This time a year ago....

I was in Trujillo, Peru. Scrambling frantically to finish organizing and dividing up supplies for the upcoming week with gringos visiting from the States. Not to mention scrambling to finish the plans for the all day Olympics we were throwing with our barrios. Little did I know that I would end up missing two days with the gringos due to the worst sunburn and case of sun poisoning I could have ever imagined. It was awful. Seriously. The most pain ever!

Anyway. Peru has been on my heart and mind a lot the last few days. I got to talk with Dani last night and get all caught up on how things are in Trujillo and Santo Domingo, Ecuador. I don't remember if I wrote about it, but the Bukta's moved with 5 of our Peruvian families in March to work in the barrios of Santo Domingo, Ecuador. We have a couple of ladies still on staff in Trujillo, but the rest are in Ecuador and doing really well. I also got to talk to my Peruvian sister, Mily today thanks to Facebook chat. Oh and todays country for focused prayer through Operation World just happens to be Peru. So needless to say... I can't help but let my thoughts wander to the place where I spent 6 months learning, crying, loving, serving and being shaken up by GOD in every possible way.

My heart still aches when I think of some of the hardships our team has faced in the last year and a half. Of the devastation I saw at Absalon Vasquez. Of the heartache we experienced with little Brayan's death. Of the frustration with Satan's attack on the Project using the law and corrupt law enforcement.

But at the same time my heart smiles when I think of the baptisms we had. The times of sweet worship and fellowship in Milagro. The wonderful hugs and kisses I got the minute I stepped into a barrio. The laughter that would ring in my ears for hours as Skylar, Coley and I would entertain kids by simply spinning them around in circles or chasing them in the street. The encouraging conversations I had with Dani about faith and ministry and family and marriage. The hours of late night Spanish drama on tv with my Peruvian sister and mama with abuela chastising me for drinking ice cold water that late at night. The fun times of baking with Skylar and Coley when we didn't feel like going to the barrios. The wonderful times of fellowship at Huanchaco.

I know that I spent most of my time in Peru wishing I was home in the States. And I know that I spent most of time incredibly homesick and frustrated with my culture shock. But I can't deny that now that I have been home for 10.5 months and have had a whole set of adventures in those 10.5 months that I can't help but think about returning. To going and working with the team in Santo Domingo. To visiting my Peruvian family and helping in the cafe at lunchtime. To hugging my favorite boys, Jheremy and Adiel and Yoao again. To baking and watching movies with Skylar and Coley. To walking with Dani while we dissect and discuss ministry stuff. I just can't help it. And yes. I know I may sound like a hypocrite since I really did want to come home so badly. But I can't help it. A piece of me is with that team. In Ecuador. In Peru.

This time a year ago I was living the life of a missions intern in Trujillo, Peru. So crazy. It doesn't seem that long ago.