Gloria Images

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God…     ~ Psalm 84:10

The many doors of Valparaíso, Chile

If you are moving to a new country, I wouldn’t recommend you arrive on a red-eye flight if you can help it. You are saying goodbye to your known world and heading to a world of cultural differences and adjustments. You have the stresses of packing, saying goodbyes, and traveling. Unless you can sleep well on a plane, it probably isn’t a good idea to add exhaustion to that list.

Sometimes I think I can handle things (like a red-eye flight to Chile) even though I don’t set myself up for the best scenario. The stress of leaving Peru and preparing for Chile really wasn’t that bad. I was able to spend a day packing and saying goodbyes without feeling too rushed. However, I lost two hours in the time difference and maybe got one hour of sleep on the flight that night. It’s amazing how much the lack of sleep can leave you vulnerable emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

Chile was the one place I didn’t know where I was going to live. And when I got here, I still didn’t know. There were options, but it seemed like there would be a lot of moving around. I knew I signed up for the nomad life of moving every few months, but this was a bit much when I was running on empty. Thankfully, naps and God’s Word are good remedies. 🙂

As I read the Psalms, God reminded me of His care for me and challenged me to not put as much value in an earthly residence. My home is in the presence of the Lord. And I have His presence with me wherever I go.

Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!     ~ Psalm 84:3-4

I moved around a couple of times, but I now have one residence for the rest of my time here in Chile. I’m settling in well. It took a while, but I got my phone working with a Chilean numer. I can figure out how to get places in the city using some combination of the metro, buses, and Uber. I’m learning where things are in the grocery store, and I was excited to find a gluten-free frozen pizza! I’m enjoying life in Chile, and I’m looking forward to the rest of my time here. Thank you for your continued support!

Prayer Requests and Praises:

• Thank you for your prayers as I transitioned to Chile. I made it through customs without any issues.
• I have multiple video projects in process. It can be tricky balancing them all with life and other events.
• The next Storytellers Abroad trip is coming to Santiago in June. Next week, three people will be traveling here to work out some logistics and plan for the trip. (If you are interested in joining us, check out storytellersabroad.com.)