i've mentioned peru before because i love it so. and i wish i could share every single memory from when i was there but for now i'll share one of my many favorites.
let me tell you something... peruvians are master prayers. hour long prayer before breakfast? done. someone stub their toe? let's pray. oh we are getting on the bus? let's pray. they are praying constantly and in all seriousness, it's a beautiful thing. they are talking with God throughout the day and i can learn a lot from that. because i am a self proclaimed bad public prayer. {as you can probably tell...} i stumble and go on and on and i don't ever end sentences. i'm not one of those graceful prayers who just amaze you with amazing words. so on the last night of a giant conference we were throwing for young adults and teens in peru they asked our team to go out and pray for a peruvian. most peruvians don't know english and i had taken 5 years of french so i knew no spanish so i just prayed in english. and strangely i wasn't nervous or stumbling. i just prayed for this sweet girl and for her walk with Christ and for her family and future. about 20 minutes later i closed the prayer and gave her a hug.. she was bawling and to my surprise she said "i speak english and i understood everything you said" i was so stunned yet so thankful for that. she took off her bracelet and said she wanted me to have it. and i still do. i will absolutely never forget that moment.
little did i know someone snapped this photo of us. i was so thankful because it was so hetic afterwards and she had to leave to get home quickly before the streets got really dangerous. its become one of my favorite photos because we were both so in the moment. and we are matching haha!
keep sending your memories in to shellsea712{at}gmail{dot}com
you can do any kind of memory your little heart desires!
that's a beautiful story! i've always struggled with praying out loud, but i like to just have conversations in my head with god. it's like we're buds. :)
ReplyDeleteanne's book is awesome... intense and totally insightful! let me know what you think if you read it!
This is really a beautiful memory to hold on to! I just love that she understood every word! Great great picture of the moment too!
ReplyDeleteWow what a beautiful and special moment. I had the chance to stay in a convent in Lima for a few days in December 2006. It was a very special and peaceful place and I enjoyed it a lot even though I am not religious.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!!!
Wow this is really beautiful, and how wonderful that someone took such a perfect photo to store with your memory!
ReplyDeleteWow what a wonderful memory!
ReplyDeletereminds me of Costa Ricans. I was on a trip last summer and am going back this summer. I love praying for people. and they are soooooo sweet there. And really praying, public or otherwise, isn't about eloquencey. God understands even if we can't speak in full sentences, and his love is conveyed to the people despite language barriers or fragmented english :) So beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThis is so heartwarming... seriously, made my day.
ReplyDeleteNow I must think of some good memories to send you!
I love that story. Such a sweet story.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful story!! XO
ReplyDeleteSo sweet! Glad you have the photo! I always ramble on and on and just kinds of pray what pops in my head! My hubby and I have been taking turns praying each night out loud in bed before we fall asleep and that's helped me with praying out loud!
ReplyDeleteso sweet. what did you do in peru?
ReplyDeletesounds awesome! thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeletexo.
Que Fantastico!!♥ que bueno que te la pasastes bien!…hahaha! Have no idea what I just said right ? Am so glad you had that fantastic experience
ReplyDeleteThey are amazing and sometimes never return.
But am glad you have the photo! It’s a little fragment of that amazing moment.
My grandfather was Cherokee and he hated pictures apparently they strip parts of our souls….( he’s belief )but I always loved taking pictures hahahaha!
Well darling have an amazing day!!
Okay Miss Chelsea I am gonna have to teach you about Kleenex alerts, so we don't ruin the mascara at work. You are an amazing young lady.
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to visit Peru. This blog post just reinforces that desire! Maybe someday soon... :)
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend, Chelsea!
Chelsea this is an amazing story!!! I have trouble praying in public too. I always feel like people are better with words. But in the end, we are talking to God and thats all he wants :)
ReplyDeletegreat post!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.onceuponafad.blogspot.com
chels-
ReplyDeletethank you so much for sharing this beautiful memory. prayer can be so beautiful, but i agree...praying out loud can be more than a little nerve wracking. i usually never knew how to end my prayers and ended up just saying "....so....yeah....that's it." compelling and rich, right?
i got over it a bit when i was a small group leader during the time i lived in a christian girl's sorority in college. i was leading a group of non-public pray-ers as well, so i kind of had to pray or no one would.
how cool that you have a photo memory of this time. i love it.
hope you have a great weekend love!
Fabulous post!!
ReplyDeletePrayer is so powerful, ad yet in our busy society we tend to overlook or rush through prayers. God hears every single one. In fact, I just wrote about prayer and coffee...on the day my husband found out he had cancer...and how the Lord heard even my teeny-little prayer.
Blessings!
what did you do in peru/what kind of organization did you go with?
ReplyDeletei couldn't help but notice you said you didn't speak a lick of spanish. i've taken a year and i really really want to go to south america for study abroad or something but can't continue taking spanish cause of my major-long story, boring details
that is a really sweet story - i am a firm believer in the power of prayer!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet! Were you on a mission trip? I'm going to Brazil in July with my church!
ReplyDeleteWow. What an incredible experience that must have been!
ReplyDeleteFab post and I love your blog!
ReplyDeleteMissy
For everything about fashion:
http://thefashionfusion.blogspot.com
"oh we're getting on the bus? let's pray" lol you are too funny!
ReplyDeletethat really is a lovely memory. amazing how such simple things can really touch someone's life.
That's a really touching story miss chelsea, thank you for sharing :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Chels. I have an aunt in Peru who I have never met and I have always wanted to go visit.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful memory Chelsea. I'm not generally religious but when I was in Cambodia I found myself praying quite a lot as I didn't trust their transport system... I made it back in one piece so I guess maybe He was listening!
ReplyDeletewow this was so touching and amazing story!! I loved it!
ReplyDeleteFAB pic!
ReplyDeleteMissy
For everything about fashion:
http://thefashionfusion.blogspot.com
what a beautiful picture! that is so neat that you had the chance to spend some time in peru!
ReplyDelete