Becky Cooley - Adventures In Missions
Subscribe for Blog Updates:
Including AIM Newsletters












Blog system by Maximtech.com

Adventures In Missions Logo

Church Service Under a Plastic Tarp



I took a 3 hour bus trip Saturday afternoon to be able to attend the church service in Doce de Septiembre the following morning. The services are new in this poor area on the east side of Chincha. We had met one of the families from this community when she lived in Los Jardines, Chabalina, Chincha shortly after the earthquake August 15th, 2007. Rubie, a young woman working with us in AIM's First Year Missionary program had knocked on her door wanting to reach out to those in the neighborhood.
 
 
When the encounter ended, Victoria had asked Jesus into her life and visibly became a changed person. It began a long term friendship with Victoria for Robert and me. We had gotten out of touch for about a year when she moved then she visited us in Lima and we learned that she moved to Doce de Septiembre so
we began to visit her there.
 
 
 
 
Soon neighbors were coming to ask us to help their community and our church funded a project to bring provisional electricity to their neighborhood in 2010. They still don't have water or sewage pipes in their homes which are made of temporary materials, bamboo, plastic, thatch, and poles with a small amount of thin plywood. 
Victoria who continued to grow in her relationship with Jesus asked Robert to start a Bible study in her home in Doce.  A few months later the community was begging us to have a church service on Sunday.
 
 
 
A local pastor, Pastor Nestor who already pastors 2 churches, gladly started the Bible study and he and Robert hold Sunday services every other week. 
 
 
 
Robert was sick with an upper respiratory infection this Sunday so Pastor Nestor invited another pastor he works with to preach, Pastor Jaime.  The service was supposed to start at 9:00am, but it finally got going at 9:45. Plastic black stools were set out under an awning to enjoy the shade while a light wind kept us comfortable. Sylvia led the worship in singing a cappella since there was no electricity in most of Chincha that day for the sound system we brought. Everyone joined in and true worship could be felt. Twenty adults attended the service with a few kids looking on as well. 
 

 
Pastor Jaime had a good sermon using the story of Abraham and Lot and talking about consulting God for our decisions and the choices we make.  It was lengthy and he spoke from his heart for the Lord and these people. After the preaching, Pastor Nestor took off his baseball cap and passed it around for the offering. It looked like everyone put something in which was a positive thing to see when they have so little. At the end several people asked for prayer. When most had left for their Sunday family activities, Pastor Nestor gave Pastor Jaime 20 soles for preaching, Sylvia 4 soles for her taxi to the Doce, and pocketed the small change that was left.   The man certainly isn't looking for payment to serve the Lord. He serves with all his heart, soul, mind and spirit. He is an inspiration to us. I was blessed to participate with God's people here as a foreigner alongside my brothers and sisters in the Lord. It was precious.
 
Comments (0) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

Peru Through the Eyes of My Sister, Esther



Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 Subject: Greetings from Peru

Well you guys, it's hard to believe I've already been here 5 days.  They've been chalk-full of activities that help me know Peru like I really wanted to know it.  Becky and Robert are at the hub of everything and have tons of people swirling around them including many Peruvians.  So I will give you a little peek into what we've been doing.  Becky and Robert bought an apartment perched on the 4th floor in a neighborhood classified as middle-class although their standards are much different than in America.  It's gated and being on the 4th floor makes it a little bit safer because there are a lot of thieves.  The first day here was great because they don't have a car and so we'd just set out walking for the post-office, the bakery, the food market and over to Kelsey and Ricky's house.  The neighborhood looks more like a poor area by our way of thinking with little buildings squashed together usually several houses high, all with gates, very  little gardening since cars are small and park inside the gate right up to the front door steps.  They all look alike, pretty much square or rectangular with painted cement and brick with different colors.  Wrought iron work is used more for keeping out thieves but partly for decoration.  The streets are tiny.  There are little fruit carts that travel around even on the highways that are made out of cut-up motorcycles, which is crazy because you should see the way they drive here.  I thought Italy and L.A. was bad but they don't hold a candle to these guys.  They honk constantly and now I understand why.  They want to warn you that you're going to die within the next 2 and 1/2 seconds.  So say your prayers and make it quick!!!!  So it was great to walk around instead of ride.  There are not many white people in this neighborhood and we are certainly watched with usually keen but not unfriendly interest.  You can't really read their facial expressions but I can see things when I look into their eyes.  I think they don't mind us too much.  It's fun purchasing things at their little food market and the bakery bakes bread twice a day because the people won't eat day old bread here.  Kelsey and her family built a little apartment on top of Ricky's parent's house.  That's how they do it here, just go upwards.  Their little 1 and 1/2 year old is adorable with his little dimples and Kelsey is all grown up and makes a good mother.  Friday we went to the Embassy to tend to Robert's passport and then on for a much needed doughnut at Robert's insistence.  Then back to the house to prepare for the day's visitors which included Kelsey's family including two little nephews, a couple of young people who were here on missions, and then a couple more young women, one who is going to set up an crisis center for young unwed mothers, and the other who will be spending her life in Peru after her last year of college where she's majoring in Spanish studies.  After they left Becky led a group of Peruvians in an English class.  Wow!  That was one day.  Each day since has been just as filled.  (Oh yeah, we also went to a garden nursery.  I bought Becky a gardenia bush and pot for out in front of the little house.)  Friday we went to a more Americanized grocery store (which was not anyway near as interesting) and bought food to prepare for an assistant pastor and his wife who were coming a 5:00 but got here at 3:30.  You should see how fast we moved to get ready before they came.  They were the sweetest young couple though and come from a Peruvian church that was kind of Pentecostal in nature.  We went their last night.  Fascinating!!!  Three hours long with 5 speakers and lots of singing and clapping.  One preacher talked for 1 and 1/2 hours all in Puerto Rican Spanish.  I didn't have a clue what he was saying but loved the way he said it.  He was hugely animated and kept the audience both captivated and in stitches because he was darn funny......We're getting ready to leave on a 3 hour trip so I'll write more later......Love you all, Mom/Esther

 Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 Subject: Re: Greetings from Peru

Hi all.....We just got back from the 3 hour trip to Chincha where the earthquake two years ago hit the hardest.  We visited two locations, one where Becky and Robert helped repair homes that were damaged including a little church whose pastor and family they befriended.  They also were responsible for getting electricity established but they don't have running water yet.  The houses in this little community are built of thatch and straw and plastic roofs and adobe and the government provided some wood structures after the earthquake.  Trouble is the houses are the size of my living room or dining room.  One story.  For whole families.  And they're almost connected one to the other.  Their floors are dirt.  But the families are so sweet.  We stayed overnight in a little hotel.  Spent a little time at a fabulous food market where we picked up rice and lentils for 160 families. (Just wait till I show you the great pictures I took of a pigs head and some octopus tendrils!!!)  Then we went to another little church that was being rebuilt and bagged the 160 bags of lentils and bags of rice.  Then we filled up several taxis with the bags and went out to a little community of refugees from the earthquake who live in those tiny little dwellings.  They all share some community bathrooms and sinks for water and washing.  People started trickling out from every corner and got in a long, long line.  Robert and I worked together to give food to each family as they filed by.  The people really touched me. They hugged us and thanked us with such feeling.  I got to look into each of their eyes.  Becky told me one lady would go every day and sit on a rock and just look at the destruction and rubble that used to be her life's home.  Such sadness.  The children are sweet little munchkins.  We then went into one of the homes and spent a couple of hours with a family they know.  A little girl attached herself to Robert and a little 9 year old boy who helped me give out the rice set beside me and put his little arm around my shoulder.  You know my heart melted.  There were two deaf grandmothers and the deaf husband of one of them and they were great.  One showed her prowess at some string games.  There was a woman named Julie who reminded me of Aunt Marguerite.  Well, I just loved them all.  After that we went to a little restaurant with the pastor who helped us with the food.  He and his family live in one of those small shacks just like the others.  He was so kind and humble.  He and Robert talked a lot in Spanish.  Becky and Robert go to help these people in Chincha about once a month.  The government stopped helping the earthquake victims about 6 months after it happened even though they lost everything.  So churches and donators find alot that needs to be done.  So much!!!!  So.....another amazing day in Peru.  I'm sleepy and dirty so nite-nite.  Oxoxoxoxox

Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 Subject: Last of Peru Trip

 Hi you guys.....We've been gone for a couple days and boy do I have stories to tell..... We took an 8 hour bus ride to the highlands in the Andes mountains and it is my favorite place yet.  We got some hotel rooms in a small town called Huaraz, where in 1970 an earthquake destroyed all but 10% of it.  It registered 7.7 on the Richter scale and killed 70,000 people in central Peru.  The town has been largely rebuilt all though there is still a lot of building going on as there is in most of Peru.   (People will start and stop building depending on when they run out of money so it's always an ongoing process.)  The weather was crystal clear.  In Lima it's winter right now but in the highlands it's summer.  We took bus tours on the 1st two days of the trip.  The tour guide spoke only Spanish so we missed a lot of the history but I was so busy drinking up the country-side I didn't much care as we were winding up dirt roads past beautiful terraced farm land perched on the sides of the mountains.  And, oh the mountains!!!!!!  Spectacular!!!!!  There are about 700 in that mountain range we were told.  Amid the tiny little adobe brick villages was terraced farming, sheep and goat herding, floppy-eared burros, chickens, a mother pig and her little piglets, ducks, and guinea pigs, (which I ate one of, by the way since it's a great delicacy in Peru), and you can believe I got pictures of everything.  Except the eaten guinea pig of course.  The highest mountain in Peru (6768 meters), Huascaran, with its snow-capped top kept peeking in and out of the fluffy white clouds with all the other mountains in it's shadow and we climbed higher and higher.  Our first tour took us to a small town that was buried in the l970 earthquake/avalanche, killing 18,000 people.  There was a cemetery/memorial for that town that we visited.  I got lost while we were there and they had to come back and find me.  I know....Figures, Huh???  Anyway, I didn't cry, and everyone on the bus cheered for me.  Besides, while I waited for them I got to bond with two of the cutest little sheep, and got to watch a Peruvian funeral procession march by me on up the dirt path to the cemetery.  Isn't that something?  We also inadvertently got to see a wedding happening in one of the little towns we stopped at.  Then we went on up the mountains to see two lakes fringed by the most amazing mountain view.  On the way back down we stopped in three villages, one for dinner, one to pick up some Peruvian desert and one to watch a potter make and earthen pot on his potters wheel.  Robert bought a pretty vase for their table.  I loved all those sweet little villages.  It was like stepping back hundreds of years.  The people live with very little money and only need about $2000 a year to live.  They have no electricity but lots of running water since it comes down in abundance from the mountains.  It was so strange to look for miles and see no lights at night and yet know all those little towns and farms were dotted across the country-side.  The women were all dressed in their brightly colored skirts and shawls with tights and "practical" shoes with long braided hair topped off with distinctive hats that depicted what village they were from.  (The men often wore hats too.)  We met a little old woman carrying a bundle of alfalfa on her back, in full native garb surrounded by a couple  of sheep.  She had a sweet friendly face, kindly allowed me to take a picture of her, and talked to us through Robert who speaks Spanish quite well.  She had tiny little feet with the shabbiest of shoes, totally worn through.  Robert, concerned, asked her how much shoes cost, and she said 70 soles (or about $24.)  She explained she had been widowed two years ago and couldn't afford new ones.  In Peru there is no welfare system to help these poor women.  Robert told her when he came up next trip, (he had a young pastor friend in that town, he would take her to the village and buy her new shoes.)  We wrote down the address of her little adobe home and I gave him half the money for the shoes.  Such a small thing for us, such an important thing for this dear woman.  When you see her picture you will fall in love.  We had been walking up a little dirt road in the village and were able to observe them tending their small plots of land which is how they made their living.  As we wandered up through this lush farm land we were greeted by chickens and two burros (who let me pet them), a pig and all her babies and some sheep.  All on one dusty village road.  And children playing, a man leading a burro who carried a big bundle of sticks, an old woman by the side of the road sifting through some sort of beans in a pile, another woman washing some clothes in a stream.  What a lot to see on one little walk.  And most of the people were friendly to us.  Even when I pestered them for pictures they were kind enough to say yes.  Farther on up the road we stopped in at one of the farm houses, which are a little bigger then the houses not up in the hills, and spent some time with a young Peruvian pastor named Pedro.  The day before this we had taken our second bus tour which took us to a partially buried temple that served as a religious site as well as for civil ceremonies.  They believed in human sacrifices and had underground rooms with 3,000 year old engineering of a ventilation system that provided the rooms fresh air even though there was only one entrance and no windows.  We also went to a museum in the town of Chavin near by. We also went to a mountain town called Mancos where we had the privilege of visiting a youth pastor and his family, including 5 children plus father and mother.  There was a tiny courtyard that consisted of a sink for hand washing clothes as well as for cooking and washing up.  In the same small courtyard they were also housing two chickens, a duck, dog and cat, and 4 guinea pigs as well as a regular pig.  All in the space of my living room, maybe.  There were lots and lots of flies and chickens roamed through the rather open house at will.  This was a rare look beyond the adobe house fronts that give no clue to what lies beyond.  They are extremely poor but as generous as they can be.  As soon as we came the mother and daughter started cooking us a special meal of noodles and potatoes (Peru is where potatoes come from originally and there are many varieties,) and yes, fried guinea pig.  Because that is used only for special occasions they prepared it for us but would eat none themselves.  The woman and daughter didn't eat anything, nor sit at the table (not sure why) but did stand around us and visit while the father, his son, Becky, Robert and I ate.  They were endearing.  I took pictures to show you the family and all the animals.  We were lucky to be invited into their home.......Do you see how amazing my trip has been, thanks to my daughters and Robert and Becky.  I am so grateful!!!!!!!!  Tomorrow's my last day and I'm flying home so I can show you all mine, Becky's and Roberts photos and to tell you much more, and to take a rest. :o)   ------You can see the rest of the photos in the "Browse My Photos" link to the left------

