Peru Project - June 21st-28th

Yeah, so what I’m really enjoying down here is the VBSs we do. The kids are so sweet. All theywanna do is love on you. What is amazing to me is they live in the smallest, and dirty houses, and they are as happy as can be. One day i was playing with the boys. And they challnged me in a Futbol match. They would laugh at me because i could not speak espanol. And then i scored the fisr goal!! Haha. At our second VBS I met this little girl named Rosa. She is the cutest thing. The next day she wrote me a letter, and made me a bracelet. That just made me so happy! I touched a kids life… and thats what i was aiming for!!! about two days ago a few of us went on a prayer walk in this little village. We met many people, and we even went into on ladies home. She was so proud of her home. She showed us all of it!! Then we prayed for her husband that just passed away. She was so greatful for us. Its just made me so tickled!!! Last night we all got in a circle and gave communion to the people in our group that touched us. There was so much crying! And even the boys. Kyle too! I didnt get to go becasue last night i got sick, and today i had to stay back with my mom. I’m pretty sure i got sick from the water…. but its getting better! Tomorrow we are going to an indian market to shop all da. Down in Lima, about an hour from the beach we are staying on. We are so excited. Everything is so cheap for us here. One soles (a dollar) is only 33 cents in peru. Its funny. Well yeah tonight we have a bonfire on the beach, it’ll be very pretty. So excited. I hope I feel up to it. I dont wanna leave these people, in the last week, our group of 40 people has gotten so close. Its like i know nothing else. I would lve to stay down here longer. I know that this will not be the last time that i will be in Peru. This is where my heart is, every little kid is so presious. I’m loking forward to the next time i get to come down!

Sophie

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Well, today was our third day in Peru, and all I can say is…wow.  In three short days, I’ve seen so many things that I never dreamed I would see, and I’ve met so many incredible people. 

You know, it still hasn’t fully hit me that I’m in Peru right now.  Also, I can’t seem to convince myself that the ocean outside is the Pacific ocean, not just Myrtle Beach or something.  It just seems so surreal that the trip I’ve been looking forward to since last September is actually going on right now.  They say that if something seems to good to be true, it usually isn’t, but this is one thing that is actually real.

So far, I’ve gotten to meet tons of locals, including lots of kids.  It blows my mind how content these kids are, without the aid of iPods or video games.  In fact, they seem much happier than most kids back home, and they’re so enthusiastic about everything.  They love to climb all over us and hold our hands, and we all do our best to make small talk with them, despite the language barrier.  Luckily, some things, like hugs and smiles, are universal.

Hannah’s Home is a place unlike any other I’ve ever been.  There’s this sense of holiness in it; the second you step through the gates, you feel at peace.  I can’t wait to come back someday years from now and see the place full of girls and children that will reap the benefits of so many dedicated people’s work. 

 The orphanage is coming along great, but there’s still a good amount of work that needs to be done.  I helped to cram styrofoam into a wall, nail boards together to make a cement mold, make sandwiches, bead bracelets, and go on a prayer walk down the streets of the village.  That walk was such an uplifting experience.  We got to talk to several locals and hand out Bibles.  There was one man who we talked to for a few minutes and offered a Bible, only to find out that he was illiterate.  I know that as long as I live, that’s something I’ll never forget.  That moment made me look back on all the times I spent at school complaining and wishing I was home, when I should have considered it a tremendous blessing–one that so many people go without.  

The food has been really good, even though I’ve had to bend the rules of my vegetarianism a time or two.  I guess that’s why our group’s “f-word” is “flexibility”-it’s a really good trait to have in a place like this.  Also, I’ve managed to avoid drinking any of the water, but the week’s not over yet…wish me luck.  : )

I can’t believe that this week isn’t even half way over.  I’ve seen God in so many new ways already.  It’s like He’s everywhere I turn, and I can’t wait to see what other ways He shows Himself this week.  We’re on this trip to bring light into the lives of others, but it’s definitely the other way around as well.  I feel so lucky to have had this experience, and I’m already looking forward to the next time.

—Carly Sanders

This is the best mission trip I have ever experienced in my life. I would say that for everyone but it’s most of the first time tripfor most of the team. I had a great experience today. I was asked yesterday to make some curtains for a puppets show display and those of you who know me know that I love to sew. For the past two days I had a peruvian girl watch me the entire time, very intently . might add. So today I wanted to ask her if she would like to sew. ( I had to find someone to help me interpret) . The machine that we used was a very old machine that took off very fast. Ericka, the Peruivan girl, pushed the pedal down so hard that if it was a car it would have gone right through the wall. She began to laugh but I can tell that she was very sorry for doing that. I kept telling her that it was OK and to keep trying. I loved seeing her eventually be able to control the machine and make progress on the curtains. Wow, it was hard to teach someone to sew when you can’t talk to them.

 Kyle and Caleb are doing very hard trench digging, but a doing very well. Kara is the queen of styrofoam cutting. This was used in place of insulation in the orphange. Sophia build the wood walls for the trenches.

Love you all so much, thanks for your prayers and support.

Mary Ann

www.doctorj330.blogspot.com

Many great pics and awesome God stories!!

Today was so much fun with the kids. They have so little but are so happy. What a lesson for me! In the morning Jessica & I paked 2 bags of clothes for 2 new kids who came to the orphanage,& had nothing. I was having a hard time with it until I went to the orphanage and saw the joy on their faces, and how much they were being cared for and loved. The I got excited for them because they’re going to learn about the Lord, and have been given new lives.

The most fuffilling part of the day was sharing my story with the moms of the VBS kids. Telling them how I came to have a relationshil with the Lord was literally more exciting than going to Machu Pichu last week. This is why I came to Peru; to share with the people who need to hear the gospel as much as I did before I was a Christian, and who have so little, but appreciate every little thing done for them. This is truly living!!     

Hmm. So today was pretty much awesome. We went to a Preuvian church in the middle of a little village. The locals were friendly, and welcomed us with open arms! It was very long, about 3 and a half hours. They get so excited about us Americans coming to vistit them. We didnt know what they were saying but we could still feel Gods presence. They didnt care if they knew you or not, they would just act like they did. The little kids were so excited, and would say good bye with a hug and a kiss on the cheek, it said a thousand words. Then we got on the bus, and started driving to our next destination, which i will let Kara tell you about! This is exciting! Hope God uses our group to the best of our ability. And I hope we grow stronger every day!

Sophie Hayden

Next we went to dinner at a little cafe next to a cave/moutian. After the good meal we were able to go closer to the cave and climb the mountan. Which was awesome, tiring, but worth every step. The view from the top was breathe taking. You could see the ocean and turn around and see the little fishing village. (We have to carry our own toliet paper!) Its kinda funny. But i good experience. Then we left and went to Hannahs Hope, and Hannahs home. We are so excited to start working there tomorrow! Tomorrow we get to wake up at 7:30 and have a worship serivce on the beach. Perfect example of Gods glory! Then we are off! Here we go!

Kara Raider

Tkay celebrating our new banana trees with our beloved Panchito!

Jeremy building some boot scrappers! Look at that form!!!!