The World Race

Guess who is going on the World Race!?!?! ME!!!!! I leave in January for an eleven month mission trip to eleven countries.
theworldrace.org
^I'm going on route 2.
alisonfranklin.theworldrace.org
Check it out!

Akward events or really just one event.

Andrew and I went to the movies yesterday. After the movie Andrew had to take a dump so I was sitting outside the bathroom for a bit. This dude (probably around 25-30) was talking on the phone really loud and obnoxiously. I couldn't help but notice and listen in, plus he had a pretty intense 'stache that caught my attention. As he is talking he comes and stands right in front of me, literally two feet from me. I didn't know what to do so I just acted like I didn't even see him. I continued to mess around on my phone but he wasn't moving. I wish that you all could see this man, completely dorky and awkward. So he continues to stand right in front of me but I refuse to look up and make eye contact. I finally break and make eye contact. That was a mistake. He starts to blow me kisses while he's on the phone. "Where the heck is Andrew!?!" is whats going through my head. He continues to stare at me and starts to move forward a little. Andrew is still no where to be found so I hop up and run to the bathroom. The man turns around and acts like he is going to follow me in. I wait for a little while until Andrew calls me to see where I am. I come out of the bathroom and the man is just standing there, waiting for me so I grab Andrew's hand and we walk out while I am laughing hysterically. I explain everything to Andrew as we are walking to the car and we had a good laugh. Oh, awkward moments...how you make me feel alive!

The Pacific Northwest

I've just been enjoying life, up here in the Pacific Northwest aka Washington and Oregon before I head back home to a busy work load! Today Andrew and I went to the Lewis River. I brought a book called "A Walk Across America" by Peter Jenkins. My friend Ashley raved about it and its actually really good so far! The book is about a man (Peter Jenkins) who set out with his dog Cooper to walk across America. Lets just say that this book is making me crave adventure more than ever! I think adventure and exploration are in my bones, I think about them constantly. So I head back to Texas on the 21st. I am excited and sad. I miss my family and friends, for sure but I know that I'll miss Andrew just as much. I don't know. Its hard to have a boyfriend who lives on the other side of the country but I know God is in control. I'm excited to start school, I'm going to hit the ground running! I'm excited to see what God is going to do in my life and how he is going to use me. I'm just excited to be alive, really.
-Love in Christ

On the road againnn!

So we left Thursday the 5th, we being Andrew's family and I. I arrived to the Portland airport at around 1:00 p:m on Wednesday the 6th. I fell asleep at like 2:30 p:m and literally did not wake up until 7:00 a:m the next morning. I was one tired little lady!! So we packed up in the Navigator that Andrew's parents rented and it was a full vehicle with Andrew, Richard, Mavis, Pat, and I. And the road trip began! It is Wednesday today so we have been traveling almost a week and have been to seven states: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Sheesh!! We arrived in Montana on Thursday night and the next day the Kent family reunion began! I met so many relatives, I honestly don't remember all their names but they were so sweet! I felt so welcome! On Saturday we went and floated the Madison River in Montana, I really enjoyed that! That night we had a pig roast, the pig weighted 125 pounds!!! I didn't eat any of the pig since I don't eat meat but I did enjoy some smores that night! Sunday we had breakfast with everyone and said our goodbyes, I was sad to say goodbye to everyone. I was the only person at the reunion from the south! Then we were on the road...again! I had never been to Yellowstone and I have always wanted to go my whole life so Andrew's parents decided to take me! It was AWESOME! I got to see Old Faithful which was so stinkin' cool! And we went and walked along some hot springs which were all different colors because of the mineral deposits. Andrew's parents are geologist so I learned a lotttt in Yellowstone. As we were leaving Yellowstone I started feeling very car sick so we had to pull over on the side of the road. That's right world, I threw up on the side of the road in Yellowstone...barefoot and all! It was pretty awful, especially since throw up came out my nose. I know that you all really wanted to know that. That night we got into this tiny town in Montana very late and there was no where to stay so we stayed in a little log cabin! I really enjoyed that, it was so cute. So we drove all day Tuesday, once again. We stayed in another hotel that night and then Wednesday we went and met Andrew's Dad's cousin Linda and her friend at this restaurant called the Iron Kettle. It was good! Its a little hometown restaurant. Chisholm, Minnesota is where this restaurant was. The town is a little mining town. Then we went to a mining museum which was so interesting! Turns out that Bob Dylan grew up in Hibbing, Minnesota which is right by Chisholm so Linda suggested that we go and see the house he grew up in! So we did! That was so awesome to see. I can't believe that the great Bob Dylan grew up in a little mining town! We drove around the town a bit and ate dinner at a Pizza Pub called Snickers. Yum! We played darts and pool. We ended up sleeping in a tent last night in Linda's friends yard. Her name is Joanne, she is a very sweet lady. I woke up this morning with bug bites all over my body! The great outdoors huh? This morning Joanne treated us to Potica which is this amazing little pastry with brown sugar in it. Its big in this area. Now we are about to head over to Dwayne's which is Andrew's Dad's second cousin. He lives along the lake so we are going to swim all day! Oh how I love traveling, but I do miss my family! God is good, all the time!
-Love in Christ

Back in the USA

I arrived home yesterday at like noon. My family and I went and ate at Mexican Inn but I didn't eat much because I was feeling sick to my stomach! My sister and I went to the movies last night and it was thirteen dollars per person for a 3-D movie! Can you believe that!? My sister ended up paying for half of my ticket because I refused to pay that much. I feel like I've become a Peruvian, everything is so expensive here! Today has been interesting, its been hard for me to get used to the luxuries of America. Every time I flush toilet paper down the toilet I feel guilty and have to remind myself that the toilet will not overflow. This is just one of the many things that have been throwing me off. I was shocked last night when I took a shower and the water got hot so fast! And don't even get me started on this Texas heat, oh Lordy! I have to go sign up for classes since all mine got dropped while I was away!
-Love in Christ

Home

We leave today for home, it feels so strange to say that! Sorry that I haven´t updated this in so long, I`ve just been having so much fun in Puno! It was very hard to leave Conima, especially the children considering that they were holding onto my shirt begging me not to go! We have had so much fun in Puno and have been staying at a really nice hotel which is a nice change! We took a tour of the floating reed islands, that was awesome! Yesterday we went and saw some Incan ruins, tombs of their ancestors. The food here is so awesome too! I have to admit that I am excited and ready to be home, especially since I`ll only be home for two days before leaving again! We will land around noon tomorrow. Please be praying for our safety!
-Love in Christ

Puno...

We´re here and its amazing! I´ll update more later!

Swimmin´ in Lake Titicaca

Sorry that I haven´t been writting much in my blog lately everyone, its not because a lot hasn´t been going on...its because so much has been going on! No, but really! I am back in Conima...I came back wed. morning. It feels so good to be back, I missed this place! God has really been working here, keep praying everyone! I can´t believe we leave Monday morning for Huancane for two days, and then Puno, and then home! I have so many mixed emotions, its ridiculous. I´m excited to go home to see everyone but I have honestly fallen in love with this place. Its going to be especially hard to leave the kids, for us and for them. Yesterday was a series of let downs...we had three storying dates with people and they all got canceled BUT Jeremy L. and I got to go story with the police officers this morning. I told them the story of Noah and the Ark and Jeremy L. told them the story of the Ten Commandments and then Kelsey and Jeremy L. are going back at 5:00 p:m to story with them again! We are also storying with Sophia tonight and Armando at the English lesson. And then at 7:00 p:m we have group storying and Pablo (on of the construction workers here) is telling Peter´s Sermon tonight! It will be his second time, God is really working in him. Everyone pray for Pablo! Today has been crazy busy, we have to finish the race strong! So yesterday we totally went swimming in Lake Titicaca with some kids. Actually it was the Jeremys, a bunch of kids, and me. Heather and Kelsey waded in the water but they didn´t want to get soaked. It was freeeezzzzinggg but so freeing! I´m off to prepare and pray for this busy evening, you should do the same! Pray for us that is! Keep Emily in your prayers as well...she has a doctors appointment in Lima today.
-Love in Christ!

