Finally in Palenque...

Darlys and I head out to Palenque for the week…it took us awhile to get there as my knee was killing me but we arrived. It was great to see everyone again after several weeks of being out of the village. That afternoon, we studied with Ddr, Nz, and Crn. We had a good time in His Words but there was not the hunger to study His Words like before and a lot of distractions. We headed back to the house to eat dinner before going to the local club for their service. After driving all day and walking from Ddr’s house, I decided not to leave the house as my knee was killing me. We stayed at the house and began going over the mentoring material together. That evening, we did not have electricity and so did not sleep well but spent the night pryng and reading His Words.

We get up the next morning, take showers (as we were a bit sweaty from a night of no sleep with no fans) and have the morning devotional with the girls in the house. Once again, everything was just different in the village this week. No one was excited about His Words. We head to the club for the hour of worship, and when we arrive there are not many people there but we join them. We head to meet with Krstn and Dncl at their house. When we arrive, it was just more of the same. The festival that they had been there all weekend had really affected the village. The women, families, and youth that we normally meet with were not remotely the same. They had been affected by the worship that had gone on during the festival and they had left His Word and Him out of their lives. That afternoon, Darlys and I pryd and asked for His Direction as we served Him the rest of the day. We hosted the youth in the house and decided to teach them on the Word. It was a great time where they were challenged because none of them know anything about how the Word was formed, what it says, and why they should read it. I can only pry that HE used this time to move them into the study of His Word or at least a curiosity to start.

Thursday AM, we had another devotion with the ladies in the house and HE organized a great opportunity for us to spend time with Rsr. It was a great time of her opening up to us, reading His Words, and challenging her to begin to live as HE designed her to live. We met with some other people around the village, some for the first time, and then headed around the village to pryr walk. We ended our time of pryr at Mnl’s house where we had another study in His Words with the family. It was a great time and it was a totally different atmosphere than what we experienced on Tuesday. The power of His Word and pryr…in just two short days, He began to flame the first that these people once had for Him and His Word.

On Friday, we head back to the house as my knee was hurting really bad and I didn’t have the energy to be at the farm with my friends that day. I went home and Susie was still there taking a break from the village (she had been at the apt all weekend resting.) Nasly came over to help me clean the house before my friends came. So, I bathed, took a nap, and prepared for my teaching time with the women at the local club. It was a very interesting evening as they were confronted with the cross of Chrst. They were not ready for what The Word says and demands of them in regards to the cross… as many of us are not. It was a very challenging study but they all left challenged and ready to do the homework for the next week. Ruth came by that night to tell me that Saturday was Andrew’s birthday and he had specifically asked for me to come to his birthday. I was so touched that my little nephew wanted me to come to his birthday…and he wanted sprinkles on his cake.

Saturday, I wake up with the most horrible stomach virus that I have had in awhile. Needless to say, I did not go to the farm for Andrew’s birthday, I did not have the youth over for the study, and I tried to get better and get the sheets washed for Stacey and Laura’s arrival. The girls arrived on time and it was so good to see them! We put their stuff in the apt and then headed for a walk on the beach. It was great to have friends here and to here what HE had been doing in their lives. HE painted the most beautiful sunset for the girls and I just stood in awe of Him and His masterpiece. We head back home and the girls being gracious, decided to eat some street food as I was still not up to eating anything. We spent the night just hanging out, laughing, and catching up on each other’s lives.

Sunday morning, we head out to the farm to celebrate Andrew’s birthday, go to a club where the girl’s could understand the service, and let the girls hang out with the families on the farm. It was a great morning of worship with this young club with such a passion and hunger for Him and His Glory. We played with the kids and caught up on their lives. We headed down to Mike and Stacy’s to celebrate Andrew’s birthday. It was a relaxing day just hanging out with the family and sharing life. I was still not feeling great and so took a nap for a while at the house while they all hung out. Laura and Stacey said it had been a long time since they had hung out after club with the fam at home so they enjoyed our time there. As we were leaving to go home, Mike asked me if Stacy could come back with us for some girl time. It was the first time since she had been off the farm without the family since they arrived in Colombia last year. We were excited to have a girl’s night together and just time in His Word.

Monday, all of us slept in and when we finally woke up we spent time in His Words and listening to a sermon. It was neat to hear how HE used that sermon to challenge each of us in different areas. We head to eat lunch at about 4:00pm at the mall, where I once again get sick and realize that I am still not feeling up to eating normal food.  Susie calls me and tells me that we cannot go to Palenque this week because of some security reasons. Stacey and Laura were so disappointed but we all know He is sovereign and knows best. We decided to make the best of the situation and plan some things to do Tuesday- Thursday. Stacy stays another night and we decide to watch a documentary together. It was an amazingly relaxing day…minus the stomach problems.

Tuesday, we wake up earlier this AM and spent time with HIM Mike and the kids come early to go swimming in the pool. We had a great time just hanging out with the family and being together. We go to the mall with the family to spend more time together and then eat lunch ourselves (at like 3:00pm…I think we are truly Colombian!) We spend the next 3 hours just talking about different convictions in our lives; different Truths HE is using to transform us, and just being silly. I SO needed this time with friends who know me and love me and love Him. We head back home for yet another documentary and some popcorn. I had already seen this documentary and so I was working on some seminary class work. It was funny to listen to them as they were convicted by so much during these documentaries. It became really funny, as Stacey states she has to quit her job, can’t watch TV or movies, and now has too much time on her hands. It was funny.

Wednesday, we spent another morning in His Words and just being together. Darlys came over and did our nails as we relaxed by the pool. We head to Centro to celebrate Stacey’s birthday at Crepes. Yet again, we spend several hours just talking and being us. We walked around Centro to find presents for the girls to give away when it started raining and we went inside a little boutique to escape the rain. This turned into a great time of trying on clothes that we would actually buy and clothes that just made me laugh. When the rain had stopped, all the street vendors had left and so we went home to hang out some more. I started packing; we listened to another sermon, and spent time just talking again.

Thursday was another morning like the other mornings, time along with Him and time together being us. We went back to Centro for lunch, a little coffee, a little shopping, and then it was time for me to leave. This was the first time that my friends from the states took me to the airport and then stayed in Cartagena. I had to leave to translate for a volunteer team coming in to Medellin and so, they took me to the airport and we said goodbye. It was sad to leave them as it really felt like we were together just 2 days but it was truly a blessing! I am so blessed to have such amazing friends who pry for this work and me and are willing to take off work to come and just love on me. HE is so gracious and merciful. He always gives us what we need at just the right time. I think all three of us needed this time together with HIM and together. We all were challenged and sanctified into His likeness.

Thanks for coming girls…you have no idea how much you two mean to me! This was a great time for us to just be together. I am sorry that we were not able to go to Palenque but it will happen, Stacey! Please continue to pry for the security issues in Palenque and for the spiritual lives of each of the Palenqueros. Pry that HE will open doors for us to go into the village next week, ask for a new hunger for His Truths in their lives, and that HE will continue to move amongst them as we wait for His Timing to return to the village.