITY, WE RAN INTO AMANDA, OUR LEADER, AND THE OTHER GIRLS. THEY WERE HUDDLED AROUND, AND WE DIDN´T KNOW WHY UNTIL WE GOT CLOSE AND SAW MAMA LEE, ONE OF OUR MISSIONARIES, PLAYING WITH A HUGE TARANTULA. I COULDN´T BELIEVE IT. I THOUGHT IT HAD TO BE A PET OF HERS, BUT SHE SAID SHE HAD FOUND IT ON A POST AND JUST PICKED IT UP. THIS WAS THE START OF MY NEW LIFE IN THE JUNGLE.

WE HAD TWO WEEKS OF TRAINING IN THE JUNGLE. THIS CONSISTED OF CHOPPING FIREWOOD, GETTING AND PURIFYING WATER, COOKING IN SHIFTS FOR THE TEAM, PHYSICAL TRAINING, CLEANING WOUNDS, MEMORIZING BIBLE STORIES IN SPANISH, MEDICAL TRAINING, AND FIGHTING FOR SANITY WHILE TRYING TO SCRATCH BITES AND GET SOME DECENT SLEEP. OVERALL IT WAS SUCH A GROWING EXPERIENCE, AND THE LORD TAUGHT ME AN AMAZING AMOUNT.

AFTER TRAINING, WE ENTERED THE COMMUNITIES ON OUR OWN WITH A PARTNER. MY FIRST COMMUNITY WAS SUCH A GREAT EXPERIENCE. WE MET AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THREE WOMEN AND WERE ABLE TO SHARE OUR TESTIMONIES AND MANY BIBLE STORIES. AT FIRST IT WAS VERY HARD TO GET USED TO SHARING STORIES AND MEETING FOR HOUSE CHURCH BECAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SITTING AND QUIETLY LISTENING WHEN SOMEONE IS SPEAKING. THE LIST COULD GO ON OF THINGS YOU CAN DO DURING CHURCH THAT WOULD NEVER BE SEEN OR DONE IN A CHURCH IN THE STATES. IT WAS QUITE COMICAL.

AFTER STAYING IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR 10 DAYS, WE SWITCHED PARTNERS AND ENTERED A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY. THIS NEXT COMMUNITY FOR ME WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. WE WERE NOT RECEIVED LIKE WE WERE IN THE FIRST COMMUNITY. IT WAS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE TO GET PEOPLE TO MEET AND LISTEN TO OUR STORIES. THIS WAS A COMMUNITY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE VERY STRONG SPIRITUALLY. WE WERE SURPRISED WHEN WE GOT THERE AND SAW THAT NO ONE MET OR CARED TO MEET. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF STRONG BELIEVERS LEFT FROM THE CHURCH WHO EQUALLY WANTED TO MEET AND GROW CLOSER TO GOD. THEY WERE SO ENCOURAGING AND WE LOVED SPENDING TIME TALKING WITH THEM EACH DAY.

A BRIEF SUMARY OF WHAT A TYPICAL DAY LOOKED LIKE IN THE COMMUNITIES: WAKING UP AT 5, SPENDING 3-4 HOURS CUTTING GRASS IN THE FIELDS WITH MACHETES TO CREATE WALKING PATHS, COOKING WITH THE WOMEN FOR THE COMMUNITY, WASHING CLOTHES, HELPING WHEREVER NEEDED, AND HAVING PLENTY OF FREE TIME IN WHICH WE READ AND PRAYED. THROUGHOUT THE DAY, WE WOULD STAY IN PRAYER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNTIES, OUR FAMILES AND FRIENDS. IT WAS SO AWESOME TO EXPERIENCE THE JOY AND GROWTH OF BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I CHERISHED THOSE TIMES IN THE JUNGLE AND CAME TO THE REALIZATION OF THE EMPTINESS OF THE THINGS THAT I ONCE TREASURED AT HOME. NOTHING COMPARES TO THE FULFILLMENT OF BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD AT ALL TIMES.

6 Weeks In A Nutshell

2009-02-18T12:37:00.000-08:00

I wanted to do another blog summing up the past month and a half that I have been here in Guatemala. I am so grateful for my team here and I am very sad to be leaving. I am just so thankful that the Lord has blessed us with unity and a strong love for one another. This was one of my greatest concerns, and still is for the future. Our enemy works so heavily against the mighty work of God not only through the evil temptations and distractions of this world but with in the body itself. The church, the family of God, is the target of his aim and the one way he destroys what God is doing all over the world it is to create dissention among the believers.

