until the whole world hears

I've moved!

2011-09-06T17:21:00.001-05:00

For those who still visit this blogspot and have wondered why I don't post anymore...it's because I have relocated to Wordpress.

So, please follow me now at: amandabrock.wordpress.com

I'll be posting more often over there....inshallah (Lord willing)!

Thank you for keeping up with all the Lord is doing and where He is leading me!

Continuing on in the journey....

2010-06-28T11:57:00.002-05:00

Again, it’s been a while since I’ve updated the blog. This probably comes as no real shock.

A lot has happened this last semester. January, I got to visit Misty, Amy, Leah, Kelli and the Jones’ in Sucre, Bolivia. February, I welcomed my nephew – Ezekiel Joshua Brock…best known as Zeke – to the family. March, I traveled up to NYC with the family and passed the one-year mark of being back in the States. April was full of writing papers I had put off to the last possible second, so nothing huge happened that month. May, I wrapped up my first year of seminary and attended a mission expo with the IMB. And in June, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to serve as a special teamer for the Panama City Beach FUGE staff. Life hasn’t slowed down.

My trip to Bolivia was incredible and made me miss life on the field. It is always a blessing to spend time with people I consider family. We just hung out for two weeks and caught up on life. AMAZING. Can’t wait for the opportunity to go back.

At the risk of stating the obvious, Zeke is the cutest little boy EVER. Riley and Aydia are so proud of their little brother. He is famous on Facebook for his crazy eyes and hilarious faces.

My one-year mark has come and gone. There are moments where it is still a struggle and reverse culture shock sets in, but God is greater and I’m constantly reminded that I’m right where I’m supposed to be. It is crazy to think I’ve been back for so long. While I long to be back overseas, I’m doing my best to love where I’m at and invest in the lives of those I live among.

The first year of seminary is a wrap! It was an amazing time and I have walked away challenged and changed. The question that looms is this: what am I going to do with what I’ve learned? There is no answer yet. I’m still processing through many of the conversations we had in class and thinking through how to implement them in real-life situations. It is good and I’ve been blessed by the people who have poured into me this past year and spoken truth into my life. The semester drained me, but I walk away having learned so much.

God blew my socks off at the Mission Expo. I walked in with my plans firmly in hand and was prepared to not go back with the IMB if my plans wouldn’t work. I laugh at that now. During those 3 days, God pried my preferences and my call apart. I had meshed the two into one thing. My call isn’t to a certain place or culture or people group. My call is to the lost. To share with those who may have never heard. And to also learn what the Body of Christ looks like in different contexts and cultures – to get a bigger picture of how God moves among the nations. So, I’m finishing up my application to serve as a career missionary and just waiting on the next step. It’s a journey and I’m excited to see what God has next.

Some of you may know I turned down the rec director position at Jenness Park this summer. There were a few reasons for that, but I wasn’t really planning on working camp again. Another plan change. They needed some former staffers to help out with some big weeks of camp at a few locations. Last week, I worked at PCB with an amazing staff. I won’t lie, I was nervous about serving with a team that had already been working together for 3 weeks. Being a loner was what I was somewhat expecting. In no way was that the case. They will never know what a blessing they were/are to me. My heart was refreshed. It was an incredible week and I flew home last Friday so encouraged by these new friends. I realized how much I missed being so intentionally involved in people’s lives. So, I’m headed back to PCB in two weeks. I’m excited for the chance to serve alongside my family there, again and to share the love of Jesus with the students that come. I’ve known this crew for a week and yet feel like we’ve been friends forever. I love that about the Body of Christ.

So, there’s the latest news. What’s next? No idea. The Lord knows the next steps and that’s good enough for me. Walking by faith.

Book Review: Change Your Church For Good

2010-05-15T18:15:00.000-05:00

So, I review books now for Thomas Nelson. It’s a good deal. Pick a book that looks interesting, they mail it to you and then you write a review on your blog and Amazon. And I’m always up for a free book! Now, periodically, there will be book reviews on my blog.

I’ve just read Change Your Church For Good by Brad Powell. Powell is pastor of NorthRidge Church in Michigan. This man loves the church but sees great room for improvement. This we agree on. Throughout the 300 pages (which drag on at times), he lays out the problems and then gives his opinions on how to remedy them. He presents it all quite clearly and it’s very easy to read and understand. His conclusions about the church are harsh, but true. Powell charges the church with being irrelevant. While this may be true, I felt that his focus was in making the church seeker friendly. He makes the point that “most churches are organized to serve the interests and well-being of the insiders rather than the outsiders,” I agree. I believe he goes too far to the other extreme.

His strengths lie in the way it all is laid out. If you like things given in steps, you’ll like this book. With each problem, Powell spells out a certain way it can be approached. The fact that he is using his own experience and his previous churches as case studies helps make application to his points. I didn’t like how seeker friendly he was, but that is a personal opinion.

Would I recommend this book? If you want quick, easy answers, then yes. The church today has problems that need addressing. I don’t think becoming ultra-relevant and creating services that entice those outsiders to come visit is what will fix the problem. He doesn’t really address the heart of the church, but focuses on things that can be done to get more people inside. Reasons that I think are surface level. For what he is trying to accomplish, the book does exactly that. While the solutions are not what I would recommend, some of the problems he gave are quite valid and the church should take time to hear them. Powell desires for the church to do a better job of reaching those outside the church…. we just disagree on what needs to change in order for that to happen.

Next review: Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

God has a sense of humor!

2009-09-13T16:20:00.006-05:00

Why? Because I have landed in Waco, Texas. Never in a million years did I see myself going to seminary here. I envisioned Wake Forest or Ft. Worth or New Orleans. Waco? Didn't even know there was a seminary there!

Many have been curious as to the turn of events that led to my big move south. Here it is:

How did I end up here? Well, it is most definitely a God-thing (working thru Amy & Wes!). As you know, my plan was to move to New Orleans and enroll at NOBTS. Before I left for camp in June, I mailed in all of my information and forms....with the hope to hear of my acceptance before coming home in August. Obviously, that did not happen. During my time at camp, I began to talk to Wes and Amy Butler a lot about my Journeyman term and about my decision to head to NOBTS in the fall. Amy began to share with me a lot about Truett Theological Seminary (she's a pretty good recruiter). So, I figured I could at least apply. When I first looked, the application deadline had long since passed. I couldn't tell you why, but I looked again the following day and the deadline had been extended and that meant I had 9 days to get all of my application materials in (mind you, I am in the middle of camp out in CA!). Don't know how it happened....but everything made it in my deadline time - references, transcripts and all!! The Friday after I got everything in, my application went before the admissions committee and I was granted acceptance! Never heard back from New Orleans, which made the decision easy. But, I felt complete peace about packing up and moving to Waco.

I am beginning to love it here. I have been impressed with the school and my professors. Probably for the first time ever, I somewhat enjoy going to class (minus the whole getting out of bed thing!). So, I am a Baylor Bear. Craziness. No idea how long I will be here, but I am going to soak up what I can while camped out here in Waco, TX.