Comments (1) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

Veronica Raquel Caycho Astete



In January of 2008 I visited an orphanage in Chincha, Peru, with a mission group we were working with from Brooklyn, New York.  The orphanage seemed well run with a little over 60 girls living there ages 3 to 18.  I spoke with one young woman, Raquel, in my limited Spanish, and
learned that she was 17 and would need to leave the orphanage when she turned 18.  She would still have 2 years of high school to complete before she could graduate with a diploma.  She said it was her greastest desire to finish school and needed a family to live with who would help her reach this goal.  I thought about her request many times.  Robert and I became "empty nesters" September 1st the previous year and were fond of our freedom and restful home.  I didn't really want to give that up, but I knew there was a young lady who needed a room, just like our guest room.  I thought and prayed about it then a while later asked Robert what he thought.  He thought and prayed about it for a while, too, and then said that he would be willing to take Raquel into our home.  I didn't see her again until June of that next summer when we visited the orphanage again with a mission team.  I immediately looked around for her and she was the first orphan I saw.  She didn't seem to recognize me and seemed very sad.  I spoke with the director through an interpreter about Raquel coming to stay with us.  We were referred to their psychologist who referred us to the judge responsible for her case.  They wanted us to become Raquel's legal guardian or adopt her.  I had only felt led by the Lord to help Raquel through 2 years of highschool and befriend her.  We saw that she would turn 18 long before all the legal paperwork could be done so we chose to just offer our home to her.  We'd  hoped to pick Raquel up from Chincha on her birthday December 22nd, but the judge, psychologist and Director of the orphanage seemed to be giving us the run around.  We went to Chincha a couple times then called often.  Finally on December 27th, Raquel called us and asked why we hadn't picked her up, she'd been waiting since the day before.  We quickly took the 3 hour bus ride to pick up Raquel and were back in our apartment by 9:00 that evening. 
It has been 6 weeks since Raquel began living with us.  We have found that things aren't exactly like we anticipated they would be and she has entered a different world from what she knows culturally, economically, and spiritually.   Although Raquel is a sweet fun, loving girl, who is very capable of whatever she puts her mind to, we found her not to be very motivated to do what she needs to do to get ahead.  We felt she was taking advantage of us instead of working together to succeed in her goals.  Thankfully Robert is good at thinking things out and knowing how to progress.  We have many people praying for us and helpful friends and Kelsey here to give us advice and translate for us to make sure she understands.  Presently we seem to be progressing towards a good school year.  After Robert gave her 2 weeks to improve in her behavior and additude (sound familiar parents of teenagers?) or else leave our home, she has become the most cooperative, pleasant, hardworker you can imagine.  There really is a lot of potential in her.   
We had several other serious conversations with Raquel through the 6 weeks, but this was the most direct one spelling out the consequences of her actions.  Putting Raquel through school and caring for her other needs is more expensive than we imagined and we don't want to waste any of the money God has provided for us while we are working for him as missionaries in Peru. 
We are looking forward to making a difference in Raquel's life, but don't want to waste our time and resourses.   Our greatest goal in her life is that she gives her heart to Jesus and follows him.  Presently, she isn't open to that.  We've been loving her through our actions, though a couple of well meaning peruanas have shared the gospel with her directly.  She is not open to Jesus making a difference in her life yet, though we have great hope for the future.
There are other pictures of Raquel and her time with us in the "Browse My Photos" link on the left side of the page.
Comments (0) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

