I just got and update from one of the teams that went to Peru. They were in Musho and Tumpa, working with pastor Pedro.
Apparently the two girls I was meeting with, Pillar and Danilla, were asking if they knew me. That put a big smile on my face and warm fuzzies in my heart. There was also another woman in Tumpa who said one of us came and spent a lot of time with their little girl, and she wanted to thank us. I'm not sure who that was.
Emilio found the teams and was very excited. He told them all about how we shared Christ with his wife just before she died, and how he also gave his life to Christ. He was very grateful for the love that we showed them.
The team said that things are going really well. Pedro is now the pastor of the church in Musho. I am not sure where Josue is now, but he apparently moved to a different church. They said there is a lot of fruit from the work that was done there, and that we had a huge impact on the community. They were able to go in and do a lot of follow up, building on what God had started with our teams.
The "false prophet" was still coming to the square and yelling at them. Don said that a lot of the local Christians still associate him with Christianity.
Hearing this update meant a lot to me, so I wanted to share it with all of you too. I hope you all are doing well. Stephanie has posted some great updates from Palenque also. If you haven't read them, you should check them out.
So, I actually am planning to move now. Except I am not moving to Pennsylvania, I am moving to Georgia. I really could use some free places to stay because gas is gonna take about everything that I have. So, if you can help me out or know somebody else who can, I would really appreciate it. And it would be fun to see some of you guys too.
I have a friend that is driving with me, so it would be two of us.
So, I am thinking I will take I-5 from Seattle to San Francisco - Lynette, are you going to be around? Can we stay with you?
After that, I just plan on heading East. I can pick different routes depending on where I have I place to stay. So please let me know if you can help me out.
Hey, I was missin everyone today, so I put together some pictures and started praying for you all. I hope your finding that the Joy of the Lord is your strength, God is good, I thank God for each one of you, and pray that you find favor both with God and man.
As I have mentioned, I moved to Fairbanks,
Alaska recently and have been exposed to a
whole new world of living in the extreme cold.
I know that some people think I am crazy and always chasing dreams of
adventure, but I truly do believe I am chasing Him first - I can't help that
this is the adventure He chose for me, but I sure am glad it is! I also know that there are some people who
worry about me or worry for me, since I seem to lack that attribute (in some
opinions). When I am confident that I am
following God's plan there is little to worry about and that stresses some
people out. I'm not saying that I am
completely free of any worry to cross my mind, that would be presumptuous, but
I do have an overlying peace in my life.
I have done things that I knew were pushing the boundaries of where God
wanted me, I know the feeling of being out of sync with God - and I know what
it is like to be wrapped up the grace of His plan and direction. I'm learning to more consistently choose the
latter.
God likes to send me little reminders of how intricately
involved He is and wants to be in my life.
Usually He drops leaves on me as I'm walking, the other day, a first; He
dropped a pile of snow in absence of suitable leaves. I'm still not sure where the snow fell from,
but He lets me know it is Him.
Yesterday, God sent me an angel named Alan. Well, he wasn't a real angel in the sense of wings, glory and heavenly form, but he
was an angel to my circumstance.
My boss has been very gracious, accommodating and a huge
blessing in helping me get moved into the Fairbanks
scene. He helped me find a place to
live, gave me a couch so I would have something besides a floor to sit on,
showed me around town and gave me a key to his car. I've more recently acquired a warmer jacket
from him, on loan, until he returns from a business trip in Colorado. Needless to say, I've been taken care of and
I always turn that praise back to God, He is the ultimate Provider. But, the angel story is yet to come.
With the boss out of town for the week I had plenty to do in
the office as well as run some personal errands around town. Shortly after he left the temperature dropped
20 degrees to reach a low of -45F… hmmm, seems rather convenient to me. :) Two days passed before I was able to drive
the car again. As I pulled out of the
parking lot I noticed a rather frozen flat tire and decided I probably
shouldn't drive the car in that condition.
