The Journey Has Just Begun

It's been a long journey - so fast-paced that technology and social networking have taken a back burner to the necessary things like... arriving and departing. We've been to 13 different countries in the last two months, traveling over 6 hours each day on average. This most recent and final journey from Lima, Peru to Santiago, Chile took 60 hours on bus. Pablo, Phil, and Rob took that route in order to avoid extra expenses at the borders of Bolivia and Argentina (turns out they're quite expensive for Americans).

We've come to realize that this JOURNEY has just began. We only have maybe 1/3 of a documentary, and none of us feel like God has finished His work in us as far as research in the area of human trafficking, Latin America, and the feature film go. We're all being stretched in many ways by these things. Brittany is working on her toughest film yet in Michigan. She's overly-stressed and missing good community with other believers. Phil is currently revising a story that In Dependence Productions plans to make in the winter, as well as another potential story for the future, along with VOLVIENDO. Diego set off to Argentina and Bolivia alone to pursue an amazing story of a woman who spent 20 years searching for her kidnapped daughter in the sex trade, only to discover that she was killed... but not after saving hundreds of girls from brothels, street corners, slums, and slavery all around Latin America.

We've been discovering stories like that ever since we departed from Juarez. We've found so many compelling stories that we could make a lifetime of movies out of them. But we still feel called to something different for this movement. We're still not sure what it is yet, but we'll continue until we have fulfilled our purpose.

In just a few days, the team will be reunited in Santiago (save Brittany) and we'll discuss the next few weeks. We hope to have a trailer for you all very soon. But these next few weeks are going to look much different than we thought they would; instead of this time being editing time, we've discovered that it may actually be time for more conceptualization - looking at what we have and considering what more we need.

Pray for us that we are guided by the Spirit in these next few weeks. It's been an amazing blessing to rest here in Santiago for the last few days. Phillip is staying in a house with a family that only speaks Spanish, so he's quickly learning the language. Rob and Pablo are staying with the leaders of the YWAM base here (Pablo's Parent's), Luisa and Ricardo Rodriguez - a great YWAM family. And Diego will be here on the 10th via a flight paid for by a friend and follower of Volviendo.

Your prayers and support are felt. There's no way we would be alive, healthy, and safe if it weren't for such unity in prayers of the body of Christ. Please find ways to sacrifice your lives for the advancement of the Gospel, as it is our lot in life - our only true pleasure and eternal contribution. You don't have to travel by RV through Latin America (in fact, I'd advise against such a ridiculous thing), but be careful to avoid complacency and uselessness. We all have so much potential with the salvation that we have been given in Christ. Sure, people will call us crazy, and we will be mistreated, hungry, cold, and exhausted by the end of it all. However, it's not the seed that blooms, but the flower (check out 1 Peter 1:22-25).

In Christ,

The Volviendo Crew