Countdown to Cusco...

It's been an amazing year. This year I have enjoyed spending Christmas at home. It has been a nice time of celebration and fellowship with family and friends. I've enjoyed being jobless for a short amount of time. As of Jan 1, 2010 I will be employed at Mission to the World(yikes!! I'll be a full time missionary.)

It's hard to believe that a little over a year ago I started the application process to become a short term missionary with Mission to the World. Who would have thought I'd be so close to getting to Cusco? Time flies by. In mid January I head off to the land of chocolate and beer(for pre-field training) and will come back home in mid February. My time in Belgium should be a fun and challenging month away filled all kinds of learning and good stuff to prepare me for the mission field. Thankfully we'll be spending only part of the time in the classroom setting. The majority of the time will be spent serving in various ministries in the community and at local churches. It will be a good time of learning about living cross culturally, understand how to minister in other cultures, and I would imagine many other things as well.

One of my BIG events for December was the purchase of my one way ticket to Peru. It was exciting to buy a one way ticket, but a bit strange as well. I'll be on my way to Arequipa for language school in March. I'll be leaving the good old U.S.A. on March 4th. Five airports, four connections, and 24 hours later.....I'll be in Arequipa where one of my new adventures will start. I'll be attending the ABC Spanish school for six months. It appears that the Spanish classes in high school and college have had no long term benefits for me. The placement test didn't go very well. Since I couldn't so much understand the questions on the test, it looks like I'll be starting out in the beginner classes. While I'm in school, I'll be staying with a host family. From what I understand, there will be minimal use of English. I feel like there will be plenty of laughing and pantomiming going on for a couple of months. I'm looking forward to it.

This past month has been filled with many fun tasks and "new things" in preparation for leaving the country for a couple of years. Who would have thought I'd have to make out a will, make sure my dental records are available to MTW(in case I'm mauled by a llama and my body is unidentifiable), pack up and auction off all the stuff I've accumulated over the past 29 years, or consider getting vaccinated for rabies. There seem to be way too many dogs lying around on the streets of Cusco for my comfort, so I'm still thinking about that one....

This has been wild year with many blessings, challenges, and surprises. God has been good to me. I've been stretched and in so many ways and in the end am thankful for it. I'm so excited for what is ahead and am looking forward to seeing the great things God is going to do. God is at work in Cusco and I'm so thankful to be called to this ministry.

Grace and Peace to all,
A. Smith

66 Days...