This last trip was very challenging. I alluded to some of our experiences with spiritual warfare in my last post, and it continued for the rest of the time we were there. The new director of the secondary school worked against us each day, not even allowing us access to the children the last day we were there. The van continued to have battery problems, some of the team was hit with stomach issues - even the orphanage was strange, as the baby/toddler room was mostly empty while the kids were at "preschool". My precious Rubi wouldn't let anyone touch her...but BOY does she have a diva attitude. She would still fit into my family perfectly!! :)
When I returned home, everyone wanted to know how the trip went. My report wasn't like the other Parkway trips that week (we had folks in four locations total) and I didn't want to be "debbie downer". As I heard everyone else talk about the groups they had reached, the declarations of salvation, the baptisms, the devil continued to attack through depression and lack of confidence in what we were doing. I couldn't bring myself to write about it here either. Then I prayed. And prayed. And prayed. God led me to see that not sharing the truth of the mission field - that not every trip has the visible, immediate success - that sometimes it is HARD and SLOW and SAD - not sharing that is also what satan was after. So I started talking about the real deal. As I talked about the obstacles and the hardships, I also begged for prayer warriors. I was reminded of Hebrews 11 - all those heroes of the faith that didn't live to see the fruits of their labor. God strengthened my resolve to just KEEP GOING BACK. Again. Again. Again. If they welcome us - fantastic. If not - we'll keep praying and going and praying and going... well, you get it.
Speaking of going back... the next P3 team will be leaving on Thursday, August 8 for ten days on the mountain. We will be hosting VBS for the students of both villages during the day, and holding simple church in a different village each night. Well, that's the plan anyway - God will show us what to do! We're heading back to the orphanage to love on some babies. We shall see if my Rubi lets me get near her this time!!
I ask that you pray for our team, our in-country staff, the Peruvians we will encounter and that the devil will have no foothold in our trip this time. Thank you, prayer warriors, from the bottom of our hearts! I'll try my best to do better at keeping the blog updated. We're at a new hotel, though, so I don't know yet about wi-fi access. Pray. Pray! PRAY!! 