Mission Peru

Written by: Josetta Shum

 

Happy hump day, we’re halfway through! The past 5 days have been a wild ride. 
 
Coming to Peru, I wanted to see how different people from different cultures celebrate God and His great Son. The first thing I noticed is that the locals seem a lot more joyful that Jesus died for us than we are. One of Inca Link’s values is to Choose Joy and being joyful is is a huge theme that God has been presenting to me this week. At Huanchaco, my friends and I “bargained” but afterwards we realized that we ended up actually paying more than 2x the original price the vender said. Obviously I wasn’t happy (and a little embarrassed), but I’m sure I made her happy when we walked past her shop and saw her grinning at us. A situation like this reminds me of how we may think that Jesus’ death was sad, but we should actually be joyful and thankful that he was willing to sacrifice his precious life so that we can live without sin. 
 
Another lesson that God has been teaching me is to give 100%, 24/7. Every activity we do is physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting and as we get more tired, it’s getting easier and easier to give up and sit out. Before coming, someone shared Psalms 3:3-8 with me: 
 
“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord, your blessing be on your people.”
 
These verses are such an encouragement when I’m feeling low and far. It’s a reminder that He is my shield and He will always answer me. After this half of the trip, I’m starting to realize that the 110% isn’t coming from only me and my effort. The extra 10% is from God and he will always give me his strength. 
 
As we continue to the second half of your trip, my prayer is to carry on with choosing joy and giving 110% not only in Trujillo, wherever I go.