Beautiful friends and fam,
I have arrived home safe and sound...thanks to all of your prayers and support! As I have said so many times, thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for walking with me through this amazing time of growth and adventure. My relationship with the Lord has been revolutionized and the incredible joys I received daily from loving and serving in both Argentina and Peru, are blessings that have truly shaped me into the person I have returned as. It has sincerely been marvelous to have you as a part of all of it! I will be signing off from the Argentine updates now, but please check back often, as you may soon be receiving these posts from an even MORE distant land!!
Que Dios los RE bendiga! (God Bless you all!)
Talk to you soon~
Katie
Monday, March 17, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Hello Hello,
I only have a few minutes of internet access here, but I wanted to update everyone really quickly on my current situation and ask for your prayers. The day before yesterday, I became very ill and was hospitalized in a very...third-world...facility here in Peru. After a lot of testing and analyses, I was diagnosed with a severe intestinal infection called Enteropolitis(caused by Salmonela poisoning) and ALSO they discovered that I have a Urinary Tract Infection. I was discharged with a lot of medications and, by God's grace, a very small bill, and am now resting and trying to recuperate. It is has been very difficult, but I have not lost one bit of faith, and trust the Lord now, more than EVER, as He continues to bring me to new ad exciting things! If you think of it, please pray that my health will be quickly restored so that I can continue to serve and minister here for my last week and a half. I want to be able to give my all in the little time that I have left,so please pray for a quick and full recovery. Thank you all SO much for walking with me during this adventure, and continue to let me know how I can be praying for you!
See you all soon!
Walking by Faith,
Katie
I only have a few minutes of internet access here, but I wanted to update everyone really quickly on my current situation and ask for your prayers. The day before yesterday, I became very ill and was hospitalized in a very...third-world...facility here in Peru. After a lot of testing and analyses, I was diagnosed with a severe intestinal infection called Enteropolitis(caused by Salmonela poisoning) and ALSO they discovered that I have a Urinary Tract Infection. I was discharged with a lot of medications and, by God's grace, a very small bill, and am now resting and trying to recuperate. It is has been very difficult, but I have not lost one bit of faith, and trust the Lord now, more than EVER, as He continues to bring me to new ad exciting things! If you think of it, please pray that my health will be quickly restored so that I can continue to serve and minister here for my last week and a half. I want to be able to give my all in the little time that I have left,so please pray for a quick and full recovery. Thank you all SO much for walking with me during this adventure, and continue to let me know how I can be praying for you!
See you all soon!
Walking by Faith,
Katie
Monday, February 4, 2008
Greetings from the land of the Incas!
We made it to Peru, and my GOODNESS are things ever different here!
Peru is CRAZY different from Argentina, and in fact, it reminds me more of Mexico than anything else. There is SO much poverty here, along with the huge vices of domestic violence, abuse, alcoholism, and theft. It is far more dangerous than Argentina, and when we leave to go ANYWHERE, we can't even take a bag with us, cause it will be stolen. We even have to dress kind of grubby because they will rob the clothes right off your back if you dress nicely! But apart from those things, the Peruanos are some of the most welcoming, genuine people I have met thus far in my travels, and we have been received SO generously in every church and home. The food is fanTASTIC - rice with EVERY meal, which I ADORE, and then we usually have chicken or some other meat, and Soya (which is a sweet type of soy milk - never thought I'd like it, but now I can't get enough!). The only food that I've been avoiding at all cost it Cebiche, Peru's most famous dish. It is raw fish but that is very often infected and causes SERIOUS stomach infections (we had one entire team get sick for a WEEK because of it!) So I've definitely been staying away.. We met up with a bunch of other YWAM teams here, and have been working with them on this huge project called Peru en el Corazon (Peru in our hearts). We split up into a bunch of little teams and have been living in houses and churches ALL over the city of chiclayo. I am only with 2 other people from my DTS, and am living with a girl from El Salvador (Tania) and a guy from Mendoza (Paulo). We're having a blast - painting a school, visitng families from the church, and then nearly every night, all the teams meet up and we have these HUGE performances and shows on stage in the central plaza of the city. We perform dramas, choreographies, songs...it is fantastic. Today we are ALL traveling to the city of Trujillo to spend the last 3 weeks there doing similar ministries. Time is flying, and the Lord is working in incredible ways! Just the other day, I had the privilege of leading a boy to Christ, and 2 days ago, my team and I were able to pray with 2 more girls who made the decision to follow Jesus! And that is just our little team of 5, and just the past 4 days. There are like 15 teams, and people have been coming to know Jesus left and right!! God is SO good!!! Please pray that He will continue to soften the hearts of this beautiful people, and prepare them to receive the AWESOME message of hope we have for them! Hopefully I will be able to shoot our another update here soon - possibly once we're settled in Trujillo. I miss you ALL, and am SO looking forward to seeing you this coming month!!!
