MONTHS 6, 7, & 8!!!

Hi everyone!!!!!!! I'm so happy to share my pictures and some updates with you in this newsletter. The last three months have (of course) grown me in many ways and I'm forever thankful for my time here in Arequipa. First...pictures! See ya at the bottom!

MISTI at midnight!

celebrating Caily and Rocío's birthdays with my PIE DE LIMÓN! We have had lots of birthdays recently and I always love celebrating a unique joyful life. very nice mmhmmmm!!!!

Lunch with our favorite QUEEN LILI! I love her so much. Soooo much! She is always there to help me out and she shows me every moment I'm with her that she loves me and cares about my life and what I think, say, and do. This is Liliana's gift-to make others feel treasured. And being the queen of jewelry.

Last little walks with some of the HULA girls! I was so thankful to meet these students and hear their unique perspectives on life and exploration. They brought energy and freshness to my world. Olivia (on the far left) is holding a cute little cactus. I promise we did not pick the cactus...it was lying helpless on the ground....looking for some selfie partners...

GIRLS CHURCH! Hehe. This particular Sunday we wound up accidentally having a girls group at church. It was such a blessing to host this group in our house. I love and look up to all of the women in this church, so I was happy to have a very intimate time with them that Sunday. Tears were shed, life was shared, wisdom was gained, and God was praised. I continue to learn faithfulness from Paty, humbleness from Koki, joy from Danessa, gentleness from Guadalupe, patience from Caily, strength from MariaNelly, and kindness from my girl Lili.

and we celebrated Guadalupe's bday!

These two pictures^^^ were taken at the terreno (land, plot of land, field) of my now best friend Manuela. In my last newsletter, I mentioned that I would be staying with a lady named Manuela for a week at her house outside of the city. Well, I did and it was amazing! Manuela is the nicest and most servant-hearted lady that everyone should know! She comes to her terreno on the weekends (and whenever else she can!) to be surrounded by nature and peace. I could write a book about my time at Manuela's, but what I will say now is that she opened up her life to me! She cooked for me every night, we shared a room, she told me about her life, she reminded me not to care about the material things, she showed me how to be a servant, and she helped me with my Spanish! I went to her house during Holy Week, so that was even more special because we got to talk about Easter and a bunch of the different customs here during Holy Week. Also, Manuela reminded me about the importance of peaceful alone time in nature and how for her it's her special time talking with God. She is the best!!!

MY MANUELA!!!!!! (on the right of course because my girl Koki is there in the middle looking cute too!)

Manuela cooked SO MUCH chicken, sweet potatoes, potatoes, salsa, and sarza for a pollada (think CHICKEN PARTY). This was the going away party for the HULA students. I'm telling you...Manuela is literally the coolest.

At the pollada...in a tree...with Cai and Fabrizzio! We are birds! We had such a sweet time at church, watching the HULA students say thanks through a cultural dance performance, and conversing with all of our people for hours!

Pics from EASTER! Lili and Koki

Katie!!! She organized an easter egg hunt for all of the babies!!! I found out that hiding eggs is kind of more fun than finding them. Thanks, Katie!!!!

Mama Zenet hosted the whole church family + the HULA students in her home and hotel. Love her! Thanks, Zenet!

Church Easter Sunday was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! The week leading up to Easter Sunday had already been a very emotional one because I was blessed to have participated in many of the cultural celebrations of the week. I went to a reenactment of the crucifixion, a washing of the feet mass in the main cathedral, and a walk with the whole city through a bunch of the main cathedrals honoring the body and blood of Jesus. Easter Sunday came along and my heart was filled with thankfulness, solemnness, and joy all at the same time. I loved spending time with all of these people. It was truly a beautiful way to end this week.

I got some palms on Palm Sunday from the market.

Cooking with Fabrizzio. That night I got to listen as he spoke about his hopes for the future. I have been blessed with this friendship. Oh also, he definitely cooked us a whole dinner, but that's not the only reason he's our friend I promise!

bonfire time with friends! Sharing life.

