Seeing above the clouds...

Firstly, I want to say that I´m alive and well.

This week has been one of the most difficult weeks of my life. I am sure there are many others who have endeavoured such things as this and know this reality all to well. You begin with a whirlwind. And just when you think you are clear...

Yesterday, I spent a few hours in complete fear. I was consumed with the presidential procession. Watching the armada, military, swat, horses, etc., all standing completely uniformed and lining the street up to the congress building, in downtown Valparaiso, a couple blocks from the campus. I watched as Michelle Bachelet rode towards the building towards the end of her presidential term. Sebastían Piñera would soon move into the presidency of the republic, as the first "conservative" to be elected in 50 years.

Earthquakes, three I think, one 7.2, but all remained the same in the streets and with the processions. I was with two other students, a guy (Chilean, but born in the US), and a girl (from San Jose, CA), when we thought we might head back to the university for our oral spanish evaluations - 12pm. We didn´t get far when madness broke out in the streets and people were running by yelling "Tsunami alert, run for the hills!" I was uncertain what was really happening, but it seemed like a good idea to run, and the safest place to be if water was to begin rushing in from the Pacific. So we ran. Up and kept going, and going, and jumped in the back of a guys cargo truck, and kept going. We got as high as we could, in also the worst part of town, and thankfully our driver was kind enough to let us know that and dropped us off at the police station a bit further down where we waited. I still didn´t know what was going on, but I gave it to the Lord in prayer, reading scripture (the first time that little Gideon new testament Bible has been used), and praising Him for being...Him! My host mom my enventually came and picked us up and we drove down to our house, still on "high" ground. I was scared for my life, maybe i shouldn´t have been, maybe they were correct feelings, it all felt like a really bad indpendent film that I was making.

When we got to my house everyone was in good spirits, not scared, just normal for them. We had lunch, talked about it all, and went on with the day. I, however, hadn´t gotten to that point yet. I thought i had past the point of discomfort, and now I just felt unsafe.

Thank God for family (and skype), because I spent much of the rest of the day talking with them. Debating whether I was ok, if I could study here, preform here, live here, and fully be here, all for safety´s sake. And then I though of Grahm Suze...the hurricane conquerer, and realized that it´s just a different form of disaster and disaster is part of life. I am not leaving. I am scared, yes, but I will survive. I can´t forget all of the plans that He has made for me.

I was just beginning to emerge out of my discomfort and BAM! But, as always, there is Truth that you cannot supress. Scripture. I was encouraged today, again, by Jessica´s devotional.

Proverbs 16:9 - "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his path." (read it agian, slower)

And that´s where I am. I am not done, there is more for me here. Comfort, faith, and endurance are begining to take on new meaning...


Thank you all for continuing in prayer and support. Jessica, you are beautiful.


"And unless I miss my guess, many of you are paying more attention to the bad news according to CNN than you are to the Good News according to Christ Jesus, our Lord. You're better students of world geography, public polls, and the Wall Street Journal's analysis of our times than you are of God's sovereign hand in world affairs and His prophetic plan."