June Newsletter

“It’s not easy being green”

They told us at missionary training school that we would make a million mistakes. Silly us! We thought we would make them one at a time! Here’s a highlight of two of the more interesting mistakes:

Do you know what happens when you plug an appliance into the wrong voltage: it overheats and/or melts, right? Do you know what happens when you plug in a crockpot (practically nonexistent in South America, and therefore highly prized by the missionary who lends it to you)? Not only do you shut down the entire circuit breaker, you literally melt the plastic feet right off of it.
Do you know how God shows His grace? When you show the missionary what you did to her poor crockpot, she laughs!

Try this scenario: it is time to move out of your temporary apartment. Since you are not returning, you know you shouldn’t keep the keys, right? So you hand them to the guachiman (watchman), right? Wrong! You are told the next day that one never ever ever does that, because guachimans are known for going into the apartment and robbing you blind! So you spend a sleepless night before you can go back to the apartment and find out where the keys are and whether or not the apartment has been robbed.
Do you know how God shows His grace? When you get to the apartment, the guachiman tells you that the owner’s brother has picked up the keys and has checked the apartment and that everything is perfectly fine.

How are we doing?

Language school: We will finish the advanced level next week. Then follows three weeks at the “superior” level. (This means that we understand much more than we are able to speak or pick up when listening.)

Present Ministry: While we did not anticipate doing any ministry until after language school, the Lord apparently had a different idea. We are helping Bishop Godfrey lead a “Life in the Spirit” course for the seminarians. It gives us extra opportunities to practice our Spanish. Discussion time is a challenge!

Future ministry: The plan is for us to start teaching at the seminary in October. In August and September, we will be observing classes and preparing materials for October.

Prayer Requests:
• Ability to communicate
• Life in the Spirit Seminar
• Adjustment to Peru and city living
• Continued good health

Blessings! – Julie, Shaw, and Lydia