I was asking some of my missionary friends what is the biggest threat to the spreading of the gospel, and the response I got astounded me. It is dissention among the missionaries or different teams that come. That is so sad! The Lord is moving among the hearts of people all over the world but it’s when we get there, the supposed good Christians or missionaries that they began to second guess when they can’t see the difference between our lives and theirs. If we can’t even love one another and get along, how is the world going to see a difference and want what we have.

I have never experienced such strong accountability before, which is so refreshing. This just reminds me of what the church should look like. Believe it or not we are supposed to be different and look different but so often it is the “church goers” who are known to be so judgmental or hateful toward others, or who restaurants dread the most on Sunday. Let’s not forget the greatest command is LOVE. What has happened to us? This is how the enemy is working the strongest against the move of God. It’s through us. Don’t be fooled believers he is just as much in a bar as he is the church.

I don’t know why the Lord laid it on my heart to write this blog but while I have been here, it has been made evident how believers are supposed to look and treat one another; unconditional love, continuing to forgive as God has forgiven you, continually lifting one another up in prayer and encouragement, holding one another accountable in love, and striving to protect the unity of the body.

Please also remember to lift up you pastor and men in leadership in prayer. They are the targets of a lot of the attacks because they lead the flock. Being the daughter of a pastor I know all to well the incredible attacks from the enemy against anyone who has surrendered their life to ministry. You will never know what these men of God face. It reminds me of a battle scene in Lord of the Rings. Our pastors are fighting in the front lines leading us against the enemy, taking on the bunt of the blow as we all fight for our King Jesus and the freedom of so many from the chains of bondage. That might sound cheesy but it is true.
I say all this to say God has been so good in keeping our team unified. I feel I am leaving family and my heart is broken yet my heart breaks even more for the blind people in the jungles. It is very bitter sweet. Please continue to lift up my team as well as be so sensitive and aware of the enemy’s tactics. What is more important, that you get your way or you prove yourself right in the middle of an argument, or that you strive to protect the unity of the body and in doing so shield the body not letting Satan have any foot hold. Let me just challenge you to read some of Jesus’ last words in the Garden of Gethsemane found in Matthew. Hopefully it will open your eyes like it did mine and move you to think more about the church as a family a body that is continually under the attack of the enemy and the importance of swallowing our pride humbling ourselves before one another and forgiving or asking for it. Thank you so much for all of your prayers they are truly felt, please don’t stop. I won’t be able to contact anyone or blog for at least a month if not three. I fly to Peru in one hour for jungle training and I will try to blog as soon as I get back. Love ya’ll so Much!
-Wholly His-
Amy Givens

Last Minute Updates

2009-02-16T18:54:00.000-08:00

I first want to say a big thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with my blogs and praying for me. I have never felt the power of prayer over me like I have here. It brings me such comfort knowing that I am constantly being brought before the throne of God by so many believers.

The Lord has been teaching me so much about the power of praying specifically, and what it means to be a missionary. I have to admit the majority of my time here in guatemala I have been confused and discouraged about my role here. Before coming here I had some black and white views on what a missionary looks like and is supposed to do. I thought I was supposed to be uncomfortable plowing some field building some house or cleaning some one toothed mans mouth. But lets just say God has shattered that lie.

Although missionaries at times will find themselves in uncomfortble living situations in order to reach the lost it is not always the case. The Lord is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him! Yes I am leaving for the jungle tom, and I will most def. find myself miserable at times, God is not more glorified in us when we are uncomfortable or overworking ourselves in ministry. He simply wants us to be satisfied in him and be content in any and every situation knowing that He is enough.

This took a while to grasp because I was finding myself feeling guilty because I have been having such a great time here with my team and the people. But the truth is I am no different than any of you. We are all called to be missionaries. We are all called to live our lives in such a way that others see a difference and are drawn to that (or some cases are irritated). I think the reason it was so hard for me is because I felt I had to be apart of something bigger like building a house or doing some kind of street evangelism and although these are very affective methods and ones I am used to they are not the only way.
I have learned that just through living out my life and sharing my faith with whomever God puts in my life is one of the most powerful things you can do. I truly belive that there is a difference in my life and that God has absolutley changed my life and others see that. Our host families, teachers, and other random people God has allowed us to share with have all said that they have noticed a clear difference in us than the other groups of students who have come here. So just through living our lives there has been many questions raised and opportunities to share the gospel.
There has been alot of fruit from the relationships we have built here. A bible study has started with our teachers, bibles given, some recived for the first time, testimonies shared and lives changed. Some have rejected which is expected. I was on a bus talking with this girl from Ireland and we were having a good time talking utnil she asked me about what I was doing here and of course I see an open door I am gonna walk through it. I began sharing my testimony with her and her whole demeanor immediately changed. She became very irritated and angry. She told me she was the same faith as the people I was going to minister to in the jungle. She tried to explain to me how powerful it is to call on satan and speak to the different spirits. Her eyes didn't change colors and she didn't foam at the mouth, but I sure wouldn't have been surprised. I don't know if she was possessed at the time but you can imagine my eyes got real big and all the sudden my watch became really interesting.
I know I had some of the best training at the ILC but how can you be prepared for that? My mind just went back to the scripture in matthew where Jesus says; "don't be surprised when people reject you, they are not rejecting you but me." My heart broke for her as she continued to go on about how crazy I was.
I wasn't mad or upset just sad knowing that she is so BLINDED. It is so sad how many people are rejecting this awesome life changing relationship with Jesus, because they see it just as religion and nothing more. That is the saddest thing to me. Knowing that not only are people are dying and going into a eternity with out God but also that people are living with out this peace and joy that only comes from God.

