Top of the Hill

In Exodus 17, Israel faces Amalek. Joshua was chosen to pick the men and be their commander and to fight against the enemy. All the while Moses went to the top of the Hill with the staff of God to intercede on behalf of Joshua and Israel. Whenever, his arms were raised, the Israelites started to overcome the enemy, but when Moses grew tired and lowered his arms, the Israelites began to fall. I believe this to be so true on so many levels. That Joshua did not gain the victory, nor even the Israelites, but only through God. He allowed the victory through the intercession of Moses on top of the hill. I honestly, without a doubt, know that I cannot face the enemy unless I have intercession. Unless I have people on top of the hill. My hope is that you will remember me, so that God can have the victory in whatever He asks me to do. Your prayers are so greatly appreciated and I need them so desperately.

Just some prayer concerns for the next two to three months:

1. Obedience in whatever He asks us to do
2. The Chayahuita in their training and that they will be able to reach their cousin people groups
3. Health and Protection for me and my partner Jeff Hill (Diego on my Fellow Sojourner)
4. Learning Spanish for me and Chayahuita for both Jeff and me
5. Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional endurance through the heat, the bugs, the work, the hunger
6. Being able to adapt to the culture and be sensitive in that way

Thanks for all your prayers. I already feel them giving me more and more grace to do what He has called me to do. I am confident that your prayers will be answered by the end of this brief journey and that I will be able to share with you in each and everyway that He showed Himself faithful.

¨But Moses´ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.¨
-Exodus 17:12

Half the Battle

The last post was kind of serious. I hope this one is a little lighter, but maybe still of some value.
When I first went out into the jungle, I took all the things I needed. Shirts, socks, pants, soap, you know, the essentials. Well, an epiphany came upon me that I had not packed any of my boxers. The only boxers being the ones I had on at the time. A glimmer of hope resided in me that Jeremy, my leader, might take me back to get some. Upon asking my fearless leader, he simply replied, ¨man, that sucks.¨ And as I walked away, humbled in defeat, he called back to me adding to his first comment, ¨You know what the G.I Joe saying is...now you know, and knowing is half the battle.¨ He was quite amused at this, which in fact was amusing, but better if it was at the expense of another.
Needless to say, I experienced the jungle commando style (sorry if this offends anyone, not sure why, men used to run naked in the Olympics, maybe not a sound argument). If nothing else, I did learn that I didn´t need my boxers. I survived, and it was actually an experience that helped me realize something. That so many times we depend on so many things that are not necessary. They are comforts or even luxuries, but not having boxers was one less thing to wash and keep up with. It proved to be more efficient.
Knowing is Half the Battle, and we never know until we experience it. Whether that be hardship, suffering, even love. Books don´t suffice, even seeing someone else go through the fire is not enough for us to be able to know what it is like when we are tested. Experience is knowledged.
Some of the things I have eaten have been pig intestines, a pig´s foot that was used during a class on stitching (we don´t get much meat in the jungle, I believe I ate the cartiliage all on that foot), papaya, which is amazing by the way. Our main food usually consisted of rice and an egg or oatmeal for breakfast. We fried many a bananna which surprisingly tasted so close to French fries. I guess when you are hungry it doesn´t matter. I had a piece of Armadillo, and some of the other guys had killed a snake and fried it before I had arrived. I hate that I had missed out.
Walking to my ¨casa¨or house, which was made by my partners, I had to cross over two small creeks, one which was about fifteen feet wide, the other about ten. Our ¨bridges¨were trees cut down and placed over the chasm. Yes, it was a chasm. Shoes proved to be the clumsiest, as I fell many a time, and bruised up my legs pretty well. My pride was hurt worse but fortunately no one saw. It was best to walk barefoot, because that was when one had the most balance. But it also opened up the possibility of any number of things biting or who knows what. I had a ¨piki¨ or some little buglike creature that had made its home in my big toe. I didn´t think much of it, but did wonder why my right foot was missing the same bump. After it turned black I realized something probably should be done, and yeah, I cut it out with my knife. A lot of grossness came out that I won´t detail here, but I believe I got it all and all is well...I hope.
I am sure this is only a taste of what I will experience, the good with the bad, but we must praise Him for both. I have had a lot of fun, and I have enjoyed the fellowship with the guys here. I believe in what our mission is, and to hear from the reports from the other guys´ trips I am greatly encouraged. I hope you guys are encouraged too. I have felt the strength of your prayers and memories of all of you give me much joy and peace. God is faithful, He always is.

