Peru Project- July 12th-19th

Its our last day in Peru. Sad, and excited to be home all at the same time. We have travelled from Ohio to Lima to Chincha to Chilca and now back to Lima.

We slept in today (breakfast at 9:00), and we’ll spend some team time on the beach in Punta Negre where we’ve been staying. The surf is HUGE this morning, and we’ll carefully step in and then step out of the Pacific, just so we can say we swam in it. A couple of the team want to run the beach too. Then we’ll finish packing and get ready for the trip to Lima.

Lunch at Jockey Plaza (think South Park in Strongsville), then to the Indian market for souvenirs and stuff. A quick tour of the Mira Flores and Larco Mar areas of Lima, then the airport and home.

God has shown us His face here. Jesus has worked through us and is working in us. The Spirit was with us  everywhere we went. Its been a good trip.

Well, not really an entire makeover.  We actually just framed the second story where there will be room for more pregnant girls to come and find refuge.  However, we now have a new appreciation for the real extreme home makeover teams!

We really were a team today.  Ashley and Justin put in the wall studs - Ashley has definitely mastered the use of a drill!  Jason helped to cut flooring while Sarah helped Dave put up the support beams for the walls.  We have truly learned the value of working together and it has been a joy to work along side one another to see the vision of Hannah’s home take shape.  

Yesterday, we took a little break at a bodega (equivalent of a corner store) and shared a few Coca-colas while Dave (the architectural director of Hannah’s Hope) shared a story with us.  He told us about Maria, a little eleven-year-old girl who was being repeatedly abused by her father.  When she became pregnant, the family kicked her out of the house because they didn’t want to bring shame to their home.   Maria had no where to turn to and no one to take her in.  A neighbor brought her to Hannah’s home, but because the buildings were not quite ready, they had to turn her away.  As we were working today, I kept thinking about Maria and with every nail that was hammered, and every wall stud that went up I knew we were helping to ensure that girls in her situation would be welcomed because Hannah’s Home IS open.  

We also spent some time with the orphaned children at Hogar de Ninos this afternoon.  They were waiting for us when we arrived with huge smiles and hugs!  We played and laughed and just loved them the best we could without being able to communicate through words.  It was a precious time - and bittersweet when it was time to leave.  To say ciao (bye) to them was difficult.  

This trip has gone by quickly.  We’ve been on the go so much that we’re just now starting to really process individually what God has been showing us through the people of Chincha and Chilca.  We miss all of you at home and are grateful that you’ve been praying for us while we’re away.  

Hey!

It’s 11:15 here, and everyone is sleeping. The team worked hard today. They are framing walls on the second story of Hannah’s Home, necessary to put the roof on, which is vital to the facility being approved. So it’s important work. And the team really stepped up.

Ashley and Suzi were the first on the roof this morning, and they’re both afraid of heights! Jason, Sarah and Justin followed shortly. We’re working with Dave Moseman and Amy (sorry Amy! Don’t know your last name), Dave is the designer of the facility and a CRM staff member. They’re both staying at HH until later this sumer, and Dave is moving down in October.

Sandwiches for lunch, a cold pop for break at the local bodega, and the day was almost done. We topped it off with a visit to Hogar di Ninos, an orphanage across the street from Hannah’s Home. We only had an hour, but  we already had some pretty deep feelings when it was time to leave. We’ll go back tomorrow!

We ended the day with a service at Shalom Community church in Via el Salvador, about half an hour north. We had to leave after two hours, they were just warming up! They moved the chairs to dance, and Sarah got pulled onto the dance floor for one praise dance.

So, I asked a couple of team members to blog, they said “Tomorrow. Tonight I just want to sleep.” So, until next time, here’s another video.

roof-top-conversation 

Hola todas!

We are in Chilca and have internet access again. We got in about 6:00 this evening after a bus ride from Chincha. We went to Jockey Plaza with Dave Moseman and Amy, two Penn State’ers who are staying at Hannah’s Home. We shopped for lunch tomorrow and Thursday, ate at a food court in the mall in Lima (Jockey Plaza), and had Starbuck’s (”Starbooks” to the Peruvians). At debrief tonight we all spoke of the contrast from Chincha to Lima and how to process it.

We’ve posted a video, first tine on this blog I think so here goes… on You Tube! 

Chilca Day 3

Hello everyone!

I made it in at about 10:00 last night, stopped with Ricky for some cookies and chips (you’re welcome Larry), and went directly to Ola Grande in Punta Negra. Cool, damp, waves breaking on the beach and Corey Hunka sick in the next bed…I slept like a baby.

For the group, just a quick update. We’ll spend Friday night at a Hostal in Lima. After breakfast Saturday morning we’ll hop a public bus for Chincha, where pastor Dessy will meet us. We’ll moto-taxi to the Hostal Oasis, our base for the next few days, and then hit the streets!

Tuesday afternoon we’ll jump the bus again for Chilca, where we’ll spend the remainder of our time. A lot of progress has been made on Hannah’s Home and Hannah’s Hope, so it will be a great time for you to catch the vision and meet the kids from Hogar di Ninos.

Bring your hoodies and your sunscreen. It winter in Peru.

More later,

David