We arrived in Santiago, Chile, on Wednesday morning after a long 30-hour travel day. Despite the length, everything went relatively smoothly. My team’s ministry hosts for the month, James and Coletta Morsey, picked us up from the airport and took us to where we will be staying for the month: a home they recently bought and are in the process of turning into a church! The first service will be held this Sunday. We are staying in one room, since there is one heater and it gets COLD at night here (we’re in the foothills of the Andes, and it’s Springtime).
Yesterday, we had a short worship session together at the church, and then our hosts stopped by to do a devotional with the team. Then half the team left with them (including myself) and we went to an outdoor market and a grocery store to get food for the week. Then we went to their house for lunch (they have been spoiling us like crazy– we have AMAZING hosts this month!!) and after that we went to a hospital to visit and pray for some children who were there.
One of our jobs this week is to fix up a large room in which we’ll have the church service on Sunday. So far, it’s been painted and we had to tear up a couple of small sections of the floor, but we can’t move forward with that because none of us really know anything about installing flooring. So we’ll see how that goes.
Today, our team did some work on the church and after lunch, we walked into “town” in search of a cafe with wi-fi. We were pretty unlucky, and after walking for about an hour, called our ministry host. A nearby cafe did end up having wi-fi, so we’re holed up here at the cafe.
It has been a long day, but not a bad one.
Later tonight, we will go to our hosts’ house for a GAME NIGHT with some local kids! I’m very excited to get to know more locals, and spend more time with our hosts (because again, they’re AMAZING!).
I’m seriously so thankful that the Lord enabled me to do the World Race. So far, it’s been really great. We still have a long road ahead of us, but I can see so much potential for growth and building of deep relationships with my teammates and our present and future hosts.
If you have already financially supported this work, THANK YOU. I know that we may or may not see immediate spiritual fruit in this community, but I have hope that the Lord will continue His work here both while we are here and after we move on.
I’m not yet fully funded, though, so if you have yet to donate, please do so! Every single dollar will get me closer to meeting my fundraising deadlines.
We could also really use some prayer– for our hosts (that their ministry here would continue to grow, and that the Lord would bring locals into the church they are planting), for the hospital children (that they would come to know Jesus and would be healed and allowed to return to their homes soon), and for my team and I (that we would persevere in our work, that it would be fruitful, and love each other well).
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Lifting up your prayer requests, Lauren, and will continue. Love and blessings go with you????
Love reading your blogs. Praying for Chile this month and the work your team is doing there. Also continued prayer for health and safety as you work among the different people groups.
Joyfully in Jesus – Mary
Lauren, I’m praying for you, your team, your hosts, the children and your Mission. Wow! God is going to move through you and your team because you have stepped out in faith! I can’t wait to hear all God does in you and through you! Let His light shine!!!