We’ve had a busy month so far and it only gets crazier! We just got back from 2 weeks of training and missiology discussion in Ciudad Del Este, Paraguay, a two day journey with a night in Buenos Aires, Argentina both ways, and now we’re in Panama for 2 days writing our newslet-ter and doing our laundry as we prepare to fly out tomorrow to Lima, Peru to set up the LCMS World Mission apartments and office for all the new missionaries coming to Peru! We’ll be in Peru for another 2 weeks and hope to get things set up in Lima so we have some time to go with Anthony to Lunahuana to help with an eyeglass clinic he is hosting with MOST ministries...

Needless to say we’re exhausted and we’re only half way through our traveling spree... When we got back to Panama the first thing I had to do the next day was put together the bi-monthly Puertas newsletter for the region, and Christel had important budget work for Latin America to get done beofre we could go to Peru.

Often times on the mission field we have ended up feeling worn out, like there are never any breaks and you can’t just put the job down for a minute to relax, things are very up and down,

sometimes boring stretches of waiting for some-thing to happen and then a flurry of activity that barely leaves you time to eat.

When we get worn out from the amount of things going on it really helps to remember Paul’s declaration that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” One of the key concepts in our missionary training in Paraguay was the Missio Dei, that is, that the mission belongs to God and not to us, and as such depends on Him and His work and not our own strength. Nothing highlights that reality more than those moments of exhaustion and weakness. It seems like we so often look back at how much God has done and then at our own strength and must simply say, only God could have made this all work, it certainly was none of our own ability.

Keep us in your prayers as we travel this month to Peru, that God would use us to accomplish His will and that we would continue in our perspec-tive that we learned in Paraguay, that it is He who will accomplish and guide His mission there and that we are privileged to serve, but it doesn’t de-pend on us.

On the Road4 weeks in South America

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A note from LCMS World Mission missionaries James and Christel

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Prayer Requests* Our trip to Peru, that we would be able to success-fully find apartments and take care of the necessary business for new incoming missionaries.

*The Wall family as they make their first visit home.

* Our health as we travel away from home for long periods of time.

* Thanksgiving for a successful event in Paraguay

* Your forgiveness for such a short newsletter this month (we’re rushed getting ready for Peru)