Next time: The Mormon Encounter

One time at summer camp....

2009-09-08T14:43:00.006-05:00

It has been a eons and eons since the last post. Life got busy. There is much to write about, but I'll just tackle one thing at a time. We'll start with the beginning of the summer.

I worked camp for the first time in my life, this summer. I was a part of the Centrifuge staff at Jenness Park, in Cold Springs, CA. My job was leading Bible study every day for 5 weeks, to 9th-10th (3 wks) and 11th-12th (2 wks). It was an amazing experience. Every week, God used something in our Bible study to challenge me. We spent the summer studying Moses and his journey of faith and tried to apply the lessons we learned to our own lives. Aside from leading Bible study, I led volleyball and backpacking track times.

One might think that taking 25-30 students on an overnight backpacking trip every week would cause me to dread Thursday nights. However, this couldn't be more wrong. I couldn't wait for Thursday nights to arrive. By far, my favorite night of the whole week and it always ended up being one of theirs (after I told them they couldn't get out of it!). There were definitely some groups that had me a little concerned....but something happens on the trail - you bond. It was always neat to see.

One of my favorite moments came after almost an hour of hiking. For the first bit, we were hiking pretty much straight up the mountain. So, as you can imagine, there was lots of complaining! And that could be underestimating it. It was in this first segment that I often wondered to myself why I signed up for this. But when we changed trails, we came to a look-out....where you could see everything. It was then that I knew why I did this. Their expressions and attitudes changed instantly. They were in awe of God's creation. It never ceased to make me smile. And it happened every week.

Another favorite was our share time around the fire. The group would have bonded even more while setting up camp and cooking dinner....so this time became a chance to share life stories and all God was doing. I was blessed. One night, actually the last trip of the summer, something very cool happened. After we all shared, I encouraged them to take advantage of where they were for the night....in the middle of God's awesome creation and just allow God to speak. I told them that I wanted them to see God as Creator. While in the jungle, I spent so much time looking at the stars. I always stood in awe of the fact that He placed these balls of gas exactly where He wanted them. I shared this with the group and told them to look up and be reminded that God cares for us so much more and He is faithful to finish the work He has started in us. At this exact moment, the biggest and brightest shooting star flew across the sky. Not one of us missed it. In that moment, they got it. They won't forget that night. I won't either.

Week 5 Backpacking Crew

Back on the Funny Farm

2009-05-12T17:46:00.005-05:00

Last week, I journeyed back to the place my crazy journey began. And after two years, I was able to re-connect with some of my greatest friends. It was so neat just getting to sit and listen to everyone's stories. Our God is so amazing. All of us had totally different experiences . . . good and bad; frustrating and encouraging. But we all were brought closer to our Creator. It was a sweet time of fellowship with the Body.

The FPO 1.07 Crew!

So . . . you may ask, "what's next?" The short answer: seminary, with the purpose of heading back overseas. I don't know all the details yet, just trying to have faith for the next step. I'll be visiting New Orleans Bapt. Theological Seminary at the end of this month. Please be praying for wisdom in this decision. I hope to start in the fall, but if the timing is off I'll start in the spring. I'm excited about what's next. God is good.

The Xtreme Women's Team

2009-03-27T09:32:00.003-05:00

Please pray for the Women's Team during the next 6 weeks. Tomorrow they will be leaving Lima and boarding a bus to Puerto Maldonado (via Cuzco). Once in Maldonado, they will head to their respective communities. Misty & Amy will be working in Boca Inambari and Lori, Elaine & Alessandra will be working in Barraka. From Lima, this will be a lot of traveling.

A few prayer requests:

Travel safety and good rest (sleeping on buses is a hard thing)
Unity among the whole group, as well as the individual teams
For their work in the communities (i.e., would be able to share stories, work with women and encourage the church)
For their families back home, as the girls will be out of contact until the beginning of May

A Mother-mandated Update

2009-02-06T11:47:00.002-06:00

Yes, you read the title correctly. Mom said I need to update on what's going on and about my possible plans for the future. So, here goes . . .

Things here in Pucallpa are wrapping up quickly. I pack-up and fly to Lima, February 17th. The new crew is scheduled to arrive that night and we will hit the ground running, quite literally! On the 20th, we fly to Puerto Maldonado (I'm going to end this journey where/how it began . . . in Maldonado AND in training!). There, we will train for about 3 weeks, mas o menos. I am excited to get to spend some quality, jungle time with those joining our team. I know it will be a great time. Please pray for their language, acquisition to jungle living and a sweet time of fellowship with teammates.

March 20th at 12:30 pm, I will arrive back home in Dallas, Texas. I am still working on how to sum up my time here in Perú. But I will . . . don't worry. There is a lot to sort through and think back on. One thing is for sure . . . I won't be returning home the same person. And for that, I am grateful. The Lord has done a lot of work on this heart of mine. It wasn't always fun or enjoyable. Most times it hurt. But it was worth it. God is so faithful. I look forward to sharing more about these two years.

Stay tuned . . .

Yaminahua-land

2009-01-31T18:44:00.005-06:00

a weekend with the girls

2008-12-30T14:47:00.008-06:00

cafe mochas at starbucks. chili's chips and salsa. movies in an actual theater. high-speed internet. a park of water fountains. taxi rides with more people than should be legal. and quality conversations with some amazing friends.

these girls are a huge blessing in my life.
my heart is full.

Me and the newest, honorary member to
the Xtreme Team - Powers!!

All of us crammed into a taxi. Our driver didn't quite
know what he got himself into!!

Megan, Linzi, Christy, Powers, Me and Nadia
at the Fountain Park

my Peru family

Lessons on a Jungle Trail

2008-12-01T13:47:00.004-06:00

One day we set out on what ended up being a long jungle hike. And when I say we were walking a jungle trail, there wasn’t really a trail I could see. The reason for this adventure was to bring back this nut that they called a fruit.

As we walked, my mind got to thinking. I know that I’m supposed to follow wherever the Lord leads. Without question. But being human . . . that’s hard at times. I want to know the plan, especially right now with my future hanging in the balance. What will I be doing after Perú? J3? Seminary? Nursing school? Or something altogether different? Our jungle hike drove a point home.

I was following Maria. I had no idea where I was going. No idea what we were really looking for. But I followed . . . unquestioningly. I had faith that she knew where she was going. There was no trail (well, no gringo trail). I never asked her if she really knew the way. Never really asked why we were even going. And after an hour or so of walking, we arrived. My jungle walk is a lot like following God. I don’t always know where He leads . . . but I’m not guaranteed that knowledge. All I’m called to do is follow. Nothing more. He is my guide. He knows the trail and destination. There may be distractions and hang-ups along the way – but I am to press on. There were times I couldn’t see Maria . . . but I could hear her. So it is with my Father. At times I might not can see Him or His hand, but I know His voice and I continue following. He didn’t promise me a smooth trail or a path free from obstacles. All He has promised is that He will guide me. And never leave me.

So, as my time here in Perú begins to wind down and my future is still up in the air . . . I’m trusting God. He knows my story and He holds my future. I’m following, even though I’m unsure of the where the path is leading. I’m called to follow. And I am excited about the next step in this journey.

