Hello Everyone!
I'm writing this letter to you from my parents home in Phoenix, Arizona! I'm so thankful to be here catching up on my rest and spending time with my family. Let me try and retrace some of my steps with you so you can be in on my strange journey and the workings of God in my life.
This summer has been turbulent, difficult, challenging, and interesting! In the course of God's will and plan for all of us, I found myself alone in Jerez. My good friends and team leaders, the Shierkolks, all left for their various summer travels in the States, India, and the Ukraine. (Busy people!) My brother Danny and his family moved on to new and different places and responsibilities. I could no longer financially afford to live in the giant house we once shared, so a family in our church offered to rent me one of their houses. That way, I would still be on my own, but under their cultural wing, so to speak. So, I began the tedious chore of packing up the house that our family has rented -- and filled up! -- for 10 years, and moved into this new little house.
Problem #1: The new house was not as ready as they had led me to believe.... There was no plumbing, no electricity, no paint, and the list goes on. So, I began sleeping nights on the floor of a martial arts studio that a friend from church rents and uses to teach taekwondo classes. She and her four children are currently quasi homeless, so she and I, her four children, and my dog all slept piled together on a rug on the floor!
Problem #2: While all of this was going on, and I was working 12 hour days, I was trying to make arrangements to leave the country. It really isn't prudent for me to live alone and "carry" the church while the Shierkolks are away. So, in line with their counsel, I began getting my legal papers in order for leaving Mexico. It got complicated and time passed....
Problem #3: Just as I got my papers in order and all of my stuff crammed willy nilly into the new house, I received word that I could get a little girl to adopt in two days! Most of you know that this is one of the desires of my heart, and I had never been this close to getting a baby before! If I took the child, I probably couldn't leave Mexico for three years, but how could I say no to a needy little child that could have been mine that very week???
Solution: I locked myself in my house and told the Lord that I wasn't going to leave the house until He told me what to do! I began to pray with all of my heart, and in a few hours I got a clear answer. The Lord said "Leave the country immediately." So, I ordered Internet tickets, left my dog with this same friend, and flew into Phoenix the next day! Surprise, Mom and Dad! I will be in the States a couple of months, resting, visiting family and friends, and hopefully will be able to see some of you.
Prayer requests: I intend to submit my application to AFLC World Missions for full term status while I am in the States. Please pray that God's will will unfold in my life, in this regard and in every other way! Please pray that my dog will stay alive and healthy while I'm gone. And please pray for this same friend and her children. This is Claudia Arcos, for whom I have asked you to pray many times. She is growing spiritually by leaps and bounds, but her life is difficult. Pray that she and her children will be protected from all harm, will somehow get a decent house to live in, and that all five will continue to grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus!
Thank you all so much for praying for me and for supporting me financially. Please keep it up! I depend on both your prayers and financial support. I want to assure you that I am careful with your money, and a conscientious Sunday School curriculum translator and discipler. I hope that if and when the Mission accepts me -- and in the meantime -- you will stay on as my supporters! I'll keep you posted.
Ingrid Giles
