We have had such a special time thus far and we know it will
continue. Lots of hard work for all of
us with moving big rocks or gardening or painting benches or running the VBS
but we are all having a great time and working well together. It is certainly a great experience and a
great opportunity to see a different culture.
I have been greatly humbled by seeing how much joy is in the hearts of
people that have so little. They know
that everything they need will be provided for by the Lord so they know to live
in the moment for the Lord in a way that shows that they are fully surrendered
to God. Their joy and happy spirits are
completely contagious and humbling. It
is fun to try to communicate with the little Spanish that I know.
------Kyle Hammill----------
Yesterday was an interesting work day. We began by energizing
with some delicious breakfast, then jumped straight into the manual labor. Most
of the morning was spent digging for a pipe which turned out to be the wrong pipe,
but that was okay because we were then rewarded with lunch. In the afternoon we
fixed the right pipe, so everything tuned out to be okay. Our Peruvian leader handled
the confusion better than most of us; always the patient, happy worker, which
just goes to show how different our cultures are. Today’s work was hard, but
not worth mentioning. What was special about today was hiking down to the
nearby ‘holy ground’, a city which was subject to an avalanche about 45 years
ago and was completely covered. Various monuments littered the empty area,
which was beautiful despite its tragic past. At the end of the ground stood
remnants of the city’s tall cemetery, a place of refuge for about a dozen or so
citizens nearly half a century ago. Supposedly, the survivors saw the oncoming
danger and fled, running up the cemetery’s many steps; traditionally, visitors
run the steps in homage. Out of breath, and at the top of our destination, we
were able to look around the beautiful valley which was home to so many people
those many years ago, and which we called home for this short week.
----Garren Hatley----
We’ve only been here a few days, but it’s already more than
safe to say our time here in Peru has been a truly unforgettable
experience. Peru is a beautiful country
as is, but what made it amazing was what we’ve gotten to do here as a
class. It’s certainly been difficult
hauling rocks and pulling weeds under the heat and high altitude, and the idea
of helping lead a VBS entirely in Spanish felt like a major push out of our comfort
zone at first. But when we realize we’re
making a difference in the Kingdom through those things, it almost feels like a
privilege to brave the sunburns, spiders, and freezing cold showers as we
work. Getting to hang with the street
boys has also been a great experience.
I’m amazed that I’ve made quality friends here without speaking a word
of English. The chances God has given us
to do things we never thought possible and make a positive impact on the lives
of others have made this a trip like no other.
I’m excited for what lies ahead for our next week here.
----John Robertson----
No comments:
Post a Comment