Friday, February 24, 2012

A few little things I've learned in 17 years of marriage

Married to the wisest and most godly man I know for almost 18 years makes me a happy woman.  Along the way, I've learned a few little things......and some big ones.

15. We do, indeed, act just like our parents.

14. Laughter smoothes over many irritations.

13. Each anniversary is worth celebrating.

12. There is always, always more to learn about your spouse.

11. Long, open conversations after the kids are in bed are trust builders.

10. Lack of sufficient sleep is a sure creator of unnecessary spats.

9. A good marriage is made up of two good forgivers (Ruth Graham).

8. Love is an action, not a feeling.

7. Staying in love is a choice.

6. The Bible has the most specific and simple instructions for married couples of any book out there.

5. Dreams shared make them more likely to be realized.

4. Parenting children together is a bond not easily broken.

3. Praying together regularly strengthens commitment and love.

2. Honest and pure intimacy is vital.

1. True love is a bud as newlyweds, but with time, becomes a flower in glorious bloom.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Public transportation in Lima

If you have a headache or even the beginning of one, don't board.  If you have personal space issues, don't board.  If you are a clean freak, don't board.  If you are impatient, don't board.  If you don't like to sweat, don't board.  If odd and varied smells bother you, don't board.

In Havana, Cuba, the ongoing joke about the public buses was that they were rated R for sex, violence and language.  The buses in Lima aren't quite that bad I don't think, but then, I've only ridden during the day.

On any given bus ride, you can buy anything from white-out to homemade cookies to ice cream to pens to cd's to parasite medicine, from the folks who use the bus as their sales floor.  You can enjoy live music from the young man who spends his day getting on and off buses and playing his zampona, then passing a bag, hoping for tips.  You can hear a version of the Gospel preached by the bus evangelist.  You can see someone get robbed.

You WILL get bumped, jarred, run into, be rubbed against, be leg to leg with the stranger next to you and you WILL smell a variety of body odors.  Your knees WILL be jammed up against the seat in front of you and you WILL lose your balance at least once, trying to stand or walk while the driver slams on breaks or jerks into traffic.

If you don't have a vice grip on the small child in your lap, he will, at least once, hit his head against the seat in front of you.

You may see a police pull the bus over and be bribed by the driver.  You may see the bus driver yell and gesture at other drivers.  You may see men taking advantage of the forced closeness of a female.  You may have someone's armpits in your face.  You may get nauseated.

My kids say it's fun.  That's probably the last word I would use to describe it.  Useful.  Cheap.  Convenient.  But fun?  The times we have to take a bus are the times I am most thankful for our awesome car.  Ride, anyone?

Friday, February 17, 2012

Ashaninka volume 22

Kati is a 20 year old Ashaninka woman, married at the age of 16, and has two children.  She is the wife of Edison, who the village families accepted just recently to be able to have his own property there and live among them.  Kati believes that Jesus died and rose again and was probably already saved, but feels so guilty about her sins that she was sure last night that she would go to Hell if she were to die.  I think she hasn't fully grasped what it means to be God's child.  Holding her small, cold hands, I fought the tears as she prayed and told God that she believed and wanted to be part of His family.  We rejoice with her and now, she and Edison can grow together.  Beautiful!

Baby Driu is still very sick.  His mom, Janet, finally took him to a pediatrician after 7 weeks of an apparently severe stomach infection.  The doctor scolded her harshly for waiting so long and gave her several prescriptions that she did not have the money to get filled.  I didn't know if she would want help from an outsider like myself, but I could not bear to see that baby so sick for one more day.  She graciously accepted our help and thanked me with a hug and a big bunch of bananas from her tree.  We are hopeful now that Driu will get better very soon.  More than that, we are hopeful that she will never go back to a witch doctor and that she will be open to God's love for her.

The Ashaninka communities have their own laws.  I really don't think they fall under the same laws as everyone else.  The police are intimidated by them, and for good reason.  This week, there was a protest march having to do with a new university in Pichanaki.  Well, the mass of people were getting too close to the village, they were blocking the road and the men at our little village, Bajo Kimiriki, did not like it.  They painted their faces, armed themselves with bows and arrows (and these are HUGE bows and LONG arrows) and went to "ask" the protestors to leave.  I have to chuckle.  The protestors left.

