Kathy's Story

I don’t believe that I ever had a special calling from God saying that I needed to go to Peru. When Lisa mentioned Peru, I just knew I was going and was very excited about it. Never in a million years would I have dreamed of going to Peru to serve God at an orphanage.

Several days prior to our departure, I was a little worried about the plane ride to Peru. It was going to be a 6 hour flight. Now I’m usually not a very good passenger. I am usually terrified of flying with panic attacks and feeling sick. I usually have to sit next to the window so that I don’t feel closed in, concentrate on my breathing, get a lot of cool air blowing on me, and do a whole lot of praying. I can say without a doubt that I felt the presence of God during the entire trip because this time I had no doubts or fears what-so-ever going to Peru or coming back. I never did get to sit next to the window. I had the middle seat both ways. There were no panic moments, just a feeling of great peace even during the turbulence that we ran into on our way to Peru while flying over the ocean.


Mira Flores was a beautiful place to be, nestled up against the ocean. The homes and apartment buildings were nice and clean with beautiful flowers and trees surrounding them. You could walk to almost any where you wanted to go and the weather was absolutely wonderful.

As we left Mira Flores going towards the orphanage, the view took a drastic change. The trees disappeared as well as the beautiful flowers. The closer we got to the orphanage, the less you saw until suddenly they were no more. All that was visible were the sandy hills and run down homes and businesses. There were rows and rows of small tiny homes with hardly a roof covering it lining the sides of the sandy hills. It was a sad sight, and made me very thankful for all that God has given me and my family.

In the middle of a small run down village sits the Comunidad de ninos Sagrada familia (Community of the children). When entering the gates of the orphanage on Sunday, I felt a greater presence of God. Miguel shared with us his story on how the orphanage began with the death of one of his children and one small act of kindness towards a child on the street in need. We toured the orphanage seeing the bakery, wood working shop, sewing room, kitchen, music room, and their homes or casas. I was just speechless. These children are learning a trade and family values in order to help them become responsible and prepared adults. During lunch I sat on a bench and sat at the feet of God in prayer. I was reminded of a verse: Proverbs 18:10 “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

The kids who are in the orphanage are there for many different reasons, some have escaped abusive situations, some were abandoned by their families yet, some were sent just to get an education. No matter what the reason, they are in a safe and secure environment where they are free to be happy and are cared for, and are loved. The doors are open to all children who need a place to stay. They are not turned away.

God is our strong tower and our refuge. The orphanage painted a beautiful picture of God wrapping His arms around us, protecting us from the enemy and the troubles that we may face in our lives. This past week, I felt God’s love, protection, peace, and comfort, and I wanted to just soak it all up.

I was asked to share the legend of the candy cane to the children. It was suppose to have happened on Friday. I was going to quickly tell the story and then give them all a candy cane of their own. However, on Tuesday, I was asked if I would tell the story starting on Wednesday and then again on Thursday. Sure, I said, no problem. I, one other person, and a translator went to the different casas on those two days telling of the legend of the candy cane. It was not a rushed time like it would have been on Friday, but rather a relaxed time. We even had time for questions. Now, I was prepared to answer questions about salvation, but I never imagined that I would be asked the questions that were asked during those two days. It seemed that each group of children had very similar questions. Here are some of the questions they asked:

What will happen at the end of time?
Who is the anti-Christ?
Where did the devil come from? Why did God not kill him?
Why, when God promised not to flood the earth, we still have floods?
How do we know if evolution or creation is true?
What is faith?
Who are God’s parents? Where did he come from?
Does God punish us or test us?

Now, in my studies over the years, I have gained knowledge on many of these subjects (glad I was paying attention). On any other day, I may have bulked at the questions, and said something like, “I will get back with you on that”, then go and read up on what I thought I knew. That did not happen this time. Everything that I have studied and learned came flooding back to me, and the Holy Spirit empowered me to answer the questions without hesitation. He also made sure that He had the right person with me at the right casa to help provide additional information for the questions asked. It was truly amazing. The children are searching for the truth. They are eager to know what the truth about God is.

