A little over two years ago I moved to Peru. Wow. Has it been that long already?

Looking back it’s been a great ride. Actually walking through it…well it was tougher than I thought it would be. Looking forward – that is the excellent part. I have come to believe and trust that if you “Always give everything you’ve got” you have nothing to lose. So what if it doesn’t turnout the way you thought? So what if it doesnt’ always go so smoothly. That is how you change and grow. And that is how you become the beneficiary of new experiences and adventures. Things that you ever would have thought possible.

The past 2 years have been full of those types of experiences. Nope – wouldn’t trade any one of them. Even the ones that really were tough. They each played a part in this ministry called Trinity’s Angels. It is from those experiences that Trinity’s Angels has become what it is. A ministry that reaches, touches and impacts the lives of many, many people. It is all because of the passion of a vision. Make sense?

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Somehow they just never seem to last longer than a few minutes and definitely don’t make it past the first day. But this year – and it’s April already – here is a “resolution” that I will continue to live out – “Always give it everything you’ve got.” Anything less, you are cheating the people you serve and yourself.

So, when I write to you December 31, 2014 (and you know the year is going to fly by) I look forward to telling you humbly of course…this year I always gave it everything I had.

Giving it all in His Mighty Grip,

Stephanie

Trinity’s Angels website

Most of you already have heard that we broke through our daily goal of serving 100 meals at the food kitchen. Many have celebrated that small “victory” with us. 

April 11th was the day that my heart would soar. Maria and I started cooking at 8 am. Talking, laughing, washing fruit and vegetables, cutting up all kinds of things for soup, chicken and rice stew and salad. We measured out 100 cups of a sweet jello like dessert – mazamorra in preparation for meeting the goal. Several times in the past 2 weeks we had come close. 90, 96, 94, 96 meals served. Yet we kept coming up short. 

As the people started coming and meals were being served up I watched the 100 cups of mazamorra dwindle. Half way through I knew that I knew that I knew we would hit the goal. It filled me with extreme anticipation and excitement. 

When the last dessert was handed out I stopped. Immediately stopped and thanked God. This week I am heading out to the Amazon and won’t be at the food kitchen. I didn’t want to go on the trip because I wanted to be “there” when the goal was broken. It’s not about me – I get that. Yet still………I wanted to get to be a part of and see the goal fall. And I was granted that opportunity! Still flying in the clouds a day later.

We started out serving 60 meals a day and then 6 months later – BOOM – goal broken and a litte more than 100 were served. 102 to be exact. Onward to the next goal…to have served 10,000 free lunches to the seniors in Llama by the end of this year.

Serving it up In His Mighty Grip,

Stephanie

Trinity’s Angels website

She was an original. Flora. Born in Llama, she lived there for 78 years raising 4 children along with her husband. Their home…humble. Their life…humble. Her attitude…humble.

For the entire time that I have known her over the past year she has been fighting a tumor that kept growing and taking over her kidneys and finally her body. Her children decided not to tell her about her condition. I am not sure why and honestly I don’t know that I agree with it. Yet … I wasn’t in their shoes so I really shouldn’t weigh in on the subject. 

She fought hard. The pain racked her tiny body and daily she lost weight and hope. It was hard to watch the light go out in her eyes. When she passed away I was in Chiclayo getting ready to head to Lima for a women’s weekend retreat – Tres Dias. Maria called to say that Flora had taken her last breath. Sad and yet at the same time my prayer was that she had really accepted Jesus into her heart and that would bring a smile to my face.

That afternoon I took a bus back to Llama to pay my respects to the family and to Flora. There were so many people that came and went, in and out of the house. Meals were prepared, condolesences said and tributes made. It actually was a very sweet gathering and I am so thankful that I felt led to go back if only for overnight.

As I came back down the mountain the next day heading back to Chiclayo I was looking through some pictures on my computer and came across a very short video that was recorded when she gave me a poem for my birthday last year. I thought I would share it. This is the Flora I will remember, not the one I said goodbye to recently.

Click here to watch    Floras video

The words she is saying……”Between the sun and the stars while looking for the moon, you will find precious pearls but like you there are none!”

Florencia Saavedra Rojas – she is my friend. She is an Original. 

In His Mighty Grip through both the good and the bad,

Stephanie

http://www.TrinitysAngels.org