Thanks for your prayers and caring for our team as we walked in Peru. IT was just an amazing experience that we each need to process and listen to God to determine what He wants us to do with what we experienced.
Each of us has been challenged to:
1. Relate to at least 1 of the people who we met in Peru for the next year, so we need to determine whom and start (or continue) this relationship;
2. List to God's still, quiet voice about one thing we want to bring back, want to change or do because of our time together.
Please pray with us that we hear God on these things, and have enough courage to walk in them. Again, thanks for your love and prayers for us in this walk.
Phil, our last post for this trip
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Arrived in Lima
Friday: We had a great day finishing up construction projects, relating to our friends we had made, and making plans for LIMA. We arrive in Lima 45 minutes after we left cold Pucallpa (it was the coldest day that Olga and Julio has had since they moved to Pucallpa!) so that was better than driving over the mountains again!
Today (Sat) is a day of sight seeing in Lima.
Thanks for your prayers! See you tomorrow (Sunday) We leave here at 10:30 tonight on Contential Airlines.
Today (Sat) is a day of sight seeing in Lima.
Thanks for your prayers! See you tomorrow (Sunday) We leave here at 10:30 tonight on Contential Airlines.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Last full day in Pucallpa...
LAST FULL DAY IN PUCALLPA!! Wow, we just can't believe it has been a little less than 2 weeks: with all that we have done and experienced, it seems like we have been here much longer. But the end is coming tomorrow... :-(
Today we came to the compound expecting to complete some concrete work, but by the time we arrived, Abraham, our local concrete expert, had left already since it was rainy and overcast, and would not be a good day to pour more concrete. It did rain on and off all day, probably did not get out of the 60's all day: it felt cold!
So, what did we do on a rainy day?
- Bob was helping Christian (SAM Missionary with Mil Palmeras) some more at his house with electrical and other issues.
- Phil was working with Van (independent missionary we met in Huanuco) at replacing the electrical box in Julio's house. Last night Julio and Olga's house lights were blinking on and off and as they checked the electrical box, it was sparking at one of the incoming wires - not a good thing!
- Eric and Rick continued some sanding of bleachers at the Mil Palmeras church so they could varnish these bleachers to help with stand the weather better.
- Gwen and Katrina arranged and organized the arts and crafts supplies in the book room at SAM academy, the school for missionary kids on the SAM compound. Then they help Olga make lunch for the crew. After lunch they went to the Crisis Pregnancy Center that Olga had help start, and helped to sort through donated clothes.
- Jeremy, Ashlee, Joelle, Jerry and Bonnie flew out of Pucallpa at 5:30 am to Lima, and then caught a 9:20 am flight from Lima to Cusco. The instructions given to all people coming into Cusco is to take a nap and just relax as your body adjusts to the high altitude. They were met by Dr. Derek Brubaker (Mennonite medical missionary in Cusco) at the airport and probably spent some time with them later in the day.
As work slowed down (4:30 or so), Rick, Erik and Phil joined some of the Mil Palmeras folks as they came to the church to play soccer and basketball together. We chose to join the basketball game. As it got dark (about 5:30 - 6:00 pm) the games wound down and we ended our time together praying for John Carlos who is going with his wife and child to Israel to start a life there.
This evening we walked to some of the local shops to try to find some things to bring home to our friends and families that remind us of our time in Peru. Finally after being here two weeks, we feel comfortable enough to venture out on our own with our spanish translators or locals who know where to go. I guess we finally are feeling "at home" here ... just in time to leave...
Please pray for us in the following ways:
1. As we say good bye to those who have blessed us sooooo much in the last two weeks; 2) as we travel to Lima tomorrow night, and as Jerry, Bonnie and Joel fly from Cusco to Lima on Saturday afternoon to join up with us at the airport to fly out at 10:30 on Saturday night; 3) for the continued work of Mil Palmeras as it ministers to the folks here in Pucallpa, but encourages their members to reach out to places like Angasmarca and Bella Vista and to their neighbors around them; 4) for continued healing of Julio's broken collar bone as it heals; 5) for Olga's ministry at the Teen Pregnancy center; 6) for Jeremy and Ashlee as they explore other mission opportunities and relax (yes, the have great surfing locations in Peru that they want to check out with "Christian Surfers" - ask Jeremy about this when you see him next)
I don't know if I will have access to internet in Lima, so this might be the last post in Peru! Thanks for following us with this blog, but more importantly for praying for us! Hope to see some of you on Sunday after church when we get back!
Today we came to the compound expecting to complete some concrete work, but by the time we arrived, Abraham, our local concrete expert, had left already since it was rainy and overcast, and would not be a good day to pour more concrete. It did rain on and off all day, probably did not get out of the 60's all day: it felt cold!
So, what did we do on a rainy day?
- Bob was helping Christian (SAM Missionary with Mil Palmeras) some more at his house with electrical and other issues.
- Phil was working with Van (independent missionary we met in Huanuco) at replacing the electrical box in Julio's house. Last night Julio and Olga's house lights were blinking on and off and as they checked the electrical box, it was sparking at one of the incoming wires - not a good thing!
- Eric and Rick continued some sanding of bleachers at the Mil Palmeras church so they could varnish these bleachers to help with stand the weather better.
- Gwen and Katrina arranged and organized the arts and crafts supplies in the book room at SAM academy, the school for missionary kids on the SAM compound. Then they help Olga make lunch for the crew. After lunch they went to the Crisis Pregnancy Center that Olga had help start, and helped to sort through donated clothes.
- Jeremy, Ashlee, Joelle, Jerry and Bonnie flew out of Pucallpa at 5:30 am to Lima, and then caught a 9:20 am flight from Lima to Cusco. The instructions given to all people coming into Cusco is to take a nap and just relax as your body adjusts to the high altitude. They were met by Dr. Derek Brubaker (Mennonite medical missionary in Cusco) at the airport and probably spent some time with them later in the day.
