missionaryMAC

Last week was a rare, but much needed, occurrence. Following the Snyder short-term team in Peru , I stayed in-country for an extra week of vacation! My birthday present to myself was knocking Machu Picchu off of my lifetime bucket list the hard way, via a 4d/3n trek. It was indescribable, but I'll do my best in a subsequent post. First things first: it's recommended that all trekkers spend a few days in Cusco acclimating to the altitude (11,000+ ft.). I'd been in Denver before with no ill effects, but a) the Mile High City is less than half as high as Cusco; and b) I'd always driven  there, versus the 90 min. flight that skyrocketed me up from sea level. Given the unknown of how my body was going to react and the fact that I had lost my voice, I prioritized rest and rejuvenation over sightseeing. I even did a fair amount of Christmas shopping and bought myself a few things besides a spoon for my collection! My hostel was a short walk from the Plaza de Armas. It w

Greetings from Cusco! I have no voice left after last week's short-term team from Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wichita Falls, TX (yes, they also went to Jamaica in June !), so the first day and a half of my extra week in Peru for vacation has consisted largely of drinking hot beverages in cute coffee shops. Rest and rejuvenation > sightseeing, at least until I get picked up at 4 am tomorrow for my Inca Trail trek.  It wasn't the team did my vocal chords in, but rather interpreting for their 5 1/2 day, multi-site "Vision for All" clinic. Hundreds of people received the gift of physical sight, but more importantly, every man, woman, and child that came through the door, whether blind as a bat or with 20/20 vision, was led to see the Savior. Team members, too, saw Christ reflected in local partners who went above and beyond to make the clinic possible and in the smiles, hugs, and at times, kisses from happy patients. Here's how it all went down: Unli

I have gross runner's feet. For starters, they're flat. The fourth toe on my left foot is shorter than the third one, and I've had one pedicure in my life that didn't even make it 24 hours before getting chipped. But my feet are beautiful, because the prophet Isaiah (52:7) says so: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” His words are later alluded to by Paul: And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" (Romans 10:15) There aren't any mountains in Wisconsin, but I did run across a plethora of college students who are excited about bringing good news and publishing peace and salvation at the Beautiful Feet student missions conference last weekend. The event is hosted annually by one of the Concordia Universities; thi