New Lesson Learned

About a week ago one of my fellow 40/40 missionaries pulled our cohort to the side after church and told us that  she would be going home, that she was outside of her umbrella of support, and could not handle the change, call, pressure, whatever you want to call it.  We were devastated.  The cohort's become a family, really, and it was hard to have another person taken from us.

Our group that is stationed for Puno lost a person, making our number three.  Tacna only had three and it was their team that lost a member, making their number two.  I never thought we would loose anyone else.  It made me start thinking about the rest of us and even myself and I wondered if any of us could be next.  This occasion has made me realize just how fragile we are on the mission field.  Things can happen and can so easily get out of control.

Our loss has brought to mind the story of Gideon.  His army was so large that if he went into battle they would win and the glory would have gone to the army instead of God.  So, God has Gideon cut down the number of the army so that only He could be recognized out of the victory.  We are the smallest cohort that has come down to Peru.  I think the other cities have six North Americans in their assigned areas, which with their Peruvian partner makes them 12.  If God wants our numbers for these two cities to be small then so be it.  He will be glorified.

All the while that I was contemplating this story I was also praying that it be in God's will that he give us another 40/40.  As you all know, we had our Love Extreme not too long ago, and they announced the other cities that Extreme will be going to next.  They gave the short-termers the oppurtunity to sign up for these projects ahead of time as 40/40's or as short-termers again.  One of the girls said she was ready to come to Peru now to be a 40/40.  They interviewed her and after much prayer they decided to add her to the Tacna team!  Isn't God good?!

Our number is still small, but God answered our prayers.  I don't know if anyone else was praying for another 40/40 but I have been just amazed at the power of prayer since being down here.  First with Love Extreme, now with Kelsey our new sister!  Your prayers at home are so important.  Please, do not stop praying for us. My new lesson learned is the power of prayer and what an amazing tool it can be.  It sounds cold to say it, but it's something the Lord has given us for combat with Satan.