As work slowed down (4:30 or so), Rick, Erik and Phil joined some of the Mil Palmeras folks as they came to the church to play soccer and basketball together. We chose to join the basketball game. As it got dark (about 5:30 - 6:00 pm) the games wound down and we ended our time together praying for John Carlos who is going with his wife and child to Israel to start a life there.
This evening we walked to some of the local shops to try to find some things to bring home to our friends and families that remind us of our time in Peru. Finally after being here two weeks, we feel comfortable enough to venture out on our own with our spanish translators or locals who know where to go. I guess we finally are feeling "at home" here ... just in time to leave...
Please pray for us in the following ways:
1. As we say good bye to those who have blessed us sooooo much in the last two weeks; 2) as we travel to Lima tomorrow night, and as Jerry, Bonnie and Joel fly from Cusco to Lima on Saturday afternoon to join up with us at the airport to fly out at 10:30 on Saturday night; 3) for the continued work of Mil Palmeras as it ministers to the folks here in Pucallpa, but encourages their members to reach out to places like Angasmarca and Bella Vista and to their neighbors around them; 4) for continued healing of Julio's broken collar bone as it heals; 5) for Olga's ministry at the Teen Pregnancy center; 6) for Jeremy and Ashlee as they explore other mission opportunities and relax (yes, the have great surfing locations in Peru that they want to check out with "Christian Surfers" - ask Jeremy about this when you see him next)
I don't know if I will have access to internet in Lima, so this might be the last post in Peru! Thanks for following us with this blog, but more importantly for praying for us! Hope to see some of you on Sunday after church when we get back!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Back in Pucallpa: Hoovers & Hess/Zehr's leaving
Wow! What a mind blowing last two days in the jungle...
We left yesterday morning (through the day since we had 4 hour long flights to get us all there) for Bella Vista, almost directly north of Pucallpa. As we flew in SAM's 6 seater float airplane, we quickly left civilization and for the next 45 minutes flew over virgin jungle with just a couple rivers and NO roads. AS we looked down on the jungle, it looked like the top of a broccoli plant: green for ever! Finally we approached a river and were quick to put down on the water, coming up to the bank just 100 feet from the house where we were staying in Bella Vista.
Bella Vista is a small village of 160 people surrounded by jungle and river. It was started 100 years ago as a logging village, and the first missionary family arrive 5 years ago, taking the boat 10 DAYS from Pucallpa or Iquitos to get to the village for their first 2 years. Then they heard about SAM Air and were just amazed that they could get there in 1 hour!! Presently there is a small church meeting there, and Mil Palmeras has sent a family and a single person out to work with this village.
As we arrived during the day, the Medical group got started working with the villagers who expressed medical needs: with only 160 people, it did not take all day to meet their needs. The construction folks started to work with the church members to paint their new Sunday School structure.
That evening we met with the church for a time of worship and a time where Julio shared from God's word. The vigorous singing and drumming (on a wooden box with a hole - no traditional drum of leather) lasted for half hour and showed a church full of life and connecting with the songs. It was a really wonderful time of connecting with a small church in the middle of the jungle, being supported by another Peruvian Church far away.
That evening as we walked the 100 yards from the church to our home, we saw a shooting star and marveled in the bright stars in the sky as we walked through the moonless night. No machine sounds were heard (the only machines we heard over the two days were the planes and the "peki peki" boats that would go up or two the river): this we a truly quiet place to be!
We slept with the Peruvian missionaries in their wonderful home (ask us the story of this home), which felt like an adult sleep over: guys in one room with all the snoring, and the ladies in another room. It was a rough night of sleep for most of us...
The morning came quickly for the first load to return back to Pucallpa: they needed to be up and on the river by 6 am, going down stream for 45 minutes to where they picked up the plane. The plane could land in the river just in front of our house, but this area was not long enough to take off, so we each got a ride down stream in our "peki Peki" along a river that we did not see any person during the whole trip until we hooked up with the SAM Pilot for our trip home. A couple of the flights actually flew through a rainbow, which we found out wraps around the airplane in a full-circle as you get nearer the rain.
For those of us that were on later flights, we finished painting the exterior of this structure, went on a walk around local farms to visit with some of the church folks doing the preparation of their favorite food which was a dried starch. We also heard the stories of the local present day missionaries and God's calling them to work this this remote village.
Food while we were gone? We had some local boar that was shot and prepared, fish from the river and this local starch. Besides these exciting foods, we also had rice and beans, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and oreo cookies we had brought from Pucallpa.
We were fortunate folks in the village to have solar power lights in the house, the rest were candles of lanterns.
What struck most of us was the amazing time of worship with folks half the way around the world in the remotest part of Peruvian jungle: our God is big enough to work with these extremes and everything in between.
Tomorrow morning, Jeremy and Ashlee, Jerry and Bonnie and Joelle take off to Lima and Cuzco to visit with the Mennonite Mission folks there and to see Machu Picchu on Friday.
Please pray for safety in travel and for all the bug bites that are driving many of us crazy from our time in Bella Vista!
We left yesterday morning (through the day since we had 4 hour long flights to get us all there) for Bella Vista, almost directly north of Pucallpa. As we flew in SAM's 6 seater float airplane, we quickly left civilization and for the next 45 minutes flew over virgin jungle with just a couple rivers and NO roads. AS we looked down on the jungle, it looked like the top of a broccoli plant: green for ever! Finally we approached a river and were quick to put down on the water, coming up to the bank just 100 feet from the house where we were staying in Bella Vista.
Bella Vista is a small village of 160 people surrounded by jungle and river. It was started 100 years ago as a logging village, and the first missionary family arrive 5 years ago, taking the boat 10 DAYS from Pucallpa or Iquitos to get to the village for their first 2 years. Then they heard about SAM Air and were just amazed that they could get there in 1 hour!! Presently there is a small church meeting there, and Mil Palmeras has sent a family and a single person out to work with this village.
As we arrived during the day, the Medical group got started working with the villagers who expressed medical needs: with only 160 people, it did not take all day to meet their needs. The construction folks started to work with the church members to paint their new Sunday School structure.
