Currently, I'm back in Vina del Mar. Home, for the remaining, short, 3 1/2 months, that I have left here in Chile. Time is moving along, fast.
Pichilemu was an unreal experience and let me first acknowledge the community at the base. It was evident upon arrival that it was a community for Jesus. I was super encouraged, daily, by how they prayed together, worshipped together, built together, well...lived life together. That was the first time, in my short life, that i've seen a community of Christ working for the same purpose - Him. Since I left without much preperation, I also left without many preconceived notions of what would come in the week. I was well pleased and well awakened. I'll do my best, in short, to impart my experience upon you. I'd also like to do my best to steer away from my work and just make you aware of how much the Lord is working down there.
I bused to Santiago friday night and left early saturday morning, with two ladies from England, for Pichilemu, we stayed on the right side of the road as best as possible. Great drive. I worked for the first 3-4 days in a small town called Espinillo, about 40min inland, alongside David (from Switzerland) and other Chileans from the area. We ate, we built, we shared stories with eachother, talked about Jesus, about His love, how He has changed our lives, and we laughed a lot. As David left wednesday and I headed back out on the Municipalidad de Pichilemu truck, 40min through the mountains on the dirt roads, to work with Emilio again, the newfangled foods we had ate over the past 3 days got the best of me (later, I would find they did the same for David). After a quick trip to the "hospital" in Pichilemu, I shelled out my last few days there in the bed, and another unspecified location. By saturday, my last full day on the JuCUM/YWAM base in Pichilemu, I was up enough to throw on the trendy 80's sport coat we found in the pool room and attend the amazing wedding of Nathan and Coni. It felt nice to return home on sunday evening, where Monica made me a special batch of Chilean chicken noodle.
That was in short.
I've always found it super difficult to connect with desperate situations when I am miles aways in the USA. I love my country, but sometimes we neglect the real needs of others (I'm no Benedict, relax). It's been unreal to be in Santiago, Vina, and Valpo and see buildings broken, apartments completely vacant with all the windows smashed out, sidewalks torn up, and streets a wreck after the earthquake here, but it was entirely different to dig for a foundation of a house we would see completed in 3 days, for a couple that lived self-sufficiently in the mountains, away from the aid of a city. We were working next to a home with every wall completely fallen out and those people had been sleeping in tents for weeks. I saw a different viewpoint of life...
These things affect real people. God's people. Do we have a responsibility to help them? I was there, but there's no novelty in that. I'm the Lords hands. Had I not been there, he'd have put someone else there. I'm only a servant, thankful He chose me. Praise Him, I'm still "driving nails". Thank you for Grace.
I'm not proud of what I've done. I'm happy about it, and glad I was used to help. I'm not boasting in what kind of work I did last week. I'm just happy to have toiled for Him. I'm not asking for approval or applause. I'm telling you that the glory is His.
When's the last time you served?
How often do you serve?
Are you satisfied when you give your "10%"? or do you feel more 'spiritual' when you give 20%? Is it enough if you just give some money? (then head down the road for a $4 latte - hah, i've learned to really detest starbucks)
Do you really love God's people?
These are awfully formed questions, but they make me think. The notion of them all is similar. Do you love others and serve whole-heartedly or are we all, again, confronted with lies that say we must compromise our love and get more of what we want? Stop running around the cul-de-sac of life.
I'm grateful that daily I'm being transformed by the Gospel, from the inside out. Scriptures like Philippians 4:11-12, Colossians 1:21-22, Luke 18:9-14 etc...are all beginning to make more sense to my infant mind and, in addition, a book I've been reading has really opened my eyes to a new facet of life - serving. I recommend it to you all. The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. (Thanks Josh)
I am truly thankful for my time in Pichilemu, for the people that I met, and for the love that was shown daily (sick or well). Thank yall, Dios te bendiga.
Pichilemu was an unreal experience and let me first acknowledge the community at the base. It was evident upon arrival that it was a community for Jesus. I was super encouraged, daily, by how they prayed together, worshipped together, built together, well...lived life together. That was the first time, in my short life, that i've seen a community of Christ working for the same purpose - Him. Since I left without much preperation, I also left without many preconceived notions of what would come in the week. I was well pleased and well awakened. I'll do my best, in short, to impart my experience upon you. I'd also like to do my best to steer away from my work and just make you aware of how much the Lord is working down there.