Please pray for the peoples eyes to be opened and hearts softened. Although many reject some have been open to the gospel. I got to share with this guy form Denmark who is an atheist and was hard core against religion of any sort. He said it would take me a long time to talk him into believing in God. I shared my testimony with him and he was shocked with the passion I had in my life from God and listened intently to every word. He has been hanging out with us and said he was surprised at how much fun we had without having to get drunk or do anything crazy. We gave him a bible and he was really excited about reading it. And was dead set on reading it from beginning to end to see what the big deal is. The other week we passed by him in the market and he was reading it and told me he was going to stay home and just read it. God is GOOD! God is obviously working in his heart and that is just a testimony of the power of righteous prayers, a small group of eight believers simply living, loving and sharing Jesus.
Well I enter the jungle tom. the 17th and I will be training for one month with just my team. Then we will go to the city drop of our luggage and enter the jungle for three months at a time. There is still a great chance we will go to Bolivia at some point. Please pray for us. My team is Kelly, Leah, Lori, and Misty. Pray for us as we are about to go through really intense jungle fitness and survival training. I love you all and appreciate all the prayers the sweet cards I received for my birthday and the sweet comments on my blogs. I love you all! Special shout out to Aunt Gail, Gill, Nancy, Mary, Grandma Bowen, Mary, Uncle Joe, Tommy, Gary, Fred, Aunt Marsha, Tina, Grandma and Grandpa Givens! I pray for you all! I love you!

There´s Nothin Like Makin S´MORES Over Lava

2009-02-01T14:06:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago was one of my teammates birthday and we decided to hike up a volcanoe for her birthday. We hiked up Volcan Pikaya which is an active volcanoe in Guatemala. It was truly an amazing experience. I have never seen a prettier view than on the top of that volcanoe. The last half hour was so difficult because it was almost a straight vertical climb through dry crumbled lava. It was like climbing up mountain of sand. I would take three steps and still be in the same spot. It took so much just to get five feet. Our calves were killing us and we had to take several breathers just to get rested up for the next five steps.

As we were getting closer to the top we saw lava coming down near us.It scared us a little but it gave us the burst of energy we needed to get to the top. Once I finally made it to the top I was speechless, and if you know me that is very rare,haha. The wind was so viloent and the heat from the lava was burning my eyes.There aren´t words to describe what I saw. It was truly a spiritual moment. It reminded me of when I was in elementary school learning about volcanoes and looking at pictures of them in my textbook. Never would I have thought that I would be on top of one, let alone roasting marshmallows in the lava!
I like my marshmallows burnt (ppp girls) so I put mine in the lava to get it crispy like I would a fire. Yeah, they immediately went up in fames. Thankfully I had a little black crispy left for my cookie, and if you squint really hard you could see a little white left from the marshmallow.

I have to admit my highlight of the trip was when we began treking down the volcanoe and Lori and I let the group get way ahead of us so we could surf down the dry lava. We were going pretty fast and we got a couple cuts from the sharp lava but it was worth it. Arfter a couple spills we stopped and looked out at the sunsetting over some mountains and we just began singing and praising God. It was truly amazing.

Overall the trip was awesome and it wasn´t until the end that we found out that a week prior to our hike the volcanoe erupted while a another group was climbing up and they were all sent to the hospital. Yeah, I won´t be hiking up any more active volcanoes. One is enough, but it was worth it. Thankyo so much for all of your prayers. As you can see now they are beign answered.

I'm Liv'n in an Orphanage!

