Just a little highlights of what HE has been doing over the past 3 weeks since my last post...one day I will be better at this updating thing each week.

Well, since we last spoke I have been to Palenque for two weeks and Cali, Colombia for a week. Things in Palenque are going...it is a very tough atmosphere and the people's hearts are hard. But HE is forming HIS Team in Palenque and in Cartagena, so I praise HIM for HIS Faithfulness!

My first week in Palenque, I spent a lot of my time meeting and pryng with the women who live in the house with me S, H, and N. I went out every AM pryr walking and asking for His guidance for where to go, what to do, what to pry, and how to love these people. In the afternoons, I would meet with youth, women, play soccer, sit with the people and watch them in the plaza or spend time in His Word. In the evenings, I taught youth, women, and spent time with the local women of the night. We had one meeting with our team and on of the Palenqueros told me that I should be careful who I spend time with because the "women of the night" were not believers. It was good that HE allowed me to see just how the legalism of this unhealthy club had taught their people that they should not associate with the people of the village who were not believers. I used this time to teach the group on the reason why we are in the village - it was definitely a DAD-moment!

The next week I had the privilege to go to Cali, Colombia to be apart of a week long intensive seminary course on storying HIS Words with some local M's and students. It was a great time of being around  other M's, 2 of my favorite nationals who had left Cartagena to go and study at the seminary, and to spend time pryng/teaching/etc with the local students. It was during this week that HE gave me a glimpse of what my future might look like. 

You know most days I walk around and live my day without being able to see anything that is front of me...because all I can see is HIM. It is so great and I know WHO holds my future and so I just live each moment for what it is...another opportunity to give HIM praise and glory! But while I was on this campus, ministering to these students, listening to them, challenging them with HIS Word, and just loving on them - HE opened up this cloud that is forever in front of me and showed me something amazing. While I was on this campus, I felt a peace in my spirit that I have not felt in a long time. I felt useful for HIS Kingdom. I felt challenged to listen to HIS Spirit as I share HIS Truths with these students coming to me for advice. It was in this moment that HE asked me if I would be okay if this was what HE was preparing me for.

To catch some of you up, my passion has always been to take the gospel to those who have never heard. To love on people who have never experience HIS LOVE and share HIS Truths with them. I have always wanted to be on the front lines of ministry and this is a DAD-given passion. But somewhere along the way, I had let this passion get tainted with my flesh and pride. I wanted to be the one to see when HE opens their hearts and they get HIM for the very first time. HE asked me if I would be just as happy and willing to love on, mobilize, teach, and disciple others to do that job. Not loosing my passion for the gospel message and still allowing it to penetrate every single thing I do day in and day out, but allowing HIM to alter my mission field. 

So, I am pryng through this and excited about the possibilities HE has for me in student ministry and this work of preparing people to be sent out to those who have never heard. I am so excited about this vision that HE gave me right before HE closed the cloud again and now I cannot see anything in front of me. Please join me as I pry for how HE will use me and use this time now to prepare me for what HE has for me. I know that without a shadow of a doubt, that I will need to know HIS Word like never before. HE revealed that to me through several questions of students and professors at the seminary and HE gave me HIS Answers but I need to know more! So I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to take seminary classes and learn more about HIS Words and better prepare me for this amazing adventure I am on with HIM.

And now I just got back from one of the hardest weeks that I have ever had. I spent the week in Palenque but I have not felt that attacked and beat up in a long time. The week started on Monday with problem and obstacle after another until I finally get to Palenque late Monday night. Just a few of the problems - car stops working, headlights go out on a dark dirt road, Eric is in a moto accident and they don't have a van to take him to the hospital, S and N are delayed with paperwork they need, and a voice telling me that I am not wanted and to get out. When I got to Palenque, I felt so completely beaten and exhausted that I typed some of my pryr warriors an email asking them to pry hard this week and they did not receive it (for whatever reason) until yesterday! And when we read the verses reminding us that our war is not against each other but against forces of darkness - we are so quick to think that Paul was out of his mind for writing that!

