Our first week in Chile has been exciting. We are staying at a house that is under construction to become a church - Iglesia Bautista Esperanza de Vida (Living Hope Baptist Church). We have bedrooms, but not beds; we have a bathroom with a shower, but no hot water (update - we did finally get hot water!); and we don’t have central heat or close access to wifi. To say this is an adjustment is an understatement. My first instinct in the morning is to grab my phone and check Instagram. I’m used to snuggling up with RJ in our warm bed. I take hot showers every morning. But what I have learned from not having these comforts is that’s what they are - comforts. They aren’t needs. I don’t need wifi, hot water, or a bed to share the love of God with others.

One of my favorite things we have done this week is volunteer at the children’s hospital in Puente Alto. James and Coletta, our ministry hosts, have been visiting this hospital every week for a few years. They each take a floor and talk to the children and their families, give them coloring pages, give them a wordless bracelet (which explains the gospel to them in a way that’s easy to understand), and pray over them. The conditions of the hospital were startling. I just spent a lot of time in a hospital in Arizona a few weeks ago, and everything was so sterile and new. In this hospital in Chile, the elevators were broken, the halls were narrow, and there were 6 hospital beds to a room. What struck me though was the spirit of the kids. All 3 kids I got to talk with were just normal kids. Even though they had just had surgery, they were giggly and so happy to see us. I couldn’t communicate very well because they all spoke Spanish, but I got to pray for them because Coletta told them that God speaks English too. :)

Even though we weren’t at the hospital for very long, I already can’t wait to go back! The resilience of kids is inspiring, and their spirits are joyful. Oh that I could have that same joy when my conditions aren’t the best. I have a lot to learn from the Chileans. I am so excited to see what else this month brings!