For some reason, summer seems to be just around the corner right now. I guess it shouldn’t really feel like that because I still have around three months of senior year, but my long-term way of thinking never fails, and it seems like right now is when I need to finalize my summer. Thinking of summer has definitely brought Pomacanchi to mind. I was really hoping to go there for about two weeks or so over the summer, but I’m not really sure about that at all anymore. I guess that’s okay, but I’m going to have to get used to the idea of not going on a mission trip anywhere this summer. I’ve been extremely blessed with the opportunities I’ve had to go to Peru, and so I guess I can live one summer without going overseas. Pomacanchi is a remote village in southern Peru, right in the middle of the Andes Mountains, thirteen thousand feet above sea level. I first went to Pomacanchi in April of last year, which was the firs trip there that anyone from my church had ever organized. I ended up loving everything about it. The mountains are incredible, and no matter how long I stay there, they always make me want to stop and stare. The people, of course, are far more precious than the mountains. They have no hope of anything beyond just surviving. Most families consist of mothers who work in fields in order to maintain subsistence farming, children who have to grow up way too fast and have to take care of their younger siblings, and fathers who are nowhere to be seen, completely uninvolved with their families.
So since there is so much work to be done there and so much need for the gospel that brings hope of eternal life and rest, the youth group I’m a part of has “adopted” the village. As long as God leads us, somebody will keep going back to Pomacanchi and doing the work that He’s had in store for us. I think I can confidently say that my first trip to Pomacanchi was the best week of my life so far. It was a trip where I was fully convinced that God is everywhere, that He loves all people, and that all people need Him. And it was the trip where God let me in on a little bit of His plan for my life. And of course, it was simply a trip to a beautiful place where I got to watch God work alongside some of my very best friends.
While I would love to go back to Pomacanchi, I guess I can know that if it doesn’t work out, then God has another plan for me this summer.
While I would love to go back to Pomacanchi, I guess I can know that if it doesn’t work out, then God has another plan for me this summer.
5 comments:
Awesome girl, i always love to hear about places that i have never been and that pic makes me want to start singing "Climb every Mountain! ford every stream"...lol sry i had my song moment. Well i hope you do get to go back, and if not htis summer then next. I will miss you girl when you go off to college.
“I was fully convinced that God is everywhere, that He loves all people, and that all people need Him.” That is a good thing to realize if you do not know who, what, when, and where about your summer. If God is everywhere, He is in Peru, China, and Mocksville. If God loves all people and all people need him, then He will want you to teach the nationals of Peru just as much as he wants you to teach 6th graders at day camp. The other things will fall into place. The main thing is that you are always going to be surrounded by God if he is everywhere…all you have to do is open up to the people around you.
Your senior year of high school starts out pretty slow, but it goes by quickly. I think that it is important for you to plan your summer. My friends and I started planning our summer vacation pretty early. I wish that I could go to an exotic place like Peru. Every summer I can remember, I have always gone to the same beach. Don’t get me wrong, I really love that beach. I have never been out of the country before. The conditions under which the villagers live are quite sad. I am glad that you and your church members are helping them. I hope that you can go back to Pomacanchi. If not, spend as much time with your friends as you can before everyone goes to college in the fall. I miss my friends terribly.
I loved reading this, because it got me pumped up about my 4th mission trip this summer. I'm super jealous that you've been to somewhere so amazing, and Wes has gone to Argentina. But, I'm like you in believing that God is everywhere and it doesn't matter WHERE you go to help people... as long as you do it.
I plan on jumping in on my local missions at my church, as well as my mission trip to NY this summer. And, I'm sure you'll find just as many opportunities. (:
I admire you so much and I think it is awesome that you have so much faith in God. I couldn’t imagine going to a place like that and seeing how bad off those people are without crying the entire time. I think you have so much going for you and I know that you are going to accomplish so much in your life, material success and spiritual. Good luck on your upcoming adventure off to college and I will keep you in my thoughts!
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