Thanksgiving Shared in Peru



Though 99.999 percent of folks in Peru don't celebrate Thanksgiving, we had the priviledge of sharing it with our daughter's in-laws.  It was a precious time of thanking God for his limitless blessings and then sharing turkey, fruit and nut stuffing, mashed potatoes, green salad, rice & "Russian Salad" (two Peruvian staples), and pumpking pie (made out of sweet potatoes for lack of pumpkins in Peru) with whipped cream and apple pie.  It is wonderful how Ricky's family has welcomed us into their family and shared their own customs with us and been open to our americano ways.
The day before Thanksgiving we were priviledged to share white rice and lentils with a community in Chincha Peru who have been living in a refugee camp since the devastating earthquake on August 15, 2007. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Since our visit a couple weeks ago, the 300 families have moved out of the refugee camp into a government built community where they were given a small one room building. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thanks to Stanford Baptist Church, in Stanford, Kentucky (who came to Peru last July) we were given money to buy the people there some rice and lentils.  We partnered with a local church we have been working with in Chincha since the earthquake, Iglesia Adoni, to package the food and bring it to the Velma Leon community.  Many of the men work by driving mototaxis receiving 1.5 to 2 soles $.5-.66) per trip.
They brought the 400 kilos (881.83 pounds) of rice and 100 kilos (220.46 pounds) of lentils to the community in their 4 vehicles. 
It didn't take long for people to hear about the distribution and a line immediately began to form.  After waiting about a half hour for the news to reach throughout the community, Pastor Rodolfo shared the gospel with the people.  He talked about how God had given Robert a heart for the people there and that Robert doesn't come to work with them because he has to but because he loves God and God loves all of them. 
The community was told that there would be only one distribution per family of 2 kilos of rice and 1/2 kilo of lentils.   
Pastor Rodolfo passed out the rice and lentils to one line of people.
While his wife, Maritza, handed food out to another line.
Though most of the people were women and children, the men, who were busy working on their homes, lined up to get their share at the end of the distribution.  Everyone who came received something, though there was just lentils for the last couple people.
Afterwards we were able to go and visit "baby" Carol.  She is a three year old beautiful little girl with cerebral palsy that we have been working with since the World Racers spent 5 weeks ministering to her family in Velma Leon last January and February. 
The World Racers raised money to buy formula and medicine for her.  Her family could not afford these necessary things.  We've been bringing them $80 of it at a time. 
Carol's family reports there is some improvement, that she is moving her arm slightly and able to sit up a little.  She is alert and likes the attention of her family who have rented an apartment until they are able to safely move into the new one room homes. 
Electricity is expected to be installed in the new community in December. 
Though the living situation is far from what the people had before the earthquake, you could really sense the feeling of hope and excitement from the people. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
They are survivors and will build again.  One of Carol's aunts explained that the distribution of food was peaceful compared to other times when people were fighting over it. 
We went inside Carol's aunt's, Jessica's, new home where she and her husband have added a couple rooms (out of bamboo and thatch) to the one the government supplied.  I do believe thes Velma Leon Peruvians know how to make the most of what they have.  May God bring his kingdom into that community as the local churches reach out to them.  What a blessing it is for Robert and I to work along side them.
Comments (1) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

Jesus' Brothers



In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus tells how he will separate the people when he comes in his glory and sits on his throne.  He will put the righteous on his right and they will receive their inheritance, the kingdom that was prepared for them since the creation of the world.   The unrighteous will be placed on his left and will go into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  Of the righteous, he said, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

 

Jesus speaks of giving the hungry something to eat and the thirsty something to drink and clothes for those who need them.  He spoke of sharing their home with those in need, taking care of the sick and visiting those in prison. 

 

As I read this passage this morning, I thought that Duane Counts would be a good example of someone who cared for "the least of these brothers of mine". 

 

Last October AIM scheduled 4 Earthquake Relief Mission Trips to Chincha.  Duane was on the 3rd one.  While he removed rubble from properties in Los Jardines,… " he bent over a wheelbarrow and breathed in some dust that burned his lungs (his daughter, Kim, wrote 3 days later). He began to loose all of the feeling in his hands all the way up to his elbows and in his feet also; he couldn't even hold a cup of water. A local pastor (Pastor Nestor) prayed over him and while he ran to get anointing oil, the translator asked why he was praying about the angel of death. While the pastor anointed my dad, all of his feeling began to return. The next day my dad found out that the pastor had seen a vision of the angel of death before my dad got to Peru. He realized the angel of death was coming for my dad. Basically the prayers of the pastor saved my dad's life.

 

 My dad came back to the US on Thursday and was admitted to the

hospital. They found out he had a heart attack (losing 40% of his heart function, how much of this he will recover we do not know), and he had 3 stints put in Friday morning. He also caught pneumonia at some point before coming in the hospital (caused by what he inhaled on Monday). Last night they also discovered he had a stroke sometime after the heart attack (blood clots formed in his heart after the heart attack and later dislodged and went to his brain) which is what is causing his migraines and unbalance."

