Quiet and Secure

According to Kyall's 3rd grade ACE pace, the definition of peace is "quiet and secure". This just screamed at me today.

Oh how I wish my heart to be described like this as well ~ quiet and secure. There is absolutely no reason in this world why it shouldn't be. I am secure in Christ, loved and cared for by my Heavenly Father and this should be enough to quiet my heart.

Unfortunately and to my shame, my heart is more often turbulent and insecure. I wonder what those words define.

Why is this? There's only one reason - my eyes are on myself and my circumstances and not on my Father. I foolishly refuse to believe what I know to be true! I question, doubt, fret and argue. No wonder my heart is not always at peace.

Jesus offers me peace. His desire for me is that my heart is quiet and secure in Him. All I have to do is accept and rest. Sounds so easy, doesn't it??

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Miriam

On waiting.

I hate to wait. I just do. I do not like to wait in line. I do not like to wait for "all the flavors to become one" in my spaghetti sauce. I do not like to wait for God to show me His will. I do not like to wait for my kids to obey me. I do not like to wait until I have enough money to buy what I really want. I do not like to wait on people who are late. I do not like to wait for explanations. I do not like to wait until the end of the book (I usually peek).

Some of my most memorable times of waiting are: waiting to get my ears pierced, waiting for my first kiss, waiting to be a college student, waiting for marriage, waiting on God to show Brent and me our first place of ministry, waiting to learn Spanish, waiting for our first baby to be born, waiting for furlough, waiting on the results of medical tests, waiting for God to show us where He wanted us to minister in Peru, and now, waiting for Him to take us there. Of course, there are many, many more, but these are the ones that stand out to me.

I can reflect on each of these times in my life and name lessons learned that I probably would have missed had I not had to wait.

Right now, the waiting is unbearable on some days. I am ready to join my husband in the endeavor God has given us of starting a church in Pichanaki. Yet I wait. We have not been able to find housing and so we wait. I don't understand why we're having to wait but I also do not want to miss what God has for me during this time. I know there is a wonderful reason and I trust my Heavenly Father. Apparently, there is still significant work to be done in my life and part of that will only be accomplished as I wait.

"They that wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount up with wings as eagles...." Isaiah 40:31

So I wait.

Miriam

Homeschool 103

Ten more lessons learned in homeschool:

1. Once my kids get tickled at something, only the direst of threats will get them to be serious again.

2. Distractions can be found in the loudest of noises to the tiniest of dust particles.

3. I still hate math.

4. No matter how many times I say "yes", Kyall continues to ask if he "HAS to do this page".

5. Rewards are a great motivator.

6. Misspelled words bother me greatly.

7. Dictionaries are pretty much unnecessary when you have the internet handy.

8. Repetition bores but it works.

9. I am not creative.

10. If there is reading involved, Olivia will excel.

Miriam

What is man?

As I gazed at the enormous and beautiful mountain in front of me and thought about where I was....in a little corner neighborhood in the central jungle of Peru....I felt very small. I looked across the mud "yard" to the huts and thatched roofs, the naked little boys playing in the mud, the sour faced old woman sitting on a log, knitting, and the chickens waddling around and thought, "what am I doing here??" "Do I really believe that God sees me, even here?"

When I think of those little boys, lost under the vast blue sky above and the shadow of the mountains in their back yard, tears come to my eyes. God's love for them is just as great as it is for my little boys, and as it is for me. His love and care for the tired young mother, carrying her baby on her back as she works in the blazing sun is no different than His love for the president of the United States of America. He knows how many hairs are on the head of the father driving a moto taxi 14 hours a day to feed his family, just as he does the head of my own husband. His love doesn't vary from person to person. It is incomprehensible to us humans, but still true.

God does see me. He's the One who took me there. He's the One who gives me love for these people who speak a different language than me, who live differently than me. He's also the One who sees them and loves them and teaches me through them. Us and them. To God, all the same. His love is constant, unchanging and unprejudiced. I am small, but not too small for Him to know intimately. May God help me know how to share this message with others.

Miriam

Journal excerpts

Feb. 27 We made it to Pichanaki in 9 hrs. today! I was so tired but did not sleep a wink, as to not miss any of the unbelievable views along the way. I took about 100 pics of the scenery. We only had one vomit stop - not bad really. We counted 19 tunnels! Went to eat with a couple of the guys who went early to clean the house where the missions group will stay. I was so happy to find the big, clean and yum-o Chifa place! (Chinese food) We will be able to eat out after all!

Feb. 28 The group is here and on arrival, found out their house has no bathroom or shower. Oh. My. Goodness. I feel terrible, but they all have such wonderful attitudes, it's amazing. It isn't nearly as hot as I expected. We all want it to rain! The mountains are breathtaking. I will thoroughly enjoy looking at these each day. This is actually a nice little town after all. I think I'll like it. I went into a tiny store to see what they had and found peanut butter and canned corn! Couldn't believe it. It was a gift from God. (only a missionary can understand this)

March 1 It is lightly raining today, so pretty. I am learning a ton about the Peruvian kitchen and how the magic happens! I have learned how to cook several things today, the Peruvian way! The guys are at the site of our future church working on putting a roof up. Bless them. There is also no bathroom at the church. They are all going to the market and using the public bathrooms and showers. Still no complaining. Thank God for such awesome people to work with.

March 2 More work on the roof today. The gals and I are at the house, getting tracts ready to hand out and preparing for "Kids' Club" we're going to do later this week. I am overwhelmed by God's goodness to my family. To have such friends who want to help us and to have found such a wonderful place for a church and the people He's allowing us to meet....it is all filling my heart with joy. Today the girls pitched in at the church, painting, sanding and cleaning. So tired, but so happy.

