Tuesday - Mummies, Stoves, & Cannons

**UPDATED WITH PICS!!

Tuesday was a wonderful day. We headed up the mountain with no tire troubles! In Carhua, we had several children waiting for us when we arrived. They seem to be excited about the lessons. Mary and Emma did a great job teaching about Abraham and Isaac... and Brian and Devon made lovely actors for the story! The woman who maintains the school was speaking with Juan and I, and as she left for the fields, she gave me the keys to the school building so we can teach, play, and have access to the bathrooms there. This may seem small to you, but here, the idea that I am carrying the keys to both the community center and the school is HUGE. We have spent three years trying to build a relationship of trust here. This culture isn't "innocent until proven guilty", but instead they distrust everyone until you earn their respect. What a blessing!! With the keys, I was able to take the team into the room that stores the mummies and other historical artifacts. I don't know why, but I love this room. Others might think it macabre, but I see history and ancestors (not to be worshipped - but respected) and lost skills with the pottery, etc. I guess it's why I always wanted to be an archeologist. Anyway, it was cool.

Jim Gilstrap joined us in Carhua and will be with us for the rest of the trip. His presence is always a blessing!! He brought a three-burner gas stove with him that Parkway had purchased for the school in Lachaqui. While the girls taught their lesson, Carmen and I went on a search to find someone who could open the building so we could deliver the stove. We walked up the mountain to homes I never even knew were there!! With the help of several villagers, we found a gentleman that could open the school. Everyone who was out in the plaza saw the stove being delivered, and were very grateful. I don't say this to suggest that we did a good thing... but given the lack of engagement we have experienced here, this was good for building trust again.

**note - I'm posting this on Wednesday, so we've already slept. Here in Peru, the Incas worshipped the Inca god. Then each village had a god, each clan had a god, each family had a god, and each individual had a god. Sounds confusing to me... Anyway, when the Spanish came to conquer, they basically held guns up and said, "Become Catholic or die." They converted. Kind of. Here in Canta, the village god was pleased with noise. Now, they say that the Catholic saint they identify with is pleased with noise as well. (see how well that conversion worked??) Imagine being sound asleep and then someone shoots off a cannon in your backyard. That really gets the heart pumping.  Then the local marching band comes through and parades your neighborhood for several hours while you enjoy a fireworks show. Yeah. That was last night beginning around 4:00am. The team is tired, but laughing about it. At least the band was good!

Monday - Prayers, Praises, & Waterfalls

So the flat tire saga continues! We got up this morning to a DIFFERENT flat tire, plus the one they patched yesterday as a spare was flat again. We prayed…and headed to the tire shop. The bad news is that we had a HUGE bolt of some sort in the tire. The good news is that both tires got a new patch and they are just fine. We were a little late to Carhua, but we still had six kids show up for VBS. Devon did a great job teaching about Adam & Eve and how the devil tries to get us to stop focusing on God. We headed up to Lachaqui for the afternoon with prayers that we would have at least a few kids show up. In the end, we had four… but you know what the Bible tells us - wherever two or more are gathered in His name!!! Praises for answered prayers!! Lots of them! Tires! Kids! Health!

We had planned to stay in Lachaqui for an adult Bible study at night. Things didn't quite work out with that. We haven't been able to find any adult leaders who could give us access to a room. One of our persons of peace, Elizabeth, said that she had talked to many in the village, but they weren't interested in coming to anything we hosted unless we were bringing gifts. She wasn't even going to be able to come. In the end, we prayed and decided to come back down the mountain before it got dark. This is okay. God is still working here and our plans are not His plans.

This change in schedule gave us an hour or so of open time, so we drove past Canta a short distance and hiked over to what I call the 'little' waterfall. It was absolutely beautiful, as usual. In the spring, we can't get nearly as close to it because it is about triple in size to the picture here. In fact, there isn't a picture that can do it justice. My camera can't really capture the height of the rocks or the strength of the water. This was a great time of fellowship for the team.

Going forward, we have two more days of VBS in each village. We are planning to host an adult Bible study on Tuesday night for Carhua - and we already have a room, so maybe we will also have some people! We are headed to a new village, San Buenaventura, on Wednesday evening for a service in their new structure that a different mission team built a few weeks ago. Thursday takes us back down the mountain into Lima, and back to the orphanage for another afternoon of loving on precious babies.

Prayer points: 

• That the hearts of the people will be open to hear the gospel
• That there will be no more problems with transportation
• That the team stays healthy and strong (a few have had some altitude headaches, nausea, etc.)
• That we always, in every decision and action and word, give God the glory

Thank you to everyone who reads this! Your love and support means more than you know when we are up here. Your "likes", comments, and shares bouy our spirits when we drag our tired selves into dinner each night and check into our accounts. Love to all!!

Sunday - Kids, Tires, & Cuy

This one is going to be quick. We are up on Monday and getting prepared to head up the mountain. 

Yesterday was definitely interesting! When we arrived in Carhua, the president of the village was sitting in the plaza waiting for us. He not only allowed us to use the community center for our VBS... he gave us the key for the week!! This is a major thing as far as trust and relationships. We had 12-14 kids (we kind of lost count), a few youth, and a couple of adults. We told the story of creation, played games, and did a craft! 

Lachaqui was a bit different. We were expecting fewer people there because Sunday is typically a day for the fields. Basically, no one showed up. It's okay. We are fluid... we go with the flow. When we arrived in the plaza, we realized that we had a flat tire. The roads here are brutal! New experience - changing a tire at 12,500 feet! It was Devon's 22nd birthday - this will be one he WON'T forget!!