Peru as of lately

The FBC Willow Park team left Sunday, we were all really sad to see them go. They really lifted our spirits. I don't even know where to start, things have been kind of crazy lately. Well Kelsey and I painted a bunch of the girls nails on Monday, that was cool. I ended up puking a lot on Sunday night and Emily has been sick for awhile now. So we had to go to the clinic in Conima on Monday. John Grady ended up coming to get us and he brought us to Huancane yesterday. We spent the night here last night and then got lab work done today. It looks like I'll be headed back to Conima tomorrow. Yeah! Emily still isn't feeling well so be praying for her. I'm suppose to story tomorrow but it's been kind of hard to memorize my story with everything thats been going on so pray for that too. Sorry this blog is so short, I have no motivation to go into detail. I'll update this week with more detail!
-Love in Christ

You are God!

Yesterday turned out to be pretty amazing. God is God. He is not a God of circumstances, every circumstance is in his hands. I was reminded of this yesterday. Vbs went really well, I was sad to see it end! At lunch this drunk dude kept yelled at us...in Spanish so its not like any of us understood him expect Jeremy L. and John. I went with Emily and Heather to the English lesson and told Armando the story of Noah and the Ark. Then Emily and I came back to the house because she wasn´t feeling too well. Molly, Jeremy L, Jeremy S, Jonathan, Cory, and I went to community storying last night. We were praying that Paúl (the guy I wrote about in an earlier blog that was showing an interest in storying) would show up because he was suppose to do the story. We were suppose to start at 7:00 p:m and it was about 7:30 p:m when Jeremy S. and I decided to go get Yasmani at his house to come to the story. We got back to the government building and Paúl was there, thank you Lord! So Paúl told the story of Elijah and Baal. It actually went really well! The discussion time at the end was amazing, it got really in depth. The two teenagers named Blanca and Salomon asked a ton of questions. Usually during the story times we ask questions and they answer them but we allowed them to ask us questions. They asked about the trinity, why we don´t offer sacrifices any more, etc. About 16 people ended up coming and we talked until 9:30 p:m. God is really working in Conima. Pray for Paúl, that he will have the strength to become a leader here and that he will come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

Saturday, July 17th
I woke up to it raining in Conima! What a nice change of weather. We were suppose to go on a hike today but its been raining throughout the day and its been very windy. Instead of hiking we have been sitting by the fire all day playing card games. Its been very refreshing, I forgot what it was like to relax! The room started getting extermely smoky from the fire so we opened a few windows, the windows are swinging windows. The wind picked up all of a sudden and the window was swinging like crazy! So I went to grab it and almost got smacked in the face but Cory Lee came to my rescue! John (the missionary) was laughing the whole time! So much for missionaries being loving! haha. Just kiddingggg. The FBC Willow Park team leaves tomorrow morning, they really lifted our spirits being here; its going to be sad to see them go! Well I´m off to go enjoy doing nothing. Please keep us in your prayers as we are spending our last week doing mission work in Conima. We gotta keep fighting the good fight!
-Love in Christ

Love crosses all cultures

I am really starting to love these people, I am not using the word love casually like so many people do...I feel such a deep love for these people. My heart breaks for them and longs for them to know the same wonderful and forgiving God that I know.

Wed, July 14th
Vbs went really well! The kids loved the craft (Joseph and his coat of many colors)! There were about 30 kids there. My Dad and I worked on the story of Noah and the Flood after Vbs (I am telling it in English and he is translating). Everyone went and ate at the restuarant at 5:00 p:m but my stomache wasn´t feeling well so I stayed behind and rested. My Dad, Jeremy L, Jonathan, Heather, and I ended up going to the group storying. It went pretty well, it was a little hectic but not too bad! About twelve people ended up coming and most of them were pretty engaged. We got back to the house around 8:30 p:m and had worship and then caught some ZZzZZZ´s.

Thursday, July 15th
The morning started out kind of rough, just dealing with stress and other things. My spirits were lifted, thanks to my awesome God! Vbs went really well...we had 31 kids there. The day was going pretty well until I got on the computer and had a message from Andrew. He just found out that his mother has a disease called Atypical endometerial hyperplasia(complex) which is a disease that can develope into cancer of the uterus. There are four stages to the disease before cancer. She is in the fourth stage. She has a doctors appointment on September 2nd to decide what they will do. They think that they caught it early enough. She will have a hysterectomy to try to get the disease out of her body. In September they will find out how urgent the surgery will be. Just please pray everyone. I trust God and know that he has the situation under control but its hard not to feel discouraged, especially since Andrew is all the way in Washington and I am all the way in Peru. Thank God I am going there on August 4th until August 18th. His mother´s name is Mavis so everyone please keep her in your prayers. I also need some prayer. I am joyful today because of Christ but its hard not to feel a deep sadness. So please pray for me as well and Andrew´s whole family. I can see God moving in Conima and there is no doubt in my mind that God has everything under contol but in the U.S.
-Love in Christ

Welcome FBC Willow Park Team!

Monday, July 12th
Today we are cleaning sooo much, this place is going to be spotless! Kelsey, Heather and I went to the hostile to invite the lady who owns the hostile to group storying but she wasn´t there so her father told us to come back later. We invited Franny to the group storying as well. Then we made lunch! We had guacamole and salsa on sandwiches (the meat eaters had turkey as well). Emily and I went back to the hostile around 2:00 p:m and talked to the lady. She said that she works at the school during the day and takes care of her father and runs the hostile during the night. What a busy lady! So we decided that I would garden with her next weekend (she´s going out of town this weekend). We storied with Sophia and her friend. I told the story of Noah and the Flood and Emily translated, Heather followed along with me to make sure that I didn´t mess up. Storying is a group effort! It went really well! Sophia and her friend kept asking me to read in Spanish and every time they would laugh so much. My Spanish isn´t the best, which I´m sure that you have all gathered by now. Sophia pulled out a box full of avocados and I said "me gusta" so she boke one open and we split it between the five of us. We are storying again with them Friday! Kelsey and Jeremy L. did the community storying tonight and said that 18 people showed up!! God is so awesome, he is answering prayers left and right! Also, Emily and Heather said that the English class went really well too! Things are going really well in Conima as of lately, goodbye sickness!

Tuesday, July 13th
The team got here today!!!!!! They arrived at around 11:00 a:m. After they got everything settled we showed them around Conima which didn´t take long considering it is so small. Then we went and ate at the restuarant, everyone seemed to really like it! We came back to the house and the FBC Willow Park team slept since they were so tired from flying. Kelsey, Heather, and I went and gathered sticks and bought some yarn for the crafts. We came back to the house and I showered and we worked on preparing everything for the crafts. Then the Jeremy´s and I went to Yasmani´s house (one of the kids we´ve grown close to) to meet his mom but he wasn´t there so we decided to go on a short hike. While we were hiking Yasmani and his little brother and sister showed up so they hiked with us. Then we headed back to the house because Jeremy S. and I needed to get dinner ready! We made beef tacos with all the fixin´s. The kitchen was so packed with 12 of us but we managed! Then My Dad, Kelsey, Jeremy L. and I headed to the Government building to do the community storying. Kelsey told the story of The Fall of Man while Jeremy L. asked questions and kept everyone engaged. It was some what hectic because the kids were running around but 16 people came (actually a few more but some people left during the middle). One of the construction workers that came answered a lot of questions and he told Jeremy L. that he would like to learn a story one day and tell it the way that we did. Yes!!!! So Jeremy L. is going to give him one of the stories and he is going to try to memorize it. The community storying started at 7:00 p:m and we got back to the house at about 9:00 p:m. When we got back to the house we had group worship, it was real gooood. We all went to bed around 10:00 p:m, we were all pretty tired.