Update Coming . . .

2008-11-30T14:58:00.002-06:00

I´m getting around to writing some updates for the blog.

So there should be some new reading material soon!! No worries!

And as soon as I get it, I´ll post the link to Facebook pictures!!

Got Masato?

2008-07-21T11:07:00.007-05:00

Masato is the drink of choice here in the jungle. They intake more masato than water daily. I was once even told to drink more because it stays with you longer than water!

So, you may be asking yourself - ¨What is this masato you speak of?¨ It is a drink made from the yucca root. It is a plant that grows in abundance out here. It could be compared to a potato, but still it is different. Let me share with you the whole masato making process!

Masato day begins a little before 6:00 AM. All the women grab their baskets and machetes and head for one of the many surrounding yucca fields. Once there, everyong begins to dig . . . even the gringas! The Yaminahua women can somehow dig up 20 or so yucca in about 5 minutes, whereas it still takes me 20 minutes to dig up 5 pieces of yucca!!!! We work with the pros. After 2 hour of digging, the peeling process begins, to which I´ve nearly lost fingers. By 9:00 AM we are back at the house and washing all the yucca. We put it to boil and then the fun part begins.

They take a large paddle and mash it up to the consistency of mashed taters. At this time, they shred some sweet potato and begin chewing it. Once the sweet tater is sufficiently chewed, it is spit into the big vat of mashed yucca. For the next 2 hours or so, spoonfuls of yucca are chewed and spit, chewed and spit, chewed and spit. You how have the masato concentrate. This sits overnight to begin the fermentation process. The following morning, they take some of the mush, add water . . . and WHALA - masato!! A 16 liter bucket is made each time. One pot of concentrated masato lasts for about a week and at least twice a day the bucket is refilled.

This jungle beverage is most definitely an acquired taste. When drinking, I just try not to think of the whole process. In the beginning, I grimaced while drinking my bowl . . . but after two months in Yaminahua-ville, I finish my bowl and with my masato mustache can smile and say ¨¡Mama sharakoi!¨ (Masato is great!)

2008-05-09T15:08:00.003-05:00

Hello friends! After much prodding . . . I am updating.

I am still in Pucallpa, awaiting a flight out to San Pablo to spend two months with the Yaminahua. Nadia and I have been working on learning some phrases in the language, which has proved to be a little difficult. The pronunciation is quite different and very nasaly (sp?). We have learned to count! They technically don´t have a number higher than 3. They count in pairs. For example: if you wanted to say 4, you would say ¨rafe na nafea, rafe na nafea¨. This means ¨this one with this one, and this one with this one¨, but mind you . . . it isn´t pronounced like it looks! The pronunciation is: lawe da dawea, lawe da dawea¨. It is fun! We usually just end up laughing at each other.

During our non-study time, we knock around town and find places to visit. This pictures is from one trip to a local zoo. Who just wants to look at animals through cages?? Why not just yank that over-sized snake out of it´s cage so we can get a closer look at it!?!?! Linzi wanted a picture of one animal and couldn´t get a good shot, so the guide just opened the not so secure cage door and told her to go on in and get a better shot. Gotta love Perú!! All about customer service. One of the small blessings found in town is . . . DR. PEPPER!!!!!! God is good!!

We are all ready to take off to our communities. City life is getting dull. All four of us will be gone until August. And I´m sure, upon return there will be quite a few stories to post! Please be praying as we all work on learning a new language. Pray for lots of patience for the people we will be living with!

I have an assignment!!!

2008-02-28T09:19:00.004-06:00

This past week, I have been in Arequipa with the entire Extreme Team. It has been a time of encouragement and sharing what God has done this last year. This is the one time each year that we are all together. It has been great. Today, we all disperse. It has been a blessing and I count each member of this team as family.

I finally have an assignment!!! I will be going with Nadia to the Yaminahua. Once training ends, April 1, we will begin intensive language study and then hope to head to San Pablo at the beginning of June for a 2 month trip. I am so excited that there aren´t really words to describe. The language is so important. While there, we will not be speaking much, if any, Spanish at all. The women speak the dialect. So, please pray with Nadia and I that language comes quickly, so we are able to effectively disciple the women of San Pablo. Also, be praying for Katie, Linzi and Christy as they study the Spanish language and head out of trips.

Here is a picture of our team:

Back row: Christy and me

Front row: Nadia, Linzi and Katie

For pictures from training and XGM, follow these links:

Training:
http://uta.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2076696&l=7e704&id=25300658

XGM:

http://uta.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2078815&l=d5f13&id=25300658

Quick update . . .

2007-11-30T17:19:00.000-06:00

I am at the Lima airport, waiting to board the plane that will take me to my new home. I am excited.

Today started at 5:15 AM, with me trying to finish packing. Somehow over the last 8 months, I have acquired more stuff . . . so it was a challenge getting everything stuffed into my trunk and duffle bags. And then loading all that junk on a motocarro . . . it was a sight! But I made it with plenty of time to spare.

I was blessed today with the company of 2 new friends, who met me for lunch and hung out with me during my layover. We got to talk about our ministries here in Perù and all God is teaching us. My heart is refreshed and ready to go!

Tuesday, I will be leaving for my first trip. Please pray for safety and an opportunity to share a story. I am both excited and a tad nervous. I look forward to learning a lot. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement.

Here is the link to the newest facebook photo album: Training & Graduation Pictures

Things I Have Learned

2007-10-22T10:48:00.000-05:00

Money does not grow on trees, but toilet paper does
Camping so overrated
Coffee in the jungle with new friends, who speak a different language is just as good as coffee in the States with old friends, who speak my language
Snail mail is so much better than email
There is more than one way to eat a banana
You should not talk about all the foods you miss from the States . . . it is like a slow death
Always make sure there are no holes in your mosquito net
Always learn your Bible stories on time to avoid the wrath of Jeremy!
Never forget to hide your machete . . . or it disappears!!
Always have a sufficient amount of firewood cut, or you end up having to keep a fire going for 24 hours
Never forget to check your pants before putting them on . . . ants tend to find their way in easily
My hands were not made tough enough for a machete
Going to bed at 7:00 PM makes for a really, really long night!
After the first week, you quit swatting at the bugs swarming around your head (it is useless)
That having my time alone with Jesus is the only that that has kept me sane
Bug repellent has no effect on jungle bugs
Santa Rosa Hospital is a joke!
Indoor plumbing is a gift from God
That in the midst of 3 1/2 months of solid Spanish, the occassional English conversation is priceless!
My hammock has been my best purchase
Spanish 1 and 2 in high school and college is really useless
A wasp in your pants NEVER ends well
A machete is a multi-function tool . . . you can: clear paths, dig holes, cut food, cut grass and fight fires with it! Simply amazing.
Just how much I miss everything that goes along with being Volleyball Operations Manager (believe me, it is a lot of things!)
That when you hammock breaks, it is a day of mourning
So much about how the Body of Christ should/does function
God hears the prayers of His people
His grace is enough . . . he is oh so faithful, and He supplies all of my needs!!!!