I went to move back to the parking space and the car was stuck. Completely, not moving, tires not even
spinning, stuck! What have I done?! A couple guys came to offer their assistance,
mainly because I was directly behind where they were trying to pull out, but
only concluded that the emergency brake had froze to the tires and I wasn't
going anywhere soon. So, I got another
extension cord, plugged the car in with it still sitting in the middle of the
parking lot and walked to work.
Another whole day passed with a couple attempts to move the
car, but I only succeeded in adding more frozen flat tires and spinning out the
other wheels. I left work early
yesterday to check the car and see what could be done. While I was out staring at the car, wondering
what could be done, the mail man walked by.
He gave a friendly smile and greeting, I responded with "I'd be much
better if I could just get my car about 15 feet forward" and a smile of
course. He stopped, gave it a look and
spent about 10minutes trying to figure out a way to get it to move. Since the tires that weren't frozen flat were
now spinning, it was probably a good sign that the brakes were no longer
frozen, but the new dilemma was that the tires were so flat and square, they wouldn't
even roll forward. The mail man said he
needed to finish his route, but that he would call a few buddies to see if
anyone had a portable air pump and that he'd come back by when he got off
work.
What? Seriously, who
does that? So, I waited and sure enough,
a couple hours later up rolled the mail man (no longer in the mail truck) and
he immediately started putting air in my tires before I could even get dressed
(in the many needed layers) to go out to meet him. We chatted a little about this and that, I ran
in to look for a rope and when I came out I saw an Ichthus fish with Jesus
written in the middle on the back of his SUV.
At that exact moment
he said that he didn't want a thing, but just wanted me to promise that when my
car was moved and running that I'd go to church somewhere and just praise God
for his provision. My heart leapt. Praise God!
I'll praise God right now! :) I couldn't help but wondered what he thought
of me, some lost wandering 20-something soul, in need of a Savior. How cool, there are people who do things in
everyday life because of the testimony it gives to God. He quickly discovered that we had the same
Savior and was so excited to be in the presence of another believer. We talked some about the importance of being
the body and a community across race lines (he was a black man) and how it
didn't matter what church you went to as long as the Word of God was being
preached and the Spirit was in charge (amen, brother!). I told him it was edifying and encouraging
being in fellowship with other believers and that life is a mission field. He was already living proof of that.
About that time the tires were full enough to get the
car rolling and he had me follow him to the gas station down the road to get
more air to top them off. We gave our
introductions and goodbyes outside the Chevron auto garage and I watched my
angle of the day pull away down the snow covered road. I couldn't have fixed the car on my own and I
really wanted to show my boss and myself that I could take care of things while
he was gone. Instead, God decided to
show how He could take care of things; how He continues to take care of me in everything.
Here's a bit of my update (started off with a bit of poetic gibberish)...don't feel bad about not understanding it all:)
Lord, I am confused and unfocused and feel worthless and that just drags me further down - especially because I see the faces of my brothers and sisters around the world and hear their cries for help - "give me a mommy or daddy."…"Lord, rescue me out of this brothel - this hell-hole."…"Take the HIV/AIDS away." …and I am simply crying out for direction and for the Lord to close some of the doors of opportunity, while others cry for just one door to crack open - for a ray of light - for a glimpse of hope…
Lord, I wish that I could disappear - that all my selfish ugliness would be scrubbed away…yet I still see myself crying out to you. And you listen and answer in your mercy. I feel at a loss of words - or loss of focus; all the millions or words, fragments, ideas, disappointments, struggles, frustrations and joys getting tossed in the sea of abstract "mind-numbingness"…so that nothing escapes the dark-hole of my mind - torture - screams of nothingness erupting inside of my heart - afflicting pain on my Spirit - yet vanishing into thin air the minute something concrete attempts to dress it up in reality - to pull it down to earth…to grow roots.
That is a hope, but the wind keeps it from landing anywhere long enough to create a name for itself. It only lives in the Spirit; in the changing wind; in the visions, hopes and dreams that propel it forward in theory, but chained in reality. This constant struggle tears, but is careful not to kill. It might be easier if ‘the voice' goes away for a while. It might be easier to settle, to not think of what could be. Yet, its that whisper that keeps me alive. So I live in a constant state of despair: see how the world should be/could be, and for what it truly is - held captive by reality. When will visions and dreams win? When will hope and perseverance and passion uproot those chains that bind?