I am back now with a heavy heart and lots of things going through my head. I have taken today and tomorrow to rest in HIM and seek HIS Face. There are a lot of things I need HIM to process with me and reveal HIS Will for me and this work in Palenque. One of the things that I know I have to have is a stronger pryr support team. I will have to do a better job communicating specific requests to this team and be more diligent in asking for pryr in covering me each and everyday that I am out in the village. 

Please accompany me in this pryr as I seek HIS Face these next two days. If any of you who read this want to be apart of this work in pryr, please email or respond to this and I will add you to my pryr warriors. This can be daily, weekly, monthly - anything helps but be prepared to also receive attacks because this war we are in is very real! We are not welcome in this village because we stand for something that is different than anything that they have ever known. But how exciting to see what HE is going to do amongst these people and that one day we will be face to face with HIM hearing songs and pryrs in Palenquero because HE desires to have these people at HIS Feet worshipping HIM!! Oh what a day that will be!!

Last week, I meant to update this page but after a meeting with my supervisors it just didn't happen...I spent lots of time on my knees last week! So, I am sorry for not updating sooner but better late than never, right?

For the past two Saturdays, I have been going to another neighborhood and working with a group of kids and youth (in a gang) to help out another M who is in the states for awhile. It has been a great time of sharing with these youth and just speaking His Truths, nothing more and nothing less. I asked them why they come each week to meet under the tree with the other M and their answer was because they had made me a promise. I was like, I just met you guys what are you talking about and they quickly corrected and said they had made a promise with Kay. Not satisfied with their answers, I ask and that is it? One of them response with an answer about learning more about His Word...and so that is where we stayed. I asked the Who was Dad...silence. I asked them several other questions and in typical youth fashion their answers were all over the place...but they answered. I simply asked them how the world was created and when none of them (including the two youth girls that help from the local club) could not tell me exactly...HE said start here Kendall. And so for the past two weeks we have been unpacking truths from His Creation story and it has been neat to watch HIM work in their lives. Please pry for this group of gang bangers as we meet each Saturday at 3 to talk about HIS Truths. May they accept HIM as Lrd of their lives!

Sundays I have been back at Central trying to get something started with their women and youth. I have been asking, begging, pleading with them since I came back to let me help them in whatever that they needed. I finally was able to get a date with the leaders of the youth to talk about HIS Vision for this group and what they need help with in order to complete that vision. I had discipleship meeting with a couple of youth that afternoon and then spent some more time with HIM.

Monday, I experienced just how much the enemy does not want me here nor to go to Palenque. I met with my supervisor and his wife...which was anything but a healthy meeting but HE is sovereign and opened my eyes to several things through this meeting. Asked HIM to pull me together so that I could meet with the youth leadership. HE did and what a blessing it was to meet with the two leaders and share and hear their hearts. After several hours, we had made a plan and would meet back after pryng individually for His Direction. I leave that meeting now thinking about everything that had been said to me in my meeting with my supervisor and was still physically upset and so I get some coffee and sit with My Dad. I just sit with HIM and allow HIM to comfort me and speak Truth to me. It was a sweet time alone with HIM, not to mention with AC and coffee! WooHooo! 

So I head back to my car and to my surprise when I arrive, it is not in the parking spot where I had parked it. And yes you heard me right, parking spot...not the street, the sidewalk, or wherever colombians decide to park their cars. No no no, this law abiding American puts her car in a spot that she has parked in for years and never had problems. I am told by some "upstanding" men who decide to take care of your car while you are gone and expect a hand out when you leave that my car was just towed. I ask why and they could not give me an answer. Now there is another car in the spot, people on the street that clearly says do not park, and yet my car is gone...in the only place that it is legal to park! So I, of course am not already emotional, walk over to the place (that these men oh so clearly described to me...LOVE COLOMBIA...) and am now told that they close at 4:00. It is 4:02...no joke. I ask if there was anything that the could do...they begin to tell me that I cannot get my car until tomorrow. I am like, of course, when I plan to go to Palenque...of course. And as i listen to their lame attempts at reasons why they towed my car, HE asks me a simple questions. Do you love them, Kendall, like I love them? And I stop. No I don't love neither these men who just want money nor people that accused me of all kinds of things this AM...I don't know how, DAD. You have to love them because I cannot right now.

So HE steps in and I get all the information I need and begin to walk back home. Why not, I need the exercise and need time to just sit and let HIM speak over me. 

