Creativity while distancing

I love seeing the different ways people have found to show love and care for one another during these times of quarantine! As the weeks and months have passed by, it’s been exciting to see churches, institutions, and ministries develop new ways of celebrating or engaging its audience. As I look back at the month of May, my heart is full of gratefulness for the ministry work and ways the Holy Spirit spoke in my personal life.

I started the month by attending a full day staff retreat with GBU Chile where we talked about mental health and team dynamics. After that I was able to enjoy a weeklong staff retreat with InterVarsity Florida in preparation for the student retreat that followed the week after. As we reflected on the academic year and remembering the things God did, I was surprised to read my list and see so much had happened beyond COVID 19, and to praise him for those things. This journey in raising support has brought some beautiful meetings and has reconnected me with friends I hadn’t spoken to in a long time.

The theme for our retreat was “Breathe” and although it was held via Zoom, it was made in such a way to not burden us and to experience God. As we spent time reading Jeremiah 29, we related to the bittersweet message God was sending. Just like the Israelites in exile, I was resisting change and waiting for “normal” to come back. Looking at this invitation to lament and to “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce”, we took time to list the things that were burdens or grieving us and another list of all the encouragements through this season. It was beautiful to see how intertwined both lists were, that although there was pain, we also saw new life. We then took a 4-hour retreat of silence and spent time listening to God and soaking in his word.

I’m really grateful for the team that organized and got all the materials ready so that we could truly breathe and lament together. It was so exciting to receive a surprise care package in the mail with all the printed materials as well as gifts like candies, a candle, and book. I’ve sure enjoyed the return of snail mail and care packages during this time of quarantine!

If you have been reading my blog for some time, you might remember the time I interviewed a friend on her experience walking the Camino de Santiago. Ever since then, it’s been a dream to one day make such a journey. You can imagine my excitement at the news that InterVarsity’s study abroad department was launching its first ever virtual Camino experience! You might be wondering how someone in quarantine might have a similar experience to that of someone walking an average of 12 miles per day. Although part of the experience was walking, the real treat was listening daily podcasts to our guides. I had gone out for morning runs various times during the quarantine but not walks. It was so refreshing, to take these daily walks around my neighborhood, followed by pauses to journal and pray. Each day had its own theme with the 4^th being “Perseverance”. For that walk, we were asked to walk 2-3 times more than what we walked the other days. Today, I continue reflecting on the things God spoke to me as I walked that day. So grateful for the wonderful content and creativity of the team in creating spaces to listen to God through this season. If you're interested in participating in something similar, let me know!

Leaving the US for a minute, let me take you over to the southern part of Chile where God is doing amazing things! I’ve been able to have initial meetings with Temuco’s staff as well as the student directive. It’s been so encouraging to see the student initiative and passion in each event and action taken. How beautiful to be attending meetings from GBU all the way from Miami! To see that the same mission students have here is the same mission students have in Chile, that many of the struggles in getting non-Christian students to attend meetings or to want to talk about Jesus are the same.

Temuco’s student directive organizes monthly large group meetings. Usually these are held on campus or a local church and are full of lively music and fun. Currently there are 7 small groups with the smallest having around 5 members and the largest having over 15 students connecting weekly for Bible studies. I was honored to have been invited to give a reflection on God’s paternity as seen on the parable of the prodigal son. We had over 30 students connected for a time of fun and worship together!

I’m grateful for the opportunity to meet students and to learn more about them as time passes by. Many things are being planned and as a staff team, I’m excited to join the plans and contribute to the ministry. God is at work in Temuco and I’m so excited to witness all he has done!