Down a Muddy Peruvian Road

Well, this is really the first time I have had a chance to blog since I have gotten down here. I am extremely limited in all forms of communication, so I hope that mercy will be given. So here is a quick update.
I am in Puerto Maldanado, which is a small city in the far southeast corner of the country. When I came, Jeremy, the Xtreme Team Leader, was in the process of training ten guys and three girls. They had about a month of training left. So for a little over two and a half weeks I stayed with the guys in training. There were two gringos (those of American Nationality), an Equadorian, and the rest were from various indigenous tribes throughout the country. The camp was in the middle of the jungle, where we had to bathe and wash clothes in the river, cook all our food from a camp fire, and basically endure nature and all its glory. It is amazing how many things I have taken for granted.
I don´t know Spanish, which I have been quickly assimilated with the guys. I was put into a group of three guys that we shared a house (which was built out of logs cut from machetes), and cooking. None of them spoke English, so needless to say we had some interesting conversations. I just hope that in my attempt to learn the language I didn´t offend anyone too bad.
Every morning we ran and did many excercises. The first day it rained hard in the morning. The route we ran, which was four miles, seemed uphill there and back, and with the mud I had a hard time finding my balance (which proved to be a consistent theme), but obviously the Peruvians had no trouble as they smoked me. Some not even wearing shoes. Humbling.
Well, upon running down that muddy Peruvian road, rain drenching me as I tried my hardest not to fall down the hills, I smiled to think that there was no other place I rather be. God has chosen me to be here for such a time as this.
Having said that, God has really put me through the fire since I have arrived. I have been challenged so greatly in spirit. I have been attacked spiritually, physically, emotionall, and mentally. Satan has tried to put so many doubts about my abilities, or lack thereof, and just try to rob me of my joy in God´s strength. I have to always come back to the reality that God is powerful enough to take my weaknesses and turn them into something that can be used. I just have to be willing to be pruned and refined. I have been sick with a sinus infection, my skin broke out in a rash, I have never felt hunger and thirst as I did in the jungle, the heat has worn me down, all the while I am trying my best to learn a language and be of some use to the guys. It is a good thing God doesn´t call the strong or the wise, but the weak and foolish. The latter two I have proven again and again that I qualify.
In everyway God has revealed more and more weaknesses, places where I need to grow. I have died a thousand deaths here, but what is wonderful is that God has raised me to new life a thousand times.
The guys had their graduation, which I will have to go through training, which is three months long, starting on August 20. Until then I am going with Jeff, one of the guys that just got done with training, to a Chyahuita Village where we will help another guy from training raise up a team to reach other indigenous tribes nearby. I will be out for three months and come back right before training starts. Not knowing Spanish or Chyahuita, obviously I will be a little overwhelmed, but if you can pray, pray that I will excel in the languages and can be of some use to the ministry. We have to be diligent in becoming like the people we will work with. Eat like them, work like them, and pick up much of their culture so that the Gospel and the training can flow and be received well. Pray for that sensitivity.
I appreciate everyone´s support and I hope that I will be able to update this again soon, but if not it will be mid August. Just remember me, and pray that I am faithful in all that I am called to do. Especially pray for the Chyahuita in that God will do an amazing work in them. I hope to maybe add to this blog when I have more time.