2009-01-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been an incredible adventure and we've only just arrived. Things are great with my family in San Juan. Our school for the orphans started last week. Everyday I wake up at 6am as the orphans begin trickling in our front door. I leave at 8am for school, which is ony a couple streets down from my house, and I arrive back home around 12. The moment I open my door I have 26 kids run and greet me with hugs and kisses. This starts the long routine of trying to pry them from as I walk with two on each leg and one in each arm. It truly is a site to see. It's not often you find a routine your used to here but, this one is mine. These kids live in poverty stricken areas with either a relative, or one parent. We feed, teach, and play with the kids until they are picked up at 6pm. I can't tell you how much I enjoy my family and having a orphanage right in my house.

It's so funny because the kids just cannot understand that I don't speak spanish. They can't comprehend why I can't understand them or talk clearly back to them. They treat me like I am a kid in an adults body. It reminds me of that movie, I am Sam or Jack. They all hold my hand and take me everywhere. They fight to care of me. It truly is one of the sweetest and funniest things I have ever experienced!

Yesterday, I finished washing the kid's dishes and I saw some little girls playing with some popcylce sticks so I started to play with them and pretend to give them makeovers with the sticks. They loved it! They were all crowding around to get thier hair brushed, makeup put on, and nails done, all with a popcycle stick. Then they sat me down and decided to give me one. For the next twenty minutes I had 20 little hands all my face. They were brushing my hair, painting my nails, fighting for my face, and one little girl who kept poking me in the eye with the popcycle stick. She didn't exactly understand how to use the stick. As if there is a certain way.

Lastly, they told me to open my mouth so they could brush my teeth. Oh yeah, I know what you're thinking, me too. But, I reluctantly opened wide not knowing where the sticks had been or what kind of germs where on them. Thankfully, that process wasn't that painful. By the end I had a face full of splinters, hair that looked like I stuck my finger in a socket, and the best part, I turned around and saw a little nino "boy" shoving all the sticks in his underwear! Needless to say, I quickly ran grabbed my tooth brush and began one of the longest teeth cleanings of my life.

Well, that is just a brief summary of what life is like in my house. Thank you for all of your prayers. You can't imagine how much I rely on them. I could not be here if it weren't for everyone of you. Please never underestimate the power of each prayer. God is really giving us incredible opportunities to share the gospel. Pray for our teachers, families, friends we have made in the city, and just our love for one another. Please check soon for my next Blog about my experience at the active volcano. CRAZY! Oh, and please pray for us this weekend. This Saturday we are going to rent motorcycles for a day and travel around Guatemala. I have never driven a motorcycle so I am a little nervous, but someone told me it's just like riding a bike just a little fast so I think I got it. Just pray! WEll I love you so much, and Juli Dees it was so good to hear from you!

I Made It!!!!

2009-01-12T16:41:00.000-08:00

Well, sorry this has taken a while but as you can imagine it has been really crazy! We arrived safely to Guatemala last Friday, and as we were getting our luggage, I was talking and goofing off and then I realize that everyone had thier luggage already and the baggage claim was empty. At first I was a little frantic as I tried to use the little spanish I knew to tell the Airpot employee my luggage is not here. Then it was as if a peace came over me and I was just reminded who was really in control. I am so greatful for that moment of fear and peace that came form the Lord and set the pace for this journey.

After leaving the airport, we had no idea who we were stayng with, or how we were getting there so it was a little exciting and scary! Thankfully we spoted our guy with a little sign among what seemed like hundreds of other pèople yelling at us and holding up signs, yeah it was fun.When we arrived we were immediatly seperated from each other and put with our families. My family is so Awesome! We were all saying how it is so funny how our families match us perfectly. God definitely ordained who we would be living with.

Im my family I have a little sister who is 13, a younger brother who is 9, and two parents. I have so much fun talking with my little sister, Liz. She is a typical teenage girl. She reminds me of Kaylie, excpet she hugs me everywhere I go and holds my hand. My little brother Oto is sooooo fun! I love coming home from school and playing with him. He is such a little boy, always wanting to play around. He cheats at every game though! My mom, Rosa, is so funny, and let´s just say an extravert, which is unccomon for women around here. My dad, Cecilio, is gone working alot as a gardner.After dinner my family and I will turn up the music, dance, and sing and play games, oh we eat at 8 or 9 if i am lucky! My family is very loud, you can hear us down the street. My freinds laughed as they met my family and said i fit in perfectly with them. God is good!

My family, like just about everybody here, is Catholic. I have been able to share alot with them, although we cannot go deep in converstaions yet, due to my lack of spanish but God is really working through all of us among our families. We were all encouraged to spend time getting involved in volunteer work somewhere and of course my first thought was where´s the orphange. I have asked around to many people and the only orphanges are far from San Juan, which is where I live. I was begining to be really bumbed and just began praying about it.