That evening we met with the church for a time of worship and a time where Julio shared from God's word. The vigorous singing and drumming (on a wooden box with a hole - no traditional drum of leather) lasted for half hour and showed a church full of life and connecting with the songs. It was a really wonderful time of connecting with a small church in the middle of the jungle, being supported by another Peruvian Church far away.
That evening as we walked the 100 yards from the church to our home, we saw a shooting star and marveled in the bright stars in the sky as we walked through the moonless night. No machine sounds were heard (the only machines we heard over the two days were the planes and the "peki peki" boats that would go up or two the river): this we a truly quiet place to be!
We slept with the Peruvian missionaries in their wonderful home (ask us the story of this home), which felt like an adult sleep over: guys in one room with all the snoring, and the ladies in another room. It was a rough night of sleep for most of us...
The morning came quickly for the first load to return back to Pucallpa: they needed to be up and on the river by 6 am, going down stream for 45 minutes to where they picked up the plane. The plane could land in the river just in front of our house, but this area was not long enough to take off, so we each got a ride down stream in our "peki Peki" along a river that we did not see any person during the whole trip until we hooked up with the SAM Pilot for our trip home. A couple of the flights actually flew through a rainbow, which we found out wraps around the airplane in a full-circle as you get nearer the rain.
For those of us that were on later flights, we finished painting the exterior of this structure, went on a walk around local farms to visit with some of the church folks doing the preparation of their favorite food which was a dried starch. We also heard the stories of the local present day missionaries and God's calling them to work this this remote village.
Food while we were gone? We had some local boar that was shot and prepared, fish from the river and this local starch. Besides these exciting foods, we also had rice and beans, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and oreo cookies we had brought from Pucallpa.
We were fortunate folks in the village to have solar power lights in the house, the rest were candles of lanterns.
What struck most of us was the amazing time of worship with folks half the way around the world in the remotest part of Peruvian jungle: our God is big enough to work with these extremes and everything in between.
Tomorrow morning, Jeremy and Ashlee, Jerry and Bonnie and Joelle take off to Lima and Cuzco to visit with the Mennonite Mission folks there and to see Machu Picchu on Friday.
Please pray for safety in travel and for all the bug bites that are driving many of us crazy from our time in Bella Vista!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Pucallpa Day 6
We said good-bye to Doreen, Lindsey, Gary and Sue, last night so today we were missing them as we went through the day. Like usual, this was a day of many different types of activities in and around the Mil Palmeras/SAM Compound:
Early start with social construction finishing crew: Eric, Bob and Jerry took off around 9 am to complete the house that was worked on for the blind person over the week-end. They were reassembling a wall that they had taken down over the week-end when they move this house back into vertical position again. They can back around noon hot and sweaty from a busy morning of cutting and refitting the boards on the wall.
Gwen and Bonnie went through the medical supplies that they had to prepare for our out reach to Bella Vista over the next two days. We will be flying out in a small mission airplane, landing in the river beside this village of 200 people. So the weight we carry with us is very important, so they figured out a bag for the first flight and then the rest of the supplies for the second or third flight (we will need 4 flights to get us all there, including the local Peruvian missionary going out from Mil Palmeras to work in this small village)
Katrina and Ashlee were busy in the "book room" at the school that they have on the SAM compound. They were sorting with Amy Listra (another Mil Palmeras church planter from SAM) through what textbooks they have for each subject and in each grade for this small school for their children.
Rick, Phil, Jeremy and Jerry were busy helping the hired folks complete the concrete floor of the "cafeteria" area just off the covered basketball court that Mil Palmeras calls home. This covered little addition of 30 by 30 feet will provide some area for them to meet and eat informally before or after the service and will provide a wider variety of ways their structure can be used. Yes, we mixed by hand 33 wheel barrows full of sand and rooks with the concrete and wheeled it over to the folks laying the last quarter section of the floor. Yes, we are happy that task is over with, but realize we will probably be mixing more concrete on Thurs and Fri for a side walk that they are trying to put around their structure for when it rains they will not have to walk in mud!
After lunch, the tasks changed to going to the bank with Julio (took 3 hours!), sanding down benches that Mil Palmeras uses for part of their seating (yes, by hand only!), helping Christian Listra do little plumbing and tear out a wall in his house on the SAM compound; doing our wash and more book room and library work. By 5 pm, it is starting to get dark and we need to start getting bug spray on so the mosquitoes don't eat us alive.
Supper was at a local restaurant down town that we walked to from our hotel and had some "American" food: hamburgers, ham and cheese sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, fried chicken, etc. The food we have been eating all along has been truly outstanding and unique, so it was interesting to see us struggling to figure out what we wanted for supper since we had american options!
Tomorrow, we have four flights to Belle Vista: 7:00, 9:30, 12:00 and 2:30. It will be a very interesting and different experience again, and we really don't know what we are getting into! All we have heard is that they have some nasty bugs that light to bite like "no-seeums": should be interesting! We will truly be in the jungle in this location: no electricity or running water I believe. Sleeping on small air mattresses (swimming pool style). We travel back on Wednesday, so I will not be communicating with you on Tuesday night since we will be gone that evening.
Doreen, Lindsay, Gary and Sue should be arriving back into Lancaster about noon time tomorrow, but I am sure they will be beat since they fly through the night tonight. Please pray for them and during our times of flying over the next couple days.
I have started to post some pictures on Facebook so you can link to them through this link below and do not need to be a facebook member to see them:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=230905&id=525772322&l=c7689f62c1
Thanks for your prayers!
Early start with social construction finishing crew: Eric, Bob and Jerry took off around 9 am to complete the house that was worked on for the blind person over the week-end. They were reassembling a wall that they had taken down over the week-end when they move this house back into vertical position again. They can back around noon hot and sweaty from a busy morning of cutting and refitting the boards on the wall.
Gwen and Bonnie went through the medical supplies that they had to prepare for our out reach to Bella Vista over the next two days. We will be flying out in a small mission airplane, landing in the river beside this village of 200 people. So the weight we carry with us is very important, so they figured out a bag for the first flight and then the rest of the supplies for the second or third flight (we will need 4 flights to get us all there, including the local Peruvian missionary going out from Mil Palmeras to work in this small village)
Katrina and Ashlee were busy in the "book room" at the school that they have on the SAM compound. They were sorting with Amy Listra (another Mil Palmeras church planter from SAM) through what textbooks they have for each subject and in each grade for this small school for their children.