When will abstract utopia - heaven - grow legs and plant itself deeply into the heart of pain and confusion? Lord, come quickly. Love us and help us.
So, I know that the Lord has already ‘set us all free'… But emotionally, this is the cry of my spirit right now…a broken spirit that yearns to see heaven on earth…the cry of a visionary who can't seem to get her head out of the clouds…
So, physically what's new with me? I'm in Iowa. For the past two months I have traveled a lot (LA/Kansas City/New York City/ Minneapolis/all over IA) to see family and friends and have had numerous opportunities to share with churches, organizations, schools, Sunday schools/youth groups, radio and papers. These two things will continue well into march. The rest of my life/future is a whole bunch of abstractness that ranges from WR mobilization, writing, advocate for human trafficking, raising awareness through sports (biking/running), cooking, baking, returning to SE Asia…..so, there you have it…absolutely nothing set in stone. Each day still brings it's surprises….Am I scared of commitment? I don't know, maybe?
Here's one revelation He has deeply been laying on my heart: Ministry does not flow from a set time and place. Ministry flows from my identity in Christ. Thus, the Kingdom is brought where ever we go (as long as Christ is King/Lord of our life). It's about a lifestyle. It's 24/7. I knew this for awhile, but I think the lord is deepening this ‘mindset' within my heart and spirit. So maybe that's why he's not bringing a specific ‘ministry' to me right away. It's not about what I do, it's about who I am in Him. Love needs to be the motive - not duty or pity. It is all worthless without love.
ok, a blog has been started...I've come to grips that we live in a high tech world, and have seen the fruits of our blogging this past year, so I'm going to try to continue to post every so often...plus, it really is a fun, quick way to see what friends are up too!! my new blog is: http://amyemorris.blogspot.com Love you all!!!!!!!
Life is full of so many stages and transitions, each one full of new adventures, opportunities, excitement, struggles, growth...all building on prior ones and preparing for what is yet to come!! I absolutely LOVED this past year, and know that it will be very long reaching...I refuse to let go of the things which the Lord has taught me and all that He has opened my eyes to internationally. I remember saying many years ago that I didn't feel called to long term overseas missions, but it's funny how the Lord has been slowly- step by step- opening my heart to this and placing in me an evergrowing desire to minister to people around the globe. I find myself often thinking about what's going on around the world, and longing to go be a part of bringing healing and joy! So, while I believe it won't be long til I am back overseas in some form...right now I believe the Lord is calling me to a place not so far from home. I really wrestled with this for awhile because the needs are so great around the world and I am willing to go, but He has also shown me that He is God of ALL people and that since ministry really is just about loving people (the next person He brings across your path/those who are around you)...I will be in DC area for the time being. It's been a long time dream of mine to be a flight nurse, and along with that to be a part of something bigger than myself, to serve my country and to travel. So, one of the vehicles which I will be using to go back overseas (though in a very different form) is the Air Force Reserves- going "above and beyond"(as the motto goes). I have joined the AF as a Flight Nurse, and will likely begin in February. This year will involve about 3.5 mos of training (to be an officer/leader with many responsibilities, flight school, survival training, and ground school). The flight nurses I've talked with say that it is a tremendous responsibility, but there is nothing more rewarding to them than to take care of our wounded soldiers in flight back from war zones to their homeland. I read an article about the AF flight nurses recently, and when one was asked about what they do, their response was "I'm living my dream."So neat- because "Fly your dream"¯ was painted specifically for me in China as yet another message from the Lord to me of where He was directing me next. I see it as a tremendous honor to serve my country and the soldiers who fight for freedom not only for Americans, but also for all nations- in this war which I know is a spiritual one, manifesting in the physical. I will also be working in an ER (another goal I've had as a nurse) in Arlington, VA. The Lord provided a house to live in with 3 other neat Christian girls (more community I prayed for!) with an extra room just for guests (Yes! Big on hospitality! Beautiful!). So anyone who wants to come visit is very welcome! It's going to be quite a transition, but I am really excited about the opportunities that await there and the people to love and live life with!