As I sat on the bus going to and from the orphanage during the week, I noticed many people standing along side the road waiting. As I wondered what they were waiting for, I began to peer into their faces and into their eyes. What I saw saddened me deeply because a saw emptiness and hopelessness. I wondered if they were looking for the truth just as the children in the orphanage were; waiting for someone to tell them that God loves them and that He will provide them the hope that they are looking for. Suddenly, the faces of those waiting turned into very familiar faces. I saw this same look in the faces of people who I serve lunch to at the soup kitchen every Wednesday. The same look on the faces of some of the students that I worked with at school; and the same look on the faces of some of the people that I have passed by at a store or walking down a street. Those are the people that need to be shown the truth, to show them where they can find their hope. To tell them that God loves them and accepts them right where they are in life no matter what their circumstances are.

God tells us to “go” into all the earth and share the Gospel, the truth about Jesus. God has shown me that I do not have to go to Peru or other far away places to find people looking for hope that only God can give. When I step outside my front door, I step into “all the earth.” I have been reminded that the Spirit of God will empower me just as He did that week at the orphanage and that I must “follow Jesus” wherever he leads me.

Amy's Story

Peru was an amazing experience. There is no way that words can convey what happened on that trip or the impact it will have on my life. That week in Peru was amazing, humbling, inspiring, sad and joyful all at the same time. My heart was broken and then filled again; broken for the children and their hunger - physical, emotional, and spiritual; filled by the smiles, kisses and hugs from the children, by witnessing the hand of God at work, and by experiencing God's provision in all things.

I learned so much about life and what's really important. We focus so much on things and waste so much! These children have so little and let nothing go to waste, yet all they really want is someone to love and pay attention to them, and to have hope for their future. I also learned more about God. We went in with a plan and that plan was soon turned upside down! Every time something went "wrong", we made adjustments and found that indeed, God had a greater plan. God's provision and direction were so evident. So, does that mean I'll no longer plan things? Of course not! I love to plan and I believe God has given me the gift of organization. What will be different for me is that I'm going to try to be more flexible and aware that when things don't go according to my plan, God may be at work, and be open to whatever He may be doing.

When I've been on mission trips in the past, I've tended to focus on details and logistics. My thinking is always to take care of as much of the organizational work as I can, so that others are free to build relationships. I just don't see building relationships as my strength. I approached this trip the same way, focusing on details. By the end of the week, I was building some relationships in spite of myself and one little girl in particular really captured my heart. Her name is Yessenia and she is 11 years old, the same age as my daughter. She was very bold and obviously a leader among her friends, perhaps being a little bossy with them at times. I usually would not be drawn to such a child; but rather to a shy child, like I was when I was young. But this girl was different, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about her and praying for her. I believe God has special plans for her (actually I know this, because He has special plans for all of us!).

I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to take this trip and am already making plans to go back. I have fallen in love with the country of Peru and its people - especially the little ones!

Nancy's Story

My first time to see "la comunidad" or the orphanage was wonderful. I really had no expectations about it, so it was really neat just to see it for what it was. Miguel, founder of the orphanage, shared his story with us and showed us around the community.


We also went to visit with the little boys, and that moment changed my life. This was one of the few times that I have seen unconditional love coming from a human standpoint. These boys were absolutely precious, and all they wanted was for you to love them. They already loved you.











I was so glad that the others on this trip were spiritually strong. There were questions that I was asked and did not know the answer to. The people here are so very hungry to hear about Jesus coming to save them, but it's something many of them have thought hard about. Having a relationship with Christ means a life-long commitment, and they do not take this lightly.