Rick, Phil, Jeremy and Jerry were busy helping the hired folks complete the concrete floor of the "cafeteria" area just off the covered basketball court that Mil Palmeras calls home. This covered little addition of 30 by 30 feet will provide some area for them to meet and eat informally before or after the service and will provide a wider variety of ways their structure can be used. Yes, we mixed by hand 33 wheel barrows full of sand and rooks with the concrete and wheeled it over to the folks laying the last quarter section of the floor. Yes, we are happy that task is over with, but realize we will probably be mixing more concrete on Thurs and Fri for a side walk that they are trying to put around their structure for when it rains they will not have to walk in mud!
After lunch, the tasks changed to going to the bank with Julio (took 3 hours!), sanding down benches that Mil Palmeras uses for part of their seating (yes, by hand only!), helping Christian Listra do little plumbing and tear out a wall in his house on the SAM compound; doing our wash and more book room and library work. By 5 pm, it is starting to get dark and we need to start getting bug spray on so the mosquitoes don't eat us alive.
Supper was at a local restaurant down town that we walked to from our hotel and had some "American" food: hamburgers, ham and cheese sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, fried chicken, etc. The food we have been eating all along has been truly outstanding and unique, so it was interesting to see us struggling to figure out what we wanted for supper since we had american options!
Tomorrow, we have four flights to Belle Vista: 7:00, 9:30, 12:00 and 2:30. It will be a very interesting and different experience again, and we really don't know what we are getting into! All we have heard is that they have some nasty bugs that light to bite like "no-seeums": should be interesting! We will truly be in the jungle in this location: no electricity or running water I believe. Sleeping on small air mattresses (swimming pool style). We travel back on Wednesday, so I will not be communicating with you on Tuesday night since we will be gone that evening.
Doreen, Lindsay, Gary and Sue should be arriving back into Lancaster about noon time tomorrow, but I am sure they will be beat since they fly through the night tonight. Please pray for them and during our times of flying over the next couple days.
I have started to post some pictures on Facebook so you can link to them through this link below and do not need to be a facebook member to see them:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=230905&id=525772322&l=c7689f62c1
Thanks for your prayers!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Church with Mil Palmeras
Today was a day of worship and celebration with Mil Palmeras. We finally saw the church in action today.
Worship started at 10 am with 15 - 20 minutes of choruses with some in English to include us, but it was a time were the Spirit was evident in their singing. They commissioned or sent off three groups of people: a couple to live in Israel, a family that visits a mission outpost for a month at a time (Belle Vista) and a missionary kid returning to Switzerland after living many years in Pucallpa. The sermon by Julio and translated by Doreen (Are you a believer or a disciple?) was on Matt 7, and was on the 3 Tests/Marks of a disciple: following the narrow way, bearing appropriate fruit, building on solid ground.
The service was finished by the moving testimonies of 6 people who were to be baptized during this service. They varied in ages from 6 or 7 years old to mature adult, with a variety of different stories bringing them to baptism. The baptism was just off the basketball court where Mil Palmeras meets, and was an immersion baptism experience with lots of celebration when they came out of the water. Julio indicated to us that they try to have baptisms 3 or 4 times a years.
Lunch served under their mango tree since the electricity was off and we wanted some coolness. The meet was roasted lamb done over an open fire right outside of Julio and Olga's house, with potatoes of course (we have had potatoes every day in this country since it is their staple food), yucca, and veggies.
After lunch, we had to round up a generator and gas so we could watch the all important final game of the World Cup in Soccer. This motivated Bob and Lindsey to play some soccer with other church folks after the game, while some of us went on a road trip to visit TEC, a site were some of us had done other short term missions work.
A quick supper of chicken, and you guessed it, french fries, some shaved palm tree heart and alvacado for veggies and a birthday cake for Joelle Hess, turning 10 today. Then it was the sad good-byes for Doreen, Lindsey, Gary and Sue, as they took off to fly to Lima to catch a plan tomorrow for the states.
Tomorrow: more construction work on the compound and finishing up a social construction worksite...
Prayer requests: safety in travel for Doreen, Lindsey, Gary and Sue; continued relation building with church members, SAM Missionaries and Mil Palmeras staff; continue health for the team (we thank the Lord for no sickness on the trip so far!); continued openness by the team to God's speaking to them, and leading them in actions and conversations.
Worship started at 10 am with 15 - 20 minutes of choruses with some in English to include us, but it was a time were the Spirit was evident in their singing. They commissioned or sent off three groups of people: a couple to live in Israel, a family that visits a mission outpost for a month at a time (Belle Vista) and a missionary kid returning to Switzerland after living many years in Pucallpa. The sermon by Julio and translated by Doreen (Are you a believer or a disciple?) was on Matt 7, and was on the 3 Tests/Marks of a disciple: following the narrow way, bearing appropriate fruit, building on solid ground.
The service was finished by the moving testimonies of 6 people who were to be baptized during this service. They varied in ages from 6 or 7 years old to mature adult, with a variety of different stories bringing them to baptism. The baptism was just off the basketball court where Mil Palmeras meets, and was an immersion baptism experience with lots of celebration when they came out of the water. Julio indicated to us that they try to have baptisms 3 or 4 times a years.
Lunch served under their mango tree since the electricity was off and we wanted some coolness. The meet was roasted lamb done over an open fire right outside of Julio and Olga's house, with potatoes of course (we have had potatoes every day in this country since it is their staple food), yucca, and veggies.
After lunch, we had to round up a generator and gas so we could watch the all important final game of the World Cup in Soccer. This motivated Bob and Lindsey to play some soccer with other church folks after the game, while some of us went on a road trip to visit TEC, a site were some of us had done other short term missions work.