As we say here, !Adelante! (keep running forward - press on toward the goal!)
All my love,
Katie
We made it to Peru, and my GOODNESS are things ever different here!
Peru is CRAZY different from Argentina, and in fact, it reminds me more of Mexico than anything else. There is SO much poverty here, along with the huge vices of domestic violence, abuse, alcoholism, and theft. It is far more dangerous than Argentina, and when we leave to go ANYWHERE, we can't even take a bag with us, cause it will be stolen. We even have to dress kind of grubby because they will rob the clothes right off your back if you dress nicely! But apart from those things, the Peruanos are some of the most welcoming, genuine people I have met thus far in my travels, and we have been received SO generously in every church and home. The food is fanTASTIC - rice with EVERY meal, which I ADORE, and then we usually have chicken or some other meat, and Soya (which is a sweet type of soy milk - never thought I'd like it, but now I can't get enough!). The only food that I've been avoiding at all cost it Cebiche, Peru's most famous dish. It is raw fish but that is very often infected and causes SERIOUS stomach infections (we had one entire team get sick for a WEEK because of it!) So I've definitely been staying away.. We met up with a bunch of other YWAM teams here, and have been working with them on this huge project called Peru en el Corazon (Peru in our hearts). We split up into a bunch of little teams and have been living in houses and churches ALL over the city of chiclayo. I am only with 2 other people from my DTS, and am living with a girl from El Salvador (Tania) and a guy from Mendoza (Paulo). We're having a blast - painting a school, visitng families from the church, and then nearly every night, all the teams meet up and we have these HUGE performances and shows on stage in the central plaza of the city. We perform dramas, choreographies, songs...it is fantastic. Today we are ALL traveling to the city of Trujillo to spend the last 3 weeks there doing similar ministries. Time is flying, and the Lord is working in incredible ways! Just the other day, I had the privilege of leading a boy to Christ, and 2 days ago, my team and I were able to pray with 2 more girls who made the decision to follow Jesus! And that is just our little team of 5, and just the past 4 days. There are like 15 teams, and people have been coming to know Jesus left and right!! God is SO good!!! Please pray that He will continue to soften the hearts of this beautiful people, and prepare them to receive the AWESOME message of hope we have for them! Hopefully I will be able to shoot our another update here soon - possibly once we're settled in Trujillo. I miss you ALL, and am SO looking forward to seeing you this coming month!!!
As we say here, !Adelante! (keep running forward - press on toward the goal!)
All my love,
Katie
Monday, January 14, 2008
Buen Dia, Amados!!
I only have a few minutes, but I managed to find a little internet cafe here in the tiny beach town of Villa Gessel, and wanted to give you a quick update! Outreach so far has been CRAZY, to say the least. We have been traveling up and down the coast of Argentina, performing dramas and choreographies in the streets, serving in local churches (putting on programs for the youth groups and the kiddos), and most recently, working with a HUGE evangelistic event called Summer Hope. We spent a week in a city called Santa Teresita, and from Monday through Saturday, spent ALL day every day walking up and down the beach promoting this giant concert that took place this past Saturday night. It was a spectacular event where some famous Christian artists performed, along with an incredible Hip-Hop dance group called the Jesus Warriors. And at the end, they were able to speak openly to the crowd of THOUSANDS about the hope that we have in Jesus and the reason we are spending our summer differently (as opposed to the majority of this beach town - drinking and partying every night). It was absoutely awesome, and I KNOW that the Lord spoke to SO many hearts that night! It was all worth it!
I became very ill this week, and am still trying to recover. So if you would please continue praying for my health, and the health of our entire team - it is SO frustrating to be on bed-rest for a WEEK while the rest of the team is out making a difference for Christ, but God has been SO faithful in continuing to encourage me and remind me that I still play an important role in this outreach. Also, please keep praying for open hearts for the people we come in contact with. That we would be sensitive to their needs, and be able to love them serve them in the exact way that they need it! God is AMAZING, and continues to surprise me every day with his gorgeous grace and mercy!
The last quick update is definitely an exciting one! about 2 weeks ago, God spoke to me very specifically about what He has in store for my future! I have been seeking Him throughout my entire time here, and as I was standing on a jam-packed bus in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, He spoke! Following my graduation in the end of February, I´ll be returning home for a short time (most likely working for a bit to raise tuition) and then I will be attending a health care school for missionaries that will equip me with the knowledge and medicl skills to work with the specific people groups that the Lord has SO clearly called me to. I´ll be trained in the areas of health promotion, disease prevention and treatment; health education, and assessment skills...and how to work in areas of the developing world with least access to health care. God has laid out such an awesome plan for my future, and I am SO excited to continue walking that path as I finish this stage!
Okay, I have to head back, but I love you all and miss you and continue to pray for you!
Many blessings from Villa Gessel,
Katie
I only have a few minutes, but I managed to find a little internet cafe here in the tiny beach town of Villa Gessel, and wanted to give you a quick update! Outreach so far has been CRAZY, to say the least. We have been traveling up and down the coast of Argentina, performing dramas and choreographies in the streets, serving in local churches (putting on programs for the youth groups and the kiddos), and most recently, working with a HUGE evangelistic event called Summer Hope. We spent a week in a city called Santa Teresita, and from Monday through Saturday, spent ALL day every day walking up and down the beach promoting this giant concert that took place this past Saturday night. It was a spectacular event where some famous Christian artists performed, along with an incredible Hip-Hop dance group called the Jesus Warriors. And at the end, they were able to speak openly to the crowd of THOUSANDS about the hope that we have in Jesus and the reason we are spending our summer differently (as opposed to the majority of this beach town - drinking and partying every night). It was absoutely awesome, and I KNOW that the Lord spoke to SO many hearts that night! It was all worth it!
I became very ill this week, and am still trying to recover. So if you would please continue praying for my health, and the health of our entire team - it is SO frustrating to be on bed-rest for a WEEK while the rest of the team is out making a difference for Christ, but God has been SO faithful in continuing to encourage me and remind me that I still play an important role in this outreach. Also, please keep praying for open hearts for the people we come in contact with. That we would be sensitive to their needs, and be able to love them serve them in the exact way that they need it! God is AMAZING, and continues to surprise me every day with his gorgeous grace and mercy!
The last quick update is definitely an exciting one! about 2 weeks ago, God spoke to me very specifically about what He has in store for my future! I have been seeking Him throughout my entire time here, and as I was standing on a jam-packed bus in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, He spoke! Following my graduation in the end of February, I´ll be returning home for a short time (most likely working for a bit to raise tuition) and then I will be attending a health care school for missionaries that will equip me with the knowledge and medicl skills to work with the specific people groups that the Lord has SO clearly called me to. I´ll be trained in the areas of health promotion, disease prevention and treatment; health education, and assessment skills...and how to work in areas of the developing world with least access to health care. God has laid out such an awesome plan for my future, and I am SO excited to continue walking that path as I finish this stage!
Okay, I have to head back, but I love you all and miss you and continue to pray for you!
Many blessings from Villa Gessel,
Katie
Thursday, December 27, 2007
And we're off!
Hi friends! I only have a minute or two, but I finally got internet access for the first time in quite a while, and I wanted to send out a quick hello before I leave for my outreach tonight! I hope you all had a beautiful Christmas celebration with your family and friends - truly embracing the joy of this season of the Birth of our Savior! I had a VERY different experience here in Argentina, but loved every minute of it! God blessed me with a beautiful family and church here to share the holidays with, and I couldn't be more thankful for His constant Provision. And speaking of provision - thank you all SO incredibly much for your amazing generosity in your gifts of support for my outreach! I was SO blessed, and would not be where I am today (or where I'll be heading tonight) without your faithfulness and selflessness!
As our team departs for the next 2 months, please pray - first and foremost - for UNITY! If we are not united as a team, our ministry will be totally void and pointless. Pray for humble, teachable spirits as we students work and travel together, and that we would really just pour ourselves out as servants. We want to truly be disciples of Christ to the people we encounter, and act in a way that demonstrates that in EVERY area of our lives! Please also keep our safety and HEALTH in your prayers! We are SO excited to immerse ourselves in South America and begin serving and loving the people God has called us to! What a privilege!!
Alright - I must go finish packing and prepare for our trip (we leave at midnight). LOVE TO YOU ALL, and if I end up not having internet access - know that I am thinking of you all every day and constantly praying for your lives! Thank you for sharing in mine! May God be glorified immensely on this next adventure!
His humble servant.
Katie
As our team departs for the next 2 months, please pray - first and foremost - for UNITY! If we are not united as a team, our ministry will be totally void and pointless. Pray for humble, teachable spirits as we students work and travel together, and that we would really just pour ourselves out as servants. We want to truly be disciples of Christ to the people we encounter, and act in a way that demonstrates that in EVERY area of our lives! Please also keep our safety and HEALTH in your prayers! We are SO excited to immerse ourselves in South America and begin serving and loving the people God has called us to! What a privilege!!
Alright - I must go finish packing and prepare for our trip (we leave at midnight). LOVE TO YOU ALL, and if I end up not having internet access - know that I am thinking of you all every day and constantly praying for your lives! Thank you for sharing in mine! May God be glorified immensely on this next adventure!
His humble servant.
Katie
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Hola Amados,
I tell you, my heart is very heavy at the moment. I just returned from spending a weekend at home with my host family, and it was a very, very difficult few days. It was absolutely wonderful to spend time with my family after nearly 4 weeks without seeing them, but along with the enjoyment came an encounter with the true reality of all that has occurred. Being surrounded by the truth and effects of this tragedy, and reluctantly hearing all of the appalling details allowed me to understand that what happened to my family is of a far greater magnitude than I could have ever understood by simply being told about it. I am very thankful that I was able to be there and pray with them, but the wounds are definitely still fresh for me, and I ask you all to please continue to pray for all of us. The details that I received as far as who the girl (yes, I said girl) was, and how long this had been going on are on a far worse level than I initially disclosed to you all, so please don’t cease praying for the healing and restoration of this beautiful family. I’ll be spending a lovely few days with them over Christmas, and we are all looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior together!