There were so many ways that God moved during the week, and just a few moments that I never want to forget are the impromptu worship service, talking with Wilbur, listening to Lauren share the gospel COUNTLESS times, the smiles of the children, sharing the gospel, sitting on the roof top reading the Bible with Jon, salsa dancing lessons with the girls, beading, and then some funny ones like accidentally telling the french man I love him, hearing Lauren say "mi nombre" and our waiter thinking she said "mi hombre!", sicknasty bathroom that Michael cleaned, kick-a herbal serum, miranda's blister (poor thing!), sun burns, lack of showers/hot water, Stephen's dance, and so very many more. Feel free to ask about any of these, and I will tell you. There is just too much to write for me to record more about each event individually.

In addition to getting to know these awesome kids, I now have 30 new friends who accepted me into their family even though I had never met some of them. The members of Southmont are absolutely amazing and I consider myself so very blessed to have been able to go on a trip with them. They were my family during this week, and I still consider them family.

Wendy's Story

The following was written by Wendy while we were still in Peru:

The appointment I came for!

When I was moved to come on this trip I had no specific desire or calling in mind I just knew that God spoke to my heart and I had to get up and move in a big way. Having never been on any mission trip at all I think that leaping out on that limb and going to a rural orphanage an hour outside Lima, Peru is a stretch. Even as we signed up for assignments on this trip I still had no idea where my piece of the puzzle fit in. About three weeks before we came I was having doubts creep in about where I fit in the grand scheme. I tossed most of the night and prayed the other half. By morning God had given me the answer I had been looking for... I wanted to float to each area and make sure I could learn from them all. I thought it was because I was uncomfortable with leading some of the activities. That was the reason before the trip.

Now that we are into the homestretch of our visit I can see that God had a much bigger vision than the small piece he gave me before the trip. I am so grateful that He is in control and has the map. This day I would consider to be a pearl on my necklace of miracles.

I visited a casa with Kathy while she told the legend of the candy cane. The pre teen girls slowly began to ask questions after the story. Kathy answered them and as they began to ask more about sin and forgiveness I began to answer them also. I asked how many of them ever prayed to Jesus? Many said they do when they are in trouble. I went on to explain that God is with you in good times and bad. We shared that God meets you where you are and is Jesus is the ONE who will always see you as perfect! I shared with them that God had helped me because I had prayed for weeks about coming to Peru. One girl then started speaking rapidly telling us many things and began to cry as she spoke. In short she was embarrassed that we came all the way to see her in such a low place and that she is not a Christian. She thanked us very much but she was not worthy. She would like to know more about Jesus but she had done bad things And did not know if He could forgive her. By the end of her talking and our response she was sobbing. It tore my heart into pieces to see her struggle with this because it is so familiar. I had the same questions and it took a long time to understand that once you take the step to ask Jesus into your heart He will never leave you and you are a forgiven and new person. Once we answered her questions I went over and hugged her, she simply broke down in tears and she just shook. I held her in a huge hug until she stopped crying and when she finished she had a look of release and calm on her face.

Kathy & I finished up in their casa with candy canes and pictures. It was very hard to move on to the next casa! This struggling young girl might not have accepted Christ today but she heard how to get the unconditional love and acceptance that we all crave and deserve. She felt comfortable enough to open up and share with me very raw and intense feelings and then felt the Holy Spirit as I held her and she let go of maybe just a tiny piece of that doubt, unworthiness and shame. I hope to see her again tomorrow before we leave the orphanage. I will pray for her and so many more that they will come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Susan's Story

There are so many special times we all shared while at Hogar Sagrada Familia Orphanage. It’s hard to choose just one. So I’m choosing two…

At one of our Peru planning meetings, Lisa asked for ideas for activities for Friday. She mentioned that the kids loved temporary tattoos. I told the group that since I had quite a lot of temporary tattoos at home for my grandson, I would be happy to do that activity. So I purchased some additional tattoos and spent several hours cutting apart and sorting them to make things easier when we arrived. To say that our plans were “liquid” while at the orphanage would be a major understatement. They changed, daily, hourly, sometimes minute by minute. But always the change was good and was a far better plan than we could ever have hoped to conceive. Talk about God being in the details! Not long after we arrived we realized that our Friday “plan” was not going to happen. So I just assumed I would not be using the tattoos and would leave them there for the teachers. Then one evening at the hotel as we were working on one of the craft projects for the next day, Amy and I were talking about the tattoos and not being able to use them. After a brief discussion she decided to modify the craft project and incorporate the tattoos in the activity for the day. It turned out to be a terrific decision.


