I see people; they look like trees

One thing I've repeatedly asked prayer for is that I will be a help to the people around me during this in-between time, and that God will give me the creativity, insight and discernment to work out what my future ministry might look like. Looking back over the last six months (it's six months to the day today!!!!!!), I can see that I've made the most of a stringful of little opportunities that have come my way, and I'm thankful for it. It's also starting to get a little clearer looking forward, thanks to some helpful counsel, nudges in the right direction, and small epiphanies.

Because it helps so much to get to know people here, I can see that having my own place and being able to invite people round for lunch, supper or afternoon tea will be the first step to all sorts of possibilities - though it's also been great to invite people round to share in my Chilean family's life. For starters, I need to be doing this with the Arme/Desarme team I'm already responsible for. Obviously, I also need to be keeping in touch with the non-Christian friends I've made, foreigners and locals alike. And I think I can finally envisage a gentle way-in to helping the women's group be all it can be. And while I'm glad to have the chance to disciple my Australian friend this year, I'm stoked that the Chilean discipleship (/reading the Bible /practising Spanish) I've been wanting to kick off all year finally looks like it's going to happen, thanks to some local ideas and initiative. If I can get these last two things going before the end of the year, I'll be thrilled. I think that from there it would be wise to mostly just try and disciple a fair few of the Cristo Redentor women over the next couple of years (if the church still wants me!!! obviously I need to talk to my pastor about this!) - so I can get the hang of ministry here, develop some deep relationships, see how that model goes and where it leads me next.