updating the blog is a bit more of a challenge

this week as the one hotspot i found is at a school, the problem is it's closed for their winter break, and in order to pick up the signal i have to pass my computer through the bars of the gate and hold it in one hand and hunt and peck with the other.

the "it's a small world" aphorism is an excuse to avoid recognizing that there are no accidents. i've had these chance encounters on so many occasions recently and in the past -- i used to write them off as amazing coincidences, but i've come to the realization that stasticticly everyone of you would have to be traveling every single day i've traveled in order for me to have had these encounters by mere chance. since most of you don't have blogs indicating that you are out there everyday traveling i have realized that these encounters are not random statistical coincidences, but that there is a Creator -- He has a sense of humor, He reveals Himself daily to those who are open and earnestly seeking.

i was going somewhere with this, oh yeah, yet again i've had several run-ins that are confirming i am in the place where i'm supposed to be: two weeks ago i was in a local supermarket here in arica (pop 180,000ish) i was waiting in the area near the cash registers when this guy who was also waiting asked if i was from california, this threw me as i hadn't said anything or spoken near him. he thought i was in town for the rip curl surf competition. turns out he saw the travel badge on my back and recognized marina del rey. after a bit more discussion he mentioned that he is in a shooter living in santa monica, his mother lives in arica. strange to met someone in the same union in a line for groceries in south america, in la most everyone you meet falls into some industry category, but down here i left town to get away from all of that.

so the latest encounter was last week at the church we are working with; the pastor here knows the pastor i went to cambodia with in november, "the circle is now complete" that pastor from cambodia wrote my referral letter for the discipleship program i'd applied to ywam in australia, i was visiting his fathers church in santiago when i met mitch, the director of the ywam base here in pichilemu, are you confused?:

muddy explanation --

met isreal and debbie in cambodia (oct 06)
while traveling through so. america i started ap process for ywam surf dts in perth australia (jan 07)
had asked israel to write a pastoral referral for the application
stayed at the church of israel's father (jose) while in santiago. (feb 07)
met mitch anderson director of ywam base in pichilemu
that same day recieved email from perth that israel submitted pastoral referral
went to pichilemu to check it out.
a week later perth folks sent odd email that they couldn't find referral (march 07)
israel had sent a copy to me which i used for the pichilemu application
home for twelve days (march 07)
back to chile and began dts classe (march 07)
after the first week i wanted to move over to the counseling school - leaders wouldn't let me.
had to decide where i wanted to go on out reach (stay in chile or go to so. africa via germany) (april 07)
got a clear message in writing that i was to stay in chile.
outreach to arica (june 07)
met camera guy in market, (july 07)
at the church met pastor who knows israel and debbie, (july 07)
same day got email from base in australia