The next day it was all available hands on deck to apply the tattoos. What a blessing that was! Quite a few in our group were able to hold the hands and touch the faces of those precious children as we applied the temporary tattoos. I was lucky enough to be able to participate in that activity. As we applied the tattoos some of the children who spoke English enjoyed practicing their skills by having a conversation with you. And then others just enjoyed the attention - their smiles were incredible! That is something none of us will ever forget!


But my favorite moment of the trip was our last day in the Baby House. On Monday, Lyn and I, along with our interpreter for the day, Hiroshi, went to the Baby House, our “planned” primary assignment for the week. I don’t think the house parent, Olinda, was expecting us. She seemed a little confused and definitely cautious as she agreed to let us work there. During the rest of that day and the first part of the next day, she continued to be very gracious but guarded towards us. By the end of the second day, she was smiling more and seemed to accept our being there. On Wednesday she was completely at ease, laughing with us, and was able to be her adorable self around the children again. There are typically 30-35 children living in the baby house. She had several of the older girls to help her every day, but Olinda was incredible. She played chase with them, stood on her head to entertain them, sang songs, and was completely loving and joyous. I was humbled and privileged to be part of their world for those few days.




On Friday morning, Lyn had gone to one of the casas to share with some of the girls and I stayed at the Baby House with Olinda, the children and our adorable interpreter Roxana. As I was preparing to leave I asked Roxana to translate something to Olinda. I expressed to Olinda how much I admired her and what she did every day, and how honored I was to have been able to work with her. She told me thank you for coming to work in the Baby House and for loving the children. Both of us had tears in our eyes. Then she took my hands in hers and said “You will be back…” She was right…

Joni's Story

My story is about the young man named Alfonzo that heard about my class from Jeff Cole and came the last two days. He is interested in becoming an ESL teacher. So all I can think about is how can this be arranged. I gave him information in our talk about getting on the internet and finding out about scholarships and ESL programs in border states that teach ESL but I think that there is more that can be done. I want to contact North Texas and TWU, where I got my credentials, and see if they have any possibilities. Lauren is hopefully going to find out his last name. I gave him some materials from the things that I had brought to teach with like books and a dictionary. His English is really good already! I think that one of the team members mentioned that she has space for someone to live in her home. I left my email address with Mario for him to give to Alfonzo. Also, the students knew so much English in the beginning that I had to change to harder material, which I had prepared. And my partner teacher, Ada, was a great help with her interpreting and teaching.

Joni and Alfonzo:

Lyn's Story

When I went to Peru, I thought it was to just rock babies; however after arriving, I soon learned God had a greater purpose in mind.

One of my special God moments was with one of our translators as God gave me a special relationship with Roxana, a young mother, during our week in Peru. This is a picture of a very special moment I had with Roxana one day after she had shared her personal story of how her husband had left her when she became pregnant with her two year twin daughters, leaving her to raise her girls without a father or financial support. God brought to my mind the verse, Jeremiah 29:11, as I told her this verse was special to me when I had been going through a difficult time in my life. I quoted the verse to her since I did not have my bible with me that day to show her where the verse is located, but she told me she had her Spanish bible and when she opened it, her bible fell open to Jeremiah 29. Only God could provide moments like these to encourage others and provide His hope to them. Roxana is a Christian; however, I believe God wanted her to be reassured how He is leading her in her journey to trust Him each day and to strengthen her faith. Also, God reminded me how important it is to hide His word in our hearts for us to be able to share scripture at those unexpected moments when we may not have a bible handy.

Susan happened to be walking behind us and caught the moment on camera. Susan posted the picture on Roxana’s Face Book and below is Roxana’s response:

That was really great! Lyn was telling me about a passage in Jeremiah that she likes a lot and I told her that I had my bible with me but in Spanish, then I just opened my Bible and I opened the book of Jeremiah, chapter and verse that she was talking about!!! I almost cried.