Today, July 14th
This morning we had worship at 8:30 a:m and then we went into preparation mode for VBS. We all prepared everything for our individual thing that we are doing. VBS started today at 2:00 p:m so be praying everyone! I´m doing crafts with Emily and Molly. Woot Woot! John and Emily went and talked to the principal of the school and he said that the kids are really excited and that they liked the posters that Heather and I made. Lunch is in about thirty minutes, we are eating at the restuarant again. God is really working here, we couldn´t do it without all of you praying back home! Oh yeah...yesterday when they got here my Dad brought me peanut butter, cheeze-itz, and some nail polish so we can do a girls day our last week here with the young girls in the town. I think the girls will really like it. My Dad also brought a letter from my Meme and my Mom. My Mom included some lipgloss from Bath and Body works in the envelope. What a sweet heart! My Mom also said in the letter that she found her journal from when she was in Bolivia (around the same age as I am now) and she put her journal entry in the letter from June 11th (the day that I left for Peru). On June 11th she had met a missionary from England named Alison. Crazy cool huh? I thought so too. Well I´m off to see what everyone else is up too. Keep praying, I know that I say that a lot but its so important!
-Love in Christ!

Floatin´ on Lake Titicaca...or actually sinkin´

Yesterday was a very eventful day, to say the least. I actually got to sleep in...till 8:00 a:m which is late for me. I munched on some Peruvian cereal and headed up stairs to the hang out room. I sat around and talked to the Jeremys and Kelsey for a bit. Jeremy Lou and Kelsey went to the clinic at 9:00 a:m. I cleaned the bathroom and then Jeremy S. and I went on a hunt for "pollo" or chicken for you non-Spanish speakers out there. We literally walked into a least six stores and said "¿Donde es pollo?" or "Where is chicken". Thats about as far as my Spanish goes. Everyone was out of chicken, they were waiting for the shipment to come in so we had veggie soup and cucumber sandwiches. It was yummie and vegaterian. ( ; I´m converting all my team-mates! After lunch I stopped by the Internet cabena and then the Jeremys came and got me to set out for our adventure! We decided that we were going to hike out to our favorite spot and build a raft...and float across Lake Titicaca on it. So we collected at least twenty soda bottles (from our kitchen and from the trash that people throw out on the streets) to help the raft float. So we started building our raft and Jeremy Lou cut his finger open pretty bad so I had to go into nurse mode. I made the sail! (We used a sheet but we didn´t actually end up using it because the wind shifted). Two and a half hours later our raft was complete! It had three parts to it for each one of us to sit on. Lets just say that we didn´t get very far from the shore and we all ended up wet, the boys more so than me! Jeremy Lou came out with leeches all over his feet and I had to pick them off! It was disgusting! We decided that it was about time for us to start heading home considering it was going to get dark soon. So we jogged back (we were so cold we were moving fast) wet and dissapointed. When we arrived at the house Kelsey and Heather were making dinner: pancakes, bacon, and eggs. It was so good! After dinner we headed up to the hang out room and had a group meeting. It went well. Today we are cleaning all day! The FBC Willow Park team arrives here tomorrow! I am so stinkin´excited to see my Dad and everyone else! Keep praying for them! I have great news...my friends Shelby and Brooke made it to Haiti yesterday. What an answer to prayer! Tonight I am telling the story of Noah and the Flood to Sophia and her husband (the people who own the store next to our house) and I am a littler nervous, so please pray for me to have a peace about it. God is doing so much in Conima, its awesome! We are building some awesome relationships, its going to be hard for me to leave. Keep praying hard everyone!
-Love in Christ!

Tummy, why won´t you get better?

Last night Jeremy S. and I played hide n go seek in the plaza with the kids, it was so fun! We found out today that the kids used to be scared of us because we are gringos but now they think we are nice, geez...what a relief. The parents here tell their children that white people will catch them and suck all their fat out...no joke. No wonder they are so scared of us! We had a nice dinner last night, pork chops (which I didn´t eat), mashed potatoes, and mac n cheese.

Today we had worship and then Emily, Kelsey, Jeremy S., and some of the kids went on a hike but Heather and I stayed behind because we weren´t feeling too well. I am starting to think that I will never get better! I literally played sudoku for hours, I think that I am kind of addicted now! Today has been pretty uneventful, yet relaxing. Tomorrow we are cleaning the whole house...we have got to kill these germs! Two of my dear friends are leaving for Haiti tomorrow, Shelby Johnson and Brooke Collins so please keep them in your prayers! I will write more tomorrow when I am feeling better.
-Love in Christ!

Getting ready!

We have been praying so much for the FBC Willow Park group that is arriving on Tuesday. We are all so excited to see them, I´m especially excited to see my dad! Today we went to the school and hung up the posters that Heather and I made, the director loved them and they even gathered a small group of kids! We will be starting VBS on Wed. at a school that ranges from age six to twelve. There are seventy kids. Be praying that we will be able to communite the Gospel to these kids affectively. I am working in crafts! It´s almost lunch time and my stomache is getting restless! Today we spotted Barnaby Jones(our pet dog in Conima) and he walked with us for a while. He is a bassit hound and I love him, I wish I could take him back with me! I´m off to go see what´s for lunch!
-Love in Christ!

Back in Conima, feelin´good!

Wed. July 7th
I forgot to write something on Tuesday´s post...Jeremy S. and I went to the pharmacy to get motion sickness medicine for Kelsey and I. On the way there, a guy on one of the bycicle taxi´s went to greet Jeremy. He literally held Jeremy´s hand for at least three minutes and Jeremy had this "help me!" look on his face but all I could do was laugh! Then we went to the pharmacy and we didn´t know how to say motion sickness in Spanish so Jeremy tried to act it out. Needless to say, the woman thought we were crazy and she kept saying "no intiendo" while laughing hysterically. So we called Emily and she talked to the lady via the phone. My stomache hurt so much from laughing at these awkward events!

We ended up catching a bus to Conima at around 7:30 a:m. Praise the Lord! Jeremy sat out by the curb and called us when the bus was there, so we had to run to catch it! I beat the rest of the girls there and the bus wanted to leave when I got there but Jeremy kept saying "tres gringas" or three more white people coming. It got the message across because they waited. Right whenever the girls got on the bus, that bus shot off like a rocket ship! We got to Conima and of course they charged us more than everyone else since we are white, but Emily told them in Spanish that we knew they charged us to much. They didn´t know what to say, it was pretty funny. We got into the house and went into cleaning mode! Goodbye germs! Then Jeremy, Kelsey, and I went hiking to our favorite spot on Lake Titicaca. We did some pretty intense rock climbing and I got stuck at one point. My hands are scratched up pretty bad but it was soooo fun! We hiked about six miles and brought back some fire wood with us in potatoe sacks. We almost got ran over by a llama that was on the loose! Kelsey and I went running and screaming. On the way back from the hike, that same llama followed Jeremy for a little while. When we got back Kelsey, Emily, and I went to re-schedule to story with the police officers tomorrow. Kelsey and I made dinner...I spilled hot oil all over my foot and then slipped in it. Emily and Jeremy came into the kitchen and Emily started screaming. The cardboard behind the gas stove was on fire! Emily and I started screaming "fire!" while Kelsey began blowing on it. Jeremy stood by shaking his head. Kelsey must have some pretty good lungs because she put that fire out! Heather came running down the stairs in a state of confusion. After dinner we went up to the meeting room and sat by the fire and talked. It was rather relaxing.

