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| Colon. We will be going there again! |
Tomorrow morning I will arrive at the airport at 10:00 (hopefully! :))...and by 7:30 that night will be on a plane bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Last week I was a ball of anxiety imagining leaving. I still am nervous, but as the date is so near, I feel myself getting more and more excited.
Were you to ask me what I'm most excited about, I think it would be hard to pinpoint just one thing. I'm just thrilled to be back in this country I love so much! I'm really really really excited to see all of the precious Argentines again!! I know the moment when I see my host family again will probably be the best of the entire trip. I've missed them so much this past year!! So I am very excited to step off the bus on that first day. :)
But I'm also really excited just for the mornings. Last year every day I woke up it was just with a feeling of wonder that "Wow. I can't believe I'm actually in Argentina!!!" This year I know I'll wake up with a similar feeling of wonder that I'm actually in my host family's home again. And the coffee, and the dulce de leche on toast, and walking to the bus in the chill of the early morning...it's all so wonderful. I can't wait!!
I'm also thrilled to do prison ministry again. I really wasn't prepared for how much I would love it last year, and think that now I'm more comfortable with it hopefully I'll be able to spend time with more women while we are there.
Were you to ask me what my biggest fear was, it would be going without my family. Each time I imagine this trip it's with Benjamin, Mason, and Mom. I'll miss them so so much.
And were you to ask my biggest needs for prayer, they would be the following:
1.) Please pray for me to not be too homesick!
2.) Please pray that the language difference won't be too much of a barrier. I know a lot more Spanish than I knew last year, but nevertheless my heart wants to be able to get to Argentina and have long conversations with my host family...and I know that I don't know enough for that! So please pray for patience while we try to communicate, and just that God will evaporate that barrier like He did last year.
3.) Please pray for our team to have safe travels!!
4.) Please pray for the Argentines who are welcoming us into their homes, and for the people we will be serving and interacting with all trip. Pray that we can touch hearts!!
5.) Please pray that those of us who are going back for a second time will be able to cherish every minute of the trip without comparing it to last year.
6.) And please pray for my family while I'm gone, and for Benjamin's recovery to continue to go well.
Thank you so much for praying over these with me!!
I'm so thankful to the Lord for allowing me this opportunity. And I'm so thankful to all of you for your prayers and support that made it happen!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Next time you hear from me I'll most likely be accidentally mixing Spanish with my English, posting a TON of pictures, and trying my best to fill you in on all that happened over the next ten days. I look forward to catching you up!!
Chau, dear ones!! Your blogger,
Claire
