We made it...God is always faithful

After a delayed plane for 5 hours, original boat sank, went from 3 boats to 1 cargo and 1 small passenger boat, many various boating issues, hours of pill counting...God always prevails and continues to show us patience and flexibility.

Mosquitos are not as bad as we thought which is always good but the heat turned out to be something different. It is more humid than we imagined!!! Rained a bit but mostly humid and HOT. Sunscreen, Sunscreen, some deet, and more sunscreen.

About 35 volunteers came travelling from Georgia, Texas, North Carolina and all over Arkansas. There are various ages, so many testimonies, and many opportunites to learn from each other. It is always amazing to see how God uses all different types of people to do His work.

Justin, myself, Dave, Jordan, Kelly, and Daniel are all on the cargo boat. Roughing it doesn´t say it! My shower has a Potty in it!!! We are sleeping in hammock´s on the top deck to get cool air rather than sleeping in a sauna

Plus Justin and I have seen some BIG nasty spiders in our bunk!! Very Interesting and a Extreme learning experience for me... Patience and Flexibility!!!

Amazon Peru 2011

We are on the Amazon in one of the small town village, big enough to find an internet store. We just attended service that has been started by Raul several years ago and now has a full house! Dave preached (Julio translated) over Mattew 9 - The workers are a few. God uses all his people from North America to South America and beyond.

All the Peruvian people are so thankful and gratious towards us. With all the hardships we have encountered to it didn´t stop from people to hear God´s word. 4 members of the boat crew were saved yesterday and some attending church with us today. God is Good!

God Never Quits

Today we (Nathan, Rick, Justin, Kelly, and Me) traveled up North to Yanacancha Baja church. This church was created by Monte Sion but a few years later, the church had lost their Pastor and their members. Monte Sion had discovered this in June and sent out a crew to re-establish the lost church. One local man stepped up and took on the responsibility to get the church back and running again. That day (June 27th, 2010) there were about 6 members attending. Today, God has blessed this church, and there were 12 adults and 14 children!!! A full 2 hour worship with Sunday School.

Kelly Tucker found a local market around to corner from the church and we experienced a "local Peru-Mart". Products included various ranges from yarn and toys to....racks of meat hanging up. The group purchased a soccer ball and wooden tops to distribute to the kids after Sunday School. We enjoyed playing duck duck goose and simon says with them. We did ,however, wish that we could have planned it better and brought VBS materials for the kids. Something to remember for the next trip!!

Upon travelling back down to Villa Milagro, we stopped to a familiar "Gold Mine" location. Of course, we had search for gold in the creek. Words can not describe how beautiful this place is.

Later that day, Larry Johnson took us on a tour to Downtown Cajamarca and the Banos Del Inca. It was Nathan's first visit to Peru and it was awesome to see his facial expressions. Again, this country is so beautiful that it almost takes your breathe away - wait, that is the altitude. But seriously, you have a true realty check on how well American's in the US have it and how much we take it for granted.

Prayer Needs: We found out that Omar's (boy we found during June-July clinic visit whom has a brain tumor) Parents have refused to allow Omar to be re-evaluated by us and even having surgery to save his life. They rejected because of fears of taking their child to America.

Marty Mote has been sick all day. We are about 98% sure that it is altitude sickness. He is coming around but hasn't had much of an appetite.

I will be travelling back home tomorrow and arrive Tuesday morning by myself. Please pray that I will have a safe travel and make it from plane to plane on time!! Mostly, pray for Justin as he will be worried for me.

Treasures

Today the second crew arrived; Kelly, Nathan, and Rick. After breakfast, they didn't want to go and rest. So they went with Marty, Justin and I to the clinic. They started in working but quickly went down hill. You could ask them a simple question but because they were so sleep deprived they couldn't answer you correctly. Needless to say, Marty had fun picking on them ( just a bit). They did go to their rooms for rest after lunch.

Marty had Liz (aka clinic's gate keeper) to show him the little girls that his Wife, Lynda, had met in July. It didn't take long for her to find them and it was incredible to see these little girls eyes when Marty handed them the photo of them that Lynda had taken. I believe they even remembered her! He also gave them the message that God loves them. Having relationships like this is another reason why it is so awesome to be here.