Thursday, July 8th
This morning did not start out well for me. I woke up with a stomache ache, and threw up a few times. I swear, I have never been so sick in my life. So I skipped out on worship and slept till around 10:30 a:m. I felt better instantly when I awoke from my nap. I went up stairs to the meeting room and everyone was busy making goodie bags for VBS next week. I joined in the assembly line and boy were we moving fast! We decided to take a break for lunch around 12:15 p:m to go eat at the restuarant. We came back after lunch and Kelsey and Jeremy continued working on the goodie bags. Emily´s back was hurting her so she laid down for a bit. Heather and I each made two posters in Spanish to hang up at the school for VBS. They look pretty impressive if I may say so. I took a nice, hot shower and then Kelsey, Emily, and I were off to go story at the police station. The police officers welcomed us and Kelsey told them the story of Adam and Eve in Spanish. She did so well! I was so proud of my roomie. We stuck around and talked to the officers for a bit. Today (Friday) we are making them no-bake cookies. After we talked to the officers for a bit, we headed to the bodaga (store) down the street but the owners were at a funeral recession that we had actually seen marching down the street earlier (and that I took a video of!). We bought some animal cookies from the store and headed back to the plaza. We hung around the plaza for a bit and played with the kids. Jeremy play-boxed with them, they loved it! The electricity was out all day but we managed without it. We had spagetti for dinner. YUM! Then Kelsey and Heather went to tell Sophia (the lady who owns the store beside our house) the story of Adam and Eve. Kelsey told two stories today and did great! I read for a bit beside the fire and retired around 10:00 p:m which is actually late for me!
-Love in Christ!

The Conima team is infected!

Let´s see...where to begin? So last night I went back to the hostile, took a shower and as I was laying in bed I was praying to God that I would be able to sleep through the night without throwing up. My lower back was hurting really bad; I think just from being so sick. I´m laying there and talking to God and thats the last thing I remember. I awoke at around midnight to Kelsey throwing up, I mean puking so bad. I felt terrible for her.

This morning the team and I woke up at 5:15 a:m because we were suppose to try to catch a bus at 6:00 to Conima. Heather and Emily woke up feeling terrible, turns at that the whole Conima team is infected. I actually woke up feeling fine. So Jeremy, Kelsey, and I went to the bus stop. I have never been so cold in my entire life. Let me just give you a mental image: Its below freezing and all the clothes I have with me are a pair of jeans that I have worn for a week straight, some dirty socks, a t-shirt, a hoody, and a thin jacket, oh and some cheaply made mittens (I bought them for 5 soles in Juliaca which isn´t even three dollars). So the three of us are sitting there and I swear that my finger tips are about to just fall off. Everyone is feeling discouraged and not that great physically so of course I´m trying to be the comic relief but its not working. We said a little pray for the girls and that a bus would come but I honestly think all of us were just so beyong feeling discouraged.

So the girls call us and tell us that they aren´t feeling any better. We had back to the hostile around 6:45 a:m, we haven´t even been outside for two hours but it felt like all day. We went and talked to Sonia (the missionary) and told her everything. "Looks like we are spending another night in Huancane" I think to myself and a single tear comes to my eye. Then I metaphorically slapped myself and said, "Get it together girl!" and I did. I read some of the book of John and put my iPod in and listened to some Hillsong and actually got to spend some really awesome, intimate time with God. The girls are still feeling terrible at this point so I decide to grab a blanket and catch some Zzz´s. I fell asleep around 9:00 a:m and was in and out of sleep till around noon. The group gathered together to see how everyone is feeling and we made a group decision to try to catch a bus or a van to Conima tonight if the girls are feeling up to it after they eat lunch. I think we are all ready to be back in Conima, not to mention we have two appointments with people tomorrow. We´ll see. Everyone at home keep on praying, we really need it here. I think that today was one of the most discouraging days for all of us. Not to mention that I went to buy the girls some sprite at the store about half a mile down the street and ended up being short one sole so I had to walk all the way back, which doesn´t seem like a big deal but it is when you are at your breaking point.

I think all of us are at, or close to our breaking point today but you know what...it´s okay because I´m just a silly human being and I find SO much comfort in knowing and believing that my God has a reason for it all and he´s got it under control. There was a point there today when I really started questioning God but once again, he put that joy inside me in the midst of a storm that can only come from him. Hopefully we will get to Conima tonight but if not then its okay because God´s got it under control. Thanks for all your prayers, you all are such prayer warriors!
-Love in Christ!
"You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

Waking up to strangers singing in Spanish...

So yesterday we had a 4th of July cookout at the Grady´s and both the Georgia teams came too! I ended up going outside after we ate and I layed in the grass and read my bible and journaled for a bit. I started feeling extermely tired as I was soaking in the sun so I decided to take a quick nap before entering in the Texas vs. Georgia competition...I mean I needed my sleep to kick their butts. Well my quick nap turned into sleeping from 1:30 p:m to 8:30 p:m. I guess I was just super tired. I´m alone in the hostile because everyone went to eat and I wake up to people singing Spanish in the room next to me. My first thoughts upon waking up are 1: Where the heck am I? and 2: Why are there people singing in Spanish in the room next to me? So naturally I get up and sneak out, tippy toeing out of the hostile. I walk down to the Huancane girl´s house but no one is there so I headed back to the hostile and John came to the door. He called the Huancane girls and told them I was trying to get in! So I went back over to their house and we watched 27 Dresses, again. We got back home around 10:30 p:m and suprisingly enough I actually fell asleep around 11:30 p:m.

Today I woke up at 6:15 a:m to people singing Spanish...again. I´m starting to think this is a new routine. Turns out the owner of the hostile rented it out to some other people...who really like singing apparently. We cleaned the hostile and packed all the groceries up because we thought we would be leaving today. We headed down to the bus stop with Pastor Rueben at around 11:00 p:m and we end up waiting till around 12:30 p:m so we decided to go grab some lunch with the Huancane girls. We ate and went back to the bus stop and found out we would be spending another night in Huancane which really stinks because we had two appointments to story with people tonight. Kelsey, Emily, and I went to the Huancane girl´s house and watched The Devil Wears Prada. About this time I start feeling pretty sick to my stomache. I threw up twice before dinner and figured I was okay to eat two grilled cheese sandwiches but I ended up throwing up about seven more times after dinner. I´m talking puking out my brains. It was pretty awful. That was actually only about twenty minutes ago. I honestly wouldn´t be suprised if I all of a sudden puke all over this keyboard. Let´s just say that I´m not feeling the best. So please pray that we will be able to find a bus tomorrow morning and that I´ll stop feeling so sick. Thanks for your prayers everyone!
-Love in Christ

4th of July...in Peru

Its interesting spending American holidays in another country. When I was 18, I got to spend 4th of July in Africa, actually we were on a safari so that ruled. I'm not going to lie to you bloggers out there, today has not been the best day. I woke up at 6:15 a:m and lets just say I spent a lot of time in the bathroom, it happens to everyone. I couldn't go back to sleep so I thought that a shower sounded like a great idea. Oh, it gets worse. So I go to step in the shower to get my clean on BUT my foot slipped out from under me and I hit my side on the little step you have to step over to get in the shower and I went to catch myself and landed on my hand. So my left hand is really bruised and hurting but on a brighter note...I haven't made many trips to the bathroom lately. I know you all wanted to get really close and personal with me.
We are at the Grady's in Huancane, we spent the night last night. Today we are having an American style cook out and apparently Jeremy Lou created six different events for us to compete in against the Georgia team, I'm doing the apple bob. I'm gonna get those apples!!!! I'm off to go practice my apple bobbing skills...I can't let the team down!!!!

