Day 31- Wading through the waters

               After 31 days of drowning in unknown words, strange foods, and severe staring, I think some of us are getting to the point where we are no longer gasping for air. We’re finally able to understand enough of the conversation that it doesn’t sound like we are listening underwater. We’re still splashing in the waves and sometimes our ears still get water logged, but we no longer feel like we’ve been thrown overboard and are kicking fiercely to stay afloat.

                Last week JR was talking about his Mid-week prayer meeting at church. He said that there is a group of guys who pray with him every week during the prayer meeting. They always want to pray with him and he always agrees, but he doesn’t know exactly what they are saying. This week, however, was different. He was able to finally understand the words they were praying on his behalf. Jr said he almost started crying. He didn’t share with us what these men said, just the fact that they really do care about him. They want to see him succeed and have a profitable time here in Peru. They are cheering for him and praying for him without fail. Take a deep breath, JR, and enjoy the sweet fellowship with these men.

Today is Sunday the 24^th of June. I’ve been in Peru for 31 days. After 40 hours of personal Spanish tutoring and countless times of saying “No entiendo” (I don’t understand), I was finally able to grasp most of the lesson in Sunday School. Each week I hop around to different classes to see which one I want to help once I become more fluent. Today I sat in with the teenage girls. Heidi (who is also from the U.S.) gave a lesson about David. We talked about his youth and his valor. His weakness and strength. But mainly we focused on his firm confidence in God. No one in their own strength would willingly volunteer to fight a giant. But David knew his God was stronger. We think of David as being so brave, but his God is the same as ours. The same God that killed the giant and defeated countless armies is the one we serve today. Do we see him that way? Or do we back away from challenges thinking we’re too weak to face them? I’ve heard this lesson since I was a little girl. However, I’ve never thought about it as hard as I had to think of it today. Since I’ve been here, I’ve had to think twice as hard to comprehend a simple Bible story lesson. Through the past few weeks, I’ve learned that having to think this hard is not a bad thing.  The simplest Bible stories can be seen in a whole new light when concentrate hard enough to translate each word in your mind. David had a “confianza firme en Dios.” He had a firm confidence in God. Do I?

Psalm 27:13-14
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!