We learn every week just how different this life of theirs is.  One thing that's for certain, though, is that they are people who need Jesus and beyond the many barriers, He is allowing us to share Him with them.  May they hear and understand.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

BE STILL

My 5 year old, Lucas, cannot be still.  Period.  He walks around while he's telling me a story.  He fidgets, changes positions and gets up regularly while he's eating.  He moves around, changing seats several times when watching tv.  He's five.  He's a boy.  It's understandable.

I'm an adult and still have trouble being still.  Oh, not in my chair or while eating.  In my heart.  "Be still my heart" is a well-known little phrase, usually used when we see or hear something we love.  For me, this phrase sums up a prayer of mine.  Why is it so hard to be still and know that He is God?

Being still means I am still and quiet before the Creator of the universe, able to hear Him.  I cannot hear Him clearly when I am not still.  Too much noise.  Too much movement.  I cannot be still when I am running around frantically, when I constantly either have a tv/cd on or have earbuds in my ears, when my most important goal of the day is to complete my to-do list before nightfall......when I am racing life.  I literally have to be STILL.  Like, not moving.  Open heart, empty of noise, a heart free of fear and doubt.  At peace.  KNOWING He is God....yesterday, today and forever.

He tells us to be still.  He reminds us to KNOW that He is God and He will be exalted.  When I bark at Lucas to "be still!" it's not life-changing.  When God commands me to "be still", it is.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Ashaninka volume 21

Update from last week: I saw baby Driu and he is a little better, but still has a fever and stomach infection.  He and his family have been gone for three weeks, unable to return home until the witch doctor received his pay.  Driu's father had to find work here and there until he could pay.  We will continue to pray for this family.

Edison is a little better but not completely and still has some odd and painful symptoms.  Although he was feeling poorly, he stayed for the Bible study and said he and Kati would try to make it to church on Sunday night, something they haven't done yet.  God is his Father now, and he did indeed seem like a different person.

Some people use bug repellent to ward off mosquitos.  Not Eduardo.  I was shocked to see a fire burning in the middle of their living room floor!  Granted, the floor is dirt, but the second floor is all wood.  Apparently, you can smoke mosquitos out of the house!  Who knew?

As we talked, Kelly was cooking supper in the outdoor kitchen.  I asked what she was cooking and she said "cutpe" - which is a huge mountain rodent.  Thankfully, we were not invited to stay.

Our hearts are more burdened than ever to reach these people.  Thank you to all who are praying with us.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Ashaninka volume 20

I write tonight with a heavy and happy heart.  I know, what in the world does that mean?!

Good news first......Edison, the 28 year old son-in-law of Lydia, is now my brother in Christ.  He has fought it for so long, but we found him a broken man tonight.

He and his wife, Kati, and their two little boys have no food in the house.  They have no money.  Edison has been very ill for a week so there is no paycheck for this missed week.  He has some very strange symptoms and has been told that witchcraft has been used against him and that he needs to go to a witch doctor to reverse it.  He doesn't believe that, but has no money to see a doctor or to buy a simple pain pill.  He has considered smoking marijuana to help with the pain and he's even thought about suicide.  His baby son, Jesus, turns one on Saturday and there will be no celebration.  This seemed to bother him the most.

Receiving Christ will not immediately change any of these things and Edison knows that.  What it will do is give him the assurance that he has the ear of the Almighty day and night.  It will allow him to see the value of his life in a different light.  It will give him hope.  It will give him peace in the midst of the turbulent circumstances.  It will change him.  We do pray for healing and provision and will watch how God chooses to work in his life.

Driu is a one year old baby who is the nephew of Lydia.  He has had diarreah and has been vomiting on and off for a month.  He is probably severely dehydrated and has lost a lot of weight.  His parents have indeed taken him to a witch doctor and have been told they are wishing harm on him and wish to see him dead.  Their house has been empty and dark for several weeks now.  They are trusting in the curandero to make their son well and it's not working.  I fear this baby will die soon and it breaks my heart.  We have shared Jesus with Janet, Driu's mother, but she has yet to accept it as truth.

So......overjoyed for Edison, although concerned about his health, and devastated for baby Driu and his family.  I realize not one person who will read this knows these people, but they are people just like us who love their families, who work hard for a living, who want to be happy.......please join us in praying for them and in doing so, loving them the best way possible, even from afar.