Greetings from Pichilemu, Chile

Hello from the mission base of JUCUM  (YWAM) here in Pichilemu, Chile.  It is summer here and am enjoying the warmth!  As always, I am caught in the reality of how time just has flown for me....seems like it was just Christmas and....its going to March soon....wow!  I have alot to share about this time.

 


       Christmas was hard actually... I missed a Christmas eve service, missed the colder like weather, missed so many of you,  and just well..the things that are special to me that surround this special time.   I was able to leave the mission base for almost 3 weeks over the holidays, which was a wonderful time.  I spent it with a family in Santiago helping them get final things done to move to Israel...(a single mom and 2 of her sons that had become very special to me).  They are Jewish and felt called to move to their homeland. It was a very special last visit with them, and I was able to help alot!
                                                                                                                               

"my Jewish family"-The Reiningers

    I spent 1/2 of Christmas day with my special friend Yanet (who is a missionary in Uruguay), & her mom and step dad and siblings.  We then took a 3 1/2 hr. bus trip to spend time with  her grandparents. They live in Loncura, a little town near a beach. It !!!  I love listening to and watching the ocean..its power and peace  both! We didn't spent much time on the beach but I did get some good beach runs in!  My runs are such a special time with God.....a different time with Him, talking, listening, and enjoying.

New Yrs. Yanet and grandma

           The counseling school classroom training ended mid Dec., and I didn't think I was going to join a team for  outreach for the next 2 1/2  months, but felt strongly that I needed to stay and  finish this process...the school entirely.  We had 4 outreach teams in our school going to 4 different places and  I was originally on a team to go to Paraguay, but had the opportunity to spend time around the holidays with friends in the Santiago area.  I did that and then returned to be part of a team here in Pichilemu.



Santiago near the Cordillero de los Andes

  So.....what have I been doing for the "outreach" portion of the school? 

              My team of 6, has been working here in Pichilemu. In January we served and worked with a women's seminary, marriage seminary, and counseling seminary as well as 2 weeks of camp for youth....  Everything from small groups, to hospitality and kitchen work...(meal preparation and dishes).  Jan. is summer here so there was ALOT going on. We also had a team of 27 from Australia here helping with construction needs and I ended up helping translate.    This mission base was started with the vision of community outreach through a swimming pool, which is in a building  called "Pura Vida".  The purpose is to reach out to and meet needs of the people in Pichilemu and impact their lives with God's love and  the Gospel, which they have been doing for about 14 years now from this base.

One of the beaches in Pichilemu

     As part of our counseling school outreach, our team has  an office where people  can come and share, ask for prayer, or just visit.  We also  spend time around the pool sharing  with the parents who bring their kids for swim lessons.... about how real God is,  and of his love for them.  There is alot of fear right now as the devastating earthquake happened the 27th of March...almost exactly 1 yr. ago.  People are open to share about their fear and insecurity, and willing to hear that God can bring them peace and that they can have security in Him.

        Another woman who is one of my leaders, is a physical therapist from Germany, and together we have been working with an autistic man named Victor who had brain surgery for a tumor the 23rd of Dec.  Today was the last day with him as our 3 month outreach ends this week.  When we started, he could hardly move his right leg, or raise up his right arm.  He has mental disabilities as well but we give praise to God that now he can raise his right arm up and do a "high five", and also today, he walked on his own without my support in front of him.  It was so exciting to see the progress he has made.  The doctors told his mom to expect him to always be wheelchair bound, but.....God is a God who heals, a God of miracles and surprises!



Nicole in front of our "counseling/pastoral office"



PT/rehab with Victor

 We also shared themes on the local Christian radio station 2 times per week....yes, I have been stretched immensely in this time!
We also spend Saturdays with about 20 children for "super Saturday".  We teach them a value from the Bible, and then they have time of sports, swimming, obstacle courses, dance....just fun!



Sharing from the Bible on radio

The "hub" of our outreach
Pura Vida-outdoor swimming pool and our counseling
office rehabilitation/nursing office

      This weeknd will be the end of the outreach.  There is a  big swim competition here  Sat. and Sun. with many teams from different parts of Chile and I will work as the nurse for whatever may arise. There always seems to be the need here for general first aid which I am thankful to  be able to give.  I will graduate from the school around the 5th of March.

 So.....what am I going to do after graduation?

  I  originally thought I was going to return to Colorado, but I received different guidance from God in His process for my life.

     My 90 days is up to stay in the Country so I will be heading south and to Argentina, spend a night or 2 there and then re-enter Chile.  I will then spend several days with from friends from the states who are living on the island of Chiloe until June. It is  very different there, with indiginous influence from what I have been told. What a treat it will  be to see some more of Chile and spend some time with them and their 2 kids.

     I will then return here to the base and work as staff with the next counseling school. This will include being one of the translators (wahoo!!!, and I can't believe it), and also being one of the mentors for  a small group of women and possibly some teaching.  I know that this is where God wants me to be at this time.  The counseling school isn't like the counseling we traditionally think of,  but a process of so much personal healing.  Its a school about our lives, and how God wants to heal us and transform us.

      This time here continues to be an incredible  time of training, serving, and growth in my intimacy with God...really experiencing Him. My being a missionary  isn't about  "my capacity", but about being willing for God to use me in His plans.  He is the one who makes things happen.  I had fear about speaking on the radio, preaching in church, and many other things because I felt uncapable....I AM incapable on my own, but have learned that God will never ask us to do something that He won't give us the ability to do.    Life is such an adventure with Him.....

                                  Thanks for all the support and prayers. In His amazing Love, Holly



one of the little swimmers!



Super Saturday!