 

Duane himself wrote: "I got out of the hospital yesterday.  Before I was released, I heard  the same statement from two medical professionals (an RN and a Neurologist) that I have heard from numerous doctors and nurses over the last week: "I'm looking at your chart and your test results.  You have had a very serious stroke, heart attack and chemical attack on your lungs.  The person I am looking at cannot be the same person. You cannot be doing the things you are doing.  It's just not possible."  I've told these people they don't know the power of our Lord nor the faith the people in Chincha have!  After Pastor Nestor's prayers, I have never doubted my full recovery. Nestor walks closer to the spirit than anyone else I have known.  In addition to healing prayers, he also gave me some insights on other  parts of my life in which I have been seeking God's guidance.  He knew things about me he through the Spirit that he would not know as a man. What a gift he is to me and the people of Chincha."

 

At Thanksgiving, a little over a month later, Duane wrote: "Since returning home, I have been sharing my testimony with anyone willing to hear the message.  My Church recorded my testimony and put I it on "my space"  http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=26356918.  I have tried to think of an eloquent way of saying this but I just can't get there.  I'll just say simply that I don't think I would be alive nor be as spiritually strong if I had not made the trip to Peru.  Thank God.  God willing and with my wife's understanding I hope to return someday." 

 

Well Duane has come back twice now since his recovery.  The first time he helped women in Chincha learn to make jewelry to sell and earn a living.  He is in Peru this week seeking out other crafts that the people in Chincha can make to sell.  He has begun a website to help make a difference in the earthquake ravished cities in Peru.  You can see it at: http://web.mac.com/dacounts/PSM.  He states that his purppose is to "Increase God's Kingdom in Peru through: Conducting mission trips, funding of local Church projects and missionaries, support rebuilding efforts, and prayer."

 

I am pleased to have been a tool used by God to introduce Duane to Peru through AIM where he can draw more Peruvian to the Lord Jesus!

 

 

Comments (1) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

A rat on Mother's Day



My second Mother's Day in Peru was really very wonderful.  It started off a bit strange, though.  I went out our apartment door to wait for Ricky, Kelsey and Sammy who were bringing me to church.  Before heading down the four flights of stairs, I noticed that my fern plant had a frond on the floor and dirt beside it.  This was unusual so I looked closer to see what could have happened.  In peering through the foliage, I notice a small brown furry animal had found refuge from the cold by burrowing itself deep into the dirt of my plant.  I went back into our living room and said, "Heh, Robert, there's an animal in my plant!"  He came to investigate along with Pastor David who was visiting from the jungle.  Pastor David asked, "Una rata?"  I said, "I don't think so".  It seemed to be too small and brown to be a rat and I couldn't imagine there would be a rat in my plant.  Pastor David came out and looked into the plant and poked the animal.  It didn't budge.  I began to think, if it is a rat I'd better close my apartment door.  Soon Pastor David had the animal on the move and it was scurrying down the stairs but Pastor David cornered it and I hear the animal squeak.  He asked for something to kill it and Robert brought his hammer.  Pastor David made short work of it and I brought him paper towels and a plastic bag to dispose of it.  He said, "Una rata!."  Pastor David became my hero from that time on.  (We invited him over on Wednesday for a spaghetti meal with Ricky, Kelsey & Sammy, Jason and his two friends and David a young gringo ministering in the jungle.)  We all went together to church for a wonderful time of praise and a great sermon by a young professional woman.  When we got back to the apartment, I was so relieved to see the bag sitting in the same place at the top of the stairs that we'd placed it.  It hadn't revived and taken off so I'd have to worry about it showing up again.  Robert brought it down to the garbage truck that evening.  It is actually the first rat I've seen here in Lima....thankfully!

 

Ricky invited us to his sister's for their family's Mother's Day fiesta.  There was a large gathering of family members, a Peruvian meal, music and dancing.  It was an enjoyable time.  Then when we came home I talked with Julia then Jennifer then my mother.  It was a perfect day spent with all my family. 

Another different aspect to this Mother's Day was that I participated in two school Mother's Day events.  One was at the Hogar de Ninos' in Chilca and the other at a school in a San Juan Lurigancho, a poorer area in Lima, where I've been helping in their English classes.  There were a lot of decorations and flowers to honor the mothers and a long program of poems, dramas, & songs from the different classes of children.  They ended both programs by giving the moms a meal.  I felt very honored to be a part of their Mother's Day event.  I love working with the children and meeting their families. 

