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January Newsletter

SHANNON’S CORNER
January 2020
Seasons. They are parts of our life where transition or change is happening.  In Ecclesiastics chapter three King Solomon talks about seasons in life.  They are the cycles of life we all go through.

When I think of Peru and the ministry that I got to be a part of and the friendships I made, I think of it like “a first love.”  When I left is was bittersweet and not knowing if or when I’d ever get to go back made leaving even harder.  But God is good.  He knows the desires of our hearts and my desire was to be able to visit Peru.  God was faithful to me by giving me the opportunity to visit Kids Alive Peru.  

I knew in my head and prepared my heart that going back to Peru would not be the same as when I had lived there.  God showed me his kindness and goodness by allowing me to travel with three ladies from Safe Place Ministry so I would not be alone on my first time back in Peru and to have a “safe place” to be able to process my thoughts and feelings during my time in Peru.  

Once landing in Peru, there were things that felt like I have returned “home.”  Seeing the
Shannon, Jillian, Jessica, Sharon
various Peruvian ethnicities and culture.  Hearing familiar terms or vocabulary, such as maracuya, bolsa, soles, and hearing “Castellano” instead of “Spanish.”  Seeing the beauty of the country and some very common vehicles like the mototaxi and combi.  My favorite, tasting and eating delicious Peruvian cuisine.  

Kids Alive Peru has gone through many seasons in these last 8 ½ years since I left.  God has done some pruning in order for his ministry there to produce fruit, fruit that will last.  I got to hear the plans that Kids Alive Peru will be implementing this year and I am so very excited for them and how God is going to have his ministry flourish.  I got to meet the four missionary families along with the Peruvian leadership.

I got to participate in the member care training that Safe Place gave to three women who are very passionate about caring for their members.  I got to say a little bit of how member care got started in Kids Alive during a session in the leadership retreat.  But one of my favorite things was to do member care with one couple, three women and two men…hearing their highs and lows, where God was in it, thinking of how they can implement self-care into their lives and praying with them was such a blessing.  Two of the women serve at the children’s home where I served and so they shared with me a little about the kids/teens who are still in the home who I know.  It’s hard to believe that one of my girls will be turning 15 years old next month and she came to the home when she was two years old.  Some of the little boys when I left Peru are at the age to move out of the home during their summer.

Nancy, Kami, Milagros, Leslie, Kasandra, Taylor, Kaela,
Jan, Ann, Marcie, Shannon , Anna
Our woman’s retreat was led by four women from the Moraga Valley Church.  The theme was, “Being, Becoming and Living as the Beloved:  Remain in Me,” taken from John 15:9.  The ladies started our time with us to share a word that describes our year.  My word was growth.  We are grafted into the True Vine (Jesus) which is where all our nutrients and sustenance come from to give us life.  Being, becoming and living as the beloved arises from us being 1) chosen by God, we did nothing; 2) blessed by God shows the affirmation of our full existence; 3) our brokenness is not an obstacle to our fullness in Christ but it’s the means to it; and 4) we are given is the expression of living the first three out.  Sunday we closed in a time of Lectio Divino using the reading from John 15:5-11.  The two words God spoke to me in the passage were ‘joy complete.’  This shows me God’s faithfulness to me that he will make my joy complete.

We had good time of fellowship, talking, playing games, doing crafts, learning our enneagram number, walking on the beach between the rain drops.

"I am the vine; you are the branches.  
The one who remains in me – and I in him – bears much fruit, 
because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.
I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.”
John 15:5, 11

PRAYER REQUESTS
Praise the Lord for the wonderful trip to Peru!
Praise the Lord for a good women’s retreat!
Pray for my Aunt Esther going through chemotherapy starting the end of January.
Pray for wisdom, discernment and clarity for me in decisions I need to make.
Pray for unity and grateful hearts.
Pray for Lindsay and intern who will be serving with us in Constanza, January 29th-March 22nd.
Pray for our new missionaries who will be arriving to the DR in 2020:  Robin, Audrey, Anne Peyton, and Rachel.

Melissa, Shannon, Jen, Katie, Analu, Joxcabed, Rut

My Awesome 21 Room Rocks Roommates

Riding in a Mototaxi

Back to Manish

Leslie, Jan
Teri, Kasandra
Milagros, Marcie, Kami
Patti, Anna, Kaela, Nancy, Kim
Ann, Shannon, Cheryl, Taylor

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