Well, Yesterday at breakfast my mom told me she is a teacher also, and she teaches at her house. Then I realized why our house was painted bright pink and yellow with pictues of whinnie the pooh and little ninos everywhere. Then she explained she teaches orphans. They come to her housre at 6am and she feeds them and teaches them and then they leave at 2pm. When I told my team they couldn´t belive it, becuase they knew how much i was really bumbed out about not finding an orphanage to work in. God truly ordained where I am living. The school starts on thursday and I will wake up at 5 and help till I leave for school at 8 then when I return at 12 and help till the leave at 2pm. I am so excited!
Well i have to go but i will blog again soo because so much more has happened! Luv you guys!

The Highlight of my DC Trip!

2008-12-01T16:34:00.001-08:00

While in DC God gave us many amazing opportunities to share the gospel. While in the Cathedral I noticed several nuns walking around stopping at each shrine reciting their prayers with their rosary beads. I also noticed that they looked foreign so I prayed for an opportunity and walked up to one of the girls and began asking her where she was from. They were from India and were on a missionary journey.

So I then I preceded to tell her how I used to want to be a nun. She looked shocked and said, "Wow, well what happened, are you catholic?" Then I shared with her my testimony, how I grew up in a christian home and gave Jesus my life as a young girl. At about 8 I knew I wanted to tell everyone about this love and friendship I had in Jesus. The only way I knew to do that was to be a nun or a missionary. Truthfully I wanted to be a monk at one time until my dad burst my bubble and told me only men were monks.(Remember that dad) She laughed and asked what I decided to do and I shared with her my heart fo rmissions. So that I can tell everyone of God's goodness,friendship, and need for a savior.

Other nuns began to walk up and listen as we talked but towards the end she seemed to get distracted, and not really pay attention. I just sensed the Holy Spirit saying she is not ready and heart was not open. So she shook my hand and told me it was nice to meet me and we parted ways. Please pray for her, I don't even remember her name but God knows.

After lunch my two partners for extreme team and one other girl going to South America split from the group and decided to tour DC on our own. We took the metro to see the Washington monument. When we got their we saw 4 guys standing on a hill and we decided to ask them if they would mind taking our picture. We noticed they all had accents and found out they were from Quebec. Lori, Misty, and Ellen began talking to three of the guys while somehow I ended up talking to the other guy(Joelle) one on one.

Joelle told me he was in school studying civil engineering. I then told him my brother in law studied that at NC State but he is not doing that any more but is pursuing missions now. He looked at me funny and asked why, then I preceded to tell him Jimmy's testimony. Thanks Jimmy:) He could really relate to Jimmy's life. Then I asked him what he believes in. He told me where he is from religion is not big. Everyone pretty much just believes in being kind to one another and being a good person, and that when you die you just become nothing. There is no life after death.

He then asked me what I believe and I shared with him my testimony and how I have a deep friendship with God. I have a great love and satisfaction with God. I also told him I am NOT a religious person and the I don't think Jesus even liked religious people. Religion is dead and empty just like the party life,that I explained before. But when you have a REAL relationship with God it will change your life!

He looked at me very confused and said, " I don't understand, this is so strange to me. I have never met anyone who actually thinks and speaks of God as you have. Who actually has an excitement for God. You have to understand where iI amfrom people don't believe or speak like this. But We have been raised differently and I think it is culture differences. You believe what you want and so will I."

Long story short we talked for about an hour and the girls also got to share with the other guys. Two of them were catholic and one was atheist. So please be praying for them. Their names are Joelle, JB, JP, and I think Nick. Those were seeds planted and I know God ordained the whole event. It truly was such a blessing and the highlight of our DC trip! Oh make sure you read the nest blog about DC below:)

The DC Trip

2008-12-01T12:31:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was so amazing! I hung out with my small group all day. We made our own Thanksgiving dinner, played games, and watched a Christmas movie. Lori and I made homemade mashed potatoes and kinda had a little competition going on. At the end of dinner we compared pots and hers was nearly empty while mine looked untouched. I think it was because I made twice as much and Her pot was the first in line. Yeah that's what I told myself so I could eventually fall asleep that night.

The next day we left for our DC trip at 8am. We took several charter buses and it took about two hours. We were given instructions to find restaurants, stores, etc. that were native to the culture and people group we would be going to. Our main objective was to witness, and boy did everyone have fun with that. We all came back with so many stories of how God had ordained opportunities to share. Several people became believers!