A quick supper of chicken, and you guessed it, french fries, some shaved palm tree heart and alvacado for veggies and a birthday cake for Joelle Hess, turning 10 today. Then it was the sad good-byes for Doreen, Lindsey, Gary and Sue, as they took off to fly to Lima to catch a plan tomorrow for the states.
Tomorrow: more construction work on the compound and finishing up a social construction worksite...
Prayer requests: safety in travel for Doreen, Lindsey, Gary and Sue; continued relation building with church members, SAM Missionaries and Mil Palmeras staff; continue health for the team (we thank the Lord for no sickness on the trip so far!); continued openness by the team to God's speaking to them, and leading them in actions and conversations.
Week-end Pucallpa
Saturday was a busy day of social outreach, world cup, church connections and ice-cream!
We started our day with 6:45 breakfast and were off to divide up into our social out reach teams again, adding our medical team into the mix. We had 3 different places that we helped again today. One house was leaning terribly, so they removed some wood and doors, and pulled the 15 x 25 foot house back into vertical position, and tried to put everything back in place. The other two houses were homes of disabled individuals that we helped to make them more accessible and safe for the individuals. We also replaced screens on most of the homes to help with the mosquitoes and other flying/crawling insects. We also replaced or fixed holes in roofs of many of these homes. The bonus of the outreaches was that we were working along side other Mil Palmeras' church members, so got to know them a lot better in the process. This social outreach idea is a fairly new idea for them, so you could see the excitement in their eyes of helping others as well. We fund raised $300 for each of these homes we helped fix up, and the team just wants to say "thanks" for helping us make this possible. The money was well spent on these projects.
The afternoon, after the World Cup game of course, was a time for the church families to come to Mil Palmeras and play soccer, volleyball, talk and eat. Reminded me our our old church picnics: all afternoon until it got dark. Katrina and Ashlee led the group in a couple games and Jeremy gave his testimony. They enjoy our balloon launchers and tried to get the soccer players as they were busy playing: we were not successful!
On our way back to our hotel, we stopped for some ice-cream: our first since we have arrived. What a great way to end our busy day. Tomorrow, church with our good friends at Mil Palmeras... and the finals in the world cup (the world stops for them down here!)
Thanks for your prayers for our safety and growth as a team.
We started our day with 6:45 breakfast and were off to divide up into our social out reach teams again, adding our medical team into the mix. We had 3 different places that we helped again today. One house was leaning terribly, so they removed some wood and doors, and pulled the 15 x 25 foot house back into vertical position, and tried to put everything back in place. The other two houses were homes of disabled individuals that we helped to make them more accessible and safe for the individuals. We also replaced screens on most of the homes to help with the mosquitoes and other flying/crawling insects. We also replaced or fixed holes in roofs of many of these homes. The bonus of the outreaches was that we were working along side other Mil Palmeras' church members, so got to know them a lot better in the process. This social outreach idea is a fairly new idea for them, so you could see the excitement in their eyes of helping others as well. We fund raised $300 for each of these homes we helped fix up, and the team just wants to say "thanks" for helping us make this possible. The money was well spent on these projects.
The afternoon, after the World Cup game of course, was a time for the church families to come to Mil Palmeras and play soccer, volleyball, talk and eat. Reminded me our our old church picnics: all afternoon until it got dark. Katrina and Ashlee led the group in a couple games and Jeremy gave his testimony. They enjoy our balloon launchers and tried to get the soccer players as they were busy playing: we were not successful!
On our way back to our hotel, we stopped for some ice-cream: our first since we have arrived. What a great way to end our busy day. Tomorrow, church with our good friends at Mil Palmeras... and the finals in the world cup (the world stops for them down here!)
Thanks for your prayers for our safety and growth as a team.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Pucallpa Day 2
Today was very similar to Day 1, but it rained!!
The medical team took off today early again to Monte de los Olivos to work with Beth Tucker and some other Peruvian staff to continue the clinic that they had started yesterday. Yesterday had some difficult patients with little that they could do for them in the area where they were working, but many of them recieved the care that they had come for.
The construction team (which included the school team) worked together at continuing to move the Mil Palmeras construction along. Bob, Eric and Jeremy were cutting re-bar while Rick grabbed a shovel and helped to make concrete for the next section of flooring that we were pouring today. Each section was about 20 x 25 feet, and today we got the 2nd section done with the re-bar tied together in the 3rd section.
Then it started to rain around 11 am. It rained so hard and long that they had to cover the slabs we had poured and just wait. After about 15 minutes, when it was clear that it was not going to just blow over, the other folks working the site wiht us challenged our crew to some rainy soccer and that was a blast. Sad to say, we were greatly out scored!
Gary and Sue continued working the painting majic on a bedroom wall at Julio and Olga's house, since they had completed their work at the Teen Pregnancy Center that Olga helps run.
Phil was working at helping Christian Listro (SAM missionaries working with Chiangs at church planting) with some electrical work in the house that they will be moving by the end of this month. Each of the mission houses down here have both 110 and 240 circuits, so it leaves lots of wiring to do when things need to be changed!
After lunch we gather with some of other church members of Mil Palmeras for a "social Construction" outreach of their church. Isaac Mendoza suggested a number of his students' homes that needed some handicapped accessible ramps and other things done, plus some other church members suggested some construction help for their contacts who were too poor to work at fixing their home. One of those was where Rick, Katrina and Phil worked at putting on a new roof and building some interior walls in one home
The medical team took off today early again to Monte de los Olivos to work with Beth Tucker and some other Peruvian staff to continue the clinic that they had started yesterday. Yesterday had some difficult patients with little that they could do for them in the area where they were working, but many of them recieved the care that they had come for.
The construction team (which included the school team) worked together at continuing to move the Mil Palmeras construction along. Bob, Eric and Jeremy were cutting re-bar while Rick grabbed a shovel and helped to make concrete for the next section of flooring that we were pouring today. Each section was about 20 x 25 feet, and today we got the 2nd section done with the re-bar tied together in the 3rd section.
