http://beckycooley.myadventures.org Becky Cooley - - Adventures In Missions en-us Thu, 3 Jul 2008 20:27:39 GMT 30 http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=jesus-brothers http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=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, Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=a-rat-on-mothers-day http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=a-rat-on-mothers-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 Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=beautiful-baby-carol http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=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 earthqu Fri, 8 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=earthquake-relief-in-chincha-peru http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=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 wen Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=2-weddings-in-peru http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=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.  Sun, 7 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=a-gardener-and-a-security-guard http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=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 wa Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=easter-in-peru http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=easter-in-peru After such an unusual Christmas experience in Peru, I kept asking people how they celebrate Easter here.   I mostly got blank faces.    A peruana from the Villa El Salvador church said that those who don't know Jesus drink or go camping because it is a long weekend.   Families take time to get together which they do often.   Since Catholicism is the official religion in Peru the banks were closed on Thursday and Friday.  Everything seemed Wed, 11 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=tears-of-empathy http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=tears-of-empathy Sunday Robert and I returned to the Christian Missionary Alliance church about 4 blocks from our apartment.  An elderly couple share the pupit, in the English speaking service, once a month.  I missed their previous sermon.  Antonio spoke on the first few words of Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd."  He did an excellent teaching contrasting the images of  Lord and Shepherd.  Then Betty took his place and continued the sermon.  She talked abo Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=our-first-grandchild http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=our-first-grandchild On February 28th the Lord gave us the precious gift of our first grandchild, Eliora Marie Thomas.  Eliora means, "God is our light".  She waited until Kelsey and I returned to Connecticut from Peru on the 18th of February, and then waited, and waited somemore.  When she was one week past her due date, the doctors decided she needed to be induced.  Seventeen hours later, Julia safely delivered Eliora.  God is so very good!  All are well and getting used to the Fri, 23 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=gods-gift-of-a-new-home http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=gods-gift-of-a-new-home God has blessed us with a home of our own.   On January 10th we moved into an apartment in San Luis, Lima.    It is on the 4th floor of a 4 story apartment building.   Though it was built 4 years ago, we are its first occupants.    It is in an area where people have owned their home for many years and is relatively safe.  It is one of few apartments there.  As is true all over Lima, there is a pretty park close by and a Sun, 28 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=orchestrated-by-the-lord http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=orchestrated-by-the-lord On the 31st, Robert and I visited a Christian Missionary Alliance Church 2 blocks from Rickys house that has a noon service in English.   It was their 3rd service of the day, the others being in Spanish.   There were only 15-20 people in attendance but it was good to fellowship together with other believers who we could understand their words as well as see their heart for Jesus. We sang worship songs together in English and heard a good sermon about having a clea Thu, 4 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=happy-new-year http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=happy-new-year Happy New Year to you all.   We had a nice little barbeque with Ricky (our host) and a father and son, Rick & Matt, here from Wisconsin to lead a short term mission trip for their church (the rest of the people are arriving tonight) .   They bought some firecrackers that we lit out in the street.   Kinda scary when you see the power in the blast as they lift off into the night(right next to us) and glad they are going the direction intended. &nbs Thu, 4 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=begging-on-christmas http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=begging-on-christmas Peru has a high rate of people below the poverty range: 52% (under $58/month) and extreme poverty of 19% (under $32/month).   One-fourth of children under five are malnourished.   Many who live in the Andes Mountains come down the mountain to the port city of Lima to look for work.   You will see the women and children in their layers of highland clothing sitting along the overpass of the highways holding a felt hat out hoping someone will dro Mon, 1 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=christmas-packages http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=christmas-packages Our daughters wanted us to have a few small things from them for our first Christmas away from home, so they each sent us a package.   We told them not to send checks or anything valuable and that UPS would be the safest way for things to arrive.   Jennifer brought her package to UPS and was told that it would cost $200 to send.   She opted for the $30 charge at the local post office.   They told her that it should arrive either Friday or Saturday before Ch Wed, 27 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=children-in-the-work-force http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=children-in-the-work-force Elsa is twelve.   She hasnt seen her mother for 1 years.   Her 19 year old sister works as a maid in a home in Lima and her 16 year old brother is away from home going to school.   She is from the highlands where her mother still lives.   Elsa watches, Renzo who is 2, does laundry, cleans, and chops food for the Senora to cook with.  One day as Kelsey and I were hanging out together in the living room, Elsa came down the stairs of the home we Sat, 16 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=a-christmas-fiesta http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=a-christmas-fiesta Yesterday the ChildReach Ministry mission group and the 3 Cooleys put on a Christmas fiesta for them.   We came around lunch time to just hang out with them.   Then around 3:00 we started cooking a special meal for them of roast beef, rice, salad, potato salad with peas, beets, potatoes with a Peruvian cheese sauce, and a hot Peruvian aji sauce.   Others of the group continued to spend time with the children and did some crafts with them.   They th Sat, 16 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=a-peruvian-boy-named-jesus http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=a-peruvian-boy-named-jesus Childhood was delayed for a Peruvian boy named Jesus.   His mother worked all the time and left him to fend for himself on the streets.   A gang of boys would taunt him and began to abuse him.   At three his mother completely abandoned him.   He was homeless and the gang of boys considered him their boy.   