Back home I have a rock that sits on my bedside table. Written on it is the word “faithfulness.”  My rock’s role is to remind me of God’s faithfulness.

Though I didn’t really intend this, that rock has become my Ebenezer.  In the Bible, an Ebenezer is a physical representation of God’s goodness to remind His people what He has done.  And God has been faithful in His promises to me, especially this year.

Coming to Chile, I didn’t have very many specific promises to cling to.  I prayed a lot for my host family, and that I would find a church family.  And I tried to trust God, my Provider.

Guess what, friends!  God does provide!  And He is faithful!  This past week I have seen His thoughtful handiwork in arranging the details of my new life in Chile.

To begin, He brought me to the most incredible family!  We share many of the same interests, including a faith in Jesus Christ.  They have been nothing but warm and welcoming and kind.

My family took me to their church this weekend.  I was introduced to a beautiful community of believers, and I got to worship in Spanish with Chileans.  What a dream come true!

Here I am with my new friends at the “bridge of dreams” at the beach in Horcón. Everyone who visits ties ribbons with their wishes onto this bridge, hoping they’ll come true.

Finally, I took a day trip to a nearby beach with a group of students from the church.  They were kind, adventurous, and fun.  We laughed a lot and bonded over empanadas.  But on the bus ride home, as we listened to worship music, it was evident that we shared something more profound in common: our passion for Jesus Christ.
That day at the beach, I picked up a seashell.  Now it’s sitting on my nightstand, a new Ebenezer to remind me every day of God’s faithfulness to me.

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