For Some Reason...

Once in awhile we have a deep longing to be in the USA-this last week has been one of those moments.  However for SOME REASON God reordered our longings and desires.

It all started as Nelson was working on one of his Spiritual Formation reflection exercises.  Through the time God firmly reminded him that he needed to sign up for national Peruvian medical insurance.  

He made several calls and visits to insurance agencies  Thus began a journey we will never, ever forget.

In an agency called Maphre a young woman, Russiben answered his questions, helped him fill out the forms...and asked numerous questions about God and the Bible.  

       Russiben:  I really would like to know more.  I have lots of questions and           confusion.

        Nelson: My wife enjoys talking with women about God, helping them                  understand more about who He is.  I´ll  ask her if she can meet with you.

        Russiben:  I would really like that. 

I called her and we set up a time to meet here at our apartment.  Saturday came and she arrived exactly at the hour we agreed upon.  I sensed there was sincere interest. What followed was two hours of  conversation with sincere and deep questions, pouring over Scripture passages and connecting the truths with life and a hunger for more. Nelson joined us later and we marveled at how God had orchestrated our meeting.

• Russiben does not work in the area of customer service.  She often isn´t even in an office.  For SOME REASON she happened to walk through the waiting room and the security guard asked her to help Nelson.
• Nelson was going to sign up with another agency but for SOME REASON he decided he needed to check out Maphre. 
• For SOME REASON the first time he went they were closed.  For SOME REASON he returned hours later when they reopened
• Russiben assumed Nelson´s comment about talking to his wife was a way of telling her to stop asking so many questions.  But for SOME REASON I called a few hours later.

Monday I had lunch with Russiben  and we enjoyed another 2 hours of deep conversation about God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the Bible, God´s purpose for our life and how to have a transformed life.  For SOME REASON God connected our unconnected paths and a friendship has  begun.

This Sunday our friendship will take us to a church near where she lives where we can celebrate Christmas Sunday together.  

After the new year our friendship will allow us to study Scripture together.

For SOME REASON we are spending Christmas in Arequipa not Modesto this  year.  

• Russiben and her hunger to know Emanuel, God with us.
• A group of leaders who desire to introduce those in Rosales and  Huaxapata  to Emmanuel,
• A group of leaders who long to reach families of the children in a Kids Club in the needy community- Embajada de Japón  (Japanese Embassy)
• A group of children´s ministry leaders in Israel who are preparing a VBS  in February where they will be sharing the gospel using the Wordless book curriculum...for the first time!

For SOME REASON we still miss being in the USA during this season, but for SOME REASON we long to be here even more than we desire to be there!