Later that night before we left the clinic, Marty found some brick makers (brick made out of mud and hay). One of the brick makers showed Justin how to make a brick. We have Justin on camera, digging in the mud and framing out a brick. The Peruvian's crowed around and thought how funny this "Gringo" is making this brick. Afterwards, they re-did the brick :) Guess he didn't do it to their standards.

Tomorrow will be awesome and I can't wait! We are going up the mountain to Yancancho Baja for Church. Larry has arranged for us to have a translator. Pray that the others in the crew see what Justin and I did when we went in June. Being up there on the mountain was ONE of the greatest experience. We witnessed a church struggling to stay alive and people struggling to spread the Word. God is so wonderful and how great it is to see his work in the making.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,....But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." Matthew 6:19-24

The Harvest Field

Today, we worked at the Clinic - installing door casings from the materials created yesterday.
We also got to know the workers there in the clinic. They taught us spanish and we taught them english. There is a young woman whom is working there as a "gate keeper" so that she can go to semionary school and be a missonary. She was diffently hungry for the word and intrigued on how Americans are. Crazy that there are people here in Peru wanting to go to other countries to spread the gospel.

Marty and I did have the opportunity to go to the Monte Sion school. We checked on the young girl there that had an under developed ear. She seemed to be happy but her hearing was in the same condition - which is good. The children were very happy and excited that we came. It is different to walk into a school and have the school be open to missionaries.

This evening Marty, Justin and I had the opportunity to eat dinner with Mr. Larry Johnson. The one who created Villa Milagro. One of his stories was about how he got started. He was in Texas, loving life. He had many businesses and responsibilities. But God convicted him to do more - outside of his Church and home walls. After much trials and tribulations, he finally submitted and went to Brazil where he drilled his first water well. God didn't have him stop there. God started his true conviction on his life, and God took some of his financial stability away to let him know that God is in control. He read and researched about needs in Northern Peru. This is where he put his God given talents to work. He and his Wife, Joy, began to drill water wells in Peru. The rest is history...or for others to follow.

For those of you reading the book, Radical by David Platt, Larry's story could have came directly out of the book. Larry is a true inspiration on what it means to devote your life to the great commission. God has used a farmer/entrepreneur to make his kingdom known. Larry at first questioned whether or not he was called to "go and make disciples of all nations..." (Matthew 28:19) but then realized it is a command.

Matthew 9:35-38 The workers are a few

Saw Dust

Today was Sunny part of the time but mostly it was raining. The rain here in Cajamarca is COLD! But when it was not raining we experienced birds chirping, many butterflies roaming, and flowers blooming. Seeing this beautiful environment made me appreciate Gods creations.

Marty and Justin spent majority of the day making lumber out of slabs of wood. They used the wood mizer, plainer, and table saw. Lets just say a lot of saw dust was Everywhere! It made us all realize how much WORK it is to build something here. You can not just run to Lowes and buy all your supplies...Here you actually have to make your supplies. It humbles you and teaches patience.

Selso (one of Villa Milagro's main guy) asked me to drive the Truck! So I drove the truck with all the finished lumber/supplies in the back with all the guys holding it down. No one got hurt and I think I surprised them on how well I can drive an old truck.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1:15-17

We made it!

Yes, we finally made it - tired but here and ready!
Travelling went smoothly. Marty kept Justin and I entertained.

We arrived in Cajamarca around 6 am. Selso and Nancy (Villa Milagro's finest) were waiting with Smiles. They took us to Villa Milagro where we ate breakfast. After breakfast we went straight up to our rooms and received well needed rest.
After rest, we ate again!! Lunch was, as always, wonderful and fulfilling. After lunch, Selso took us to the Monte Sion Clinic where he showed us what the work was that needed to be done. Marty and Justin took measurements and we started in on our first day of Construction.
First they had to create the lumber (2x's, etc) to build. They looked like they had a great time learning from each other and from Julio (Villa Milagro's woodwork expert).

After dinner, the three of us did our devotional. Matthew 25:14, The Parable of the Talents; 3 men with talents. Two men did wonders with their talents and the Master labeled them as "faithful servants" but the 3rd man did nothing with his talent and was labeled as a "worthless servant".

In this parable, Talents is a currency. But a God given gift is a Talent...weird, huh?
We should be multiplying our Talents for the Kingdom of God (currency and gifts).