4/29/04:  Slopping through trails of mud, we loaded and hauled wood again this morning with the brothers, making me feel like a lumberjack once more. Working with the men throughout our stay here has given us opportunities to truly live in the Amarakaeri culture, learn more of the Harakmbut language, build a good friendship with this family, and even find more open doors for the gospel. Not to mention how much I just thouroughly enjoy working hard outside. Just getting dirty and sweaty and tired and sore?it's a great feeling.

            Yep, life out here sure can be some kind of wonderful. To spend your early mornings talking with God through prayer and His word while looking-out over a powerful river and a beautiful, contrast jungle. To pass the afternoon working deep in the Amazon with indigenous men from a tribal village. Then to finish the day sitting outside, as the sun sets to a vast array of colors, listening to native stories from the ancient past while spreading the Lord's gospel among the previously unreached. Oh how truly delighted I am that God found it pleasing to Himself to call and send me out here!

            Sure, it can most assuredly be difficult?living in the jungle that is. The ground becomes an uncomfortable bed afterahile, your body is constantly sore and bitten and blistered and burnt and tired and hungry and worn, I miss my family and home and friends like crazy, and I'm getting pretty tired of eating rice all the time. So yeah, it's tough. But then again, I'm not quite sure that I'd want it to be easy. To suffer even in the least for Christ is used by God to humble me, grow me, change me, teach me, strengthen me, draw me into closer fellowship with Him, reach others, and glorify the Father. Therefore, like I said, I am delighted that the Lord chose me to serve Him?and to do so way out here!