Added some pictures . . . here's the link: http://uta.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2053671&l=5240d&id=25300658

Cuzco

2007-07-22T10:25:00.000-05:00

I am in Cuzco right now, about to take a bus to Tacna to begin working on visa and residency stuff. Here are a couple pictures. I will post more when I have more patience to upload them. It is cold and my fingers are numb!

This was my lunch yesterday. Cuy al horno. Baked guinea pig. It does not taste like chicken, no matter what you might hear. It was different. But good.

Me and Graham in Cuzco. He didn't really want to take this picture, but I made him!!

The Latest Rat Update

2007-07-10T09:02:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I wrote about the rat in my kitchen . . . so I figured I would give you the latest. If you have already looked at my Facebook pictures, you will know how it ends.

(The rodent will only be referred to as “rat” . . . he deserved no personalization!)

Since I first discovered the rat, he only got more and more annoying. My Dad sent me this device; I believe it is called . . . The Pestinator 2000! Sounds like it should do the job. The magnetic wave it sends out is supposed to discourage the rodents from coming around. Peruvian rats are obviously not discouraged very easily. He began making more and more noise. I would wake up in the morning to stuff all over my kitchen. Despite all the noise, I was beginning to deal with it. My food was now safe in a drawer.

One night things took an ugly turn. It was the night of July 2nd and I had returned home to see my loaf of bread half-eaten, sitting on my bed. What did that mean? The rat had made it into my bedroom. Not good. He can mess in the kitchen, because I don’t live in the kitchen. Now he was in my territory . . . on my turf!! He was causing quite a ruckus that night and I had about had it. However, I was able to fall asleep around 11:30 pm. At 2:00 AM, I awoke to the subconscious act of flinging something off the top of my sheets. Yes, it was the rat. Slightly disgusted, I grabbed my machete and went looking for the creature, only to see it crawl through an opening in the corner of my ceiling. There was no going back to sleep. I read from 2:00-4:00 AM. I drifted off to sleep and at 4:30 AM, I awoke to the feeling of a critter under my sheets, at my feet. Needless to say, I flew out of bed, instantaneously had my machete in hand, and turned on the lights. Now, if my roommate had woken up, the sight of me wielding a machete at 4:30 in the morning could very well have given her a heart attack . . . luckily, she remained asleep through the whole fiasco. The rat got away and succeeded in pushing me closer to culture shock.

Morning of July 4th. Again I was woken up early . . . but this time to the scream of my roommate, Maria. I crawled out of bed and lazily walked to the kitchen to see what the fuss was. At the entrance to the kitchen was none other than the rat. He had breathed his last. My face lit up. I ran and grabbed my camera (this was most definitely getting captured on film!). It was going to be a good day.

The death of the rat did not occur at the end of my machete. Did the Pestinator 2000 work and fry his brains? I do not know. Or did the sight of me, in the wee hours of the morning holding a machete, send him to an early grave? I have no clue. Nevertheless, his time on earth was done. A prayer was answered. And on the day that we celebrate the independence of our country, God smiled on me.

My Dad said I need a shirt that says, “God Loves Me . . . Rats Fear Me!”

pictures: http://uta.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2053671&l=5240d&id=25300658

The More the Merrier!!

2007-06-24T09:12:00.000-05:00

I believe this is the Peruvian motto . . . when it comes to people and modes of transportation! Why carry only what the van or car can hold when you can cram so many more?

I was riding in the combi (a van slightly smaller than a 15 passenger) the other day and counted 27 people. Yes, that’s right! 27 PEOPLE! My mom said I should have taken a picture . . . but with that many bodies in one vehicle, movement is pretty limited.

Claudia and I caught a taxi to Colorado, along with 6 other people. She showed great kindness by allowing me to ride shotgun and saving me the enjoyment of being crammed in the middle of the Peruvians. Upon arrival in Santa Rosa, we boarded a peki-peki and crossed the river to Puerto Carlos. We spotted the taxi that would take us to Colorado (only trucks go to CO, we would soon find out why), and asked what time it would be heading out – no time was given. Welcome to the culture where they only view watches as an accessory and not something that binds them to a schedule! After an almost 2 hour wait on the playa (beach), we took off. This taxi was the final one of the day, so I believe there were 11 of us. Claudia and I volunteered to ride in the bed. For 3 hours I was sitting with my knees to my chin, as we rocked and rolled and slid through more mud than you can imagine (knee-deep in several places)! At one point, the road got so bad we had to make a detour . . . THROUGH THE JUNGLE! By the time we arrived in Colorado, all my joints were out of whack and my back was bruised from being thrashed against the side of the truck bed. It was an experience. Together, we found a hostal and finally got to just sit still. I received a lot of stares while in town . . . apparently not many gringos frequent the area. As we were walking to Carmen’s house, this one little girl shouted, “Mira! Mira! Gringa! Gringa!” It was the highlight of her day. Another little group of kids followed me a ways and asked what I was doing. Oh kids. Our trip home was just as rough, but I was able to sit in the cab and talk to this one man seated next to me, it was much more enjoyable.

My conversation skills are increasing!! My conversations with my friends in town are getting longer and longer. I always walk away smiling.

Check out the newest pictures (still not a lot . . . I know, sorry).
Link for pictures: http://uta.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2053671&l=5240d&id=25300658

To those friends who were hoping for an anaconda story . . . maybe next time!!

Rats in My Kitchen

2007-06-02T10:50:00.001-05:00

I awoke early yesterday morning, around 2:00 AM, to the sound of rodents in my kitchen. Yes, rats in my kitchen. Luckily, the odd layout of my house did not permit them to wander into my room, but the way the ceiling of the kitchen is built they can come and go as they please. Great. Just what I want to deal with. If they had done their business quietly, I might not have been so peeved. They attacked my bread, so that meant no peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until I can get back to the store. That may have been the cause of the anger! I think there is a whole family living in the ceiling above my room. They scurry around like nobody’s business. Today’s task: find and buy rat poison.

Things have been pretty slow here. I haven’t updated, because there really hasn’t been much to update you on. I have been learning Spanish and knocking around the exciting town of Puerto Maldonado. My understanding of Spanish is getting much better, I am still awfully slow in responding to questions – but it will come.

My partner should be arriving soon, and soon after that we should head out into a community. I am ready to get out and get going! My training starts August 20th and lasts through November 20th. I think it will be hard going through training after already being out in the communities . . . but the Father is good and His grace will abound – as it has since the day I arrived here.

I have been learning patience and how to love, regardless of how a person may treat me or react to me. That is easier said then done. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. It is a learning process. The Father is faithful. Leaning on Him is a daily thing. It is all I know how to do.

I have a new nickname. And no, it isn’t any form of Brock. Teresa is now calling me: Scrub. Why? Because I was the manager for the volleyball team and did laundry and was a mere scrub (so she says!). So, for once in my life, I will be called by something other than: Brocky, Brockly, Brockster, Brock-a-lock, Brocketteer, etc.

