Fruit...

To My Most Amiable Readers,

A hike, a shuttle bus, a ferry, another bus, and a car trip later, we're home from the mountains. Wow, what a time! For those who are less than up to date, we went up into the Andes with our Chilean co-missionaries, Eduardo, Juanita, and their two children for five days. We made base camp on our Chilean friend's property in an area called Llanada Grande. From there we hiked to different families living in isolation, encouraging the believers and sharing Jesus.

On Saturday we hiked about two hours in, enjoying the beautiful mountains and seeing the flocks of sheep and cows meandering free in the valleys. Having no water and little food, we sustained ourselves on the wild blackberries, plentiful along the trail. We then went fishing (Dustin in his boxers due to our uncanny ability to get the lures stuck under logs, and I with Edison on my back). I caught a small salmon, too small to keep, but not too small to feel smug about. From there we hiked to the land of a family we had met on the trail the day before.

We shared cafecito (coffee and bread and mate) with them, got to know them, and then Eduardo shared with them that it wasn't enough just to believe in God, that you had to make a personal decision to accept Christ into your heart. When he asked the four daughters if they would like to accept Christ, we heard, "Si. Si. Si. Si." Allelulia! We have four new sisters in Christ!

Thanks be to God for this fruit!!

The trip also had the blessing of teaching us to suffer well. Long hiking with two small children, struggling with the language, washing clothes by hand, being hungry, hot, and grumpy, the long hours on buses and ferries, and bathing by means of five-gallon bucket...God taught us to persevere and continue to do good, praising Him for each small blessing. Of note; while we were hiking for a long time I was so thirsty and prayed that God would provide for me a glass of nice cold water. About an hour later we visited the aforementioned family and the first thing that greeted us on entering their home were large glasses of ice-cold coke!! *Which is extraordinary, as they don't have refrigerators.*

Rejoice with us that God is gathering the harvest for His glory! Amen!

Your Devoted Sarah