Teacher Training Report

This report is from Lori:

What a wonderful privilege it was to spend time with the teachers this past week!!! It was a tremendous blessing. Here is a list of the items we gave them and a brief run down on our discussions.


Items:
10 sets of Addition/Subtraction Quizmo (40 cards per set)
5 sets of Multiplication/Division Quizmo (40 cards per set)
5 sets of Fraction/Decimal Quizmo (34 cards per set)
10 sets of colored translucent chips (1000 chips per set)
1000 bathroom sized cups
5 sets of Pictures – Changes in Matter
5 sets of Pictures – Animals
6 sets of Pictures – Solar System
6 sets of Pictures – Ocean Life
6 sets of Pictures – Insects
6 sets of Pictures – Rocks and Minerals
6 sets of Pictures – Jungle Animals
Balance
Weighted Numbers to be used with the balance (2 and 3 weigh the same as 5)
Flashcards – color & shapes, counting 0-25, Go Fish – in English and Spanish
4 packages Vis a Vis markers (8 colors per set)
2 overhead projector caddies
2 overhead projectors
Transparencies
Overhead angle viewer
Overhead 100 chart and tiles
Overhead spinners and templates
2 sets Overhead dot dice
Overhead decimal tiles
2 sets Overhead fraction tiles
Overhead place value tiles
15 Pocket Charts (34” x 43”)
30 packages of Sentence Strips (100 per package)
2 sets of Unifix cubes (1000 cubes per set)
4 extra large stamp pads
Rubber stamp set of 3 clocks
2 rubber stamp sets of fractions
Rubber stamp of grid
6 rolls of cash register tape (to be used with the rubber stamps)
Picture set with 62 cards showing people in a variety of settings (for language development, discussion of feelings, etc)
4 hand pointers
4 2” foam cubes (numerals and operations)
Human heart model
Human body model
Metamorphic rock set
4 magnifying bug viewers
2 27” inflatable write-on Globes
1 2’ x 3’ floor puzzle of the Solar System
3 large boxes of geometric foam shapes
3 plastic placemats with Animals – English
3 plastic placemats with Colors – English
3 plastic placemats with Solar System – English
150 9” x 12” dual sided marker boards with markers
150 packs of Kleenex
2 sets of glow-in-the-dark solar system models

Carol talked to the teachers about Resiliency of the children and Learning Styles. This was similar to the FODA program that Peruvian teachers use with their students. The teachers were very open to this, felt encouraged by it and had great conversations between primary and secondary teachers.

I talked to them about:
Barna’s research on children
“Did They Get It?” – a variety of ways to test for comprehension
“Will They Remember It?” – a variety of ways to make learning fun and memorable
“Top 10 Things I Learned From My Students” – classroom management, discipline, rule setting, organization, etc.

On Monday, I asked for ideas on what they wanted to know more about, and that prompted a wonderful discussion!!!! I wrote down their questions and I used them to steer our time for the rest of the week.

I was impressed with their obvious love for each other and for the children. They are a friendly and optimistic group. They choose to be grateful for what they have rather than focus on what they don’t.

It would be a toss-up as to whether or not I taught them as much as they taught me!

Construction Update - Brian's Story

The following was written by Brian, after our return from the trip:

When the opportunity arose for a potential trip to Peru I told Lisa two things:

1. I will not be going.

2. Do not bring back an orphan.

When she wrote back about the need to complete the school, I was hooked. I immediately wrote back inquiring as to the type of construction, tools needed, etc. As I began to understand and see the big picture, I soon realized that a few men working 7-8 hours per day, on a "foreign" type of construction, would not go very far in completing the school by the deadline required for government funding. As the story continued to unfold we found out that tools would probably not make it through customs if they thought "non-Peruvians" planned on using them. We also found out that the government did not look favorably on outsiders doing work that could be completed by their own people. (foreign prisons have never appealed to me). It also made sense that in a country where a doctor earns $600 per month, that an army of construction workers could be purchased cheaply and they indeed could finish the work on time.