Next time I update will most likely be after I return from being in the communities. Thank you for lifting me up and for your support of my ministry here.

Mac ´n Cheese

2007-05-17T13:26:00.000-05:00

It´s the simple things.

Last night I cooked dinner for the first time in my new house. All we have is a stove top with 2 burners, so that narrows down what can be prepared. I made macarroni and cheese. It was pretty much amazing. It almost didn´t happen, because I couldn´t get the burner to stay lit. I was sure I was going to blow up our incredibly small kitchen. The smell of gas was overwhelming at one point, so I held of on lighting another match. Finally, it happened, and I enjoyed one of the greatest foods ever created. Made my night.

I am all moved in. Finally, no more living out of a trunk. I have a bed. My house is kind of weird. It is 2 rooms, a bathroom and a kitchen. The rooms open up to the outside, so it has a sort of motel look. The bathroom is in my room, so my roommate has to walk outside, unlock my door and then procede to the bathroom. Crazy. Our bathroom is so small, that if you sneeze - you could get hurt. Same for the kitchen. But, it has a roof and a bed . . . so I am happy.

Things are good still. I sent out my update, so check your email. It explains what the future holds.

Well, I must go. I think I may go to the market and attempt to buy some eggs. This could get interesting.

I´m back!

2007-05-13T08:44:00.000-05:00

I have spent the last two weeks trying to do this thing called ¨Jungle Living¨. It was hard, but it got better. There were days I wanted to throw in the towel and then there were days I seemed to have a grasp on things. But every day, it was God´s grace that got me through. Probably 90% of my time was full of humbling moments. The Spanish language still is somewhat of a barrier. One night I put the fire out. Yup, Spanish language one-ups Amanda again!!

We ran out of drinking water one day, so me and my tent buddy had to go get some more. On the way back, while carrying a 20 liter bottle of water on my shoulder, my shin connected (with full force) with a fallen tree . . . it felt great. As if that wasn´t exciting enough, we had to cross the log bridge. You may be thinking ¨A log bridge? No big deal¨. This is by no means a smooth, bump free log. Oh and it I had fallen off, it is about a 1 story drop into ankle deep water. That just translates into imminent death. Just picture it. Well, we made it back and my bottle had almost the same amount of water I had put in it, so I was pleased. It´s the little things!! haha

So, now I´m back in Puerto, moving into my ¨house¨, and still learning Creation. The 7 days of Creation have taken us abou 2 weeks to learn . . . and we are still on day 6! It will come together.

I hope to post pictures soon. Just haven´t had the time yet. But it will happen.

To Mr. Larry Michael - Graham is still alive and well. His Spanish is progressing and he hasn´t done anything super crazy yet. Just thought I´d fill you in, since he doesn´t make it to email as often.

Back from the Jungle

2007-04-26T15:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I survived my first 3 nights in the jungle. It was a very humbling experience. I know how to do nothing. The whole hygiene thing is something I am still learning. I seem to fall every 10 steps. Me and mud just aren´t friends. My Spanish is getting better day by day. Two of the girls sat down with me for an hour one night and just pointed to thing and said their Spanish name. It was beneficial. I had to get used to the sleeping as well. We go to bed around 7:00 PM. Yes, you read right. So, around midnight, I am wide awake. It is crazy. Tuesday night, I think I was in bed at 6. Never in my life have I gotten this much sleep!! Slowly I am picking up how to do things.

I provide the entertainment for the 3 girls in training. It seems I am always doing something worth a good laugh. The other day we had to cross the log bridge (about 10 ft above the extremely shallow water) and my shoes were carrying an excessive amount of mud. There was no way on earth I was getting across without falling . . . so what did I do? Yup, crawled across on all fours. They thought that was the funniest thing they had seen yet! Man, it is crazy.

I am now back in the city for a few days. I think Graham and I go back to camp on Sunday. Whew. I will never again take for granted indoor plumbing. Things are still good though. Some days are harder than others. But the Father is greater than those ´off´days.

I will be taking my camera with me this time, so hopefully next time I post, I can put up some pictures on my living arrangements!!!

Thanks for the prayers. They are appreciated.

Welcome to the Jungle!!

2007-04-21T18:39:00.000-05:00

I am here . . . and have spent my first full day living in the jungle . . . minus the camping out part.

I was dropped off and had to hike to camp. This trek was downhill, muddy, and required crossing a good ol´ log bridge about 10 feet over the water. It was crazy, but I made it. Upon arriving at the camp, I met up with the only Spanish-speaking xtremers and we hiked back over the log bridge to go find food. Yes, my first experience in the jungle and I had to catch my food!! As we got to this piece of land, it began to rain (of course it would!) and we were left to chase a chicken through the mud and the muck. When I use the term ¨we¨ , I use it rather loosely. I watched. They asked me to wring its neck . . . I passed this time. Next, we had to go fetch some water . . . and of course it was down a muddy hill. Needless to say, I wiped out and decided to go down the rest of the way on my right knee. It was a sight to behold. I began to realize that I was the source of entertainment for these 3 girls. If you go down, you have to go back up. I slipped and slided all over, but arrived back at the little house we were cooking in. I was dripping wet (remember it was raining?) and covered in mud. One of the girls looks at me and says, ¨Ah, Xtremo!¨ It was funny. They helped me learn a few new things in Spanish and all was well. Later this afternoon, we chopped down a tree and then cut it into firewood. I tell you, they weren´t joking when they gave this team the name Xtreme. No sir.

My first experience was good. I am tired. I stink. And I think I still have bugs in my pants. But all is well. It is still hard. But His Grace is sufficient (thanks friend, for the reminder).

Until next time . . .

I miss this kid like crazy!!!!!

2007-03-27T13:42:00.000-05:00

Flu, shots, a concussion, sushi, and more!

2007-03-23T14:21:00.000-05:00

Well, this week started off with me fighting off flu symptoms. Luckily, I never got really sick. I have good friends who made sure I got my rest and felt better. Tuesday was the third and final round of immunizations!! Whoop! My arm hurt afterwards (and still does!). I was able to throw around the softball with Sara for a little bit. There is nothing better than throwing around the ball on the first day of spring! It was great.

Later on - me, Jamie, Sue, Sarah, Johnny and Maria played Nubball. What is Nubball you may ask? Well, place your hands behind your neck - and there ya go! You are ready. I would say this game is a cross between soccer and rugby. It's great!! You can't use your hands . . . you have to use your elbows (aka: nubs) and your knees. So, here is how it would work: you begin with a jumpball, and if you catch it, you then pass to another team member by batting the ball with your nub. If the ball hits the ground, you must dive on it and pick it up with knees or nubs! We began the game with Jamie, me, and Maria vs. Johnny, Sue and Sarah. Probably 5-10 minutes into the game there was a loose ball and Sue and I were headed full-force for it. As we dove, the side of my head connected with her knee. I was down. But, happy to say I walked away with just a headache. Don't let the danger deter you!! It's an extremely fun game.

