3 Days

My bag for Peru is 3/4 packed. For those of you who know me very well-or perhaps not very well-, this is probably no surprise. I am one of the most "Type A" people you will ever meet. My friend, Sally, told me that she is going to start packing for the trip on Thursday night (the day before we leave). I started packing on Sunday night. Don't laugh.

It's hard to believe that our trip is almost here. Throughout the process of getting ready, I have been incredibly humbled by the generosity of so many of our friends and family. I know that God always provides for His people, but I do not think I have thought much about how His plans for us are always much bigger than the ones we have for ourselves.

The week I spent in Peru in 2008 was freeing, and I am hoping to have a similar experience this time. Sometimes it feels like life just piles up on top of me and doesn't leave me with space to breathe. My last trip to Peru allowed me to catch my breath and realize that there is a much larger world outside of me, and that God is doing great things in it. I'm ready to get away from the comforts (and entanglements) of America.

The biggest concern at this point is probably Andrew's safety as he travels. He is leaving a day later than the rest of our team and will be traveling alone... and he does not know Spanish. The flight from the States to Lima should be fine, Lord willing. After arrival in Lima, though, he will be spending the night in the airport there and then trying to make his connecting flight to Trujillo (and meeting someone he does not know to get a ride from the airport to the mission site). He has joked about venturing out into Lima during the night but has been advised by several that it would not be wise to do so.

Anyway, next time I post will probably be from Trujillo. Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

In Christ alone,
Mary Rachel