Then it started to rain around 11 am. It rained so hard and long that they had to cover the slabs we had poured and just wait. After about 15 minutes, when it was clear that it was not going to just blow over, the other folks working the site wiht us challenged our crew to some rainy soccer and that was a blast. Sad to say, we were greatly out scored!
Gary and Sue continued working the painting majic on a bedroom wall at Julio and Olga's house, since they had completed their work at the Teen Pregnancy Center that Olga helps run.
Phil was working at helping Christian Listro (SAM missionaries working with Chiangs at church planting) with some electrical work in the house that they will be moving by the end of this month. Each of the mission houses down here have both 110 and 240 circuits, so it leaves lots of wiring to do when things need to be changed!
After lunch we gather with some of other church members of Mil Palmeras for a "social Construction" outreach of their church. Isaac Mendoza suggested a number of his students' homes that needed some handicapped accessible ramps and other things done, plus some other church members suggested some construction help for their contacts who were too poor to work at fixing their home. One of those was where Rick, Katrina and Phil worked at putting on a new roof and building some interior walls in one home
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Pucallpa Day 1
Today was a busy day with much activity for all of us!
Our medical folks (Bonnie, Jerry, Doreen and Gwen)visited the local hospital with Dr. Salada, whom we spent time with in Angasmarca and our trip Huanuco to Pucallpa. They struggled comparing the facilities here and the ones back home, but realized that this hospital was in better shape than they expected. Tomorrow the medical team leaves at 6 am to drive out to Montes de los Olivos to work a medical outreach there, which will go over two days of driving out and back each day.
Painting Team: Gary and Sue went to the Crisis Pregnancy Center that Olga and some church members have just recently opened to paint some pictures on the walls of their center. Their report is that it will be a large task ahead of them.
Construction Team: the rest of us worked at starting the construction of a multi-purpose room off their meeting area (which is right now a covered basketball court). So today we cut and bound together re-bar, carried sand and stone for the concrete tomorrow, cutting more re-bar and binding the re-bar together. Rick and Jeremy help build a wall with brick as well. Guess what the work will be tomorrow?! More of the same, all week. They joy of the day was having the missionary kids around us all day (Joelle has LOVED this part of the trip: kids her age!) helping as they could.
Soccer Team: Katrina, Lindsey and Ashlee got a soccer game going with the younger missionary kid crew last this afternoon which was a lot of fun to watch and celebrate.
This evening we heard the stories of God calling Christian and Amy Listra to come and work with Olga and Julio in their church planting effort here in Pucallpa, with their 5 children. Christian has been helping to coordinate the construction site for us this week as well.
Thanks for your love and prayers! We have stayed healthy, not too much sun yet, but starting to show some signs. Enough drinking water and staying in a hotel with air conditioning are all wonderful blessings after being out in the sun all day!
Our medical folks (Bonnie, Jerry, Doreen and Gwen)visited the local hospital with Dr. Salada, whom we spent time with in Angasmarca and our trip Huanuco to Pucallpa. They struggled comparing the facilities here and the ones back home, but realized that this hospital was in better shape than they expected. Tomorrow the medical team leaves at 6 am to drive out to Montes de los Olivos to work a medical outreach there, which will go over two days of driving out and back each day.
Painting Team: Gary and Sue went to the Crisis Pregnancy Center that Olga and some church members have just recently opened to paint some pictures on the walls of their center. Their report is that it will be a large task ahead of them.
Construction Team: the rest of us worked at starting the construction of a multi-purpose room off their meeting area (which is right now a covered basketball court). So today we cut and bound together re-bar, carried sand and stone for the concrete tomorrow, cutting more re-bar and binding the re-bar together. Rick and Jeremy help build a wall with brick as well. Guess what the work will be tomorrow?! More of the same, all week. They joy of the day was having the missionary kids around us all day (Joelle has LOVED this part of the trip: kids her age!) helping as they could.
Soccer Team: Katrina, Lindsey and Ashlee got a soccer game going with the younger missionary kid crew last this afternoon which was a lot of fun to watch and celebrate.
This evening we heard the stories of God calling Christian and Amy Listra to come and work with Olga and Julio in their church planting effort here in Pucallpa, with their 5 children. Christian has been helping to coordinate the construction site for us this week as well.
Thanks for your love and prayers! We have stayed healthy, not too much sun yet, but starting to show some signs. Enough drinking water and staying in a hotel with air conditioning are all wonderful blessings after being out in the sun all day!
In Pucallpa
We had a long trip from Huanuco to Pucallpa in two mini-vans, pick-up truck and motorcycle for all our bags and 24 of us (our 15, Julio & his daughter Camilla, Dr. Salada, Isaac Mendoza, Van and Christian [two missionaries aided the church plant at Mil Palmeras] and Gabe, Christian's son). Bob, Christian and Jeremy took turns driving the cycle the 9 hours during the trip, so that allowed for more bags to be kept on the truck rather than stacked on top of our vans.
The scenary was just amazing as we went along. We started in the mountains, went down about 5000 feet during the day. So from mountains to foothills to "jungle" vegatation and fruits.
I was amazed by the farmers in the mountains. They were planting on slopes of more than 60 degrees and getting really wonderful crops. We saw lots of corn, beans, wheat and different flowing other crops we could not identify. Tractors would not be effective at all with these farmers.
As we traveled yesterday, for an hour or so we followed this one river down the mountain and saw the results of the power of this river when it flows full. Parts of our road were washed away (marked by rocks painted white and red placed on the road to keep us from going near) and large rocks were being moved around by this water. At one place, we had to stop for a half hour to allow the construction vehicles work at a place of another partial road wash out. They were moving rocks from futher up the hill down into the river to try to shore up the bank holding our road in place. Further down the road, we saw the places where new roads had to be created since they had lost the battle with the water currents.
We were greeted once we finally made it to Pucallpa by many church members who were playing soccer right across the drive way from Mil Palmeras church site, which is located on the South American Mission (SAM) compound, where many of the mission folks live. We sorted through our bags and finally got off to our hotel where we could wash the dust and dirt of the day off and unpack for the next week or so.
