What life has been like…

 

I cannot believe the time has flown by so quickly! July was literally a whirlwind of emotion and busyness with the excitement of my brother Jared’s wedding as well as all the preparations for departing from Minerva, Ohio. And now here I am in Vina del Mar, Chile, while my parents and youngest sisters are half-way across the world in Malaysia! Saying good-bye to them was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I was always used to being the one to say good-bye and then get on a plane which took me thousands of miles away—not the other way around. But I can honestly say that I am so happy and excited for my family and all that God is doing in and through them!

After the house in Minerva was clean and empty, I spent another week in Ohio visiting friends and family one last time before flying down to visit my best friend, Kimberly, in Georgia. Kimberly and her husband have a beautiful 2-month old son named Parker Thomas, with whom I had the pleasure of spending time with before heading further south. As we said our good-byes at the Atlanta airport, again I never realize how much I am going to miss someone until we find ourselves so very far away. It seems to be both a blessing as well as a curse, having so many friends in different places. I feel like I am always saying goodbye to someone, but then saying hello to another. And while change can be the promise of something new and exciting, it is always a little bit scary at first.

My travels took me from Atlanta, GA to Ft. Lauderdale, FL, then all the way down to Bogota, Colombia, until reaching the final destination of Santiago, Chile. Amazingly, I was able to sleep most of the flight from Bogota which took off at 10:10 pm and landed in Chile at 5 am the next morning. Everything so far had been smooth sailing until I couldn’t find my suitcases in baggage claim. For some odd reason, every time I fly to Chile a bag gets lost or misplaced somewhere else in the airport. This time, however, my bags were a day late, having something to do with changing airlines in Florida. Oh well, I thought, at least now I won’t have to maneuver myself and two large suitcases through the bus terminal of Santiago alone. With just my backpack and a personal bag, I found my way all by myself to the bus station and then to the city of Vina del Mar, where when I got off the director of the YWAM base, and my dear friend, Gabriela was waiting for me. What a blessing it was to see a familiar face! From the terminal we caught a bus (or micro as their called here), 15 minutes outside of the center of the city where the base is located in a smaller neighborhood. Well, not really small, just further away. I realized that for the first time I need to learn how to navigate my way around the city if I ever want to go to a mall (because there are two, complete with movie theaters!), the beach, or a supermarket. A scary thought at first, but more exciting when I think about visiting the city and all there is to do there.

As you can see from the following pictures, the base is still under construction: finishing bedrooms, bathrooms, and general fix-ups everywhere. At the same time, seeing how far it has come in a short time is incredible, and I am really excited to be able to help in the process of getting everything ready for the start of the school September 12, 2012. So far, there are 11 confirmed students, including a couple from Argentina/England, so I know I will at least have one person to translate for! Besides interpretation, my other duties will include leading worship, women’s sports, and overseeing curfew, which are all responsibilities I have had before, so I’m excited to be able to do them again.

 

 

Prayer points

· Health: Pray against any sickness or fatigue as the weeks get busier and the schedule more demanding.

· Safety: The base is located in a poorer, semi-dangerous part of the city. I have been advised not to go walking alone at night, but assured that during the day there is nothing for which to be worried.

· Homesickness: The first two days of being here, I experienced extreme culture shock and homesickness; for both people and places more familiar. Each day has gotten better, and I have already begun to feel more comfortable with the other base staff.

· Growth

o Spiritually

o As a leader

o In the language (Spanish)

o As a translator

o In navigating around the city

 I want to thank all of you for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers as I continue following God’s direction and disciple others to do the same. It is truly amazing to look back on all He has done in my life thus far, and I consider it a blessing to be able to be a witness of His faithfulness to you and to everyone I come in contact with. I am deeply humbled and encouraged knowing I have people supporting and encouraging me back home as well as around the world! I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you…so thank you! And feel free to write me; I would love to hear about what God is doing in your lives as well.

                   Sincerely, Dawn Marie