On a different note, we are wrapping up our final 2 weeks of classes here at the base, and preparing for the next phase of our training – Outreach! It’s a very exciting time, and we are now working towards taking care of every little detail for the trip. I would love it if you would pray for our teams as we continue planning, rehearsing choreographies and dramas, and making travel arrangements. We are definitely relying on God to accomplish all of this in less than 12 days, and we trust that He will provide all that we need. In that sense, I also wanted to let you know that because my team will be traveling outside of Argentine to Peru, we are responsible for purchasing a plane ticket and all of the transportation around the country during these next 2 months. And the Lord is most definitely teaching me about trust and reliance on Him as I have only $100 left and we will need about $850 to get to Peru and back. In this, I ask that you please pray for God’s provision, and that He would truly surprise me – as He always does. I will ask for your financial assistance as well – if you feel led to support me in purchasing this ticket, I would be SO blessed (even if it’s only one dollar!) I am trusting the Lord to provide exactly what I need, and I am so thankful that I can call on you for your support and prayers! What a blessing you have all been to me! If you do feel led to support my outreach financially, the best way to give is to write a check to my name and send it to my parents who can then deposit it into my Argentina account. It is nearly impossible to cash a check here in the country or change Dollars into Pesos where I’m at. The address is:
Katie Doud
1620 Buckeye Street
Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524
Thank you all, as always, for being such faithful warriors in prayer for all that is happening here and all that is to come in these next 2 months of serving and loving Argentina in a practical way! We’ll talk soon.
Katie
I tell you, my heart is very heavy at the moment. I just returned from spending a weekend at home with my host family, and it was a very, very difficult few days. It was absolutely wonderful to spend time with my family after nearly 4 weeks without seeing them, but along with the enjoyment came an encounter with the true reality of all that has occurred. Being surrounded by the truth and effects of this tragedy, and reluctantly hearing all of the appalling details allowed me to understand that what happened to my family is of a far greater magnitude than I could have ever understood by simply being told about it. I am very thankful that I was able to be there and pray with them, but the wounds are definitely still fresh for me, and I ask you all to please continue to pray for all of us. The details that I received as far as who the girl (yes, I said girl) was, and how long this had been going on are on a far worse level than I initially disclosed to you all, so please don’t cease praying for the healing and restoration of this beautiful family. I’ll be spending a lovely few days with them over Christmas, and we are all looking forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior together!
On a different note, we are wrapping up our final 2 weeks of classes here at the base, and preparing for the next phase of our training – Outreach! It’s a very exciting time, and we are now working towards taking care of every little detail for the trip. I would love it if you would pray for our teams as we continue planning, rehearsing choreographies and dramas, and making travel arrangements. We are definitely relying on God to accomplish all of this in less than 12 days, and we trust that He will provide all that we need. In that sense, I also wanted to let you know that because my team will be traveling outside of Argentine to Peru, we are responsible for purchasing a plane ticket and all of the transportation around the country during these next 2 months. And the Lord is most definitely teaching me about trust and reliance on Him as I have only $100 left and we will need about $850 to get to Peru and back. In this, I ask that you please pray for God’s provision, and that He would truly surprise me – as He always does. I will ask for your financial assistance as well – if you feel led to support me in purchasing this ticket, I would be SO blessed (even if it’s only one dollar!) I am trusting the Lord to provide exactly what I need, and I am so thankful that I can call on you for your support and prayers! What a blessing you have all been to me! If you do feel led to support my outreach financially, the best way to give is to write a check to my name and send it to my parents who can then deposit it into my Argentina account. It is nearly impossible to cash a check here in the country or change Dollars into Pesos where I’m at. The address is:
Katie Doud
1620 Buckeye Street
Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524
Thank you all, as always, for being such faithful warriors in prayer for all that is happening here and all that is to come in these next 2 months of serving and loving Argentina in a practical way! We’ll talk soon.