I experienced sushi for the first time this week. It was actually not too bad. My friend Justin ordered for me, and he didn't go easy. For my first time, he didn't order the sushi rolls . . . with the rice and other junk and very little raw meat. Nope, he went full force sushi! I ate a large hunk of raw salmon with very little rice. All cameras were pointed on me. I got it down and kept it down. Who knows? Maybe I'll be up for it again soon!

This past week also included Washington D.C. (my group walked almost to Maryland!), dinner out at Red Robin (made me think of home), a Friday night movie, an awesome 2-hour talk with a friend, and my first Mexican meal in almost 2 months!!!!!!

Only a week and a half left here. I'm going to miss the farm. I dread the day I have to say good-bye to some amazing friend for 2 years. God has blessed my heart in my time here.

Voices of the Faithful

2007-03-20T06:09:00.000-05:00

So I'm reading Voices of the Faithful. For those of you who don't know, it is a devotional book compiled of stories from M's all over the world, serving with my company. I love it. Beth Moore (author of the book) states this: "Before I clearly knew who Jesus was, I knew there were people willing to go anywhere and do anything to tell people about Him. Jesus must be something, I mused. And He was."

How about you? Does your life make others think He's something special? Do you have the courage, the faith, the fire to tell people about Christ no matter what? Is your devotion so extreme that others can't wait to know your God?

Wow. Those questions got me. I only pray that my life shows others that He is something special. And I pray that in the midst of adapting to a new culture, I have that courage and faith and fire to share - regardless of the language barrier. What about you?
______________________________________________________

Things are going well out in Rockville. We go to D.C. this week. Pray that we take advantage of the opportunities God hands us to share the Gospel. It should be an amazing time.

Finally have my testimony translated. It was a goal to have in memorized in Spanish by the end of FPO. I'm down to two weeks! Pray I pick it up quickly.

Low-key week . . .

2007-03-16T21:41:00.000-05:00

So, this week was a nice change of pace. There was no tension, there was quite a bit of down-time and there was a lot of good fellowship. Our sessions this week were going over vision, principles and what is going on in the company today. Our VP spoke for a couple of sessions - and he was awesome. He's an Aggie and a Texan . . . so he was great!! He can sure bring the Word. He challenged us to really think about what we are called to do. Gordon said he prayed that this FPO group would be the group that would have a 100% return. I pray the same thing.

Sunday night and Tuesday night I got to spend some good time with my small group from conference. Man, I love those 3! We chilled at Starbucks, made a pit-stop at Wal-Mart and then continued talking at my Quad until midnight. These three girls mean the world to me. I am so blessed to have them in my life. They are the kind of friends whose walks challenge you daily. It's awesome. I don't quite know what I'm going to do without them for two years!!! Can't wait to spend Christmas with them!!!

Yesterday me and 2 friends had a scare. We were planning on taking their prayer card pictures out by the creek. Well . . . while crossing the rocks, friend #1 slipped and fell . . . and on the way down, slammed her head against a rock - all while friend #2 and I were watching. It was definitely one of those slow-motion times of life. Needless to say, we were scared to death. On the way back home, the three of us made a stop at the clinic and they said things looked good and no ER trip was needed. PTL! Things are good. Friend #1 is just a little stiff today. Could have been so much worse. So, next time we go out to take pictures, it will be on dry land!

God and I had some good time this week. He continues to show me that I can't do this on my own . . . and I'm thankful for that. There have been times recently that I think I was smoking something when I made the decision to live in the jungle for two years. But no matter how hard it may be, I am encouraged by 2 Corinthians 12:9 - "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." I'm going in His power and in His power only. I can ask for nothing more and I need nothing more.

Finally able to relax . . .

2007-03-11T12:10:00.000-05:00

After a stressful and intense week, I was finally able to relax Thursday, Friday & Saturday. Thursday night I went to step-aerobics (don't laugh) and it wore me out! So what do most people do after having a great work-out? You guessed it . . . gather 10 good friends, pile into a van and head to Cheesecake Factory!! It was so much fun. Friday night I ran some errands with S & M and then we crocheted and watched White Christmas. It was great. We had started the movie while babysitting on Valentine's . . . so it was fun to finally finish it! These two friends are such a blessing to my life. Saturday we had to get up and go to class (bah!). However, it was class with Deen . . . so it turned out to be quite entertaining. We were going over our MBTI results. According the the test, I am an ESFP (extrovert, sensing, feeling, perceiving). The test nailed me. The results stirred up some interesting conversations throughout the day.

Following lunch, about 15 of us Journeymen packed up and headed out to S's house for the rest of the day. Her parents hosted us and grilled burgers and just let us chill. It was awesome and much needed. We rowed around the pond in the backyard and some of them got in the sailboat. It was quality time with each other, away from MLC. And a trip just isn't a trip without a little bit of a dance party!!

I hate the spring. I hate it solely because we do the whole "spring forward" business. I am so not a fan of losing an hour of sleep. But it happens. Peru doesn't observe Daylight Savings . . . PTL! Where I'm going, they probably don't really observe a clock! Things just happen when they happen. Awesome.

Well, I think that's about it. I'll throw some pictures up soon.

What a week!

2007-03-08T15:36:00.000-06:00

Since the last time I posted, a lot has happened.

Last Saturday, I babysat 3 kids, since the parents had an ESL class all day. Me and a friend that was also babysitting decided to take the kids to the Science Museum of Virginia. Tons of fun. Although, it was probably funnier to see us carting around all the children! We had 5 kids, 3 strollers, and 3 adults! I have a new respect for moms in regards to getting everyone in and out of carseats! After the museum, we took the kids to McDonald's. Holy moly! We were a sight to behold! We were all zapped when we got back. It was good times. We took lots of pictures.

This week has been crazy stressful. Monday through Wednesday my half of FPO participated in safety training. Wow. It was amazing preparation. I feel fully prepared if some sort of crisis occurred overseas. It was probably the best "worst 3-days" ever. During the training you don't like it, but afterwards you realize just how beneficial it really was. So all that to say: don't worry about me!! Oh, one thing I learned this week: I love Bob . . . A LOT!

Today started an intro into Chronological Bible Storying. It was some good info . . . a lot . . . but good. This is what I will be using when I travel to the different communities in the jungle.

Last night I had a hilarious discussion w/ two of my good friends here. You will never guess what is was about . . . . completely blind-siding or form-tackling someone and the fact that it is so stinking hilarious! That makes us sound terrible - but really, it is funny. Just think about it. Some unsuspecting person . . . straggling behind the group . . . all the sudden taken out by a good friend of theirs. It's funny. Just admit it.

Well, I'm off to eat more cafeteria food. Yeehaw!

Finally . . . some pictures!

2007-03-01T11:36:00.000-06:00

This is where I live:
My room
The Great Room

Some Friends:
Birthday Party
Goofing off!
Journeyman night on the town - in Richmond @ Buffalo Wild Wings!
The South America Journeymen!!
My buddy Easton
Me & Lily
Graham & Easton

The Trek to the Journeyman Room:

A view of the room
This is posted on the door, as you enter
We made it!!
I left my mark in the room
Just hanging out in the ceiling
On our way back down
This is me before I lept out of the ceiling!!