Supper was a wonderful chinese/peruvian meal made by one of their church members, which was truely outstanding, especially where it was made: in the middle of the Peru! We got to meet the other SAM missionaries and families that are working with Julio and Olga Chiang in the church plant, Mil Palmeras, and got to hear about the growth and vision of Mil Palmeras from bible study to Easter service to a regular preaching time to a time of music, worship, teaching and preaching.
Prayers requests for the next days: a good night sleep and rest from many days of traveling; good communications as we start into our work projects tomorrow (Wed.); praise the Lord for safety in travel over the last 3 days; pray for the growing church at Mil Palmeras.
The scenary was just amazing as we went along. We started in the mountains, went down about 5000 feet during the day. So from mountains to foothills to "jungle" vegatation and fruits.
I was amazed by the farmers in the mountains. They were planting on slopes of more than 60 degrees and getting really wonderful crops. We saw lots of corn, beans, wheat and different flowing other crops we could not identify. Tractors would not be effective at all with these farmers.
As we traveled yesterday, for an hour or so we followed this one river down the mountain and saw the results of the power of this river when it flows full. Parts of our road were washed away (marked by rocks painted white and red placed on the road to keep us from going near) and large rocks were being moved around by this water. At one place, we had to stop for a half hour to allow the construction vehicles work at a place of another partial road wash out. They were moving rocks from futher up the hill down into the river to try to shore up the bank holding our road in place. Further down the road, we saw the places where new roads had to be created since they had lost the battle with the water currents.
We were greeted once we finally made it to Pucallpa by many church members who were playing soccer right across the drive way from Mil Palmeras church site, which is located on the South American Mission (SAM) compound, where many of the mission folks live. We sorted through our bags and finally got off to our hotel where we could wash the dust and dirt of the day off and unpack for the next week or so.
Supper was a wonderful chinese/peruvian meal made by one of their church members, which was truely outstanding, especially where it was made: in the middle of the Peru! We got to meet the other SAM missionaries and families that are working with Julio and Olga Chiang in the church plant, Mil Palmeras, and got to hear about the growth and vision of Mil Palmeras from bible study to Easter service to a regular preaching time to a time of music, worship, teaching and preaching.
Prayers requests for the next days: a good night sleep and rest from many days of traveling; good communications as we start into our work projects tomorrow (Wed.); praise the Lord for safety in travel over the last 3 days; pray for the growing church at Mil Palmeras.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Angasmarca: serving on top of the world!
Today was another amazing experience here in Peru. We left early to drive up the mountains again to Angasmarca, a town of 3000 people back up the Andes Mountain. Their road was a dirt road that had over 30 switch backs and took us 1 hour to go 27 km (17 miles) up to their village. You had the feeling of being on top of the world, with farmers growing their crops all up and down the sides of this mountain range. They have not gotten electricity yet, but the electric lines are starting to go up the side of the mountain.
As we arrived, we were greeted by the pastor of the church, who was very excited about our presence in their town. We quickly set up a little medical clinic in their school, and saw lots of children and adults with a variety of issues.
Another part of our team worked with Gary and Sue Moore, painting religious pictures and bible verses in the home of an active church member who disciples others in the village.
The last part of the team quickly got to work helping to build the tresses for the church's roof. We used tree trunks from their local trees as cross bracing and vertical bracing, keeping each tress together with 10 precious nails. Then we worked together lifting these HEAVY tresses up and moving them in place on top of their mud brick walls. It took all of us all that we had to move these and safely get them in place.
As an appreciation for our work with them and helping to buy the sheets of tin roofing materials, they provided a pig roast done in the local style: dig a hole and bury the cut up pig and LOTS of potatoes in this pit with very hot stones. Cover it all up, and let it bake with their wonderful spices. We then were provided with the local fare: baked potatoes, pork and boiled corn. It was a wonderful feast we celebrated with the others helping in this day.
Again, as yesterday, we were just overwhelmed with God's beauty in the His people in Angasmarca, and the splendor of HIS unique Andes creation. Yes, some of us were distracted from this beauty today because of driving up the narrow switch back roads with significant drop offs if we missed the turns! But the expanse of the Andes can't be described and pictures just does not do it justice...we will try to explain when we get home, but fair warning, we will probably just say the same thing: it was just incredible!
This evening, we listen to Isaac Mendosa share his testimony of being part of the rebel group in Peru called "Shining Path", but God, in His grace sparing his life 2 times as he tried to leave this movement. Now God is calling him and his family from a nice job in Pucallpa as a physical trainer/therapist to a ministry up in Angasmarca with no electricity and at least 1 hour drive to any town of size or medical attention. Isaac had helped the medical team today in some translation and some PT type of work with the folks who came for help today.
Tomorrow morning, back into 2 mini-vans, our motorcycle and our pick-up truck to head on to Pucallpa: 6+ hours away by mostly good roads!
Prayer requests: safety in travel again tomorrow; continued reduction of pain and healing for Julio; reduction of pain and healing of Van (another missionary working with us today) of kidney stones and a broken rib; continued working well together as a team; and our transition to being Pucallpa for a longer period of time and our work at Mil Palmeras and its community.
As we arrived, we were greeted by the pastor of the church, who was very excited about our presence in their town. We quickly set up a little medical clinic in their school, and saw lots of children and adults with a variety of issues.
Another part of our team worked with Gary and Sue Moore, painting religious pictures and bible verses in the home of an active church member who disciples others in the village.
The last part of the team quickly got to work helping to build the tresses for the church's roof. We used tree trunks from their local trees as cross bracing and vertical bracing, keeping each tress together with 10 precious nails. Then we worked together lifting these HEAVY tresses up and moving them in place on top of their mud brick walls. It took all of us all that we had to move these and safely get them in place.
As an appreciation for our work with them and helping to buy the sheets of tin roofing materials, they provided a pig roast done in the local style: dig a hole and bury the cut up pig and LOTS of potatoes in this pit with very hot stones. Cover it all up, and let it bake with their wonderful spices. We then were provided with the local fare: baked potatoes, pork and boiled corn. It was a wonderful feast we celebrated with the others helping in this day.
