Iguazu Falls

Greetings and Salutations!!!!

I got the fantastic opportunity to travel to Iguazu falls recently. I first heard about this part of the world in 1998 and I have dreamed of going there since then. It took me 11 years to actually go there but it was absolutely worth the wait.

You know I was just thinking about how sometimes you wait and wait and wait to see a movie... and when you go to see it.... it was just ok. The expectation kills the experience. Well this is one of those places in the world were my expectations would have never measured up to the actual experience. Nothing in my life could have prepared me for the spectacular wonder that was before my eyes.

There was a plaque posted in the park that quoted Psalm 93:4 - Mightier than the thunder of many waters, Mightier than the waves of the sea, The Lord on high is Mighty! - God is always greater than all of our troubles. What a great sign to post in such an amazing place!!! The evidence of God's power and creativity were everywhere!!! Visiting Iguazu was an unforgettable experience.

Be careful sleeping on park benches in Argentina

I was having some quite time in a park in Buenos Aires and when I looked up there was this HUGE lizard like creature staring at me. I was too surprised to scream... I was going through all the .... am i loosing my mind type questions... when i could finally gather my senses and grab my camera. The creature... maybe we should call him Godzilla... was on his way to the next park bench where a man was sleeping. Godzilla stared at the man until he woke up and then went about his business eating bugs and then finally duck off into the bushes.

I decided that my visit to Argentina is going to be amazing and full of surprises.... just like my first day out on the town!!! :)

Leaving for Argentina tomorrow!!!!

Hello!!! Just to keep everybody in the loop. I am leaving for Buenos Aires Argentina tomorrow afternoon!!! Please pray for me that everything goes smoothly with the travels. Getting to Brazil last time was very challenging!!! Thanks a million and I will check in again soon!

Ahhh.... Sunday has come and gone!!!

Hello FOLKS!

Well Sunday has come and gone. Thank you so much for your prayers! I believe that the Lord spoke through me. :) What an intense responsibility. This week of preparation has been littered with distractions. :) One being the animals here decided to misbehave yesterday!!!! :) Except the puppies... they are complete angels! :)

The house Im staying at has two adult dogs who stay in one part of the yard always.... Somehow yesterday they executed an amazing escape and flaunted thier victory all over the property... Smiling, jumping, running, barking, running and jumping some more. At first it was quite entertaining until we remembered the new rabbits in the back yard! AND even worse... one of the dogs has a strange disorder. When it gets a hold of a ball or any kind of a toy... it will latch on to it and shake his head compulsivly knocking himself in the head... the knocking himself in the head makes him get more aggressive about pulverizing what ever he has in his mouth.... this cycle can continue indefinately...

For those of you reading right now.... no animals were harmed in the making of this story!

Anyway... with all that said... the urgency of returning the dogs to thier natural habit muy rapido was very important!!! :) We were able to coax them with some chicken bones.... Phew... Crisis diverted..... for about 30 minutes...

until they broke out AGAIN!!! :) We did another round of casing down the two German Sheppard criminals! :)

then maybe an hour or so later the rabbits decided it was there turn... not so smart since the dogs had thier inflicted their havoc earlier... but hey what's life without a few risks!

The Rabbits... Houdini 1 and 2

and the angels of the family! :)

Okay... so that was the distractions... here is a small portion of the message I gave today :)

When i took the above photo Lord was speaking to me. I had an overwhelming feeling that the Lord was saying... take notice of this place.. you can learn a lot here!!! So after returning home I looked at this photo many many times. I prayed over it and this is what I feel the Lord is trying to speak to us today...

Neglect reaps destruction.....

The spiritual parallels in this photo are amazing. Really.... The house is our hearts.... We've asked Jesus to enter our hearts and reside there. Over time we are confronted with the sins of this world and sometimes we allow sin to reside in our hearts.

With time.... We neglect the state of our hearts... maybe we do not want to see whats there. And the photo you see is the product. Neglect of sin produces destruction.

Its true in this photo too.... Neglect has made this house uninhabitable. How is the house you have provided for Jesus? Are there things that have gone unacknowledged? Others might not be able to see from the outside but are there things in your life that is making your heart uninhabitable?

PRAY FOR ME

Hi.... I'm asking for prayer.......... I'm speaking in church on Sunday and have no idea what I'm going to talk about....... :)

I can talk for days about ..... adventure....... photography......... arts and crafts......... running .......surfing.........hmm.......

Like I said.... I need prayer! :) I only want to share what the Lord wants me to say. :) Okay better go prepare!

sending lots of love to who ever is reading this!!!

Uruguay was amazing!!!

An amazing lighthouse that worth the adventure to find it!!!



Cindy Lu... first resident of Hawaii to stay at the Positos Hostel!!!

My travel buddy .. Zenaide

Palacio Legislativo in the Capital of Uruguay.... and its library... that was contructed in Italy

Hello Everybody!!!!

Well I am back from an amazing trip to Uruguay. It is a friendly beautiful country! I am so very thankful that I had the opportunity to go there. First of all I found an amazing little hostel..... I was the first resident of Hawaii to stay there so I got to stick of pin in the map hanging in the lobby!!! Its amazing how little things like that really thrill me! ha ha ha!!! :)

The people of Uruguay are so very friendly. Everywhere i went people would say... I overheard you speaking English... if there is anything I can do to help you please let me know!!! :) AMAZING!!!! I want to be friendly and helpful like that when i return home!!!! :)

I traveled to Uruguay with a friend from Brazil. This was the first time she had left her country. It was fun to experience with her the amazement and wonder that comes from taking a trip away from home. We had a great time talking and comparing our cultures. It was an eye opening experience for both of us. It’s so good to encounter people who can shift your deeply engrained paradigm!

We had the opportunity to visit the Palacio Legislativo in the capital city of Montevideo. The building was constructed when Uruguay was the richest country in the Americas. The interior has every variety of marble imaginable and the entire library was constructed in Italy and shipped to Uruguay.

We also visited a beautiful lighthouse that was sort of off the beaten path. If i hadn’t read online that you are allowed to visit it I would think it was off limits. To get to the lighthouse we had to pass.....Intimidating fences... guard booths.... two big Doberman Pinchers.... a foul ... overpowering stench .... (I believe the city sewage department was in the vicinity) ... but it was well worth all the obstacles we encountered!!! :)

Overall the best parts of the trip where making all kinds of new friends at the hostel, exploring the city by foot and bus, hanging out at the beach, and all of my fantastic conversations with my friend Zenaide. I’m already dreaming of the day when I get to return to Uruguay!!! :)

Leaving for a last minute trip to Uruguay!!!

Hello!!!! I have been in Brazil for a couple weeks now. The family that I am staying with have been absolutely amazing. The community has been very receptive and friendly!

The ministry opportunities here are plentiful! I had the opportunity to be an English tutor almost everyday... Ive spoke at two different churches Sunday services, gave a testimony for the church youth group, and gave a Bible message on the city radio station!!!!

A few days ago i got the wild idea that one friend and I should go to Uruguay. :) So we all scrambled around ... made the arrangements and it is official! We will be hoping on a bus tomorrow around noon. I am praying for some ministry opportunites along the way! I heard a rumor that the beaches in Uruguay are pretty nice as well! I will have to let you know what i find out! :)

Okay i better get some sleep... its already 4am and I need to wake up early in the morning to pack! :)