Comments (1) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

Beautiful baby Carol



Robert came home from Chincha, a city hit the worse by the earthquake last August, and told me about a beautiful little girl named Carol.  He said that something was wrong with her, she couldn't walk or talk though she is 2 1/2 years old.  He was struck by her beauty and wanted to help out the family who lost their home, belongings and even their land in the earthquake.  He had gone to Tamba de Mora to ferret out stories of the people who were still suffering from the earthquake.  The World Race Team was coming soon and they were doing a documentary on the earthquake and how the government has done little to help the victims of it.  When you see the devastation to the buildings you are struck with the force of the earthquake but it isn't until you speak with the people and hear their stories that you see the real extent of the effect of the disaster.  The World Racers came and have reached out to this family.  The mom told Robert that others have come and said they would do something to help them, but they never return.  When Robert returned with 27 World Racers, he told her "I came back".  The team has ministered to this family for 4 weeks now, praying for baby Carol (though she is 2 1/2 years old, she is at the level of a little baby and it is used as an endearing term) and the rest of the family and they have raised $1250 to get her to the doctors to see what is wrong with her and how she can be helped.  Last Friday, I had the priviledge of going to the hospital with baby Carol, her aunt, 2 sisters, 3 World Racers and an interpreter.  A brain scan was done and a blood test to see if a virus was causing the problem.  Later we returned to hear the analisis by the doctor.  It turns out that her brain was injured when she was around 8 weeks in the womb.  The damage is permanent and the medical community say there is nothing that can be done for her, that she will always be like she is.  She lays limp in her aunts arms but Jenn, a World Racer, was able to raise the biggest smile from her.  It just melts my heart to see it.  The family had such hope.  The doctor gave Jessica, the aunt and main caregiver, perscriptions.  Today, almost a week later, I was able to go with the mom and have those perscriptions filled.  The doctor says a wheelchair could help and well as physical therapy.  She'll need medication for convulsions at some point, too.  The World Racers want to do more.  They've found a doctor who will try to get a specialist in the states to look at the report and get another opinion.  I was able to scan that tonight and send it to Caroline, the World Racer, who will send it to her doctor friend.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if the Lord would choose to heal this little girl when everything else says recovery is not possible.  Whatever he chooses to do, I know that he has already given her a family who loves her dearly and an incredible beauty that causes many others to want to reach out and help.  Please pray for baby Carol. 

Comments (4) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

Earthquake Relief in Chincha, Peru



We just finished an incredible week of ministry in Chincha.  We cleaned up rubble in Pastor Desi's church and Compassion project compound from his house and classrooms.  Then we went to a baby church from this church's pastor's home and did a bunch of tearing down walls, saving adobe bricks, and removing mountains of rubble.  Some neighbors came and helped, also.  After we finished with Pastor Nestor's home, we helped his neighbors on either side of him and then the group went out into the neighborhood doing some evangelism.  Several people responded positively to the gospel and several relationships were started.  The next day the team went to one of the neighbor's home that helped with Pastor Nestor's and did the same kind of thing there.  Afterwards the team went out to visit the same people they met the first day they went into the neighborhood and then afterwards they played volleyball with folks in the neighborhood.  The people laughed, played hard, had fun and wanted to play game after game.  After dinner that night, we came back for a church service.  It was the second service we'd attended there in a neighbor's home.  The place had over twice as many people as the first day.  Working on the homes, talking with the people and buying bibles and blankets for them really made a difference with their willingness to listen and check out the church.  The church had only met 3 times before.  Robert preached at both the services we attended there and at both services at Pastor Desi's on the two Sundays we were there.  Each time he knew about preaching about 5 minutes before hand except the last time when he heard about it when the preacher invited him to come up during the service. 

 

While we were walking back to Pastor Nestor's house to play volleyball, people were asking us to help them.  One woman's son's glasses broke in the earthquake.  She said he would go blind if he didn't get some help.  Robert and our translator Dana went with the mom and son to a local optometrist.  He indeed had eyes in very bad shape.  It'll take 3 different sets of glasses to get his eyes to the strength he needs his glasses.  The doctor said he would have lost his sight totally.  It was good to be able to help and there's a good chance we'll be involved with the other 2 sets of glasses, too.  Other people came up and asked us to pray for them.  Two older daughters asked us to come with them to pray for their father who looks like he was paralyzed on one side of his body.  He was maybe in his late 30s or 40s and was working at a recycling (Peruvian style) area.  One of the men on the team prayed for him as he and I laid hands on him.  It was beautiful to see the daughter's hope and faith that they'd bring us all the way to pray for him.  The folks in the area said that we brought hope and light to the neighborhood.  What a wonderful privilege!!!!!!!

