Adventures of the Past (Part 1)

I plan on traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1 month, 2 weeks, and 3 days! If you would like to help me get there, please click here and follow the instructions, or write a check to The Oaks Fellowship and send it to Gabrielle Turley 777 S I-35 E Red Oak, TX 75154. Any amount you give will be greatly appreciated. Now, for a story from one of my previous trips:

It’s my birthday it’s my turn to shower. Before my body moved a muscle, these two thoughts smooshed into one and tumbled out of my mind as soon as the alarm went off at 5:30am on June 19, 2009.  As I struggled to gather my things for the shower I noticed it was quiet, but loud. I heard a rooster yapping and some hens fluttering around, and the sweet little El Salvadorian ladies fluttering around too as they cooked breakfast. Once outside, everything I saw was glazed in a haze of muted blueish-grayish. I finally made my way over to one of the two outside showers made available to our 50-person AIM (Ambassadors In Mission) team. Still to this day, I’m astonished at how we managed survival with 50 people and only two hygiene stations.

The rest of the day was jam-packed with praying and ministering to five different people groups. After quickly eating a late dinner, having a cake party for yours truly and another girl whose birthday was a few days prior, the team settled in to have our nightly debriefing. It started out as a brief review of the day, and turned into a lengthy discussion filled with us all sharing what was on our hearts. It was by far the most miracle-filled day of our entire, 10-day experience; it was no wonder why so many of us felt compelled to speak.

The last person to speak was our leader, Pastor Ashley. He first directed us to all stand in a big circle, then said, “Worship with your heart without thinking of how others worship.” It was at that moment I realized I had forgotten this profound truth. Worship is about expressing my heart for God while not caring about the ways in which it is manifested through my body’s language. With this realization came a compelling, overwhelming ball of emotions I can’t even begin to describe, but they were something along the lines of relief. So, I cried. For the first time ever, I cried in public, eyes closed, head up, a steady stream of tears free-flowing their way down my face. 

One of my close friends on the trip, Grace Sharrar, eventually turned to me and held me in a tight, comforting embrace. As she wrapped her arms around my physical being, Grace became the spiritual embodiment of God embracing my repent-filled, unwound soul. It’s remarkable now to think about the irony behind her name and what she did for me in that moment. One of the synonyms to Grace is “relief,” and bring relief is exactly what she did. 

After this intimate moment with God and the team, there was an interesting end to the day involving me, a spider bite, and lots of peroxide. But, it's one of those stories which is better told in person. So, next time you see me, feel free to ask about it. :)

Thanks for reading!

Gabrielle Turley