They taught us to say, "That's interesting..."

I would love to forget the experience of what I encountered tonight...but it's just too funny not to share this with ya'll.

Where it all began...
Today I went out to C.C. to teach a Bible Study to a new friend of mine, Yolima, and stayed after to attend Wed. night prayer meeting near my house church. After our prayer meeting I went back to the home where our house church is located. This particular family of 3 have become some of my favorite friends. I usually hang out at their house before and after church events and feel "at home" with them. So tonight, as usual, Nyibis (the mom) and I were talking about what she was going to prepare for supper and "arguing" over who was going to pay for it. haha. Then she started to talk about this "Bufet" that she was going to cook...."Hm..." I thought, "that sounds a lot like a "buffet" at a restaurant. I wonder what kind of spread she's going to fix!" (but deep down I know this is too good to be true!)

So I went on to ask her what exactly IS "bufet." First off, she laughed (bad sign) and then went on to try to explain to me, "It's part of the cow's insides....it's located close to the liver...but it's not the liver or the intestines...or the stomach...." At this point I have no idea WHAT a "bufet" is...I only know that it's going to be something I'm NOT going to want to eat!!! Needless to say, we cooked the "bufet" which at this point was still unrecognizable to me as anything specific....and then we sat down to eat. (Enter scene...husband Helber)....Nyibis explains to him that I have never had "bufet" before and does he remember what they call it in English....(visual...I'm already on my 3rd bite of "bufet" and commenting as they taught us to say at FPO..."That's interesting!") ....as I'm chewing on my 3rd bite of "bufet" Helber blurts out..."It's the cows LUNG!" He even picked his up and started showing me where the air comes out of!!!!

Ok...at this point I'm almost gagging....all at once I can see that yes, it does resemble a lung...not that I'd ever imagined eating one before...but there I was. By the grace of God (and I really mean that!) I finished 1 of the 2 lungs on my plate. I told them, which IS true, that I'm trying to eat lighter meals at night time, and that I was getting full! AHHHHHH!!

So...I'd finished the lung and I was doing everything in my ability not to visualize it, smell it, or taste what was left of the flavor in my mouth! Helber, who works as a Motorcycle Taxi, drove me to the main road where I found a taxi.....The taxi driver proceeds to FLY over every bump in the road, slamming us back down to earth after each hill. I feel my stomach churning and my face turning different shades of green, as the taxi driver laughs out loud continually to the "Love Match" radio program!!!

Well...I'm writing this, so you know I made it home alive and in one piece! Thankfully my sweet roomie was baking Chocolate Chip cookies...the real kind, with ingredients from the US!! Woohoo!! After brushing my teeth, drinking some juice...and 2 cookies...hmm...the memory still haunts my stomach! But I will survive!

To all of you living overseas....you can probably relate to what I've just experience...maybe you've even ate something worse! And to those of you living in the US...be thankful you haven't seen the meat markets overseas! You'd flip out! I have to say that Americans do waste a lot more food by not eating or selling some of the extra parts of animals...but sometimes...I think we have a justified reason!!!

Good Stuff....

Our sunsets can be absolutely beautiful....God's creation astounds me!

Here are two of my favorite quotes from the Daniel study last week....

"We will live lives of integrity on purpose...

or we will not do it at all."

"CONSISTENCY. Godliness is never accidental.

Neither is victory coincidental.

Both stem up from daily RESOLVE."

You rock Beth Moore! I am loving this study and I'm only just beginning! :)

"Have nothing to do with godless myths or old wives tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." 1 Timothy 4:7-8

Time after Time

This is something that my friend Michael wrote. He is serving in the North Africa & Middle East region of the world. I'm always encouraged by his experiences and what the Lord is teaching him. I was convicted after I read this because it resonated true within my own heart.


"Time after Time" by M. M.

How many times will I say I am sorry,
to return to my same old ways day after day.

How many times will you ask me to stand,
only to remain in silence again and again.

How many times will you show me your beauty and glory all around,
only to pass through the day never seeing your splendor that abounds.

Awaken your Spirit that lives in me,
that I might exist as the servant you desire me to be.

How many times will I gaze upon your faithfulness,
only to doubt moment after moment.

How many times will I taste your goodness,
only to seek after the things you hate minute after minute.

How many times will you demonstrate your love for me,
only to walk as one who cannot see.

Turn my affections to thee,
that I might live in the grace that sets me free.

The City of...

It's a beautiful city....of course it's also

beautiful b/c of the Mountains!

He's got the whole world in His hands....

Can you tell I love kids? :) Brothers & Friends....and lollipop stains on his lips!
My sweet friend "A" who helped me all week and her son
I think they have such a unique look to them...how beautiful!
On our way up to the Mountains...can you imagine living on the side of the hill?