 

We visited another area that was hit even harder than the area we were in.  It was closer to the sea and the homes literally sank about 3-4 feet into the ground.  The government won't let the people rebuild there.  We visited folks and heard their stories.  One 82 year old woman comes there every day to sit and look at where her house is just a big pile of rubble.  She says she misses her home.  Thankfully she's able to stay with her son about 15 minutes away.  We asked how we could help and she said that many of her family have moved in with her son and they need more blankets.  We got the address and brought back 3 heavy llama wool blankets and some rice.  Another man talked about how dark warm water started coming up from under the ground before the earthquake started.  People were bailing water out of their homes.  Suddenly the earthquake happened and they all ran out of their community.  A jail was close by and a wall fell down and all 400 inmates escaped.  The man we were talking to said he was running with a baby in each arm and an inmate grabbed a baby and helped them get to a safer area.  We asked more people how we could help and they said they could use food most.  We bought four 110 pound bags of rice and brought them back to the area.  Enroute, we poured the rice into smaller bags so we could hand it out to more people.  After we handed out most of it in one area, we were leaving and folks were running along side asking for rice. We handed out the last of the bags as our driver was leaving.  It was all an amazing experience to us.  There's nothing so dramatic as being there to actually see it and incredible to talk to the people who lived through it all.

 

On the way home, after a 3 hour bus trip, as Robert was getting ready to get off the bus, he discovered someone stole his camera.  His expensive camera he bought right before we came to Peru.  He was bummed as were the rest of us.  He walked the several long blocks home with a couple others on the team while the rest of us took a taxi with all the baggage.  When he got home he said that it didn't hurt as much as when he lost his little camera in 2004 in the Andean highlands and that God was really teaching him about holding our stuff lightly.  He said that God had his good purpose in all of it and knew God would provide him another camera if he wanted him to have one.  Kelsey and Ricky looked at each other amazed and I was very proud of him and pleased how the Lord's worked in his life. 

Comments (0) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

2 weddings in Peru



Our youngest daughter, Kelsey, was married this summer in both a civil ceremony and later in a christian wedding.  The civil (official) wedding must be done first before the christian wedding is allowed.  That is the way they do things in Peru.   Ricky had asked her in February to marry him and she happily said yes.  In May, Ricky asked Robert and I for our blessing.  We very much liked Ricky and saw that they were crazy in love with each other.  They both wished to serve the Lord in missions and it seemed to us to be God's will in their lives. On August 10th Kelsey and Ricky were married in a civil ceremony at Ricky's sister, Monica's, home with about 35 friends and family attending.   During the next month they finalized their plans for their Christian wedding which was held September 1st at the beach near the orphanage ministry site connected to Ricky's ministry, ChildReach Ministries.  Many family and friends attended the wedding where we were blessed with our third son-in-law.  We are happy to welcome him into our family.  Ricky and Kelsey are in the process of building an apartment for their first home and hope to move in soon.  It is strange to have all our kids gone with their own families.  We had a total of 12 empty nest days then a young woman, Barbara, moved in with us.  She is the fiance of a friend of ours who is ministering in the Peruvian jungle.  They will be married in April of next year.  She is staying with us to learn English and americano customs before she leaves with her husband to the states next June.  On September 19th we also had 2 young people, Jason & Rubie, join our ministry for 9 months in AIM's First Year Missionary discipling program.  Robert said, "We have more kids now than when we came here."  We  are very pleased with the quality young people the Lord has brought into our lives.  I've added more pictures of both wedding ceremonies in "My Photos" if you care to enjoy them with me. 
Comments (2) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

A Gardener and a Security Guard



As our ministry team walked around Santa Domingo with members of the church, we knocked on doors and talked to folks we came in contact with.   We approached an old man standing on the street to share Christ's love with him.  He pulled out his small worn Bible and told us of his faith in the Lord Jesus.   The young people chatted with him and shared their testimony then left a New Testament with him.  

We continued on our way to talk with more people and the gardener walked over to pick up his tools at the security guard's shed.   He told the guard about us and showed the guard his new Bible.   As we walked on, the security guard asked us, "Can I have a Bible, too?"    Encouraged and excited, we turned around to give him a Bible and the youth shared with him the love of the Lord Jesus.   As they talked about his need for salvation, the guard asked how he could ask Jesus into his life.   Amazed and overjoyed, they guided him into the Kingdom.   As we knocked on doors nearby, I looked back and saw the guard reading his Bible as though he couldn't take his eyes off it a moment to let cars through the gated area.     The youth we amazed at how many people asked Jesus into their lives that day and how ripe the harvest is in Peru.  

Comments (2) | Send to a friend | Update Alerts

Next 10 Articles >>