The little town of Coporaque where we traveled for a day to celebrate our friends who had put up some new rock climbing routes there. We had a lot of hiking to do which provided me and Caily some very special time with our friend Noemi. We got to talk to her about her family, her faith, and what she believes in. Conversations like this are a blessing when they happen naturally and especially special when they happen naturally in nature! I'm very thankful that God provided us this organic opportunity to let Noemi know that we were listening to her.

Our friend Andre doing his thing!

some beautiful plants in Coporaque on my hike. And below is our climbing community.

The chácaras (small farm) next to mine and Caily's apartment. A secret path that leads to a space for thinking, walking, and breathing. Thank you, God, for the peace found in nature!

bonus pic of me and Adileen...because we are awesome. Well, she is at least lol

Celebrating Noemi's birthday!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! Katie cooked everyone a delicious meal so we could honor all of our mothers after church! I was blessed to hear many stories of the love of so many mothers that day! And I was able to share about the love of my own mother (shout out BARBARAAAAAA) I LOVE THEM ALL!

And my Koki!!!!! She is truly a symbol of resilience and faith. And we were matching!!!! squeeeezeeee!

I have a quote, a song, and prayer requests to share now :)

I was very thankful to have seen some faces from Grandview church while I was home for a few days this month. I was really encouraged by our church's covenant signing and the love you all showed me. I have still been thinking about pastor Billy's emphasis on our spiritual gifts. Pastor Billy included this passage from 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7

"4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."

I was so encouraged being at Grandview, because I see a church that is yearning to be authentic and a church that is doing something! Grandview is an inspiration to me while I am here working with the house church. An inspiration to make sure I am using my gifts and encouraging others to do so as well. I haven't stopped thinking about the covenant signing since it happened, because I felt deep in my heart that something very special was moving in those moments. Upon my arrival back to Peru I got very sick, so I was able to do a little reading. I found a passage from the book In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership by Henri Nouwen that reminded me of Grandview and the loving path I see the church running down. In this chapter of the book titled "The Temptation: To Be Powerful", Nouwen says:

"What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life...Ever since the snake said 'The day you eat of this tree your eyes will be open and you will be like gods, knowing good from evil' (Gen. 3:5), we have been tempted to replace love with power."

The day I visited Grandview I was so blessed to see and feel a church that is choosing love over power. Thank you for your love, prayers, and support. Thank you for continued encouragement. I really have a new hunger and excitement about loving my church here in Arequipa after visiting Grandview. Love you all! I continue to pray for Grandview and the future God has in store for the church!

Okay some of you may know the song "Day by Day" by Richard of Chichester and some of you may not. I learned this song in my homeschooled days and I've always really loved it. Recently it has become the prayer I repeat in my head. It is a very short song. Here it is:

"Day by day

Day by day

Oh Dear Lord

Three things I pray

To see thee more clearly

Love thee more dearly

Follow thee more nearly

Day by day"

This is my prayer as I move into a chapter of this mission that seems like a new chapter opening up. I feel in the need of guidance, so I pray to see God more clearly, love God more dearly, and to follow him more nearly as I make decisions that will shape the rest of my time here and the future.

Some prayer requests:

1. The house church of Arequipa as talk and plans of a church retreat and church love/growth are happening. And of course for the people of the church!

2. My Spanish learning. It is very easy for me to not believe in myself, but I am praying for confidence ANDD I am telling myself every day that "I can do it!" even if I don't believe it!

3. The girls at the orphanage and their futures as well as Caily's heart as she treasures each girls' heart.

4. The Daggetts and their lives as they lead and live and learn!

5. Our friends. This is a general one, but pray that I may have more special times with each of them to talk about their hearts. And that I may speak blessings over their lives.

6. The rest of my time here that it may be fruitful and that it may be a blessing!!!!!

Please let me know if there is anything I can be praying about for you. I love you all! Bye!!!

PEACE,

SARAH HALE

sarita