Billboard Sign

I think I can make an umbrella statement and say that, at least once in our lives, we have all doubted God. Even if you don´t belive in God, I´m sure you´ve doubted yourself. For me, self-doubt is practically interchangeable with God-doubt. When I feel worried, scared, or nervous I am not putting my faith in God like I should be. This past weekend has been an insane journey of discovery across Peru. I left Huanchaco on Friday morning and had been having major regrets as I boarded a bus in Pacasmayo that night, alone and in tears.

PS- A nice man named Fidel Castro helped me find the bus station in Trujillo. That is really his name... he let me check his ID.

I was able to talk to my mom for over an hour while I waited in the Pacasmayo bus station, which was God´s work right there. The operator connected her without a time limit because her calling card was not functioning correctly. In times of trouble, my mom is such a voice of reason; my rock, my solid ground when I am surrounded by quick sand. All I could think about was that I needed Tara. We could get through anything together. As I closed my eyes that night on my comfortable reclining seat in the safety of a Cruz del Sur bus, I prayed over and over again for God to give me ¨billboard¨ signs.

PSS- At this point in time, I am flat broke.
I have...
1 bus ticket to Arequipa
3.20 soles (enough for a cab ride to the hostel)
and 9.43 soles in my bank account, which I can´t take out at an ATM

Like I said, it was the poorest I´ve been in my whole life and I was traveling 24 hours across the country. So to continue, God didn´t give me a billboard sign. He gave me a small sign above a door within walking distance of the Lima bus station that said Banco Continental. I entered and, like a loser, I asked the woman behind the counter for 9 soles. (I wanted to ask for the 43 centimos too but I just didn´t have it in me.) With a smile on my face, I grabbed the reciept and almost fell over when I saw I had over 1,000 soles in my account. (2 days early!)

PSSS- Next to the bank is a KFC and across the street is a Metro (the Peruvian equivalent of Target).

PSSSS- They sell Dunkin´Donuts in the Metro.

I had tears in my eyes for the first hour or so, as I wandered around the store. My mom called to see if I was alright, at some point, and I think she was almost as happy as I was. (Which is almost physically impossible) To conclude, God is amazing. Kelly (my volunteer ¨neighbor¨) is right when she says spirituality is magnified down here. I don´t believe all of this was just good luck. I am absolutely certain this was another message from God... ¨Silly Melody. I am always with you and I will always take care of you. Just have a little faith.¨

P (who knows how many S´s)- I am still in Lima and I just witnessed a high school gang fight or mob or something... I still have half of this trip ahead of me.