Spring cleaning!

Like the new look? My blog is ready for a night out on the town.

Is that you God?

Oh hello world. Today we went to the market in Juliaca, that was fun! We bought a ton of food, I mean a TON. We pretty much stocked up on oreos for life. I brought some sweet headphones at the radio shack here for like ten bucks. Yippeeeeskipppeeee!
So I'm trying to discern if God is speaking to me or if its just my silly ambitions so please pray. I was wondering today how silly I must look to these people here. I am always doing hand motions and speaking english, its a littler embarassing. Its also embarassing that I always mix up my spanish words. I'm kind of a mess here, actually I am.
But seriously, how do you know who God is really speaking to you? I've been praying and reading in scripture so now I'm just waiting for a response. Sometimes I wish that God would just come down from heaven and smack me in the face and tell me what's up.
I wonder if people ask for silly signs like I do. Sometimes I'll be looking out the window at night and I will ask God to send a shooting star to tell me yes. I bet God is up in heaven laughing at me. That's probably what thunder is, God laughing at the silly things we do or just the silly things that I do. Oh God!
I'm ready to hear his voice.
-Love in Christ!

MOOOO

The Mo team left this morning, I really enjoyed getting to hang out with them! Today´s been pretty uneventful...we played with some kids and Jeremy S. and I made lunch. The most eventful thing that happened today is the toilet getting clogged. Yep. John (the missionary) will be arriving in a few hours and we are eating at a local restuarant and John is going to tell them a bible story. We have actually building a lot of relationships and we are going to be telling a bunch of people bible stories next week! I´m getting really excited!! And our team has been thinking of ideas for the church team when they come. It finally feels like we are really starting to spread the Gospel here! Goodness, I just feel like dancing!! I´m off to do some reading.
-Love in Christ!

Lots of ground to cover.

I haven´t been able to get on the internet for a few days because the lady that owns the internet cavena has been out of town and that´s the only internet access we have here! So I have a few days to cover, I am just going to write whats in my journal.

Monday, June 28th
People were saved in the Old Testament who did not know the name of christ but in the New Testament the mystery of Christ became known, this was a turning point; it ended the time of ignorance and made Christ known. The New Testament teaches that the coming of Christ was a decisive turn in redemptive history, which makes Christ the focus of ALL saving faith. There are unsaved persons among unsaved people groups who are seeking after God in an extraordinary ways. God accepts this search as genuine, and God works wonders to bring that person to the Gospel of Jesus Christ the way he brought Peter to Cornelius´s house in Acts. Wow, I was just questioning and thinking about so many things yesterday and God revealed thses truths to me. Check out the book: "Let the Nations be Glad!" by John Piper. Sara storied with two teenage girls yesterday, she told them the story of the fall of man. Sara is leaving Saturday because she has shingles and has been really sick, so everyone be praying for her!

Tuesday, June 29th
Last night Heather and I made pasta, fried cheese, and potatoe wedges. Yum!! How am I feeling today? Well I haven´t been home sick or anything, its actually been really good to get away in a sense. God´s been teaching me so much! He´s taught me that suffering is a big part of my christian walk and in my suffering, I am sharing Christ suffering. I can´t help what its going to be like when I get home and am caught up in my busy life. Everything seems so meaningless compared to Christ and sharing his word! Yesterday the Jeremy´s, Kelsey, and I went and got fire wood. We ended up hiking to the place that we went to when we went rock climbing, which is about four miles total. So I cared about fifteen pounds of firewood for two miles and up a huge hill, I thought I was going to pass out!!! Last night Jeremy Lou told two police officers the story of Creation, which was so awesome...even though he told it in Spanish so I couldn´t understand anything. ha! Last night I hide in the meeting room and jumped out and scared Kelsey and made her spill hot water everywhere. It was hilarious!

Today
The Mo team is here with us right now! There names are Tim, Jessica, and Mindy...I like them a lot. Tonight Sara and I are cooking dinner for ten people. Oh my! And Heather and Emily are teaching English classes at six to six people. Then Emily is telling the Creation story to Sophia and her husband (the people who own the store next to our house.) Its so exciting that we are actually starting to tell people bible stories! I have to go start making dinner for everyone. Keep praying everyone!!
-Love in Christ!

Axe Women, Rock climbing

So yesterday we had worship and then the two Jeremy´s, Kelsey, and I climbed halfway up the mountain that is on the outskirts of Conima to collect fire wood. Let´s just say that I could be on the show Axe Men. Then everyone had lunch at the house but I called Andrew and talked to him for a bit, he really encouraged me. Then the two Jeremy´s, Kelsey, and I went on a four mile hike down to Lake Titicaca(four miles total). There were so many good places to rock climb
so we decided to go ahead and do it! Jeremy Lou almost fell, a huge rock fell down and hit him in the chest. I started scaling the mountain pretty fast but then I came to a spot where I was stuck so the Jeremy´s pulled me up. Kelsey started freaking out a little bit but she ended up making it up too. When we got on top of the mountain, it was the most beautiful view in the entire world. I took a ton of pictures of course. Then the Jeremy´s decided to hop rocks in the Lake and they both ended up falling in, it was pretty hilarious. We found some more wood and carried it the two miles back, up this huge hill. I thought I was gonna die!!! Not really though. Then we remembed that we told a bunch of kids that we would play soccer with them so we had to do that right when we got back from the hike. I got to be on the kids team and we won!!! Victory!!
It was mine and Jeremy´s turn to make dinner so we made build your own burritos with guacamole and salsa and rice and chicken and everything!! I was delicious. Kelsey made no bake cookies and we made some apple cider and headed to the fourth floor where our little meeting room is. Jeremy S. made a fire and we drank apple cider and ate cookies and sang christmas songs! I´m seriously not joking, it felt like Christmas time! Then we worshipped God together and just fellowshiped for a few hours. I loved it!

Today I woke up, cleaned the bathroom and washed all my clothes! It feels good to have everything done. Then I made some yummy potatoe wedges. I´m becomming such a good cook!!! Now I am going to review my story again, we are starting to story tomorrow (tell people bible stories) so be praying everyone!!! God is good, all the time!
-Love in Christ!

Dance, Dance

So yesterday we woke up, had worship, and then headed to the high school down the hill to this all dance festival. We got there at ten but it didn´t even end up starting till twelve! It was so cool, I loved all the dancing! I took a ton of pictures! The night before it sounded like they were having a huge party in the street and it sounded like that last night too. The people drink so much here, its seems like most of the men just waste their lives away drinking. Its really sad.
So we got back from the dance festival at around 2:30 p:m yesterday. I fell asleep at three and didn´t wake up till five thirty! We had dinner and then our group meeting and then I worked on my story some more. I think I got it down pretty well, we are presenting them in front of each other tonight!
I was reading through Genesis last night and I kept thinking to myself..."O, how I long to have faith like Joseph´s!" Genesis really encourages me....God kept getting Joseph out of a bad situation and he kept blessing him because Joseph trusted God and worked hard. I was reading through Exodus today and I got such a warm feeling when I read: "Then the Lord asked Moses, `Who mades a person´s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.`" Exodus 4:11-12 This is so comforting to me, especially considering I am in a foreign place where I don´t speak the language but God will give me wisdom and words to say!
Jeremy S. and I played frisbee with four boys for about two hours today, I really enjoyed that! And next week we are going to start telling stories, I already have my eye on the lady who owns the hostile down the street. She has a beautiful garden and I am going to ask her if I can garden with her next week so I can start building a relationship with her. Its all about building relationships with people and showing ALL people love. Pray that God will give us the words to speak and the wisdom to know when to be silent.
-Love in Christ!

