My First Day Back - Jacob

As I step off the plane into the hot muggy air my heart melts into the very soil of this country. I hold back the tears as the feeling that I just arrived home over comes me, yet soon defeated by the realization that this time I'm not here to stay. So many thoughts and feelings flood my mind, excited to see friends and Peruvian family yet dreading the conversation that God is transitioning us to be based out of the states knowing most will not understand the testemony of God's many confirmations that lead to this point. I soon arrive home to smiling faces and walk into our home we have now given to our Peruvian team members. As we walk past our old room and enter the guest room I realize I truly am just a guest here. Confronted by the overwhelming feelings of joy for our friends that now get to enjoy this home while fighting small waves of jealousy that they get to stay and I don't. The next morning I wake up just before dark as I always did and went to make my ritual luke warm (so it didnt make me sweat) coffee. I fight the earge to rearrange the furniture to how I liked it remembering this is not my home. My morning God time is spent asking God a lot of questions, mostly WHY? Knowing God has brought us back to the states to expand and grow the ministry I still ask him why I can't stay here for good. My God time, as usual, is interupted by toddler footsteps and a few early morning dramatic whines over his lack of breakfast food options this country has to offer. I then began to wonder if Israel remembers this house, these smells, or riding around the neighborhood on the dirtbike together, or if he would recognize the village people that truly adore him.

Does he remember how lucky he was to live here, to spend his first 2 years of his life in a country that enjoys the simple things, or running around playing in the dirty street with the neighborhood kids?  As soon as he finishes breakfast he is already climbing my dirtbike and making reving sounds with his mouth, so around the neighorhood we go. A few hours later I walk to the cornerstore, which I did not know I missed doing so much, and arrive to big exagerated welcomes from the neighborhood kids and their parents saying how much they missed us and many asking about my health. They tell me they heard I was in the hospital for months, some heard I almost died and I respond with a chuckle and say "Nope, just parisites," knowing every story in this town gets more exagerated evertime it is told. Soon the visits start, people start coming to the house and we are met with many smiles and laughs that soon turn into long faces when we share we are not here to stay. Even worse when we share that we want to expand our ministry to other countries. They ask us why, as if Peru was not good enough for us or as if they had done something wrong. As they try to convince us that we have misheard God I explain that we are called to the nations, not just Peru. We tell them we will be in Peru a few months a year and that seems to ease some of the pain. That night we sat down with our Peruvian team members that now live in our house to visit and chat, for me and Noe as usual it turns into a ministry meeting as our wives roll their eyes and say "why do guys always have to talk about their work." With each  ministry topic I realize more and more this family is thriving in this home and God had raised them up for such a time as this. Sometimes I wonder which is the next country, or how many more times will I move, or say goodbye to a country, culture, and people I have dearly fallen in love with. I know this is the life I chose when I said YES to God, no matter what it would cost me. As I leave my melted heart stained in this land and watch the wind blow away my footprints in the dirt roads, I wonder if I have left a mark in this nation. God reminds me of the many salvations I have wittnessed,  and all the native  missionaries we are still sending out. It gives me  peace in knowing that these people may forget my name, or even my face, but they will never forget the day they felt the love of God for the first time or decided to answer the call no matter the cost.  These last few months in the States have not been easy by any means, but knowing that God is getting ready to expand our ministry more than we could imagine gives us comfort in being obedient even when its uncomfortable. I will remember to charish even more my time here and thank God for this ministry he has entrusted to us. I am excited to see what God has for us these next few weeks and years, where ever that may lead.