Wendy's Story

The following was written by Wendy while we were still in Peru:

The appointment I came for!

When I was moved to come on this trip I had no specific desire or calling in mind I just knew that God spoke to my heart and I had to get up and move in a big way. Having never been on any mission trip at all I think that leaping out on that limb and going to a rural orphanage an hour outside Lima, Peru is a stretch. Even as we signed up for assignments on this trip I still had no idea where my piece of the puzzle fit in. About three weeks before we came I was having doubts creep in about where I fit in the grand scheme. I tossed most of the night and prayed the other half. By morning God had given me the answer I had been looking for... I wanted to float to each area and make sure I could learn from them all. I thought it was because I was uncomfortable with leading some of the activities. That was the reason before the trip.

Now that we are into the homestretch of our visit I can see that God had a much bigger vision than the small piece he gave me before the trip. I am so grateful that He is in control and has the map. This day I would consider to be a pearl on my necklace of miracles.

I visited a casa with Kathy while she told the legend of the candy cane. The pre teen girls slowly began to ask questions after the story. Kathy answered them and as they began to ask more about sin and forgiveness I began to answer them also. I asked how many of them ever prayed to Jesus? Many said they do when they are in trouble. I went on to explain that God is with you in good times and bad. We shared that God meets you where you are and is Jesus is the ONE who will always see you as perfect! I shared with them that God had helped me because I had prayed for weeks about coming to Peru. One girl then started speaking rapidly telling us many things and began to cry as she spoke. In short she was embarrassed that we came all the way to see her in such a low place and that she is not a Christian. She thanked us very much but she was not worthy. She would like to know more about Jesus but she had done bad things And did not know if He could forgive her. By the end of her talking and our response she was sobbing. It tore my heart into pieces to see her struggle with this because it is so familiar. I had the same questions and it took a long time to understand that once you take the step to ask Jesus into your heart He will never leave you and you are a forgiven and new person. Once we answered her questions I went over and hugged her, she simply broke down in tears and she just shook. I held her in a huge hug until she stopped crying and when she finished she had a look of release and calm on her face.

Kathy & I finished up in their casa with candy canes and pictures. It was very hard to move on to the next casa! This struggling young girl might not have accepted Christ today but she heard how to get the unconditional love and acceptance that we all crave and deserve. She felt comfortable enough to open up and share with me very raw and intense feelings and then felt the Holy Spirit as I held her and she let go of maybe just a tiny piece of that doubt, unworthiness and shame. I hope to see her again tomorrow before we leave the orphanage. I will pray for her and so many more that they will come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.