Katie
Monday, November 26, 2007
Dear Ones, I have some terrible news that I feel God wants me to share with you so that you might join me in prayer. This has been an absolutely horrific week for me personally, and for my host family. On Monday of this past week, we tragically discovered that my host-dad has fallen into a deep sin trap and has been having an affair. He confessed to the family, and is no longer living at home. As you might guess, this was an absolute shock to everyone involved, and we are all still struggling to even accept it as reality. I won't go into all the details because this is a very embarassing and shameful situation for my family here, but I will ask you to please, PLEASE join me as warriors in prayer against this situation. Please pray, first and foremost, that my host-dad Ruben would cease running away, and turn back to the one who loves him unconditionally - the Lord. That he would ask for forgiveness and turn from this terrible, destructive life and return to seek forgiveness from his beautiful wife and broken children. It would be so easy to pray that he would just stay away and that his family would be able to rebuild their lives without him - that is what our human justice desires. However, when we are walking in the grace and truth of our Savior, we will pray for the things on HIS heart, and that is that Ruben would return to his family, seek their forgiveness, and that the incredible grace of God would overflow into this family and they would be restored. Please pray that this will happen. Truly ask the Lord in FAITH that Ruben would not remain in hiding because of his guilt, but that he would turn back around and face the loving, graceful, merciful God that created him and would accept the forgiveness and grace that is offered to him through the death of Jesus on the cross.
While you are praying for this, please also pray specifically for the three lives that have been so completely destroyed this week. Please pray for my host-mom Inez - that she would truly rest in the strength and perfect love of Jesus - that she would know she doesn't have to be strong for the kids, but that it is okay to cry and let God begin to heal her - and that the feelings of inadequacy and failure that the enemy will try to force upon her would be crushed by the grace and strength of God.
Please pray for wisdom and strength for my host-sister Yamila as she begins to process all of this. Pray against the feelings of deception and bitterness that she may feel towards her Father for the pain that his choices have caused - that she would be filled with God's unfathomable grace for her Dad and truly be able to forgive him.
One of my most important requests is for prayer for my host-brother Marcelo. Out of everyone, he has, by far, taken it the hardest. He has not spoken in over a week, and only by God’s grace did he answer his phone last night when I called. We talked for a very long time, and after much prayer, he finally opened up. Marcelo is broken. His entire life has been destroyed, and his best friend is gone. Please pray for understanding and forgiveness. Most of all, pray that Marce will embrace the truth that God is his true Father who loves him unconditionally and will NEVER let him down or disappoint him. That he would truly be able to rest in that truth and feel the loving arms of his true Daddy.
I know that this is a very heavy update, but I made the decision to share this information with you all because I know you will support me and my family here during this time of total brokenness. We need your prayers desperately, and have faith that God will truly work a miracle. Thank you SO much for joining in this fight with me, and I will absolutely let you know anything new.
Katie
'Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.
Jeremiah 33:6
While you are praying for this, please also pray specifically for the three lives that have been so completely destroyed this week. Please pray for my host-mom Inez - that she would truly rest in the strength and perfect love of Jesus - that she would know she doesn't have to be strong for the kids, but that it is okay to cry and let God begin to heal her - and that the feelings of inadequacy and failure that the enemy will try to force upon her would be crushed by the grace and strength of God.
Please pray for wisdom and strength for my host-sister Yamila as she begins to process all of this. Pray against the feelings of deception and bitterness that she may feel towards her Father for the pain that his choices have caused - that she would be filled with God's unfathomable grace for her Dad and truly be able to forgive him.
One of my most important requests is for prayer for my host-brother Marcelo. Out of everyone, he has, by far, taken it the hardest. He has not spoken in over a week, and only by God’s grace did he answer his phone last night when I called. We talked for a very long time, and after much prayer, he finally opened up. Marcelo is broken. His entire life has been destroyed, and his best friend is gone. Please pray for understanding and forgiveness. Most of all, pray that Marce will embrace the truth that God is his true Father who loves him unconditionally and will NEVER let him down or disappoint him. That he would truly be able to rest in that truth and feel the loving arms of his true Daddy.
I know that this is a very heavy update, but I made the decision to share this information with you all because I know you will support me and my family here during this time of total brokenness. We need your prayers desperately, and have faith that God will truly work a miracle. Thank you SO much for joining in this fight with me, and I will absolutely let you know anything new.
Katie
'Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.
Jeremiah 33:6
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