 At dinner, Mary was a brave soul and ordered cuy. For those of you who don't know, this is guinea pig. It is a delicacy here. They are raised only for food - not pets. Many of us have had this in the past, and she cleaned it up! It basically tastes like greasy dark meat chicken. And yes - it is served whole... head, feet, teeth, etc. :)  Welcome to Peru!

We attended the local church service in Canta with Pastor Rafael and Sister Mercedes. Even with the language barrier, it was fantastic! Pastor made the point that some day we will all be together in heaven speaking the same language, just as we all worship the same God right now! Good stuff!!

Pray for people to come today. Pray for NO MORE FLAT TIRES!! Pray for health and strength as we begin to tire from our schedule.

Love to all!!

Saturday - Visits, Donkeys, & Shopping

To all who are praying - THANK YOU!! This trip is so different than the last one! Today we went up to our two villages and prayer walked. As we went, we spoke to everyone we met, inviting them to our VBS and an adult Bible study. We met so many wonderful people and had the opportunity to pray with them.  There were people who we recognized (and who recognized us!) and there were new faces. We met a lovely lady who is eighty-eight years young and still full of fire. We also got to pray with Señora Susanna about her health and the health of her sister, Sylvia. Her picture is below. Please keep this family in your prayers. 

We had some adventures this afternoon as well. We had lunch at a favorite landmark of ours… we call it the "big rock".   

The young ladies on our team had a new experience, also. They got to ride a donkey! :)

After we returned to Canta, we walked a few blocks to the shop of a sister in Christ, Mercedes. We worked out some details regarding church services this week, as well as shopped 'til we dropped. No pictures - don't want to ruin any gift surprises. I even have an appointment with her tomorrow afternoon to learn a new crochet technique. EXCITED!!

Well, dinner is headed to the table! Keep praying! Specifically, lift up the residents of our villages, Lachaqui & Carhua - that they will come to the various activities we are providing and that their hearts will be open to hearing the Gospel.

Friday - Reunions, Babies, & Detours

If you can stick with me through this one, I'll break today's update into three distinct categories!

Reunions: This morning, we got to meet up with two of the missionaries that we work with here, Jenn Pennington and Jim Gilstrap. The awesome thing about these trips is working with them and the worst part is really never having enough time to spend with them. We also increased our crew by three "regulars"- Juan, Carmen, and Eva. Carmen, Eva, and I have a history of sleeping little and talking/giggling much on these trips. The three musketeers ride again!!

Jenn P. & Me

EVA!!

Babies: After a quick trip to the grocery store for supplies, we drove out to Ventanilla to spend the afternoon with the babies at Sagrada Familia orphanage. If this is your first time hearing about it, you can learn more here. We got there just in time to help feed them lunch and then play a little before nap time. I've included a few pictures. The little ones just flocked to our youngest team members - as you can see!

Rubi!!

And here is my RUBI!! Look at how big and healthy and beautiful she is!! She smiled and giggled and played with me. Then she tore my heart up in a whole new way. More than once, as she tried to get my attention, she called me "Mami". Oh. My. Goodness. Now I realize that this is probably what they say to all adult women when seeking care, but when you have loved on and dreamed about and prayed for and DESIRED to be a particular child's mommy for two years… and then you hear the word from their mouth directed toward YOU. Took my breath away. We are going back on Thursday to love on them some more.

Detours: (for those of you still reading)


After leaving the orphanage, and a brief stop for lunch at our finalbathroom/gas station, we headed up the mountain to Canta. Did I mention that they are doing construction on the road to Canta? Let me tell you about it. What is normally a bumpy 3-4 hour drive is now a bone-jarring 5-6 hour ride. Unlike the States, where we tear up and repair one patch at a time, here they tear up the entire length of the road and repair a patch here and a patch there. Smooth pavement - dirt and rocks - packed dirt - smart car sized potholes. Then there are the detours. These forays include long stretches on what was always a donkey path…until now. Switchback curves with no visibility. Sheer drop-offs. Yeah… Advil is my friend. This is only a little problem, so I'm not really complaining. Well, a little… but it's just because the bumpiness is one of the few things that wears on my nerves. Ask prior team members. They know me! (Jon, Brian, Tucker, Teresa, Derek) When (if) it ever gets finished, it is going to become a VERY smooth and beautiful 2-3 hour drive, with TWO WHOLE LANES, drainage, and retaining walls.

Dinner at the new hotel tonight and then some much needed sleep. Tomorrow will begin our trek to the top of the mountain, as prepare to hold VBS in two villages. Pray for safe travels, health of our team members in this altitude, and relationships to be built with the villagers.

Thursday - Planes, Vans, & Old Friends

The team made it safely to Lima on Thursday. Leaving was hectic and fun and blessed. Packing and repacking bags at the church allowed us to not only fit in the mission supplies that we really NEEDED to bring, but also everything extra that I really WANTED to bring. Family and friends gathered around us to pray for safety, wisdom, and that God's plan would be executed. (Thanks to ALL of you who prayed no matter where you were!) Flights were on time, smooth, and uneventful, and all of the luggage showed up undamaged. God showed Himself in the neatest way in the Lima airport! We had cleared the first checkpoint (sorry - I always get customs and immigration mixed up!) and were headed over to baggage claim when a voice said, "BRIAN!!" Lo and behold, it was a friend of ours, Miguel, who served as a translator on the very first IWC trip to Peru. We hadn't seen him since, but he recognized Brian! He is working nights at the airport and was just getting off work. As he chatted with us about Brian's son, Kevin, (aka Bunky) and our current mission project, he led us through the baggage scan area to a short, quick line. What a blessing! Not much to tell about the rest of that day - we hit the hotel and crashed!!