So, yesterday and today Sara and I spent all day in the office of immigrations in Lima. We were waiting to finally get our "carnets." These are are permanent resident ID cards while we stay here in Peru. The process took almost 9 months, but it happened! Yeah!
Thank God for giving us patience through these two days of 5 hours of waiting in line to get these done. We could easily have given up and been mad but God graciously poured out His grace and patience into our hearts. For that, we are thankful.
And our dear brother in Christ and friend, Enrique, was instrumental in getting this to work. Wow! I can't say enough about him and his faithfulness through this whole time.
11 November 2008
14 October 2008
Mis Padres (My Parents)
Hey Y'all,
My parents were just in Lima, Peru (of all places) hanging out with their grandkids (and me and Sara, too, of course). It was wild and fun to have them here. At first they were a little concerned about what it would be like to stay here for 10 days. But, after that first taxi ride where they got to experience traffic in Lima and all the craziness that it entails....and they lived through it, they were fine.
We had a fantastic time reconnecting with them after last seeing them back in February before we left the States. It was a real blessing from Jesus to have them here and we are grateful to Him for allowing them to come stay with us for a bit.
They are back in the States now, safe and sound.
My parents were just in Lima, Peru (of all places) hanging out with their grandkids (and me and Sara, too, of course). It was wild and fun to have them here. At first they were a little concerned about what it would be like to stay here for 10 days. But, after that first taxi ride where they got to experience traffic in Lima and all the craziness that it entails....and they lived through it, they were fine.
We had a fantastic time reconnecting with them after last seeing them back in February before we left the States. It was a real blessing from Jesus to have them here and we are grateful to Him for allowing them to come stay with us for a bit.
They are back in the States now, safe and sound.
03 October 2008
Chesterfield Pres!
So, exciting news to report: five brothers in Christ came to Lima for several days just this past week to see what the Lord is doing and what the possibility is for them and their church, Chesterfield Pres in St. Louis, to be involved here.
It was awesome! These guys (and I know that you guys are reading this, but I'm being honest) were a real blessing to meet and spend time with. Clearly, it was something the Lord put together for them to be able to be here and spend time with us, the Lima New City mission team and some of our dear Peruvian brothers and sisters in the Lord, and to see the need that is here.
I don't know what the Lord has in mind with Chesterfield, but I, for one, am praying and hoping for the Lord to give us the priviledge of staying connected in an ongoing, meaningful way in the years to come. But, as we all know, the Lord doesn't have to listen to all of my ideas :) on the contrary, I need to shut up more often, listen and pay attention to His ideas! :) And so, I will wait on Him to see what He will say and do.
Also, this was my first time in San Clemente, a town that is a 3 1/2 hour bus ride south of Lima that was severely hit by the earthquake of August 2007. There is a whole neighborhood that grew up there that is entirely made up of folks who lost EVERYTHING in the earthquake. They lost their houses and all of their possessions and many lost family, too. So, the government gave them resources to build these "shacks" or as I call them "thatch huts" to be able to have something to call a home. But, the needs are great here among them. The need for reconstruction, the need for their hearts to get the Gospel and live for His Kingdom and the need for caring for all the many, many, many children that are there. And all of this revels the need for a church to be planted there to build up the Church that Christ has begun to build there. Many new believers there in San Clemente are asking for a church to be planted among them.
So, please, pray for San Clemente and the needs there that King Jesus already knows about is and is fast at work to meet them. Then, also, pray for those believers who may need to answer Christ's call to go and work among those dear souls.
Okay, all for now.
It was awesome! These guys (and I know that you guys are reading this, but I'm being honest) were a real blessing to meet and spend time with. Clearly, it was something the Lord put together for them to be able to be here and spend time with us, the Lima New City mission team and some of our dear Peruvian brothers and sisters in the Lord, and to see the need that is here.
I don't know what the Lord has in mind with Chesterfield, but I, for one, am praying and hoping for the Lord to give us the priviledge of staying connected in an ongoing, meaningful way in the years to come. But, as we all know, the Lord doesn't have to listen to all of my ideas :) on the contrary, I need to shut up more often, listen and pay attention to His ideas! :) And so, I will wait on Him to see what He will say and do.
Also, this was my first time in San Clemente, a town that is a 3 1/2 hour bus ride south of Lima that was severely hit by the earthquake of August 2007. There is a whole neighborhood that grew up there that is entirely made up of folks who lost EVERYTHING in the earthquake. They lost their houses and all of their possessions and many lost family, too. So, the government gave them resources to build these "shacks" or as I call them "thatch huts" to be able to have something to call a home. But, the needs are great here among them. The need for reconstruction, the need for their hearts to get the Gospel and live for His Kingdom and the need for caring for all the many, many, many children that are there. And all of this revels the need for a church to be planted there to build up the Church that Christ has begun to build there. Many new believers there in San Clemente are asking for a church to be planted among them.