March 3 The roof is taking forever. These guys have worked so hard. It rained hard today and was so pretty. I could have curled up on the floor and slept all day. We're ready to start inviting kids to the "Club" and adults to our first service on Sat. night. Went to the river today. Wow, was that gorgeous. All the guys got in, including my guys. Olivia got her picture taken with a boa around her neck. Yep. All in a day's work. I am exhausted, but no complaining. I am so excited to see the finished roof.

March 4 Today we had 30 kids come! It was so great, they all were so sweet and attentive. I kept thinking how one or more of them may end up pastoring/ministering in this church. Every soul counts. I love them already. The mime team did their mime in the plaza tonight. At least 100 people were watching and many were witnessed to afterwards. I hope lots of them will come tomorrow night. We handed out a couple hundred tracts too. God has blessed me in more ways than I can say this week. I praise Him.

March 5 I love the rain! Although it muddies up everything, it is beautiful to watch. The green here is so green! Olivia doesn't want to leave. I can't wait to live here. 40 kids came today! They are so sweet and I pray the seed was planted in many of their little hearts. We counted 71 people tonight for our "opening service". (24 were from Lima) I was so tired I could hardly see straight but was blessed immensely to see so many. I got to talk to Yolanda and Sra. Gomez and am praying for their salvation. We now have a huge, green sign that says "Iglesia Biblica Bautista de Pichanaki." Wow, it's really happening. Bless the Lord.

March 6 Rained again today. Nobody came back to church today! I couldn't believe it! It seems the night might be the best time to have services. We'll figure it all out as we go. Brent had such an awesome outlook and reminded me it wasn't our job to fill a church. It is our job to obey and love God. So, mission accomplished. We said goodbye to some dear, dear brothers and sisters in Christ who helped us so very much this week. I pray God will bless each one abundantly. I will miss them all terribly. My kids are so sad to say bye to them. Thank you, Iglesia Biblica Bautista de Puente Piedra! We love you and we know your work is for God and He sees. To God be the glory.

March 7 Intense drive home last night. Rain, snow, sleet, curvy, windy mountain roads covered in fog. I was scared. Only one vomit stop this time too, but it was a doosy and we had to clean up in freezing weather while sleet slammed us. Never want to drive it at night again. Thank you Lord for getting us home safely. Today, we are so tired but so happy. Can't wait to get back to Pichanaki! (lots of pics to come on fb)

Some special kids

"I want to go to camp but there is no money" is the most common quote heard around December, when summer camp time is drawing near here in Lima. So many super kids would love more than anything to go but there literally just isn't any money. It costs about $25 a week per camper. Most also pay anywhere from $1 to $40 in travel expenses to get to camp.

Some kids have no hope of going and they just accept it. Some kids work and save every penny to go. Some kids make sweets or food and sell it. Some kids work around their church to make some money. Some kids pray and wait. Some kids ask other family members or friends for money. Some kids give up a meal or a hobby to save money for camp.

There are kids who arrive at camp with the clothes on their back and only one other change. They wash their clothes each day and hope they're dry by the next morning. There are kids who arrive with no sheets, pillow or sleeping bag. They sleep on a dirty thin mattress. There are kids who arrive with no soap, shampoo or towel. Usually, it's because they don't have any.

Kids have cried when it was time to go home from camp because at camp, they get 3 meals a day. Kids have cried the last day because they were returning to an abusive situation. Some have cried of fear to tell their parents of their decision for Christ.

It only takes a little more than $25 for a young person to go to summer camp, a week that could very well be the week that changes his life forever. The sacrifices made by some to go humble me and encourage me. These are some seriously special kids.

Miriam

Camps in Peru

Hungry kids, lonely teens, pastor's kids, gang members, neglected children, seminary students, rape victims, homosexuals, girls who have had abortions, church kids, abuse victims, pregnant girls, children from single parent homes, spiritually mature young adults, prostitutes, alcoholics, drug addicts, Sunday school teachers, teen mothers, .........just some of the precious souls we see each summer at church camp in Peru. Some of their stories would make you weep of shock and sadness. Some of their stories would make you weep with joy.

Brent started going to camp as an infant, sleeping next to him mom in the girls' dorms and being passed around from person to person who wanted to hold the chubby white baby. He grew up going to camp every summer with his parents and eventually as a camper. He worked in a summer camp in CA during college, took youth groups to camp in the US and has been either director, camp speaker or both every summer that we have been in Peru for the last 10 years. To understate it, he loves camp.

My first camp was at the age of 9, at the church gymnasium. Every summer after that until I graduated from high school, I went to summer camp. After I married Brent, we went to camp every summer with the youth group we were working with. Since being in Peru, I have gone to camp pregnant twice, twice with an infant and always with all of my kids. I learned quickly that this was a huge part of my husband's life and saw firsthand what an opportunity to see God at work it was. Now I wouldn't miss it for anything.

The spiritual battle at camp is almost tangible at times. I believe many young people are able to hear God's voice more clearly when they are removed from their daily environment and placed into one where they are bombarded with love, God's Word and surrounded by people who intensely want to see lives changed.

My own life was changed at camp as a teenager. Brent's life was changed at camp as a teenager. We have seen hundreds of lives changed at camp. It is a worthy ministry and we hope one that will grow by leaps and bounds in Peru.

The next few blogs will be about camp in Peru ~ there's too much good stuff to put it all in one!

Miriam