South America Bound

I dug this bad boy out of storage today and gave him a nice hand washing in the bath tub.  This guy toured Europe with me and was there for all sorts of experiences way back in oh, 1998!  He also went with me on two solo backpacking trips and one with my childhood friend Jules.  

Then, I got a "real job" and a "boy" friend or two and well, on down the road to marriage and babies!  This little mister has just been waiting and waiting for the dust to get blown off and hit the trails again! 

Y'all know that I'm headed to Ecuador in March to meet our sweet Roosbell.  I'm working on a quilt for him and have been getting odds and ends along the way to take to him in the backpack we got him.  It's good they have that suggestion (keep the gifts to what fits in the backpack) or else I would go  a little overboard. 

Now, for the new announcement....

I am headed to Peru in May! 

Hopefully, you joined me in praying for God to work out what He wanted and now we're trusting He has done just that.  I am going with a group from our yearly meeting and we'll be there three weeks.  No, I haven't wrapped my head around leaving my family for that long and I know y'all pray for peace as the time approaches. 

As soon as I heard of this trip at Yearly Meeting after the Peru/Bolivia presentation, I was excited!  I immediately started thinking and praying about the opportunity to go to Peru and truly experience daily life there among other young Friends.    After discussion, discernment and prayer, I felt led to apply so that I could forge bonds with Peruvian Friends, become friends in every sense of the word, deepen and strengthen my walk with Jesus and then come home and tell all about it!  I feel that part of my responsibility is to be an active advocate for Peruvian Friends.  I see this advocacy role lasting my lifetime.  I will become involved with the yearly meeting in making sure we always remember our Peruvian (and Bolivian) Friends regardless of how much time has passed since we had YM Friends living and ministering there.

This fits with my long-term goals; which is to be a voice for others who are not able to speak for themselves; whatever the reason may be.  I pray this trip will help me see daily life in a different setting and that my heart will feel more and thus put actions to my feelings.

 

The song,

"Get all excited; go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is King!"  sings in my soul!!!