this country....

The Canadian staff arrived for project on Monday and its made me take another look at this city and again realize how much it needs God. Yesterday my cab ran out of fuel in El Chorillo, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city... especially when you're white and female. Now I was with Jon and Wes so I was safe but there was definitely some concern on my part. Normally we wouldn't have been driving through that area but we were looking for an open gas station. It was the middle of the afternoon but gas stations had closed in anticipation of today, when gas prices went up 25 cents; they simply wanted to make more money, and were doing it at the expense of others.

Today I stood in line at the grocery store behind a mother and her daughter. Their cart was stacked with the simplest of groceries but I soon realized they didn't have the money for all of them. They had separated the groceries into stacks of what they needed and what they would take if the total on the grocery bill wasn't yet high enough. I was standing there with a cart full of food for the Canadian students coming in tonight, with more than enough money for things that may not have even been necessities. I realized though how simply blessed I am. I've never been in the shoes of not having enough for even the simplest food items.

Today is a national holiday and instead of typical holiday actions people took to the streets in passive marches protesting the elevated cost of living. Even at the university Jon and I have become immune to the "exploding" noises of protests occuring as they often do. Someone asked today, "why are they protesting, does anyone actually listen?" Maybe no ones listening, but the people still desire to be heard and so act out to show that they're not happy with the status quo. A cab driver last night told me that none of the presidential candidates would actually represent the people and I could hear the apathy in his voice, and yet also desperation for someone to come and change this country.

What I've again realized this week is how much this country needs to know and experience the true love of Jesus Christ. Human action alone simply cannot solve dishonest business dealings, poverty, protests or corruption in the government. Tonight 15 Canadian students are arriving to join my team and the 5 other staff members that arrived Monday. All of these students are coming with a passion to see lives changed and moreover this country changed. Please pray for us. Only Christ can change hearts and change nations, and yet we choose to stand in the faith that this can and will happen.