So, please, pray for San Clemente and the needs there that King Jesus already knows about is and is fast at work to meet them. Then, also, pray for those believers who may need to answer Christ's call to go and work among those dear souls.
Okay, all for now.
20 September 2008
Oops...I Forgot I Have A Blog :)
So, I was kindly reminded last night about this blog and how I have not written anything in a very long time (July 30th, I believe was the last entry).
I want to apologize. I have let my habit go and that makes me sad. ;(
BUT I'M BACK! So, let's get this thing started once again.
It is amazing to me that we've been here in Lima, Peru for 7 months! It's a whole new world still to me but I do feel much more settled in. Time does that, doesn't it?
The challenge for me, in addition to the normal desparately needed prayer for learning Spanish well, is beginning to get from the Lord what specifically He wants me to be involved in here. I mean, I have my ideas but as Scripture says, "Proverbs 16:9 'In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.'"
So, I need much patience but also intentionality to pursue that part of God's Kingdom that he's placed on my heart.
To this end I'll share here the verses that REALLY light a fire in my heart:
Proverbs 31:8-9
8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy."
I was drawn to come here because I wanted to be a part of the Lord caring for those dear souls who are lost and oppressed and need to surrender their hearts as well as their needs to the Lord.
And Ezekiel 11:19-20
19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
Plus, there is the constant need for people to be shepherded in and encouraged in this reality: God does in fact have the power to change a heart - to change a life. No one is beyond hope and no believe ever needs to dispair for his/her own failures or others. God is in the business of changing the very nature of sinners. I love this story!
All for now. I'll write a little later.
Jim
I want to apologize. I have let my habit go and that makes me sad. ;(
BUT I'M BACK! So, let's get this thing started once again.
It is amazing to me that we've been here in Lima, Peru for 7 months! It's a whole new world still to me but I do feel much more settled in. Time does that, doesn't it?
The challenge for me, in addition to the normal desparately needed prayer for learning Spanish well, is beginning to get from the Lord what specifically He wants me to be involved in here. I mean, I have my ideas but as Scripture says, "Proverbs 16:9 'In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.'"
So, I need much patience but also intentionality to pursue that part of God's Kingdom that he's placed on my heart.
To this end I'll share here the verses that REALLY light a fire in my heart:
Proverbs 31:8-9
8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy."
I was drawn to come here because I wanted to be a part of the Lord caring for those dear souls who are lost and oppressed and need to surrender their hearts as well as their needs to the Lord.
And Ezekiel 11:19-20
19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
Plus, there is the constant need for people to be shepherded in and encouraged in this reality: God does in fact have the power to change a heart - to change a life. No one is beyond hope and no believe ever needs to dispair for his/her own failures or others. God is in the business of changing the very nature of sinners. I love this story!
All for now. I'll write a little later.
Jim
30 July 2008
Where Did July Go?
Hey Guys and Gals,
Sorry. But, for whatever reason I have been completely absent from blogging for this month. I think, partly, it's because for awhile I had very limited use of my computer since Max (our dog) chewed my power cord to shreads and I had to wait until a friend came from the U.S. to bring me my new cord.
Then, over these last few weeks (last and this) the kids have been off school and so we went away to the city of Huancayo for 6 days and then home. But, even being here it's somewhat distracting since life isn't "normal" in its routine.
Ugh. Anyway, hopefully, I can now get back to it.
---------------------------------------------------------
We've been taking a language class break, which I guess is good. However, I'm dying to get back at it and learn more and get going on my Spanish. Sara, not so much. Culture shock is hitting her pretty bad right now. You can pray for her. A lot. :)
Sorry. But, for whatever reason I have been completely absent from blogging for this month. I think, partly, it's because for awhile I had very limited use of my computer since Max (our dog) chewed my power cord to shreads and I had to wait until a friend came from the U.S. to bring me my new cord.
Then, over these last few weeks (last and this) the kids have been off school and so we went away to the city of Huancayo for 6 days and then home. But, even being here it's somewhat distracting since life isn't "normal" in its routine.
Ugh. Anyway, hopefully, I can now get back to it.
---------------------------------------------------------
We've been taking a language class break, which I guess is good. However, I'm dying to get back at it and learn more and get going on my Spanish. Sara, not so much. Culture shock is hitting her pretty bad right now. You can pray for her. A lot. :)
03 July 2008
Eli's Bedroom
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