Community

So I woke up at 5:00 a:m today. People here like to honk their horns all hours of the night/morning. I don´t get it either. I have been getting deeper and deeper in the word every day, I seriously love just getting to spend some good ´ol quality time with God. Worship was so awesome this morning. We talked about balancing our personal relationships with God and our group relationship. O, how I long to share a community under God...giving and taking because you love God which makes you love each other! That´s how the community of God was intended to be, sharing one another´s lives with each other. The original church in Acts lived together and sold all their belongings and gave to the poor, they were one mind and one heart. Check out Acts 2:44-47. Lets be the living church...we are the church! I´m feeling so passionate today, I´m so excited that God is working through me and using me to further the kingdom of God! I want to walk, talk, and breath love on everyone that I come in contact with. Man, I´m so excited that my God uses me, even with all my weaknesses and imperfections. I´m telling you, just let God use you. Let go of your life. "If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it." Luke 17:33 Just let it go.
-I love you because Christ loved you first!

Adventuresss

So Sara and I made stir fry last night, it only took us three hours! We didn´t have enough chicken so Jeremy had to go buy another chicken and it was frozen! Did I mention that we de-bone the chicken and everything? Jeremy had lunch with a guy yesterday, actually the guy who owns the hostile that we stayed at in Huancane. He said that the guy handed him something that looked and smelled like a huge lemon but it just tasted like water. The guy kept saying "mas, mas!" so Jeremy ate a ton of random foods. He said the guy showed him his favorite bible verses and then just started singing Spanish. So hilariously awkward/awesome. Jeremy said that when the man left the room he just stuffed a ton of food in his backpack so the man wouldn´t be offended that he didn´t eat it all. Its actually pretty amazing that Jeremy could understand the guys Spanish because Jeremy can barely speak Spanish himself. So today we went to the medical clinic in Conima and they ended up asking us if we wanted to ride in the ambulance. The ride in the ambulance turned into five hours, and going the three cities!! We went to a city about twenty minutes from Conima, then to Cupisaya, and then to Tilali which is basically on the border of Bolivia. It was really interesting. In Cupisaya I met an eleven year old girl named Veronnica and a three year old boy named Luis. Luis actually remembered my name and even called me by it instead of calling me gringa! It was a breath of fresh air! Jeremy and I got to do some boulder hopping too, which I think is one of my new favorite things. I´m still working hard on memorizing my story, almost got it down!! Tonight we played duck, duck, goose with the kids for a long time. That was a ton of fun. All this teenage boys are staring at me in the internet cavena and its a little awkward. That´s what I get for being a gringa! I´m off the see whats for dinner!
-Love in Christ!

The French

Last night Jeremy Lou came for dinner and brought a suprise! A french couple! Thomas and Jane, my favorite french people ever. Thomas and Jane are backpacking through Peru and Bolivia and have been for two and a half months. We treated them to dinner last night...chicken and dumplings and then crepes this morning! They were very excited about the crepes, to say the least. We got to have a really great conversation with them. They have backpacked through Asia as well and they lived in Brazil for a year! I can´t wait to be married and be able to do that kind of stuff with my husband! So cool! We got pictures with them so I will upload them when I get back to the states, so not until the beginning of August. Ha. I met a really sweet lady last night with the most beautiful garden and I am going to help her garden one day! I forgot to mention that while we were eating breakfast this morning, Sara walked into the kitchen and her tongue was black! Apparently pepto can turn your tongue black? Who knew. We got to pray with the french couple before they left and send them off with blessings and good thoughts.

Then we all worked on memorizing our stories for about two hours, I´m memorizing the story of Noah and the Flood. Then we went to our favorite little restuarant here, actually there´s only like three but still. Did I mention that there´s only about a thousand people in this town? And of course while we are eating, about ten kids are staring at us. My life here is like being a tiger or something at the zoo, we are the main attraction! Seriously though. So I did this weird little dance for the kids, I´m a loca gringa!!!! Actually, as I am typing this...kids are staring at me. Story of my life. So I´ve decided to do a weird little dance every time they stare and make a weird face. Muahahahaha. My hands are so cold right now! Ahhhh. I´m at an internet cavena right now in Conima, actually the only internet cavena here.

Have I told you guys that we can see Lake Titicaca from our house? Well we can, and its beautifullll!! Please go to google images right now and look up Lake Titicaca so you can see what I have been seeing! There´s a little island with a resort on the lake and I think we are going to try to catch a boat on Saturday to go check it out.

Keep praying everyone, I know you have been but keep it up! We need all the prayer we can get! It gets so cold at night, like my bones seriously feel like ice but it gets pretty nice during the day. The sun is so bright here, my nose is pretty burned right now but I just hate sunscreen! I know my mom is going to read this so don´t worry, I will go and apply sunscreen as soon as possible. Well I have an appointment at three to play frisbee with a bunch of kids and its two right now so I am off to work on my story some more before those crazy kids wear me out!

-Love in Christ! Romans 12:2

Today´s post, updated today

So today has been pretty great! I woke up, spent some time with my Lord, and then we had worship! And of course I had a cup of hot tea and some cinammon toast! We decided to study Phillippians as a group, so far so good! I learned today during worship that our group does not have singing abilities. HA. After worship we went to the market, which is every Sunday. People bring all their veggies and meats to the plaza to sell. We got a ton of fresh veggies. YUM! I hand washed some clothes today before lunch and hung them up. Jeremy and Heather made fajitas for lunch so I had veggie fajitas. SO GOOD. After lunch I decided to go to the little courtyard that is attached to the house we are staying at and I pulled weeds for about two hours but I made that garden look good!!! Then I got to take a nice lukewarm shower, showers aren´t really hot here. I even clipped my toe nails today! Don´t judge me world! I haven´t even shaved my legs since I´ve been here, you think I´m joking but I´ll have pictures for proof!!!! Oh yeah, Happy Father´s day!!! I miss you and love you so much dad! Yesterday that multi-tool you gave me really came in handy and I can´t tell you how many times that I´ve used that flashlight, I´m pretty sure that mine is the brightest out of everyone´s!!! I LOVE YOU so much Dad!!!....I love my heavenly father so much too! I´m off to see what´s for dinner! Keep praying everyone, we need it!
-Love in Christ!

The Climb

I haven´t had internet in a few days. I feel like I have so much ground to cover. I just got on facebook and I´m feeling kind of bummed, I feel like all of my friends are off doing all this stuff this summer and forgetting about me. Meh, I´m probably just being a baby. Here we go...