New contact info: 516 S. Harrison St. Arlington, VA 22204 cell: 703-268-3631 (verizon)
The word has been passed around some and the confirmation I was, oh so patiently ;) , waiting for is finally here!
I will be moving to FAIRBANKS, AK by the end of JANUARY to accept a position with Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (www.yritwc.com). O'F is the current temperature there, warmer than the last time I checked :).
The move is coming a little sooner than what I would have expected post WR, but I am super excited about this opportunity and definitely believe God has arranged it all. I will be working with this small grassroots organization to help develop and be a part of a program designed to monitor the water quality for the Yukon River basin (field work! AK and Canada, eh!) and work along side the Native and Indigenous communities who live on and around the River, to help implement programs that support healthy community/environment interactions.
It is exciting to see how God is taking my passion for the environment and blending it with my passion for working/living with Indigenous communities and throwing wilderness/adventure in there too! It is an 8 month commitment (WAY shorter than a world race... the standard to which all is measured) so, I will be living in AK from late Jan - late Sept. (at least that is the current plan - all plans are subject to change/extension upon approval from Headquarters ;) aka. the Big Man )
VISITORS WELCOME!!!! Also, any people that people know that know people who know people who live in Fairbanks... you get my drift ;) let me know! I know one person, which is more than I knew going on the Race, but slightly different circumstances, so if it passes through your thoughts from time to time... please pray for me :)
Shawna; how close are you to Whitehorse?
I pray that all of our paths continue to take us closer to our Father and that we will not be a generation that forgets what HE has done and IS doing in lives all over the WORLD! Love you all!!
Hello my dear old friends I have been kind of hidden away for the last month or so. But now I am back from hiding. I want to give you guys an update on what is going on, as well as an invitation. This last month has been a great time to get some rest and relaxation, but now I am itching for some action. So now I am joining on staff with Adventures In Missions. I am pretty much starting this week with it all. So I am excited to continue work with the world race. I will be doing some stuff with this mobilization team, getting people out the door. So with that, I will be doing some support raising to come on stuff. Also, I will be probably doing some traveling, speaking at different colleges/churhces, the like. And today I had an idea. I have been thinking about doing a bike trip (not motorcycles) from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. It would be roughly 250 miles each way, going there, significantly uphill, and coming down, well, very downhill. Today I went on a 30 mile bikeride as mini training. So my idea is that I form a fundraising campaign that would appeal to anybody, secular and non-secular, something I might call "adventure for life" or something along those lines. Anyway, what I would like to do is inform a few newstations, newspapers, etc. about me and anybody who would join me, to do a bike trip from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon, then at the Grand Canyon, hike down to the bottom, camp one night, then hike back out, and bike back down to Flagstaff. I would want to do a documentary about the trip that could go out to the news stations, and any support raised would go towards the world race or missionaries, or anything that the participants chose. So what I am calling for is anybody who might be interested in doing such a trip (granted it would be very physically taxing and would require some training beforehand). But if the actual doing it does not interest you, then maybe helping just to get the word out about it (anybody know how to operate a non-worldrace website?). Let me know if anybody is interested in helping me with this, if anything else it would just be fun!
Hey guys hope all is well with ya and the holidays were good.
I'm uploading the promo video for all to see in addition in the
mail is a DVD I put together with three different videos.
My laptop crashed and I spent a lot of money rocovering videos and files and there is still glitching here and there.
the Jose video on the DVD has a four second time delay on the audio so I appologize but I tried everything to get rid of it and almost pulled my hair out but Jose and the promo work just fine. If there are any problems with the DVD let me know
I'm also going to India January 27 so pray for me. Check out my blog and read what's been going on in my heart.
confident that I am
following God's plan there is little to worry about and that stresses some
people out. I'm not saying that I am
completely free of any worry to cross my mind, that would be presumptuous, but
I do have an overlying peace in my life.
I have done things that I knew were pushing the boundaries of where God
wanted me, I know the feeling of being out of sync with God - and I know what
it is like to be wrapped up the grace of His plan and direction. I'm learning to more consistently choose the
latter. 
