The second half of the journey begins....

So its been a bit of a ‘mixed bag’ since I rejoined the team after my break.  Whilst I was really glad to see everybody, it was also harder than I had anticipated to be back with a big group of people…and many of whom are a lot louder and younger than me!  But I’m all good now and enjoying the experience again.  I have had some ‘reflecting’ times with a couple of the younger girls on the team before they have gone home for a break which has been a real privilege…sort of felt like social work supervision!

Probably my favourite time over the last couple of weeks has been in Tacna, near the Peruvian/Chilean border.  We spent a few days with an American family who have just started a childrens home (Exodus House) for abandoned and abused children.  They currently have two little ones with them and are due to take in two more in the next few days.  Their vision is one of working with the family and restoring children to their families where possible and partnering with the local social worker to make this happen, as well as of course providing a high level of care and support to the children. 

So as you can imagine I loved my time with them!  I was able to help care for the children practically in order to give the family some time out as well as give advice on the impact of this time of work on the family running the home and helping children retain their sense of identity and lots more besides!  It was funny…just a couple of days before this time in Tacna I had been saying to God and some of my team that I really missed my job…and then I got to use some of my skills…God really does answer prayer!

We’ve spent a lot of time on the road driving towards and now in Chile.   Did you know that Chile has the driest desert in the world?  Strange but true.  We did spend a couple of nights on the coast in Chile over the Easter weekend which meant that I got to swim and learnt how to make American pancakes for Easter Sunday breakfast.  Apparently this helps towards the qualification of one day marrying an American!  No progress in that department though…..!

Me and my girls spent Easter Sunday afternoon sipping wine (Chilean of course!) in our pop up remembering good times….as we then gave it away the following day to a family living in a shack…the Mum of whom had been praying for about a year for new accommodation for her family and beamed with happiness when she saw the gift!  This in turn means that one of our mobile homes no longer has to pull a pop up camper (thereby helping the engine etc to last longer) and we are now officially homeless!!

We are now in Santiago, Chile’s capital and about to go and work with a local church before heading down South.   We’re really excited about what God is going to do in Chile and have already seen a lady who used a stick walk free after being prayed for!  Love and God bless you all lots x.