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!