Tuesday, I wake up and go not once but twice to get the paper I need to take it to the place I need in order to pay the fine to receive the receipt to bring it back to another man who will write me a note that I then take to the place where my car is and leave with my vehicle. Simple, right? And as I sit in each place, because we are in Colombia nothing is fast here! HE reminds me that HE is in control and this is what HE had for me today. So, I begin to share with anyone beside me about HIM and HIS Saving Gospel message. There are a lot of people who now have no excuse as they have heard Truth, seeds were planted, and HE will do what HE wills with them! HE so faithfully speaks through me and takes care of the entire situation - not having to pay - them saying I was right - and getting back home at 6:00pm. HE also blesses me with two conversations with two beautiful women that I have not spoken to in months. It was so refreshing to hear what HE is doing in their lives and how I can pry for them! HE is so faithful!!

I wake up Wednesday, still numb from my meeting with my supervisor and S calls me to tell me she is leaving Palenque and it is best that I do not come until Friday. Okay sounds good and so I begin to study for my exams and write my paper for my class. That afternoon, still numb but needing to do work I go to Centro to meet with my ladies. It as a good time of sharing with them and talking more about where I could go in their neighborhood each week that was safe. It was good to just be with them and not be thinking about all those lies/accusations.

Thursday, I work more in my seminary class and on some reports for the board that I was sent to have completed by Friday morning. It was a day...HE was with me and that was all I needed. I was blessed to get to spend some time with Ruth, who understands the feeling of just being numb to things and feeling beat down. We laughed and later that night watched a movie together...just the two of us. It was good for the both of us, I think!

Friday, we head out to the farm for our study with the women and to love on the kids. This chapter we were going over were lies we believe about ourselves and I have believed all 6 of them listed in this chapter. HE is so faithful to present HIS Truths to us to combat these lies we hear, just at the right time! On the way back home, we see an apt for rent and stop to look at it. It is a nice apt in a complex with 7 other units that is closer to Palenque. It has the security requirements that I have been given in order to move closer to my people. So we get the information, and begin to pry about it. I am excited to think I would be only 35 minutes from my people but of course, I still have to be approved.

Saturday, I was back with my gang bangers...some discipleship with some girls...and more in The Word time. Plus I get to talk to my bestie whom I have not spoken with in forever either! HE really outdoes HIMself showing me how much HE loves me. We had a chance to catch up on all things and we got to pry together. I cherish my times with my friends and thank HIM for the technology to skype and maintain conversations with people who are far  Sunday, back to central to work on the ladies/youth still waiting patiently for them to decide what they want to do and how I can help them. And I head back to the farm to pick up the Riffle's so that we can go to barranquilla on Monday. Everyone of my new family members knew I needed to get away and planned a day we could just get away, eat some American food, and shop at Price Smart (costco/sam's equivalent in South America). That day as we arrive, I meet Eric on the road jogging and he tells me that one of the kid's mom's just took him. So as we arrive to the farm, they are very sad as this mom does not have a plan to take care of this kid and he was doing so well at the farm. Once again, HE is in control and Sovereign over all things. And so we encourage our family as much as we can and pry...placing little Andres in HIS hands yet again!

So Monday we wake up ready to go to Barranquilla and Stacy and Andrew are sick...really sick. So we don't go and I get to spend the day being mom to 1 sick kid and 4 other kids and taking care of my sweet sick sister. It was a great day...I praise HIM for all these things HE is showing me about myself and this plan for my life. At one point, Ruth being a mom brought her kids to come and play with the 5 at the park with me...to give me a little break! She just looked at me and started laughing. I had not noticed that I was stained in poop, puke, dirt, food, and whatever else.  At that moment, I understood why HE calls us to marry before we have sex which produces children. Because there isn't any man that is going to fall in love with you after you have had kids and look and smell as great as I did yesterday! But really it was an honor that HE chose me to take care of Stacy who doesn't get to rest at all and love on her precious kids!

So here I am today finishing up some work for school and my job and getting ready to head to palenque. Please pry as I head out there for HIS protection and wisdom as we seek HIS Will for this week! I look forward to talking to you on Friday, MOM...is it a date? And the rest of you, I would love to chat with you guys as well!