When my group first got to DC we took the metro to the Basilica Cathedral. We spent two hours touring inside the cathedral. It was so beautiful on the outside and when you enter it is overwhelmingly beautiful. Once I snapped back into reality I sensed such a darkness. As I watched people come in and pray before different shrines to Mary my heart broke. So many people living in darkness following a dead religion.

It was an eye opening experience for me. I think the most dangerous people alive are not those who claim to be Atheist, Muslim, or Buddhist but are those that claim to be Christians but are not. Catholicism is so dangerous because it seems to appear so close to the truth yet it is so far from the truth. Satan is smart. He takes truth and twists it so that it appears good on the outside but at its core it is false.

After the tour we went to a Peruvian restaurant. It was not at all what I expected! The place was packed and when I walked in I noticed everyone eating the same thing. I just thought they all were craving the same thing or there must have been a special. When we went to order we quickly realized they only serve one thing in small medium or large portions. A piece of chicken, french fries, and coleslaw. I did drink a South American specialty, Inca Cola. It basically tastes like carbonated bubble gum. Yeah a little to sweet for me. The meal was really good, just not what I expected.

Thanksgiving Plans

2008-11-24T17:05:00.000-08:00

Many of you have been wondering what I will be doing for Thanksgiving so I decided to blog my plans. The ILC will be providing a big Thanksgiving lunch for us but we are are on our own for dinner. My small group has decided that we are all going to make different dishes and have Thanksgiving dinner together. We are going to eat, play games, and watch Christmas movies. We are so excited. I love my small group!

I know I have not explained much about small groups, so please allow me to briefly explain. When you arrive at the ILC they place you in a small group of about 8 to twelve people that are going to the same region as you. Everyday we meet from 8-9am and spend time in the word and prayer. We also have house church together from 9-12 on Sundays. On Sundays we each take turns leading house church so we are prepared to lead others in God's word when we get on the field.

I have grown so close to my small group! We have become like family. We have an older couple and an older single lady named Mrs. Patty. They are our adopted grandparents here. They love on us and take care of us. They are so amazing and a have so much wisdom. We also have two younger couples and the rest of us are all single journey girls.

Right now our group is learning the Storying method. One of us will lead each day by telling the group a bible story and the rest of us go around and repeat the story. This is how we will teach them in the jungle. We will teach them bible stories and show pictures or possibly act out the story, then allow someone to repeat what was said or just parts they remember. Then we will allow time for questions about the story.

Just a quick side note; the day after Thanksgiving we will be taking a trip to DC to learn more about our culture. You are allowed to group up with anyone in your region. My partners Lori, Misty and I are going to tour together. We have been given instructions to look for different stores and eat at restaurants that represent our culture. We are also encouraged to find a native, learn more about the culture through them and possibly witness to them. Please be praying for us, that God will open our eyes and prepare the hearts of those He wants us to share with. I will be blogging afterwards and letting you know how it went. Thanks again. I love you guys!

Little Update

2008-11-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

I will just update you on what has been going on recently here at the ILC. First I want to thank everyone for their encouraging cards they sent me. They always brighten my day! I have the BEST core team ever! Last Friday was shot day and I received 3 shots and will go back this Friday for more. They weren't that bad, except for one that felt like she was shooting me with warm jelly.

Each week we have been experiencing different international foods. We have had Indonesian and Middle eastern food so far. It was awesome! We had to eat with our hands, something my mom never let me do. The Indonesian food was weird but turned out to be good. We had a bowl of rice with some strange looking meat in it, then .....you add the sides. Wait for it.... spicy jelly, coconut, raisins, and sunflower seeds. It looked gross but it was really good if you like sweet and spicy.

Learning Spanish in America is no easy task. I have been memorizing the creation story in English and in Spanish. This is tough because my Spanish is really bad! Last week I went with a group to evangelize in the mall and I got to share with some Hispanics. There were two Hispanic janitors cleaning out the trash cans, so I just walked up to them and asked them where they were from. Well, it turns out they don't know ANY English, so I just kept on talking. I tried to use as much of the little Spanish I know. This required a lot of acting out an hand motions. Pretty soon, I had what seemed like all the janitors in the mall all crowded around me just listening. I think they understood, although they were laughing a lot and saying some things back and forth in Spanish. I think they were saying, "What is this crazy girl talking about?" I don't know but let's keep listening, she is entertaining. I guess if anything They saw my care for them, Christ's love for them and they got a good show. It breaks my heart that for so many years of going to the mall I have looked over them and not payed any attention to them. They are the mission field. Some of the most humble and sweet people you will ever meet.