Again, as yesterday, we were just overwhelmed with God's beauty in the His people in Angasmarca, and the splendor of HIS unique Andes creation. Yes, some of us were distracted from this beauty today because of driving up the narrow switch back roads with significant drop offs if we missed the turns! But the expanse of the Andes can't be described and pictures just does not do it justice...we will try to explain when we get home, but fair warning, we will probably just say the same thing: it was just incredible!
This evening, we listen to Isaac Mendosa share his testimony of being part of the rebel group in Peru called "Shining Path", but God, in His grace sparing his life 2 times as he tried to leave this movement. Now God is calling him and his family from a nice job in Pucallpa as a physical trainer/therapist to a ministry up in Angasmarca with no electricity and at least 1 hour drive to any town of size or medical attention. Isaac had helped the medical team today in some translation and some PT type of work with the folks who came for help today.
Tomorrow morning, back into 2 mini-vans, our motorcycle and our pick-up truck to head on to Pucallpa: 6+ hours away by mostly good roads!
Prayer requests: safety in travel again tomorrow; continued reduction of pain and healing for Julio; reduction of pain and healing of Van (another missionary working with us today) of kidney stones and a broken rib; continued working well together as a team; and our transition to being Pucallpa for a longer period of time and our work at Mil Palmeras and its community.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
We are here in Huanaco for two nightu
Today we experience the vastness and unlimitedness of God's creation as we drove up over the Andes from Lima to Huanuco. It was a LONG LONG day of riding, but the scenes around us were just wonderful: high never ending mountains, blue sky, lots of villages stretching out along our 9 hour journey and snow at the top of the peaks!
Tomorrow we leave at 8 am to drive back up another less traveled road to support a church that was recently destroyed. We are blessing them with a roof tomorrow, Lord willing! Our medical team will be doing an outreach in that area as well. Looks like another long day of riding in trucks tomorrow for 2 hours up and 2 hours down the mountain as we support the church at Angasmarca.
We will send pictures along once we get to Pucallpa on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
Please pray for safety on the road again tomorrow, and on the roof of their church as we install their tin roof. Also for wisdom among our medical staff as they work with their patients. Lastly, please continue to pray for Julio Chiang whom we are working with as his collar bone continues to heal: he is experiencing a lot of pain with the traveling and sleeping in different beds.
Thanks for your prayers for us!
Phil
Tomorrow we leave at 8 am to drive back up another less traveled road to support a church that was recently destroyed. We are blessing them with a roof tomorrow, Lord willing! Our medical team will be doing an outreach in that area as well. Looks like another long day of riding in trucks tomorrow for 2 hours up and 2 hours down the mountain as we support the church at Angasmarca.
We will send pictures along once we get to Pucallpa on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
Please pray for safety on the road again tomorrow, and on the roof of their church as we install their tin roof. Also for wisdom among our medical staff as they work with their patients. Lastly, please continue to pray for Julio Chiang whom we are working with as his collar bone continues to heal: he is experiencing a lot of pain with the traveling and sleeping in different beds.
Thanks for your prayers for us!
Phil
Saturday, July 3, 2010
We are here...Safely and soundly and tired!
We started the day in Lancaster, PA and are ending the day in Lima, Peru. In between we spent 8 hours on the plane! We are glad to be here, but very tired from a long day. It was a wonderful day as far as traveling goes...!
Tomorrow we leave at 7 am to start our drive over the Andes. We will go from sea level to 13,000 or 14,000 feet in 3-4 hours, and then go down to about 5,000 feet to Huanuco for tomorrow evening. On Monday we head back up the mountains a little way to help work on a church that is being supported by Mil Palmeras that needs a roof. We are hoping to put on their roof on Monday. Then Tuesday back down to the jungle and Pucallpa for the rest of the week.
Thanks for your prayers for us in this journey!
Tomorrow we leave at 7 am to start our drive over the Andes. We will go from sea level to 13,000 or 14,000 feet in 3-4 hours, and then go down to about 5,000 feet to Huanuco for tomorrow evening. On Monday we head back up the mountains a little way to help work on a church that is being supported by Mil Palmeras that needs a roof. We are hoping to put on their roof on Monday. Then Tuesday back down to the jungle and Pucallpa for the rest of the week.
Thanks for your prayers for us in this journey!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Satan is working over time...
I was able to skype with Julio last night about last minute details, and the first thing he showed me was that he had his arm in a sling... Another broken collar bone, the same side but different location than he had broken it most recently. He was out practicing his motorcross and some how lost it on a turn and went over his handlebars. He is in pain, but knows this pain from many over similar accidents. He will not be able to do physical labor with us but will be able to keep guiding us during our time together.
So it was a surprise today that we got an email from Julio which I have included below so you can pray for Olga, his wife as well:
"Thanks for your prayers, Olga got sick last night, she had a strong
stomach ache and dr. said she needs to fast one day and then take an
echo just to check, Pray for protection as every time a team comes
down, somebody on my family gets sick. We know God is sovereign, good
and He is always in control!"
Thanks for your prayers since right now both our host and hostess being a little under the weather. Satan is trying to discourage them!
So it was a surprise today that we got an email from Julio which I have included below so you can pray for Olga, his wife as well:
"Thanks for your prayers, Olga got sick last night, she had a strong
stomach ache and dr. said she needs to fast one day and then take an
echo just to check, Pray for protection as every time a team comes
down, somebody on my family gets sick. We know God is sovereign, good
and He is always in control!"
Thanks for your prayers since right now both our host and hostess being a little under the weather. Satan is trying to discourage them!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Getting ready...
We want to express our thanks to our church family and to God for your faithfulness as we have been working at getting the funds necessary for this opportunity. May we be faithful messengers of God's love to the folks at Mil Palmeras and the surrounding community that we go to learn from and serve.
Thanks for your prayers for us as we walk ahead, excited about how God will use this time in our lives and use us to bless others over the next 2 weeks.
Thanks for your prayers for us as we walk ahead, excited about how God will use this time in our lives and use us to bless others over the next 2 weeks.
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