Sometimes its just hard to blend in...

Sometimes this is what it feels like to be a gringo in latin america...a little out of place :)

I've officially lived in South America for 4 years now well in a few days ( I moved to Venezuela June 29, 2006) It's amazing how much I have learned and how I and my world view have changed.  I try to blend in, I try to watch the people around me taking note of how they do things, how they dress, how they walk, what they carry with them when they are out and about and I really work hard at trying to match their spanish accent.  However no matter what I will always stand out.  I am a proud american, I'm proud of where I come from, I Love that I was born in the the land of the free and the brave.  But some days I think life would be easier here if I just blended in.  I think part of it is culture shock, yes I still go through culture shock even after living abroad for 4 years in fact the worse culture shock is usually returning to the states.  But that is a blog entry for another day :)  But you know even in wanting to blend in here in latin america I'm so glad that God has made each and every one of us different, we might "blend in" when we are in our home country or with our family, but are we called to blend in??  I don't think so, Just as Christ was the light of the world, so we are called to be salt and light to the world. 
¹³"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

 ¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

~Matthew 5:13-16

Light does not blend, it stands out and salt doesn't blend either, it is used to bring out flavor.  So trying to blend in with the culture and the people might not be so bad, BUT I can't blend in when it comes to what I believe and who I live for.  So that is something I'm going to work harder at, being salt and light.  I guess I'll just have to sing a little song to remind me of that :)  

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Won't let Satan blow it out.
I'm gonna let it shine.
Won't let Satan blow it out.
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Let it shine til Jesus comes.
I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine til Jesus comes.
I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel - NO!
I'm gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel - NO!
I'm gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

 

Down in South America
I’m gonna let it shine
Down in South America
I’m gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Crossing the Jordan...well not quite

So now that is has been a good two weeks since my journey to the jungle with the Mount Vernon and NILI group I can talk about our journey with out feeling overwhelmed. Ha just kidding, it's amazing how God can use a little detour (ok ours wasn't really little) to work in your life.  God always wants to show His kids something new.  So here is what he has been showing me!


This week I've started reading the book of Joshua (or Josue in Spanish) and When I got to chapter 3 and 4 I had a hmmm I kinda know how that feels moment.  Chapter 3 talks about how the nation of Israel had to cross the Jordan, to enter the promised land.  The amazing thing was God telling them to prepare for this journey by consecrating themselves.  Then when it was time to cross the river, He sent the priests and the ark of the covenant in first.  When the feet of the priests touched the water the river stopped flowing.  and the nation of Israel crossed the Jordan river on dry land.  Now you may wonder Jen what does this have to do with your journey.  Well we crossed a few rivers and no the water didn't stop flowing when we crossed, but we had been preparing for the journey in prayer and God did see us safely to the other side.  And we did make it to our final destination a little wet, and muddy and worn out, but we made it.  And God showed more of Him along the way! 

There was a point in the journey when I was tired and just ready to stop driving I was tired of dodging pot holes the size of Pennsylvania, I was tired of going only 5 miles an hour and I really didn't want to cross any more rivers and the only thing that I could do so I wouldn't start crying was to sing.  I started singing to my self I Love you Lord.  IT was a little tense in my van the students behind me weren't sleeping, they were intent on watching the road and the gas tank.  Finally I said hows it going back there guys and they said ok how are you doing and I said well I'm tired and I really just want to get to our destination, they said ok how can we help, and I told them well I'm just up here singing so why don't we all sing, to get our minds off the stress of the situation.  So We started singing, it was crazy I think they thought I was crazy, but we started singing, and the mood changed.  We were not fearing anymore, we were praising our Father the only one who could bring us through this!  And I knew at that point I had nothing to fear, God was with us and he would not leave us.  we might not make it to our final destination when I wanted to, but we would get there and He would protect us and be with us. 

It wasn't until this week when I realized all God had done for us on that journey.  And how i needed to be reminded of what he had done.  Which brings me to Joshua 4, when Joshua called the people of Israel to collect rocks from the middle of the Jordan river to set up a memorial on the banks of the Jordan, so when their children asked they could share what God had done for them in this place.  Mount Vernon did something very similar for me.  They found a rock, a big heavy rock and carried it all the way from Palora to Quito, signed it and gave it to me as a reminder of this trip and all the rocks we drove over on the swiss cheese roads and in the rivers we crossed.  Also on Wednesday Hermano Stan gave a Devotional that touched me and reminded me of this trip as well.  The verse that touched me was Mark 5:36.  "Don't be Afraid, Just Believe."  That is what we did we started singing and praying and believing instead of being afraid.  And the memorial Rock that MVNU gave me will be a reminder to do just that "Believe and not be afraid. 

Me and my Memorial Rock!

(Oh P.I.P.  means plan in process, that was our theme, because the plan was constantly changing!)

Back from the Jungle!

So it was an interesting beginning to our trip when the volcano Tunguragua decided to blow ash and lava so we had to take the Looooong way to the jungle.  We crossed rivers and drove on bumpy rocky paths, we had two flat tires and stalled van and we only made it to macas about 2 hours from where we were supposed to end up.  But through it all God was with us, he protected us, gave us enough gas to last a whole day of driving on roads where well...there were no gas stations and he provided us with big trucks and people when we really needed them.  And that was only on the first day!  But it was a reminder that even though we think we have plans and think we know what is best, God always wants to show us that he wants to take care of his Children, and he did just that.  And it was a reminder for life in general that there will be rivers to cross and bumpy spots in the road, but no matter where we are in our lives no matter what difficult situation we have to deal with no matter how out of control we feel, God is always with us and He wants us to depend on him.  Thank you Lord for traveling with us and for moving the hearts and minds of all of us.  We also got alot of work done, we painted a church, put a roof on a church, held numerous kids club activities and we even got to swim in a few rivers and play with monkeys!  It was a blast, and the best way I can share this trip with all of you...is through pictures...so here are a few...enjoy :)