Hello Everyone!
I must say, so much has happened in the last two months that I barely know where to
begin. I started out March in Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia before heading back to Michigan. The meetings I had in each of those states went wonderfully, at least from my perspective, and now I am just waiting to hear from a few churches regarding their decisions to take me on for support.
After services, conferences and meetings for the first part of the month, I was able to head back to Michigan to spend a month with friends and family before heading over to Peru. I don’t know that I could begin to share how hard it is to sift though your earthly possessions, deciding what should and shouldn’t go, and then what you do and don’t actually have space for. It really was hard, but it was also humbling, seeing the number of earthly possessions that I have, and how sometimes it is easy to feel they are necessary, but when I really take the time to consider it, they aren’t. God is so good in allowing me to see just how much sometimes we rely on earthly comforts rather than considering what is truly needed.
On April 15th, I left for Peru. I am not fully supported yet, but meetings and conferences are hard to come by during the summer months. In talking with and getting counsel from several people, the plan was for me to go ahead and come down to Peru, establish my home, and begin language studies in earnest for approximately 6 months. In the middle of October and early November I have a few meetings scheduled back in the States to finish raising my support. I am still working to schedule a few more, depending on how much support I see coming in from the churches I met with from January – March (so here is my shameless plug, if you know of a church I might contact, I would appreciate the information,). The plan is then to be back in Peru in late November or early December. I have seen God do amazing things not only in my own support, and in churches that have supported me, but I have heard stories of what He has done in the lives of missionary friends, and have no doubt that through the prayers and soft hearts of His people He will continue to do far more than I could ever imagine.
So, on April 15th I left for Peru, and was truly, truly blessed to have my close friend Amy come with me for a little over a week to help me get settled. The sacrifice she and her family made for me was far beyond what I could ever hope for. Along with Chelene Kennedy, we spent the week hunting down and purchasing furniture, getting my internet and cell phone set up, interviewing Spanish teachers, learning how I should get around Peru, learning how to clean foods so I can eat them, finding embassies, doctors, clinics and so many more things. While it was so very hard to see her leave, so much was accomplished during her time in Peru with me, I could not imagine how it would have gotten done without her. God truly is gracious!
I don’t understand or speak as much Spanish yet as I wish I did, but it is so wonderful to see how God can work in the midst of the language barrier. I attended the staff devotions at the children’s home last week and a young woman was giving the devotion, in Spanish of course. I knew enough though to know which verses she was referring to, and while she read them in Spanish, I read them in English. As I sat, not understanding much, God began to work in my own heart regarding the verses. In Philippians 3:8 Paul says, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” While the story is perfectly parallel, it still struck me. In Michigan I was involved in so many areas of my church, and in the lives of several people, doing so much, and loving it. None of those things were wrong, but I have to set those loves, those ministries, those things aside, in a way losing them all, in order to be where God wants me, to pursue the ministries He has for me next. While I am still learning Spanish it feels very hard to still be effective for Him, but I would rather be where He would have me, them spending my life working hard but being ineffective for Him.
Thank you for your prayers,
Pam DroutMarch April 2017 Prayer Letter