In search of Paddington....: Latin Link Conference

My second week of being in Peru was spent at the annual Latin Link Peru Conference.

It was great to be at this conference, if a bit daunting and frustrating at the same time. It was great to learn more about how Latin Link Peru works and meet all the Peruvian Latin Linkers and hear more about their work.

It was daunting because, here was me, a new Strider, in the midst of all these missionaries who have been in the mission field for years. There was me, not really knowing why I am in Peru and questioning whether I should be there, and there were all these people who have been in the field for over 20 years and have experienced more than I have in the last 20 years or probably will in the next 20.

However it was great to be with these people for different reasons. One was because I could put faces to names I have heard about growing up within the Latin Link family. And the second reason was because I could listen to their stories and hear about their experiences and realise that they were once in the position I was in - a newbie in a foreign world.

The week was also frustrating for me, because I was ill during it, but also because the conference was in Spanish and my understanding of the language was limited to asking where the toilet is?!! A useful phrase question to be able to know though.

People did translate for me and Jenny (the other strider with very limited Spanish), so that was good, we could understand what was going on in each session, but having a conversation with those with no English only Spanish or German was not easy. However, one thing I did take away from the week was determination to conquer the language.

On the last day of the conference I felt broken, alone and doubted my ability to be able to stay in Peru and learn the language. I knew I was going to the airport that night to get a plane to Arequipa, but I was all ready to get the next plane back to London instead. You will realise by now I did not do that, and that was because of the encouraging words I got from the long-termers and second year striders who have all been where I was. It was good to know that other people have struggled and have come through the other side. As one person put it, instead of Step, Stride and Stay - the three stages of Latin Link are actually, Step, Stumble and Struggle. So, I now feel as if I have permission to feel like am stumbling. And even if I stumble, God is there to pick me up.

And not only can I lean on God if I feel like am stumbling, I came away from that week knowing that

even though I am in Peru away from family and friends and can lean on them. I feel that I have an extended family here in the shape of all the LL missionaries. I thank God for them all and the work they do in Peru.