Wed, June 16th
Hello, I am currently sitting on the roof of the hostile, looking over the whole city. Today we are going to Juliaca to go shopping and to get stuff for our home in Conima! It´s only 7:45 a:m here but my days always start at 7:00 a:m. We have worship at 8:30 a:m as usual.
Okay so I´m back from shopping in Juliaca. I went to exchange my dollars bills for soles and they wouldn´t taked my ripped bills, even if it was just a tiny rip! Ridiculous. Sara and I met two of the sweetest, cutest litte girls in Juliaca. We got to eat at the really good restaurant, I had fettucini alfredo. It was so weird to have normal american food. Heather bought a sweet guitar when we were out shopping so we can use it for worship in Conima.
Sonia(the missionary training us) made us a delicious going away dinner! She made hamburgers, potatoe salad, and baked beans...and then a special grilled chees sandwich for me! After dinner walked to a ladies house and had worship in English, Spanish, and Aymaran which was sooo cool! Pastor Rueben told the story of Adam and Eve, John(the missionary) translated. Then on the way back to the hostile Jeremy Lou played the guitar and we sang to the Lord! Sleep time. ZzzzzZZz.

Thursday, June 17th
THE CLIMB
We woke up at 3:45 a:m today to hike a mountain, yes...a mountain. I felt out of breath just walking to the base of the mountain! I literally almost turned back and climbed right back in bed. I´m not going to lie, hiking that mountain in this altitude was the hardest thing that I have ever done physically. We hiked 800 feet up. The whole time I was asking God to hold my hand. I finally got to the top (last of my team because I walked with the Huancane girls and Andrea tore her acl before she came). Let me tell you, that hike was worth it! I got to see the sun rise on top of a mountain, in the middle of Peru. WOW. All I could do was marvel at God´s creation. I hiked back down on the trail (which is harder) with Kelsey and we had a really great talk. We arrived back at the house around 7:15 a:m so I packed all my stuff up for Conima!!! We had worship and then we cleaned the hostile, squeaky clean! Then we packed everything in John´s vehicle. The two Jeremy´s and I had to stay behing and catch a bus because there wasn´t enough room for us. So we waited at the bus stop with Pastor Rueben for an hour and a half! We found out that there was only one bus and it wasn´t going to Conima so if we got on it then we would have to walk an hour to Conima. So we decided to go back to the Huancane girls house and get some lunch because it was about 1:30 by now...our team left at about noon. Andrea made us grilled cheese sandwiches and we played scrabble! After we got done playing scrabble, I started feeling pretty sick so I layed down. I layed down for about two hours and then got up and went to the bathroom, where I threw up about four times. I wasn´t feeling too great at this point so we walked back to John and Sonia´s and I took some medicine. They decided that it would be best to wait until Friday to leave for Conima. I decided to go lay in bed around 7:00 p:m and I finally fell asleep after about an hour. ZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZ.

Friday, June 18th
So last night was my breaking point. I felt awful and I was in a foreign country, far away from home. I wanted to go home, and still kind of do. I know God brought me here for a reason.
So John, the Jeremy´s, and I left for Conima around 9:00 a:m. We took this really pretty route but of course, I started to feel car sick and I was still feeling pretty sick from the night before. So they pulled over and I took some medicine. Lake Titicaca is probably the most beautiful creation that I´ve ever seen, I´m thinking this as I´m about to puke. So we go to Mo to see where to Mo team lives since its on the way to Conima but they aren´t there. But of course, I end up throwing up in their bathroom. We start driving again but my breath is tasting pretty gross so John pulls over so I can brush my teeth on the side of the road, using a water bottle. All this kids are staring at me and I know that their thinking "loco gringo". We finally ariive at our new home in Conima around 11:00 a:m and its so amazing and beautiful! Its a cute yellow house, three stories high, with NO heating and concrete walls but I still love it! John showed us around the city and then I took a two hour nap! We had dinner and then bad time. ZZZzzzzzzzzz.

Saturday, June 19th
I´m hanging out at Lake Titicaca right now, but its really like and ocean! We just got done with lunch and now we are all just hanging out by the water. This morning Jeremy locked himself out of his room so this guy spent three hours trying to get the lock off, and finally did. While the guy was working on the door, we played frisbee with the kids. I´m falling more in love with this place every day! I´m sitting here listening to the water hit up against the rocks and Jeremy is playing with Alex and Jose (two little boys that we met). I caught the coolest looking frog! Jeremy and I decided to take off our shoes and walk in the water, which was a terrible idea because it was freezing!!!! We taught the kids how to skip rocks, which was soooo fun! After we went to the lake, we pray walked around the city...prayer is so powerful! Then Jeremy and I cooked home made spagetti which took about two hours but it was sooo good! We are taking turns preparing meals here since it takes so long! Then we finished off the night was a group meeting and some telephone pictionary! Of course, my drawings were ridiculed but I know that they were all just jealous! Bed time. ZZzzzzzZZZ.

I´m sure that there are so many grammar mistakes and misspelled words so I´m sorry! I´m typing this in a tiny little internet cavena with a ton of kids staring at me, I´m not joking. I´m a gringo which means I´m a rare bread around here!

-Love in Christ, John 16:33

The rooster crows...

And so my day has begun. Christ walks beside me holding my hand, today and always. Sometimes I walk in doubt but my friend continues to hold my hand and guide me in encouragement. At times I walk in fear but my companion holds on tight and gives me strength. My body aches and I feel as if I cannot go on any longer. My friend gives me water and we continue on our journey, hand in hand. Then I begin to walk in shame and I want to hide from my friend but he holds on even tighter. He tells me all about grace and that his grace will never run out. We go on about our way but my feet are covered in sores so my friend lets go of my hand and carries me. O, what a friend I have!

Honestly, this morning I was feeling a bit discouraged. My stomache didn´t feel too good and I was stressing out bad about the language barrier. As I was sitting with my cup of tea and the word of God I heard a rooster crow and it was an instant comfort. It took me back to waking up every morning in Africa and spending some time with God first thing in the morning and hearing a rooster crow every single morning. Its like that rooster is a symol of something new, a new day that the Lord will use. A new day that the LORD will use, not I. The story above came to me as I was sitting there on top of our building with my cup of tea. I´m not doing this alone, in fact I´m not the one whose doing anything...Christ is carrying me the whole way. I just have to be obedient to God and go when he tells me to go. With that said, I´m learning to get over the worry of the language barrier because I know God is going to use me no matter what!

Today we learned how to hand wash our clothes. It sounds easy but trust me, its harder then it sounds. That water was cold, its cold up here in the mountains. Period. I think that my bones are getting somewhat used to it. I actually enjoyed hand washing my clothes even though it takes forever. I´m really learning to enjoy the simplicity of life. Guess what else I did today!?! I cut a chicken, yes...the vegetarian. I didn´t eat it though! We each got to take turns cutting off the wings and learning how to take of the skin and everything and where to cut it on the joints. Lets just say that I killed it...literally...well not really because the poor guy was already dead! I can´t upload pictures here because most of the computers have viruses. ); So today we had about two hours of down time so the two Jeremy´s and I went and played frisbee on the street with a bunch of kids. We also did hand stands with them. It was so fun! I got to sit down with a bunch of young girls and talk to them, well it was mostly them telling me how to say stuff in Spanish. It was so awesome though! Jeremy said that there was a huge group around me. Everyone was just laughing at my pathetic attempts at Spanish but I tried okay!! Tonight an Aymara man came and gave his testimony, he is now a pastor at a simple church. That was pretty amazing to see the result of the missionaries hard work and prayers. I also got to hear some worship songs in Spanish. Can you say beautiful!?! I need you all back home to be praying for us here. It may get really discouraging here. Its interesting to not have all the luxuries we have in America. I never thought that being able to flush toilet paper down the toilet would be that big of a deal. Or hand washing clothes. Or litterally spending two hours to prepare a meal because it´s completely different cooking food in this altitude. Anyways what I´m saying is that yeah, America is great and we have a lot but living a simple life isn´t so bad. We´ll see how I feel after six weeks here though! Ha. Its still crazy that think that I´ll be here this long. I went to the store today and got eggs, butter, and bread...that´s rights folks! It sounds so easy but not so easy when everyone around you speaks a different language! Ha. The stores here are so different, well obviously. Everything here is different but I can´t explain it with words, its something you have to see with your own eyes. When I get back to the states I can upload all my pictures. Also, I´ll tell you all about what we´ll be doing in Conima tomorrow! This is sooooo long! I´ll leave you with this, get out of God´s way and just let him use you.
-Love in Christ!