Shot Day #2

2007-02-27T15:59:00.000-06:00

Be forewarned that the following hurt and make you feel "blah":

* Typhoid
* Yellow Fever
* Rabies
* TB

So, after 8 shots, I still have 2 or 3 left! Can you believe it? NOT cool.

Other than that, the day was great.

I was arrested during church . . .

2007-02-26T21:01:00.000-06:00

So you may be wondering what exactly I am talking about. Well . . . let me tell you.

Last night was cultural worship. For that part I was in there for, it was awesome. East Asia was our focus. I've never sung in Chinese before. Way cool!! The auditorium was completely cleared of chairs and we were to enter without our shoes. There were papers on the floor to mark different provences. You were to sit in groups of 10-12 to simulate a Chinese house church. At one point, we were on our knees praying for the persecuted church. All of the sudden there is a bunch of yelling (some in Chinese and some in English). Before I knew it, my house church had been broken up and forced to leave the room. Once outside we were interrogated (asked what our purpose was, why we were there, etc). Wow . . . what an eye-opening experience. It gave you a whole new view on persecution and the church . . . a new respect. We weren't allowed to go back into the room because in China, you would never see them again after interrogation. But in China, as an American, you don't have to fear physical persecution. They will just kick you out of the country. One guy made the statement - "I am more safe in a security level 3 country like China than you will be in a level 1 country like Peru". Wow. That made me think. Contingency training will be good for me. Start praying . . . it's next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Apparently it will drain us all mentally and physically.

Tonight me and some of my fellow Journeymen got to visit with the president and VP of the IMB. It was a good time getting to know them, and a good time getting off campus.

This is a heavy week. Pray for focus. Jerry Rankin will be speaking on Spiritual Warfare. It should be an amazing time.

Life on the Farm

2007-02-21T21:01:00.000-06:00

Wow . . . today was long. I was fighting to stay awake in the sessions. So, my good friend Suz drew a maze for me to complete. Gotta love friends. She even made it an Xtreme Team theme. The title was: "Help Amanda Get to Her Food".

This afternoon was Regional Office time. It was good. Got to ask some questions and we went over our regional team and some other cultural stuff. Apparently, I'll be the only person, besides the leader, on the women's team. No one new signed up at the last screening conference. It's all good though. My thinking is, it's better to be paired with someone that knows the jungle!

Steph, Suz & Sarah made dinner tonight. We had breakfast! It was awesome. Definitely reminded me of those Sunday nights growing up where Dad made breakfast for dinner, after Sunday night church. Suz even got me grits!!!! It was quite a spread. I'll post pictures some other time. It takes way too long to upload them to here.

Me, Graham, Sharon, and Matt may be going hiking this weekend. David (regional leader) told us about part of the Appalachia Trail that is 2 hours from here. It is supposed to be awesome. It is a 6 hour hike . . . 7-8 miles long, with a 1 mile rock scramble! I'm excited. The only hold up is finding a car to use for the day.

Everything is going great. My arm is starting to feel better . . . just in time for a 2nd round on Tuesday!!!

I'm off to bed. Thank you for your prayers.

Shot Day #1

2007-02-20T20:39:00.000-06:00

So today was immunization day. I think that is a sugar-coated title. It's just shot day! I am not a fan of the shots. I would rather give blood than have a shot. That's how much of a sissy I am. But, I'm okay with that. I'll admit it. Not only did I have to get a shot . . . I had to get FOUR! Don't worry, I didn't cry and no one had to hold my hand! We have our 2nd clinic day next Tuesday . . . I'll probably get at least 3 more. Yay.

Things are still going well. Staying really busy and some days are longer than others. I enjoy the evenings when we all just get ot hang out and check email and such. It's quality fellowship. I've also been running every morning at 6:30 with my friend Sara. I think we are semi-crazy . . . because it is EXTREMELY cold. Like, "I can't feel my face" cold.

Pictures to come soon. The connection is slow tonight, so I'll try later.

If you care to send me "snail-mail", the address is (it would be much appreciated!!!!!):

Amanda Brock
MLC
16492 MLC Lane
Rockville, VA 23146

The Helgren kids have my heart! I love them!!!

2007-02-15T11:58:00.000-06:00

What a night last night was!! Since it was Valentine’s Day, a lot of the Journeymen volunteered to help watch kids so that the parents could go out. If only you could have been a fly on the wall!! It was great.

A friend and I watched the two kids from next door, Lily & Easton (a two year old and a 6 month old) and were in charge of getting two little boys fed and to the children’s activity. What an experience. It took quite a bit of effort to even get to the cafeteria for dinner. Once there, we enlisted another fellow Journeyman to watch the little ones, while we got dinner for the two boys and ourselves!

• Side note: dinner was amazing. We had filet mignon, purple potatoes, asparagus, lobster bisque, and a choice of: chocolate cake, carrot cake or cheesecake, for dessert. It was a nice evening.

Back to the excitement . . . we finally get seated, only to remember I had forgotten Lily’s food, my drink and silverware. So back in line I went! The boys were settled in, my friend was attempting to feed Easton and I was cutting my steak with a butter knife and feeding it to Lily. While finally getting to eat my food, I glance over to the next table to notice one of the boys entrusted to my care was lifting the table off the floor . . . while everyone on the other side was still eating! I stopped that just short of disaster.

When dinner was finally complete, our table was a disaster area. Food/crumbs/baby supplies/etc was scattered all across the table. When you walked around, the sound of croutons being crushed was heard. It was great. It was a team effort to get things picked up and the kids back out the door! As we are dumping the trash, Lily is throwing her milk carton in the trash . . . before we can stop it, she has turned it upside down over her head. Yup, she was covered in milk. Just lovely. Thirty minutes later, we were headed out the door and back home.

Our next task was bath time. Easton had fallen asleep on the walk back to the Quad, so we left him in the stroller and gave Lily a bath. Holy moly! Tonight was the night she didn’t want to take a bath. If you had walked by our quad, you would have heard blood-curdling cries. I was doing anything in my power to get her to quit crying and laugh . . . I resorted to having a splashing contest. Needless to say, she stopped crying and I was covered in water. Fun stuff. We set Lily up to watch White Christmas (a favorite of hers) and washed Easton. Piece of cake.

Don’t ever tell a mother you think being a stay-at-home mom isn’t a real job. She has every right to hit you for that comment. I have the utmost admiration for you moms.

So that was my Valentines . . . how was yours?

Exciting Times at "The Farm"!

2007-02-11T15:17:00.000-06:00

This weekend has been quite relaxing. I’ve had coffee with friends, borrowed a car and made a Wal-Mart run, and learned a new board game. This board game was awesome. It is actually from Europe and beats any American game hands-down! It was called - Ticket to Ride. I play with strategy, so often I was called the "speed-bump". So, needless to say, it got a little competitive . . . but all in good fun! Games are always a nice stress reliever and give your mind a much needed break.