We had to climb up THIS to get to the people....between 300-2,000 steps, depending on your perspective, haha! I made it....yeah!!! (Thankfully, everyone else did too!)

My friend Andres, he learned to use the E-cube to share the gospel.
She is PRECIOUS!!!
A fun picture with some of the ladies from the group & nationals who helped us during the week.

Two of my buddies from on top of the hill...faithful evangelists! Our Wonderful Team...thank you Jesus for such a great week!

No Voice of My Own

I was asked to lead a team of 11 volunteers to a new city. A city of which I knew nothing of, outside of the airport walls. I prepared as much as possible—but I still felt inadequate. I was a “leader” walking in blind.

Two days before the trip began, all my confirmed translators backed out. To be completely honest, I was overwhelmed and feeling like I was all alone.

Truth: God will never call you to do something that He will not also equip you to complete.

Even though I was uncertain of how it would happen, I knew the Lord would bring the details into place. So I flew to this new city—despite all my concerns, I was super excited to be there! I had left behind hot & humid beach weather and stepped into cool & fresh mountain air! I was full of optimism…but the Enemy was on a mission to not let this trip succeed. On our first real workday—my cough from the past week turned into Laryngitis! My voice was so “gone” that the volunteers called me “squeaky.” Haha.

“Ok God,” I thought, “now I know you really have something planned for this week! Please show me that despite all my plans that keep crumbling…that YOU are all we need this week!”

· Foreign City
· 11 Volunteers
· No Voice of My Own
= Total Reliance on God

The part that shouldn’t surprise you: God provided everything we needed!

~In a city where last year people “ran from the scary Gringos”—this year God gave the people a genuine hunger to seek redemption and truth.
~From Zero translators & One voiceless Missionary—God provided 7-8 solid translators each day to meet our needs!
~14 women actively persuing the opportunity to know Jesus—14 women, their family members & friends who now have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
~Climbing 300-2,000 stairs up a mountain top (the # changes, depending upon your perspective! Haha)—The path to meet many who were lost in darkness and now have found Hope in the Light of the World.

Throughout this trip, the Lord kept reminding me that He doesn’t need any of us to accomplish his purpose—but that He DESIRES to use us and to bless us through the ability to serve Him. Although I had very few words of my own this week (b/c I didn’t have a voice to speak!) the Lord spoke through me. He used me to serve the people, inabled me to lead the volunteer team, and blessed me through allowing me to Totally Rely on Him.

He asks only for our Obedience
He chooses how to use us.
He determines the Results

350 Gospel presentations—230 New Believers in the Faith

Thank you for your prayers last week! It was such an encouragement to my heart knowing that you were lifting me up!

Photos of July-August 2008

I have had an amazing 3 weeks...filled to the brim with activity! I have so much I want to say, but I have no time...and I'm super tired! lol...so I hope these pictures paint a portrait of some of my favorite memories from this past month! :)

Trip to the Botanical Gardens...not the Mts...but it was beautiful! Howler Monkeys included!

My Sunday School class of 18 rambunctious kids. We meet outside in the patio behind our House Church.

Visit from our Brazilian soccer buddy Gabriel, and our crew of kids at one of house churches

I just LOVE her hair! Don't you! She is a cutie pie!

A tour through the Mangroves...God reminding me there is beauty admits mosquito's & heat waves that knock you over!

These guys are amazing! I think this is a cool picture. :)

It's taken a lot of effort to build friendships with these kids...and actually get them to SMILE! Praise the Lord for breaking down barriers!

I laugh every time I see this picture! The baby's face is hilarious! He was "in charge" of his momma, believe me!

Me & my little "JoJo" Yojana (pronounced Johanna) :)

We had a great group come out & listen to the True Love Waits presentation...and then of course there was soccer....soccer and more soccer...what would Colombia be without it!?!


Sarah & Ivan got married! It was a neat ceremony, more Colombian than American, but it was beautiful! We are so excited for them!

I miss you all! Thank you so much for your prayers! ~Sarah

**Please pray for me as I will be leading a Volunteer Team, pretty much "by myself", in a different city this upcoming week! God knows what I need for this trip...so thank you for joining me in prayer that He will work everything out for HIS glory!**

Background Vote

So what do you think about the my new blog background? My sweet cousin told me I should change things up a bit...but I'm not convinced I've found "the" background for me....the one I really liked wouldn't load..so sad! haha! So, I'm asking for your votes:

1) Keep the new background (at least for a while)

2) Go back to using my original background

3) Keep looking for one that's "just right"

Let me know! Thanks for your help! ~Sarita