What I missed telling you.

Sometimes I feel that if I don't have anything interesting, or incredibly funny to write to you all, that it's better just to not write. Sorry about that. Due to a very "normal" week, well as normal as normal is here, I have failed to keep you up-to-date on the workings of our lives here in Tarma. Now . . .
I have officially been teaching for two weeks now, and am getting to know my students bit by bit. I am finding that I really enjoy teaching, and it is a very cool experience to watch kids learn. I find myself wanting to get creative, to change the way we do things everyday so that the kids don't get bored, or maybe it's just so that they won't realize that I've never formally taught before :) Beyond my classes I am spending time developing short devotionals and bible lessons, I have lesson plans to write now for my English classes, along with reading and material that we as a team are trying to develop as we get on with our plan of ministry. Things seem to be coming together bit by bit.
The idea of having a formal bible study running is exciting. It is to be a study of Christians, with the underlying purpose being to develop them in their knowledge and understanding of Scripture, as well as to develop their ability to lead and carry one the study without us. How cool is that? To see this vision realized would be the most satisfying accomplishment of this past year. And this is our goal to spend the rest of 2009 developing this group of believers so that come 2010, they would be ready (or a step closer to being ready) to lead friends and family in other studies of the Word.
As we pursue developing these believers, the goal is not to disregard those that have not yet made the choice to follow Christ. We want to continue to build relationships with those that don't know the Lord, to bring them closer to knowing him, and to eventually get them involved in these Peruvian led Bible studies. God continues to challenge me in this area. Making an effort to carry on conversation with girls that I don't know well, or to gain their trust is tricky, especially since I am an "outsider" of sorts. People don't always understand why I'm here. They question why a young girl from the United States would choose to live in Tarma. It would be like the Queen of England all of a sudden deciding to live in Geneva, NE. Now, I am by no means comparing myself to the Queen of England, but merely trying to describe to you why people would be suspicious of my intentions. This doesn't necessarily close doors in my face; it only means that the time to gain trust will take longer than a "plan of action" would appreciate.

All this to say, that while we are progressing, the rate that we are progressing is slow. We have been here in Tarma for just under two months, and with a commitment of a year and a half, it is okay to be progressing slowly. I am interested to see what God will choose to accomplish in this year and a half, and to see if this ministry commitment will be extended at the end. I am fairly confident that the church we are planting won't be anywhere near completed by the time our commitment is up, and I'm not talking about a building. Most church plants take years to get to the point of self-sufficiency. But for us, we have our vision, and we have our two months completed in Tarma. We are trusting that the Lord can still do miraculous things if we are only faithful to do the work He has called us to do. Step by step, day by day . . . and maybe by the time I pack my things to go home, God will have performed some miracles.