They would gang rape him.   This went on for several months until a pastor found him on the street and took him.  He and his wif Sat, 16 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=december-8 http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=december-8 Poverty is common in Peru.   Many people come from the highlands to the cities along the desert coast to find work.   They live in shanty towns--some with no electricity or running water.   As we walk to our bus stop to go to school, we pass some of these people selling various goods along the way.   There are walkways over the highways where many station themselves to seek customers.   The walkways and spiral access are wide. &nb Sun, 10 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=december-9 http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=december-9 We joined Terri and his wife Brenda as they prepared for their mission trip group to come.   We took a taxi to their hotel and called a man who was coming with his VW van for them to use for the week.   He said hed be there by 11:00.   When Ricky called, he said it would be another hour because he realized he needed to put the seats back in his van.   We decided to walk through the park to a mall and have some coffee at Starbucks and wait for him there. Sun, 10 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=first-days-in-peru http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=first-days-in-peru The last two months before we left for Peru was a whirlwind with selling the house, finding homes for our things, most of which we gave away, participating in training at the AIM base in Georgia, selling Roberts business, finalizing support raising and endless small details that need to be done before you leave for a new country. The final day was the craziest with closing our storage shed, visiting with friends who stopped by to say goodbye and trying to pack ever Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=112106 http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=112106 Today Ricky brought us to the American Embassy and we had to go through a metal detector and show our passports twice to be able to speak to an American administrator.   The embassy was large and beautiful and had a very familiar eagle emblem on it.   They told us we would need to validate our American drivers license with Peru and where to extend our tourist visa.   It wasnt particularly informative but it was an interesting experience.    Then Ri Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=112206 http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=112206 Today we got up and were working on our computers when we realized Ricky wanted us to go with him in 10 minutes.   Kelsey was still in her p.j.sa common occurrence for herso she had to move fast.    We left with him to pick up a legal paper for his dad at the bank and then headed south to meet with a couple and a relative of theirs to sign papers for a piece of land that ChildReach (the other organization Ricky works for) has been trying to buy for 6 mon Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=112306 http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=112306 Ricky and Kelsey caught the early morning bus to pick up the legal papers.    I got up at 7:00 and went into Rickys bedroom to use the internet.   I was able to answer a few emails but found myself way behind due to the minimal time with access as well as time to use it.   When Robert got up he used the internet after me.   That gave me a little time to straighten the room and learn how to run their wash machine and hang a load up on t Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=112406 http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=112406 Today we got to go look at houses.   Ricky drove all around an area about 15 minutes from his house and showed us apartments that were for sale that hed seen in the paper or that we happened by.   Robert was planning on finding an apartment to rent but after talking with Ricky we said wed look at some apartments that are for sale.   Ricky feels that it would be an investment instead of giving the money to someone else.   With an apartment, there wouldnt Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=november-25-saturday http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=november-25-saturday We had a good day of visiting new friends and going to an English speaking church. After doing some laundry and such things at Rickys house, we went to Pastor Juan and his wife Marias house in Miraflores for lunch.   They knew Deryk and Serena Livingston when they lived in Connecticut.   We had a wonderful Peruvian lunch and shared what the Lord had called each of us to do.   Pastor Juan is with South American Mission Society and is seeking to encourage a Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=november-26-sunday http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=november-26-sunday We got up early to take a taxi to meet Maria at her house to take the bus to the ministry sight.   After being dropped off by the bus we took two motorcycles up the hill and then walked very steep roads to the ministry sight.   The building has reed sides and a metal corregated roof.   Even though they have a guard taking care of it, they discovered they couldnt leave anything in the building so they rent a space in a home across the street.   We Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=november-27-monday http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=november-27-monday Today Ricky taught us how to catch the bus to our school.   We walked about 15 minutes to the bus stop through the neighborhood, over a highway, and on to another highway where we waited around 8 minutes for the right bus.   Thankfully, the buses are different colors according to where they are going.   We were told to look for a white bus with brown strips.   Several passed before we found one that had some standing space.   The bus Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=november-28-tuesday http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=november-28-tuesday As it turns out, Ricky plans to go with us both today and tomorrow to make sure we know our way to and from school.   The man is a patient, sweet spirited, generous, friend and servant of the Lord.   We caught the first bus today that goes to Miraflores since yesterdays journey took an hour.   We all got on with Ricky barely squeezing in along with the caller at the door.   The next stop one man got off and 3 more got on.   We were like Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=december-2-saturday http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=december-2-saturday Tomorrow morning we will have been in Peru for 2 weeks.   It has been quiet the journey (beyond getting ready to go) from the Sunday we stepped off the airplane.   This week was full of traveling on Lima buses to our Spanish classes giving us less time to do other   things.   We did look at several apartments to purchase and will look at a couple more today.   We think weve settled on an apartment in San Luis, about 5 minutes from where Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=december-3-sunday http://beckycooley.myadventures.org/?filename=december-3-sunday After looking at two apartments in Miraflores on Saturday, we went to Rickys church.   They were having a special youth meeting.   Ricky arrived early to set up the lighting for the drama and we walked around in Miraflores for a while.   As we went along a side street, there was an open area with small bakery.   They had elephant ears in a bakery case and some cakes.   We bought a couple of the ears and continued on our trek. Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT