Nothing surprises God!

Thursday morning I met with the SAM pilot Greg and the SAM Bolivia Director Dan at the SAMAIR hangar (which you can see in this photo, right next to our air strip) in San Cruz  from 8:00 to 11.30 a.m. to discuss details of my ministry.. I saw a video of MY HOUSE OUT IN SAN FERNANDO!!!! PRAISE GOD! IT'S ACTUALLY NICE!!!! I AM SO THRILLED TO MOVE OUT THERE!!!!! We talked about many logistics.

Then I met my Bolivian friend Mara for lunch. She is a veterinarian who has her practice not far from the hangar where I had my morning meeting. After visiting with her for a few hours, I went to Cristo Viene Girls' Home. The girls are so sweet. Their home had moved and I had not seen it yet. I got back to the SAM guest house at 7ish....

At 8.30pm I was on the bus  to the Baptist Seminary to meet with Cristina and her Pastor, to talk about San Fernando. WELL, TO MY SURPRISE, Cristina told me that after much prayer and realization of her responsibilities at her job, and another institute she's involved with, that she could not go to San Fernando until January.  She did not have peace about going right now! As I heard that, my eye brows were high and I held my breath... and asked God for wisdom. And God gave me not only wisdom but peace. I accepted it and we prayed.

Then Pastor Cesar introduced me to Jimena Aguilera. She is a young Bolivian lady who went recently to San Fernando with a team to encourage the Christians there, and she was excited about going back some day... Well, things have moved quickly and she feels ready and able to go back to San Fernando with me in June for six months, until Cristina is able to come out and live there with me for a year or more!!!! We talked for about two and a half hours, and I met her family who live at the church, next to the seminary. As quick as it all seems, it does all seem to work. I didn't have my camera with me, but this week I hope to get a picture of Jimena for you. She is a sweet girl of 20 years old. Her parents are the care-takers of the Baptist church next to the seminary. The six of them live in one room. They are humble, but God-filled people. Jimena's father and mother are honored that their daughter would be able to go with me out to San Fernando and be a missionary. Her father is the carpenter who went out to San Fernando to build the house for me (us!). He is the one I heard about months ago:   he built in the day time and preached at night!

So friends, nothing is a surprise to God. Pray for Jimena; she is young. Pray that our friendship would grow. I've already told her I would like us to write up not only our ministry objectives, but a conduct statement, and sign it, so that we would be very clear on how we will live and minister out in San Fernando. I felt inspired to talk about that at our first meeting...and to do it because she is very young and she is really a cute girl.

Thanks for your prayers about that! Do continue to pray for Cristina.

Thanks friends...

I took this picture today as I was standing on the bus on the way to the orphanage, as there was no room to sit. People pack into the bus, called a "micro".   It's a fitting name because these little busses are NOT made for anyone taller than 5 foot 2. This was my view.  :-) This little guy had his eye on me most of the time during the ride. Cute.