I bused to Santiago friday night and left early saturday morning, with two ladies from England, for Pichilemu, we stayed on the right side of the road as best as possible. Great drive. I worked for the first 3-4 days in a small town called Espinillo, about 40min inland, alongside David (from Switzerland) and other Chileans from the area. We ate, we built, we shared stories with eachother, talked about Jesus, about His love, how He has changed our lives, and we laughed a lot. As David left wednesday and I headed back out on the Municipalidad de Pichilemu truck, 40min through the mountains on the dirt roads, to work with Emilio again, the newfangled foods we had ate over the past 3 days got the best of me (later, I would find they did the same for David). After a quick trip to the "hospital" in Pichilemu, I shelled out my last few days there in the bed, and another unspecified location. By saturday, my last full day on the JuCUM/YWAM base in Pichilemu, I was up enough to throw on the trendy 80's sport coat we found in the pool room and attend the amazing wedding of Nathan and Coni. It felt nice to return home on sunday evening, where Monica made me a special batch of Chilean chicken noodle.
That was in short.
I've always found it super difficult to connect with desperate situations when I am miles aways in the USA. I love my country, but sometimes we neglect the real needs of others (I'm no Benedict, relax). It's been unreal to be in Santiago, Vina, and Valpo and see buildings broken, apartments completely vacant with all the windows smashed out, sidewalks torn up, and streets a wreck after the earthquake here, but it was entirely different to dig for a foundation of a house we would see completed in 3 days, for a couple that lived self-sufficiently in the mountains, away from the aid of a city. We were working next to a home with every wall completely fallen out and those people had been sleeping in tents for weeks. I saw a different viewpoint of life...
These things affect real people. God's people. Do we have a responsibility to help them? I was there, but there's no novelty in that. I'm the Lords hands. Had I not been there, he'd have put someone else there. I'm only a servant, thankful He chose me. Praise Him, I'm still "driving nails". Thank you for Grace.
I'm not proud of what I've done. I'm happy about it, and glad I was used to help. I'm not boasting in what kind of work I did last week. I'm just happy to have toiled for Him. I'm not asking for approval or applause. I'm telling you that the glory is His.
When's the last time you served?
How often do you serve?
Are you satisfied when you give your "10%"? or do you feel more 'spiritual' when you give 20%? Is it enough if you just give some money? (then head down the road for a $4 latte - hah, i've learned to really detest starbucks)
Do you really love God's people?
These are awfully formed questions, but they make me think. The notion of them all is similar. Do you love others and serve whole-heartedly or are we all, again, confronted with lies that say we must compromise our love and get more of what we want? Stop running around the cul-de-sac of life.
I'm grateful that daily I'm being transformed by the Gospel, from the inside out. Scriptures like Philippians 4:11-12, Colossians 1:21-22, Luke 18:9-14 etc...are all beginning to make more sense to my infant mind and, in addition, a book I've been reading has really opened my eyes to a new facet of life - serving. I recommend it to you all. The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. (Thanks Josh)
I am truly thankful for my time in Pichilemu, for the people that I met, and for the love that was shown daily (sick or well). Thank yall, Dios te bendiga.
If you want to get involved in any way that you feel led, please do. There is much to be done still. Check out the JuCUM website and these videos on youtube. Real stuff.
http://www.jucumpichilemu.cl/homes_of_hope.html - change the language on the left of webpage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Eo8t4HChQ&feature=player_embedded
Thanks for reading.
http://www.jucumpichilemu.cl/homes_of_hope.html - change the language on the left of webpage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Eo8t4HChQ&feature=player_embedded
Thanks for reading.
Hey Andrew! This is Jessica and Andrea's friend again. It has been a bit since I have been to your blog and for some reason I did not receive the updates. (I think I fixed it now!) I see your lovely ladies around HOPE often and think of you and how you are serving. I can only relate in a small way, living in Europe for about 1 year about 8 years ago but I can appreciate the changes I am sure you see from the good ol' USA. Really Amazing. I am super impressed with your heart and love for Jesus and it touches my spirit to feel the passion of your words. Thank you so much for serving and for setting such a tremedous example for men around the world! I am looking foward to meeting you one day. Take Care. Amy Robinson
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