The stars are big and bright...

DEEP IN THE HEART OF PERU!!! And they are! The stars are so beautiful here! What's up with the no comments everyone?!?! Are you guys even reading this!?! Today we did some more missionary training, we went out and got some candy from one of the stores near by but we haven't gotten to get out a whole lot yet. I am so excited to go to Conima on Thursday and start our ministry. Yesterday at the market Justin Bieber was playing on someone's radio...I wish that I was joking! I don't really miss home at all but I mean I haven't been gone long. I honesty can see myself living overseas for most of my life. I really enjoy this simple living and simple church. I have a lot to say about simple church but I will talk more about that later. I'm praying for everyone back at home, I really want you all to feel this deep fire inside of you that I feel. It's not enough just to proclaim that you are a christian, if your life doesn't show true worship and love for others then what are you doing? Wow, you proclaim to be a christian just like the rest of America...lets see some change in your life! Get out and do something, show someone love! Yeahhh! I don't know about you all but I want to live a life worth following. I'm tired and ready for bed even though its only 9:00 p:m here. I've been a busy bee! Keep praying everyone, God's going to move so much this summer!
-Love in Christ

Bread....no pan!

Hello everyone! I am feeling much better after getting ten hours of sleep last night. I know, I know...ridiculous. I lied to y'all earlier, I'm sorry! We are actually in Huacane right now with the Grady's. We will be here until Thursday and then Thursday evening we will be going to Conima. We will be doing missionary training until Thursday and we even get to hike up a mountain. HOORAY! I hope all my friends from back home have been keeping up with my blog, I mean it has only been three days. HA. So yesterday I had chicken foot soup, oh yeah...you heard me right. I had two chicken feet in it but I just scooped them out and put them aside. The soup was actually muy bueno! Today we had worship at 8:30 a.m. and then we went to the market place. I loved the market place!!! I swear that I ran into like twenty people but you just say "Oh per miso". I don't know if that was the right spelling for that word. I went to a little store and asked for bread and Fernando (the man at the store) laughed and said its pan not bread! We got a ton of stares at the market place, I just kept saying "Hola!" We went to a restaurant today for lunch and it was pretty good! I had french fries with cooked onions and some interesting sauce and then rice. There's like a million different kinds of potatoes here. Also, we are 12,800 feet up...talk about being short of breath! Ha, but seriously I really have been. Its soooo cold here at night and in the morning. You can go on top of the building here and look over the whole city so that's pretty cool. I am getting a little nervous about climbing up that mountain on Thursday! Well its 7:40 p.m and I need to read my Bible and some information that the Grady's gave us so I'm off! I will try to update this tomorrow. I found out that we won't have very fast internet connection in Conima so we'll see how much I get to update this. Adios amigos!

Hello Lima, Peru

I'm in Lima right now hanging out in the airport. Sheesh, I'm so tired! We left from dfw in Dallas at six thirty p.m. We arrived in Mexico city around eight thirty p.m. and hung out there for awhile, then we left from Mexico city and were on the plane for about six hours and now I am in Lima! It is eight in the morning right now. We leave here at eleven thirty p.m to go to Juliaca, Peru. We will then take a bus ride up the Andes mountain to Conima. We should be in Conima around four p.m. tomorrow. I feel like this is all running together, I am just so tired and this keyboard is confusing me. Everything is in Spanish, which I guess is expected. I am so ready to be in Conima and in a bed! I am so excited to see what God is going to do this Summer in Peru and around the world!! Well, I am going to go curl up in a ball somewhere and try to get some shut eye. I promise these posts will be more interesting once I get some rest. Also, I am praying for all my friends who are leaving for Super Summer today! I plan to go Indiana Jones on Peru!
Love in Christ!

Peru, Peru...on my minddd!

Seriously, I leave for Peru on Friday. That is so sooooon! I am nervous and excited and about to explode with emotions! I bought some sweet stuff on sierratradingpost.com yesterday for my Peru trip. Favorite new website! The founder of the company is this awesome Christian dude and there are bible verses on the website and when you click a bible verse it tells you his story. Its pretty awesome and inspiring to see someone share their faith through their business. God is so great! Lately he's been showing me more and more how small I am in comparison, not in a bad way more like "HEY! I got this under conrol Alison...nothing is too great for me". I mean I've been worring about money and having enough time to do everything when I know that my God raised from the dead in three days, changed water to wine, etc. Sometimes I just have to literally laugh at myself about the stupid things I worry about. When I worry and stress out, I am basically saying that I don't trust God. I imagine God just being like, "Chill out, if I can raise from the dead in three days then I can handle all your little problems". And its true!!!! He can!!! I don't know whether or not to put the period before or after the quotation marks and its a little embarassing, I also don't know how to turn on spell check so I'm just stuck in a boat without a paddle. I decided that I'm going to start using funny saying more because well I like them. So butter my butt and call me a biscuit, I'm going to church on the island and then to the beach so I'll see you folks later!
-Love in Christ!

Ouchhh!

Guess who didn't sleep very well last night? This little lady. Guess why? Yeahhh...I got a terrible sun burn on my back. MOM, YOU WERE RIGHT. I never wear enough sun screen, never and you would think that I would learn my lesson but I never do. I'm such a kid sometimes, I swear. So I was reading through Luke some more this morning and this is what stood out to me: "...Your faith has healed you." Luke 18:42. Jesus says that so many times when he healed people, do I have faith like that? Do you? I'm off to enjoy the beach!!! Don't worry, I'm basically swimming in sun screen.
-Love in Christ!

Vacationnnnn!

<-Our balcony...and some shells I got from the beach!

<-This is our view!

<-This is Heather's room!

<-This is my room!

<-This is the living room!

Oh hello. I am currently sitting on a balcony, looking out at the beach. That's right folks, be jealous. But really, my best friend's dad got us the hook up and we're staying at this ridiculous condo in Portaransas. And by ridiculous I mean...Heather and I have our own room and bathroom, there's a full kitchen, living room, and dining room. It's UHHH-mazing! I was reading through Luke this morning and let me just say...You're the man Jesus! All those miracles and telling the religious teachers whats up! "You hypocrites! Each of you works on the Sabbath day! Don't you unitie your ox or your donkey
from its stall on the Sabbath and lead it out for water? This dear woman, a daughter of Abraham has been held in bondage by Satan for eighteen years. Isn't it right that she be released; even on the Sabbath?" Luke 13:15-16 The religious teachers were trying to find Jesus guilty of not following the laws of Moses so they criticized him for healing a woman on the Sabbath because he "should not be working" but Jesus told them what's up! "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy-full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside. So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over." Luke 11:39-41 Well...I'm off to enjoy the water! Love in Christ!

Oh Hello There!

I made this blog thingy because I'm going to Conima, Peru from June 11th to July 30th. I know absolutely nothing about blogging and I think it shows. So hello bloggers out there! My name is Alison Franklin and I'm going to travel the World for Christ. I love life and I can't wait to see where I'm taken!