Wow! It has been awhile since my last blog, I apologize to all those who have been so patiently waiting.
This past month has been incredible, full of new opportunities, experiences, hopes, dreams and visions. It has as well been my toughest month here, and at times seemingly impossible. Culture shock has slithered its way into my everyday life here in the Amazon. Learning a new language, taking on a new culture and living a new life has been the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Daily I pray that God would grant me grace and strength for that day, and He has been ever so merciful to do just that.
I read this quote the other day, and found it hit extremely close to home:
“I give up my right to a comfortable bed,
And trust God for strength and endurance.
I give up my right to three meals a day,
And trust God for my health and strength.
I give up my right to familiar food,
And trust God for my like and dislikes of food.
I give up my right to dressing fashionably,
And trust God for my self esteem and security in Him.
I give up my right to seeing results
And trust God for accomplishing His purposes and seeing fruit in His timing.
I give up my right to control what I do,
And trust God to control me through His Holy Spirit.
I give up my right to control others,
And trust God to accomplish in them what He wants and in His timing.
I give up my right to control my external circumstances,
And trust God for my circumstances to accomplish His purposes in making me Christ-like.
I give up my right to pleasant circumstances,
And trust God for the privilege of suffering for His names sake.
I give up my right to make decisions,
And trust God for His sovereign hand on my life.
I give up my right to be understood, and trust God for my reputation.” *Terri Hughes of SEND International
Yet through all of this, it is nothing. Nothing compared to the Love of Jesus that I feel everyday. I know without a shadow of a doubt, that I am in His will, and that I am in the right place at the right time. God has taken me through so many things here that I never imagined I would do, I would become, that I would accomplish. Before I ever came here I had always asked God, “Why me? There are so many more qualified people, more skilled, more prepared.” I still find myself asking this question. But, for some reason He has decided to use me, and everyday it is in a new and different way. I never thought I’d be able learn another language, yet now I sing on the worship team and just preached a 5 min message last week – in Spanish. I never thought I’d ever do youth ministry again, but here I am loving and working with them every week. I never ever thought I had any teaching skills, yet I’m teaching English twice a week and have several students now. I never thought I would ever see a revival, but I now get to be a part of the beginning steps of one right here in Leticia! God has been so good to me, has blessed me so much and shown me so much favor.
My weeks are filled with Spanish classes in the mornings, every morning Monday through Friday. It has been so intense and for the past two months, and I think I’ve wanted to quit just about every day. But, as I mentioned before, God has granted me immeasurable grace and strength. I now work only one day a week at the Aljaba, children’s home and school. But, my days have quickly been filled with teaching English, practices and church services, more time spent with the youth, prayer meetings with the children, and extra projects here at the house. It was incredible to see, that even when one door closed, God opened five more!
Another door that has opened, is the opportunity for me to come home a month earlier. This is in order that I might be able to return back to the Amazon in time to greet the first team of the year in January. I am so excited about the plans with this team coming! They will be helping host the Women’s Conference at my home church here in Leticia, as well as a soccer training camp for children and so much more!
I’m so excited to come home and see my family soon, but even more so to return here and be apart of the new plans God has for the Amazon.
I want to thank you all so much for your prayers and support! It was so encouraging the other day to hear that all the elders of my home church in Missoula, MT where praying for me during their elder’s meeting. Thank you all so much, I cannot express how much this means to me. To know that the body of Christ is backing me up is such an incredible feeling. Thank you.
God bless you,
Dios te bendiga,
Heather