After sharing with everyone at the ILC about Akot, many people have come up to me to tell me they went to Wal-mart and ran into Akot. They told him they were my friend and that they were praying for him. I saw Akot yesterday in Wal-mart and he was grinning ear to ear. He said, "AMY! Hello, how are you? Amy, you have many many friends!" I don't think he realized when I told him I would tell my friends who are missionaries to pray for him, how many of us there were. We laughed as I explained why there were so many people that knew about him and were praying for him. He is doing well. I ask that you continue to pray for him and the other men from Sudan that work in Wal-mart. Pray that God gives me equal opportunities to share with them. Wouldn't it be awesome if a mighty move of God started in Wal-mart because of the prayers of many believers! We are now emailing each other and I hope to be able to encourage and challenge him in his faith while I am here. Love you so much! Your sister in Christ

God's Timing is Perfect!

2008-11-13T18:44:00.000-08:00

I have to share this awesome story of what your prayers are making happen. God is so good! Last Sunday night my friends and I decided to go ice skating. Once we got to the ice skating rink there was a hockey game going on so we decided to hit up Walmart. When we were checking out I noticed the guy working at self check out looked like he was from Africa, but I didn't want to ask him, and offend him if he wasn't. So I watched him and noticed that instead of just standing behind the podium and waiting for people to ask for help, he was going up to everyone in the self checkout lanes, taking their receipts for them and handing it to them with a big smile. I knew then, he is NOT American.

I went up to him and asked him where he was from and he told me he was from Sudan. I got very excited and I explained my love for Africa and that I have always wanted to be a missionary there. His face lit up and we began talking about his life. After about three minutes his manager came up and told him it was time for his 15 minute break. I knew this was the Lord and a great opportunity to share the truth with him.

He told me that he grew up during the war and that his dad died in the war. I asked if he knew of the invisible children, the night walkers, and he said " the lost boys? Yes, I was one of them." Right there I wanted to cry and hug him. I told him how I heard about the war and the lost boys in college and began praying for these children and getting the word out by going door to door. My sister and I decided to do a triathlon to raise money to help these children and their families. Never would I have thought I would meet one of them! I have to admit it took everything in me not to squeeze and hug him right in the middle of Walmart. I think I scared him a little with my excitement.

He then began to tell me that the UN found him and a group of boys and took them to Kenya for safety. He hasn't seen his family in 20 years, he is 27 now. In Kenya, is where he first heard about Jesus and began believing in God. Before the war he said you were not allowed to be anything but Muslim or you would be punished or killed. His family decided to believe in nothing and his grandparents were witchdoctors. He doesn't know if they believe in God or not, but chances are they don't.

He said he goes to a catholic church here and a red flag went up in my mind. I told him that I have friends that are catholic and they believe differently than I do about what it means to be a Christian. He gave me a worried look and said, really, well can you tell me what you believe it means to be a christian? AHHH!!! Yeah, that's right. I was jumping out of my skin! I shared through Romans and used illustrations. I can't say it all flowed because I couldn't really think straight I was so excited!

To God be the glory! If he understood anything it was the Holy Spirit. His manger kept coming back and telling him his time was up and he said OK please one more minute. He was hanging on to every word, which made me more excited. I wrote down the verses for him and my email and told him to look them up tonight and remember what I had told him.

I then looked him straight in the eyes and told him it was not by chance that I talked to him, but that God sent me. He wanted me to tell him that He loves him and has not forgotten about him or his family. He began to tear up and look down. I promised him I would pray for him and his family and would get many others to as well. He had to go, he thanked me and we left Walmart so moved by what God had done.

I shared this in front of everyone here, and told them to pray. The past couple of days everyone has come up to me and told me they saw Akot and told him his friend Amy told them to pray for him and they were. He has been very grateful but I am afraid he might be getting overwhelmed now by all the people coming up to him. Someone just told me today he told them he is writing me a letter, hopefuly it doesn't say, "Please don't tell anyone else about me. I am getting tired of all these people I don't know coming up to me." (Haha)

Please pray for him and the other guys that live with him that are also from Sudan. There are about 7 that work and live together. Pray for more opportunities to share, opened eyes to these opportunities God has before us, a boldness, and the Holy Spirit to lead and move. To God be the gory! Amen!

Experiencing Different Cultures

2008-11-10T14:58:00.000-08:00

This week has been great. We start our immunizations this Friday, which means a lot of shots! Every Sunday morning we get in small groups according to our region and worship together. We are learning how to lead church, taking out any traditions or opinions of our own and sticking only to what the word of God says. We use the example Paul and the early apostles laid out for us in Acts.