After the story was shared and the money began to be given towards the school, Lisa exchanged many e-mails with Miguel through an intermediary regarding how much money he needed, when he needed it, and exactly what it would be used for. I'm sure that many in the church and in your Bible Study classes will be asking about the school and if Miguel has been a good steward with the money that we sent him. I know this was important to me. Based on the following facts, I believe with full confidence and knowledge that Miguel is a man of integrity, and has indeed used every penny as he promised and is exactly on schedule as per the communications back and forth between he and Lisa. I will try to briefly summarize the communications below.

When Lisa was in Peru in October she asked Miguel how much money was needed to complete the school. He said $35k. In her pictures that she took on that trip the school minus the second floor can be seen. She spoke to the church on the morning of November 8th. 15K came in that day. It was wired and in Miguels possession on November 16th. One of Lisa's clients also sent 5k in this time frame. Southmont sent another $3650 in the first week of December. After the benefit concert, another $10,750 was sent on December 22nd. Another source sent $2600. This totals (if you are not adding) 37k. That is 2k more that he originally asked for. When we had figured out how foolish it would be for Miguel to wait on our men to work on the school in any major way Lisa had asked Miguel what it would cost to get laborors to accomplish the tasks that we would be unable to complete. He said 2k. ( I would charge more that 2k to move the sand moved by tres amigos gringos). They needed 37k and God led people to give 37k. Wow!

Was the money used wisely? In an e-mail from November 16th the following info is shared. "Preparation work is beginning today for installing columns and beams. He expects to complete the main construction work by late December." This was accomplished. Another e-mail on December 9th states the following: "Construcion progress. Miguel advised that all the framework is done, he will pour the roof this week and expects to be retrieving the forms by the time you arrive. Then he will work with the covering of walls and finish work." This also was accurate. The day we arrived they began removing forms from approximately 1/3 of the structure. They then used the sand we hauled and mixed it with concrete and finished the ceilings and finshed out the columns. We removed the forms from another 1/3 of the structure. I was concerned when the supervisor brought hard hats to us while we were removing the forms. I stood by the doorway so I could get help in the event the roof collapsed on Tony and Dick. (just kidding, but I did tell Dick that he had lived a long and good life) As I tried to determine why I travelled 3500 miles, paid for the trip, paid for additional help to cover my hours at work (yes, I actually do a little around there) and found myself moving 5 gallon buckets of sand (2.5 gallons by the end of the day) I realized several things. I was privileged to work beside two of the finest men I have ever known (fellowship).
I also realized that our willingness to do such a laborious, yet simple task would indeed earn the respect of the locals working on the job. They were not too excited to see us when we arrived and I think suggested that we move sand as a vehicle to run us off. (Tony and Dick would not allow me to leave). We also removed their subfloor used in concreting the ceilings and cleaned the forms for them. By this time they had warmed to us and we were able to share with them that our church had collected the money for the completion of the school. A young boy that we befriended on the site was actually the son of the owner of the construction company. He does not live at the orphanage, but does attend the school. This owner has a vested interest in completing the school. We asked them if they thought is was possible to complete the school by the end of January. They shared that this week and next will complete the concrete work. They will have 8 days to hang the lights (easy), install the doors (easy) lay ceramic tile and install handrails (not easy, but doable). Chino (supervisor) assured us that he will complete this job on time. Interesting note: Chino was at the fiesta celebration Friday afternoon and was all smiles towards us.

I am certain that the school will be finished on time and will pass inspection.


While my role in the school was ridiculously simple, I am so glad that God allowed me to go. We serve an awesome God! I will forever cherish the memories and the miracles of this trip.

