ONE YEAR IN AREQUIPA, PERU!!!

HOORAY!!! God has allowed me to live in a different country for one whole year now, and it has been nothing short of amazing. The last two months have brought new missions to my life here and I am so excited about them! I am also so very grateful to be able to stay in Arequipa for more than a year. I really want to share with you all the new missions I have been a part of as well as my reflections on the past year :)

I know it's going to be hard to sum up in words how this time has opened my eyes to the Lord and how it has grown me spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. So I wanted to show you pictures of the people who have worked beside me for the kingdom. It's the people that matter.

Lots of selfies with those I love. At church, climbing, tie dying, playing outside, riding the train, sight seeing, climbing Misti, camping, making new friends and sharing meals together. These are my people and my community who I have grown to know, love, and seek council from. They welcomed me in from the beginning and they continue to care for me as their own.

These people are a major reason why this mission has been so fruitful and holy.

This year has been humbling in the most divine way. It has opened my eyes and revealed to me the infinite ways of knowing and praising God. It has humbled me to see that, duhhhhh my way of viewing and knowing God is limited. By itself (my mind flying solo) it closes me off from knowing God in a deeper way. I am only one brain with one humanly flawed way of thinking. Through every soul that I encounter God shows me and expands my understanding of Him with the help of other divine creations.

Living in a different country and culture has affected my previously narrow view of God. It has also connected my life closer to God's as I have observed and had the pleasure to meet humans who are vastly different than I am.

Every human is made in God's image, but we are all unique and different. Thus, each human harbors a unique piece of God's image. Every human presents that image in unique ways.

I love people

I love walking into a house, street, city, restaurant, classroom, or any space that is full to the brim with people. Full of life. Full of holiness. Full of individuals who are a reflection of the God I love so dearly. There are very few things that make me happier. I am kind of giggling just thinking about it, because it gets me so pumped. people are just so lovely!!!! I feel like I encounter God when I encounter a human. It's so amazing it makes me smile.

I love meeting anyone and everyone, for each person shows me God in a new way.

Living in a different culture and country for missions has provided me with an intense look at a new "piece" of God. One that even speaks a different language hahaha

My mind is blown thinking of the beauty I am now able to hear in the words of a spanish speaker as they describe God's love in their life. How blessed am I to now understand and be able to speak a different language. This just means I have new sound waves to make with my mouth to offer praise to the Lord.

I will be forever grateful to my teachers, helpers, and supporters who supported me and continue to encourage me through my language learning process. I want to report to everyone back home who has specifically been praying for this that over the last two months I have felt rapid growth in my spanish language learning and communication. Praise be to God and thank you for praying with me.

I have acquired knowledge about God through the lives and testimonies of those I have met here. There is an infinite amount of information to learn about God and his kingdom through the people I have met or will meet. The more we learn about one another the more we receive a fuller image of grace and heaven.

This has nourished my love for "the beauty of difference"

The more different from me the better.

I have so much to learn from the people who are the most different from me.

I would now love to share what my weeks have started to look like since my last newsletter.

Tuesday mornings Paty and I are going to the prison in Arequipa to teach classes on personal finances to the ladies in jail. Well..... Paty is doing the teaching and I'm hoping to give her my best support. Last week we talked to a group of 50 women about making personal budgets. The women we were talking to all earn money making sweaters, bags, hats, pastries, repairing clothing, and many other things. Some of the women are expecting to reintegrate into society soon and some ladies are needing to learn about personal finances as they send money out to support their families. I have made some new friends with the ladies there. Iris, Ruth, and Nidia are all women from Chile that work in the bakery in the jail to make their money.

The first class went really well. Paty rocked it with her lesson, I controlled the slide show haha and passed out materials, and the ladies were all hungry to learn from Paty about how to better control their finances. They welcomed us in with love and within the first day I had already had some beautiful individual conversations after the class with several of the women. About their futures, about their struggles right now, and about their individual beliefs. They are humans like the rest of us. I am so happy to be starting this mission and with Paty of all people! We have been getting to know each other deeper and deeper. She is a great role model. I don't have any pictures from this because we weren't allowed to bring our phones in the jail, but one of the prison guards took some pictures with his camera that he said he would send to us...eventually. haha