Today was another “Day of Rest”. Many people may assume that we go to church somewhere . . . we don’t. We participate in “House Church”. Each small group is like its own church. Honestly, I was a little skeptical as to how it would function, but it was amazing. We opened by reading a Psalm, had a time for testimonies, sang and read from Isaiah 6 and followed that up by SPECKA questions (A Sin to confess? A Promise to claim? An Example to follow? A Command to obey? Knowledge to understand? An Application to my life? – I would recommend these when studying the Word). I recently read a book about church planting movements, and that’s how they flourish . . . through new believers meeting in homes. It’s a pretty awesome concept. If you have a free moment, read Church Planting Movements by David Garrison. You won’t be disappointed!

Tonight we have our Mapping Ceremony. Each of us will introduce ourselves, share where we are going, a prayer request and then place our picture on the country where we are headed to serve. I’m excited about it.

Oh, one more thing. To anyone that I normally communicate with through Facebook . . . the site has been blocked. So please, comment on http://amandabrock.blogspot.com, rather than on the note in Facebook. And if you have written on my wall or sent a message or poked – don’t think I’m avoiding you! Write on my blog or email me!!

1st Report from Rockville!!

2007-02-09T21:25:00.000-06:00

FPO is in full swing now. So far, we have covered Servant Leadership, Personalization and Connecting (mobilizing churches), Personal Evangelism and Accountability, Deepening Our Spiritual Walk and an amazing Personal Spiritual Retreat! It all has been amazing! The FPO director is really passionate about what he talks about, and it is awesome.

It is really hard to sum up what it’s like here. Everyone here is so genuine. It is slightly overwhelming. It is cold. You are always greeted with a smile. I guess I can sum it all up like this: it feels like home. I know beyond all doubts that this is where God wants me, and there is no greater feeling. It has been a blast reconnecting with friends from the screening conference.

My quad-mate is really cool and going to my same region. So, we are going to study Spanish together in the coming weeks. Our next-door neighbors are a Godsend. They are actually from Texas and have two little kids: a 2-year-old girl and a 6-month-old boy. God knew I was going to need a baby fix, since I won’t be around my nieces for a while. I have so much fun with them. They are also a Godsend because they graciously allowed me the use of their car! Made my first (probably of many!) Wal-Mart runs last night. But honestly, I have already been encouraged by K & J.

Next week I get to meet with our regional director and probably receive a few more assignments to work on. So far, things haven’t been too overwhelming.

To everyone back at home . . . I love you and miss you all. Thank you for your prayers . . . they mean the world and are most definitely felt!!

If you don’t receive my prayer updates by email . . . please leave a comment or send me an email at: amandabrock24@gmail.com. Thanks!

The Letter Has Arrived

2006-11-20T23:11:00.000-06:00

I am now a member of the Xtreme Team! I will be leaving in February for training in Virginia and then leaving in April for Peru! God is amazing and I have learned so much in this whole application process.

You may be wondering what exactly I'll be doing for the next two years - well, I'll tell you.

Our vision is to evangelize and make disciples of those who live in the nearly inaccessible darkness of the Amazon jungle and high mountain regions of Bolivia and Perú. We engage multiple groups, but mostly groups with only a few hundred population, and we focus on groups where there has been little or no previous work. Most have already been contacted, but some still live as nomadic peoples who have no knowledge of God or his Word.

We do not build churches or pay pastors. We don't plant churches as you would see them in the States. We don't translate hymns or our favorite choruses. We do not do social work or relief aid as a general rule.

We do share the Word of God in their language in ways that they can understand and memorize. Our goal is to see a New Testament church planted that relies on the Word for its practices, a church that will reproduce itself and exist long after we have gone back home.

We place emphasis on the Word of God, prayer, reproducible or simple missions methodologies, and obedience-based discipleship.

As a member of the women's team, this is our goal: advanced discipleship and women's evangelism/discipleship. Generally, we will engage a people group after the men's teams have finished their engagement. Many times it is not appropriate for our men to talk with the women in the indigenous communities, so we are there to ensure that we have given all people comprehensible access to the Gospel.

There are many different people groups that the various Xtreme Teams target, but all have certain similarities, such as:

They are all geographically isolated and difficult to access. None are just a couple of days away from "civilization" but a week to two weeks away.

They are also all functionally illiterate. Some groups have no concept of what a book is, much less the Word. Others have national schools nearby, but they still do not function as literates.

In every group, there is no or very limited evangelical presence before we engage them. In some groups there are no believers, in others, five believers out of a thousand population. We may engage a group that is more evangelized, but only if they are lacking in discipleship, the indigenous believers are not reaching others, or the group is geographically divided in several parts, one section with the Gospel and the others without.

Here is a little more about the training I will be receiving in Peru:

Every new arrival to the Xtreme Team goes through four months of training at our Xtreme training camp. No cushy facilities here, we simply rent some acres of jungle alongside a river and pitch our tents. The first month is dedicated to learning Spanish, because our Latin missionaries arrive the second month and all classes are taught in Spanish from that point on. We teach indigenous missions strategies, church-planting, orality, Chronological Bible Storytelling, how to live in an indigenous community, first-aid, and camp-cooking. However, our focus is on prayer and building up the Body of Christ, for how can we teach these things if we don't first learn and practice them for ourselves? After training, each new Xtremer is assigned a team and people group whom they will engage for remainder of their term while working under the guidance of a strategy coordinator. The training is difficult and long, but the Xtremers leave ready to begin an even more difficult work and function as part of the Body of Christ.

I am so excited to begin. Please continue praying as God prepares me for the field.

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

2006-11-01T15:13:00.001-06:00

by Dr. Bob Moorehead

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed."
The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made. I am a disciple of
Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down,
back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present
makes sense, and my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,
small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,
chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by
presence, lean by faith, love by patience,
lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace
is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my
road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few,
my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought,
compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back,
diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander
in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until
Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know,
and work until He comes. And when He comes to get
His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.
My colors will be clear.

I am not ashamed of the gospel . . . Romans 1:16

The Waiting Game

2006-10-30T14:06:00.000-06:00

The job match has occurred. Only, I have yet to find out. Yet another period of waiting, in a process that has been ongoing since February. In two weeks the final decision will be known. Nervous? Not really. Anxious? Yes. I just want to know. But, God has been teaching me that I don't have to know everything - right now. I'm excited about the possibilities of where I will spend the next two years. I've been asked if I'll be bummed if I don't get my first choice. The answer: no. I am excited about all 3 of my choices . . . I would be happy serving in any of the positions.

In between big church and team Bible study yesterday, my toes were stepped on. Big church was about forgiveness and Bible study was about healing broken relationships. ZING! Last night I realized something I had overlooked. We were reading Matthew 5:23-24. It says: "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." I had heard it the other way around . . . if you have something against your brother, go and make it right . . . but never this way. Something I guess I skipped over or didn't read thoroughly enough. If you know that someone has something against YOU go and deal with it. Hmmmm. What if they want nothing to do with you? What if there is no means of communication? Right now, I think my offering will be sitting for a while. God is still faithful though. And for that, I'm grateful.