On Sunday nights we have cross cultural worship services. The first week was Asia and we dressed according to their dress, we took off our shoes before entering, and we were not allowed to have a bible. The lights were dimmed and we all had to whisper due to the persecution of the believers all over Asia. The whole service was done in Chinese and although we didn't understand much our hearts were united in Christ. It was so awesome as we prayed for the persecuted Christians and missionaries there right now. The Holy spirit blessed us with His presence and a brokenness for the people of Asia.

This past Sunday night was an African worship service. It was so much fun! The women had to wear head coverings and skirts. We sang and danced to all the African songs we learned and had a great time. Any time the speaker said something we like we all said Amen in unison which made him speak longer, it was awesome. After the speaker would read a story in the bible or a passage he would ask for someone to repeat it back to him. They do this so they can all get a full understanding of the scripture and the group can share what Gods taught them through it all. Needless to say after the service everyone wanted to go to Africa!

We are on the Mission field

2008-11-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share a little about what God has been teaching me recently. When we arrived at the ILC we were asked to get an accountablity partner and make a list of goals that you want to accolpish throughout FPO. One of my goals was to witness to at least one person every time I go off campus and also here to the cafeteria workers. We have been told the cafeteria workers are probaly not saved and have been encouraged to share the gospel with them.

I quickly formed a relationship with most of them, one of them being a crazy man from the Bronx named Everette. Immediately God laid him on my heart and I have been praying for an opportunity to witness to him. Just the other night he came in the gym and we started talking about life. I asked him where is was from, what his life was like when he grew up, and what he believed in. I then shared with him about my crazy family, and how Jesus has changed my life and is my best friend. He then asked me to share with him how to be a christian! I was screaming on the inside I was so excited, haha.

The Lord ordained the whole conversation, it was awesome. After about an hour he was late for work and he had to go. I told him to remember what I said and go home and talk to God. I also told him that it wasn't coincidence that he came in the gym. He seemed very genuine and listened to every word. He told me he wanted to talk more about this and thanked me over and over again and then left for work. That next morning he ran into my friend and told her to tell me and everyone that he loved us but was being transfered somewhere else, because he was only a temp for Aramark. That's the last time I saw him. God's timing is perfect! I am currently sharing with the other workers. Please pray that God provides more opportunities as he did with Everette and Please pray that Everette realizes his need for a savior.

Life at the ILC

2008-11-06T15:33:00.000-08:00

So far it has been great! I just recieved some cards and letters from you guys and they really brightened my day. Thank you so much! We just finished the spiritual warfare series with Jerry Rankin and it was AMAZING. So some of you have been wondering what we do all day so here goes. From 8 to 9 we spend time in the word. We are going through Acts studying the church and the lives of the misssionaries in each chapter. I never knew you could find so much truth in one chapter. We take a chapter each morning and for the first hour reading teh chapter alone then we pass a mike and share what we learned using the speka method. s(what sins did you notice) p(what promises did you see) e( what examples are there) c( is there a command to follow) k( what knowledge is there to leran) a( what application). I love using this and I encourage you to try it out and see how much you learn. After this we have classes back to back till 3 or 5 with 10 minute breaks in between.

After classes we have free time and everday there are different sports to play. I play a sport everyday and try to run. We start our training soon. I have been told iwe will be running long distance with backpacks full of rocks, AHH! I am currently learning how to play soccer. I'm not too good at that sport. I kept wanting to catch the ball with my hands, apparently thats not allowed. We play ultimate frisbee, disc golf, basketball, volleyball, and dodgeball. You would think I have a lot of free time but I can't stop talking to everyone one and I end up not getting anything done.

Please pray for me to be able to balance everything. So after "fellowshipping" and playing sports I get back to my room around 11 or 12. This has become a distraction for me, so please pray for me to draw myself away and spend quality time alone with the Lord. I love you and will be blogging again soon!

First week at ILC!

2008-10-30T16:18:00.000-07:00

This week has been so so great! I had no idea how many things I had to get done. It has been very busy but really refreshing. This week Jerry Rankin led us in a series on spiritual warfare. It couldn't have come any sooner. Upon arriving at the ILC I have had some sprirtual warfare and some tough times with being sick with a virus. It wasn't until this series that I began to see satan's handywork in trying to distract me and rob me of my joy. We are in a battle and the enemy does not sleep! We are to put on Jesus Christ as we put on the armor of God. We have no armor to protect our backs becuase we are to face the enemy with power of Jesus Christ within us! I have learned so much in the past couple of days and will be sharing that with you as soon as I can! Thank you so much for your prayers. Please continue to pray that God will speak and our hearts will be ready and willing to listen:)