Tuesdays are Paty days, because in the evening the two of us go to meet up with a group we are reading the bible with called Feminas. This is a group of women from backgrounds and lives very different from my own. This is a group of women who welcome me in their home with love and respect. This is a group of women who are hungry to read God's word and know more about him and learn how to love each other and fight for each other better. Going to this group with Paty we have been reading through the book of Matthew. It has been a blessing and eye opening experience for me to hear the thoughts of these ladies on the chapters we read each week. I put some pictures of our group above! :)

Wednesday mornings Caily and I have started going to Koki's house to read through the book of Romans with her and her sister. We share a breakfast of bread and avocado, drink our instant coffee, read a chapter, and talk about life. This experience has been formative for me as we explore God's word together. I have seen in the heart of Koki and her sister two women who are strong in the face of trial after trial. Koki strives to talk to the Lord in every moment of her day, constantly calling on him to guide her through mundane and extremely difficult situations. I see in her someone who gathers their strength from the Lord, trusts in Him, and follows his will. I treasure every moment spent listening to Koki's life and hearing her heart. We also haven't taken any pictures with Koki :(

Once a week I visit Liliana. Wow what do I say about Lili? I appreciate her so much. I really love her with my whole heart and she has taught me about the lord and about humility and about peace in ways I could never imagine. In her own unique Lili way. I will forever be grateful to have met this wonderful creation.

And now on Friday mornings I have been going to the CUDA office to help the team with their prep to teach in the classrooms. The CUDA office is a space filled with love and energy. I love being there to support Nancy, Carlos, Paty, Nohelia, and Lucia. While Caily and I are doing our work I get to listen to the passion filled voices of the teachers as they construct with care their lesson plans. It's so encouraging to not only hear their passion, but to see it in action in the classroom or in different events. This past weekend the team did a presentation at a book fair.

Celebrating birthdays in the office and pictures from the book fair presentation

We helped Guadalupe make some soaps to sell. It was much more dangerous and exciting than I thought it would be. We are basically scientists. Guadalupe is a ray of light in my life. I know I can talk to her about anything, because she exudes peace and she lets you know that she would never judge. I feel that I trust her and I see the special gifts God has given her. I was just talking to my sister Elizabeth on the phone last night about people in the church who are empaths and have special gifts from God to interpret dreams or deliver divine messages. Guadalupe is an empath. She uses her wisdom, her life story, her gentleness, and her peace to meditate on God's will and she welcomes him in to guide her life. She prays consistently and she delivers messages from God to her friends through those prayers.

Things I've been learning about, thoughts on the church, prayer requests, and future thoughts:

fasting: I recently listened to a four part podcast from John Mark Comer on fasting https://open.spotify.com/episode/4PDQ89Oafmc9k43dmEgQeD?si=lYO67TDORomSjRD9Yaac7g

Here's the link to the first episode. I really hope that anyone who reads this newsletter will give it a listen!!!! This has been a time for me to deepen my knowledge about fasting and prayer.

The church has been growing together and everyone has been there to support each other through some hard times recently. I am so blessed to call this community of believers my church here in Arequipa. This church is made up of individuals who week to week show up and choose to be vulnerable for the sake of maturing spiritually and drawing nearer to Christ. It is a beautiful community who has taught me how to follow the teachings of Jesus over the last year.

Future thoughts and prayers:

I hope to get involved with a community project that makes food and serves it to the abuelitos living on the street. This would be every Wednesday. Prayers for this! I just want to make sure I keep focusing on the missions I'm already a part of. But if it's the Lord's will I pray that my time would be used there.

Prayers for my future in Arequipa.

Prayers for Mateo that he may have the strength to choose the correct path and soldier forward.

Prayers for Jeremy and Katie as they teach for Harding's HUA program this semester.

never stop praying for my spanish hahaha please. I love you.

Prayers for Caily in her last months here.

Prayers for the church and for the communities here in Arequipa.

Prayers for the hearts of my friends.

For Danessa and MariaNelly as they enter into a season of hard changes.

For Sol Angel as she grieves the loss of her father as well as Norman who lost his mother this week.

For Koki and her family that they may make amends.

For my family and communities in the states. I love you.

Thank you all so much for supporting me. This year was another year that took my breath away. Another year that God has been so faithful. Another year of kingdom work. Here's to many more in whatever place He leads me next!

love and PEACE,

Sarita :)