New Friends

One of the unexpected blessings of this trip was the friendships we formed with our translators. Those of us on Facebook have become Facebook Friends with them; it has been so much fun to continue our communication with them, and to see the pictures that they took during the week and posted to Facebook. Here are a few pictures that Karina, one of the translators, posted:

Our translators with Lisa:

Shawn, Karina, Wendy, Heather, and Kathy:

Carol and Dutch blowing up balloons during one of our lunch breaks, to be used in the outdoor activities with the kids:

Chris with one of the "chicos":

(Chris joined our team sort of at the last minute. He is a good friend of Bruce and Donna - they've known him since he was five. He used to live in Lima, speaks fluent Spanish, and has a passion for sharing the gospel. He fit right in with our group and was an invaluable part of the team.)


Jeff with one of the "chicas":

Amy with some of the girls:

Lyn saying goodbye to one of the babies:

Michael saying goodbye:

Pray for Lauren

Lauren is staying in Peru for five more weeks. She leaves today for a two week backpacking trip with Miguel and the graduating seniors from the orphanage. At the end of the two weeks, she will stay at the orphanage three more weeks. Please pray for Lauren:

Pray for her physical stamina, as she will be hiking many miles with a very heavy backpack.

Pray for her physical health, that she will not be affected by altitude sickness, or suffer any intestinal problems from anything she eats or drinks.

Pray for her physical safety.

Pray for her spiritual and emotional stamina, that as she gives of herself to the kids, God will fill her back up as only He can.

Pray for the students on the trip, for relationship building and opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pray for Brian and Lisa; they are sure that Lauren is exactly where God wants her to be, but it is still difficult sending your child off into such an unknown situation. They will likely not hear from her for the two weeks she is on the backpacking trip. Pray for God's peace to overwhelm them.

We're Home!

As this is being written, we are on our final leg of this trip – flying from Houston to DFW. By the time this is posted, we will be safely home, carried every step of the way by God’s grace and favor. He has blessed so many, in so many ways this past week. We experienced an abundance of miracles.

On our last day in Peru, Saturday, we took a bus tour of Lima, stopping to see some of the sites and to do a little shopping for souvenirs. It was great to have the entire team together and have a chance to share stories from the week with each other. (Please continue to check the blog; we plan to share more stories as we have time to process our experience.)

Before leaving the hotel, we took time to sign a section of the wall. The walls in the hotel courtyard are full of signatures from previous guests. Shawn did a great job drawing the Southmont logo, and we all added our names.

We left our mark on Peru, and the people of Peru have left their mark on our hearts. This trip may be over, but the journey is just beginning!

Fiesta Friday!

We started our day today with Bible school activities for the children. Since they had a fiesta planned for us in the afternoon, we worked with all the children in the morning, instead of dividing them up as we did on other days. It was a little crazy, but in a wonderful way.

Crafts:

Volleyball:



Outdoor activities:

When we went to the bus for lunch, Mario (the religion teacher at the school) came on the bus to give us some parting words. He told of a man who heard from God and followed His directions, which led him to a house with some milk. The couple there gratefully took the milk and fed it to their crying infant. They had prayed for God to send them an angel. Mario told us that God had sent us as angels to the children. He said that when we did things for and with the children, we were doing them to Jesus. This week Jesus played with us and hugged us and learned from us. What a priviledge and blessing it has been to be a part of this week with these precious children!

Mario, with Rafael translating for him:

While the children were still at lunch, we filled cups with candy, pretzels, goldfish, and animal crackers:

What a joy it was to hand the kids their cups as they entered the chapel for the fiesta:

The children came into the chapel and sat down along the walls, boys on one side and girls on the other:

Some of the older children have a band and they played for us:

While the band played, others danced, and before long the children had us all on our feet and dancing with them:

When it was time for us to leave, the children lined up along the pathway to our bus. It was an emotionally overwhelming experience to walk along the line, saying goodbye to them.

Once we were all through the line and at the bus, the children came down the hill to wave goodbye:

Lisa said her goodbye to Miguel:

We drove away, all changed by the experience, filled with love for these children, and with a desire to come back to see them again.

p.s. Please say a prayer for Jeff. He has been ill with a fever and intestinal issues since yesterday evening.