We're on our way!

We left the church about 8:30 this morning and made it to DFW and through security with no problems. We're now in Houston waiting to board our flight to Lima!

Expectations

The Peru team had our last pre-trip meeting on Monday evening. We were given a lot of information and details about what to expect during the trip and you could feel the excitement in the room as we are in the final days of preparation.

Near the end of the meeting, Joni shared this scripture:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

Bruce shared these things that we can expect:

Expect it not to be perfect.

Expect to need to be flexible.

Expect to see God work.

Expect it not to be about you, but about what God wants to do.

Expect to have fun.

Expect to be changed.

While we all have many hopes and expectations for this trip, we know God has so much more planned than we could ever imagine.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Crafts!

Preparing five crafts, plus name tags and bracelets, all times 800 in such a short time frame seemed like an impossible task. But God specializes in doing the impossible! With many hands working together, we're happy to report that the craft supplies are ready to go!

Thank you to everyone who helped with this huge task!

Crafts may not seem that important to some, but these children have very little opportunity to make crafts. Like most kids, they love the chance to work with beads, glue, stickers, and paper. Our prayer is that as we work on crafts with them, we will build relationships and show them God's love.

Peru Benefit Christmas Concert

On Sunday evening we enjoyed a wonderful time of worship at the Peru Benefit Christmas Concert. The concert featured Kevin Eubanks. God has blessed Kevin with amazing musical ability, and he uses that talent to bring glory to God.


Several others added their musical talents to the evening through singing and playing. Thank you to everyone who had a part in this wonderful evening!

One of the Peru team members, Tracy, wrote a song based on Psalm 91. The Peru team joined her on stage to sing this song, proclaiming our trust in God for all things.

The Peru team (minus a few who slipped out before the picture,

and a few who couldn't be there Sunday evening.)

Again, we say thank you to all who contributed their talents to the program and also to everyone who contributed financially - over $11,000 was given on Sunday evening! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Blessings from God

As we continue preparing for this mission trip, it is apparent that God has us in His hands and that He continues to bless both the preparations and those going on the trip.

At our meeting a week ago, team members again shared how they see God working:

Donna and Bruce were at Southmont's Christmas Pageant and ended up sitting next to a couple who had been translators for Wycliffe for several years - in Peru. It was another confirmation of God's work in Peru - through this trip and through the lives of many others.

Bruce also shared that he had recently been contacted by someone raising funds for mission work in Peru. With current resources going to our trip, now doesn't seem to be the right time to support this individual, but only God knows what He has planned for this connection with yet another believer focused on Peru.

Nancy was commited to going on this trip, but didn't know where the money would come from. At a college Bible study that she attended the day before the money was due, someone casually asked her about her plans to go to Peru. By the end of the evening, two college students had written her checks - just enough to cover her payment!

Stephen went to Thailand during the summer of 2008 with the college group from Southmont. He has continued to correspond with a student he met there, and had the chance to share with him about our trip to Peru. His friend commited to pray for our trip and get his friends to pray with him. Students in Thailand are praying for Texans who will be traveling to Peru!

Lane had called the church financial administrator to find out how much of his trip still needed to be paid for. He was informed that it was all covered!

Gayla is a Spanish professor at UNT and had the opportunity to share with some of her co-workers about her trip to Peru and why we are going.

As we see the ways God is working and blessing us in this time of preparation, we look forward with great anticipation to what He has planned to do in and through us on the trip!

The School at Sacred Family

The children attend school in the first floor of a partially completed building on the orphanage property. Attending school at the orphanage is safer for the children than travelling to the public schools in the nearby area, saves money on uniforms that would be required at public school, and provides the children with a better education than they would receive at public school.



The children are taught by 30 teachers whose salary is paid by the orphanage with no goverment assistance. Once the school is completed and passes inspection, the government will supply 50% of the teachers' salaries. The teachers' total salaries currently equal $60,000 annually. The approximate cost to complete the school including labor and materials is $35,000. Thirty thousand dollars from the government each year would mean the savings to the orphanage would cover the cost of construction in just over a year!



The school year in Peru runs from March to December. If the school is completed by January 31 of 2010, Miguel can apply for government assistance for the 2010 school year. If construction is not completed by January 31, it will be another year before he is able to apply again.



Over $20,000 has already been given for the school, and construction on the second floor has begun, but additional funds are needed to complete the school by the January 31 deadline. Please pray that God will provide the resources, and consider if He may want to use you to help with that provision!

Feeding the Children

Can you imagine preparing a meal for nearly 800 hungry children? That's what happens three times a day, seven days a week at the Sacred Family orphanage. The older children (with adult supervision), do all the meal preparation.

The food is cooked in large pots over an open fire:

Here is the menu for most days:

Breakfast: a type of cereal mush and a glass of milk

Lunch: a piece of fruit and a watery dish with pasta and vegetables (a sort of pasta stew); occasionally this contains meat if it is available

Supper: a piece or two of bread

The children go to bed hungry, as there is not enough money to buy sufficient quantities of food and fuel for cooking. The one piece of fruit a day is a recent addition to the menu; this addition has significantly reduced the amount of money spent on antibiotics, as fewer children are getting sick.