Friday, November 13, 2009
In Lima...
We all made it! Getting on a Combi at 2 in the morning affords a team many opportunities for excitement. We are very tired but very thankful that God has brought us safely back to Lima.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
One more request...
We will leave Cabana at 2 in the morning. We will take a combi to Puquio (3 1/2 hours) and then ride on three different buses in order to arrive in Lima tomorrow night. Please, please pray that our team members do not get sick and that we are able to rest through the night. We are grateful for all that God has done on this trip and for your partnership in this journey.
Our last night in Cabana
We had a great day today continuing to build relationships here in Cabana. As we began the day with our group devotion we were greeted by our friend Manuel. On our previous trip we had shared the Gospel with him and left him with a Bible. We invited him this morning to study with us and we then spent about 45 minutes talking through The Scriptures and attempting to answer any questions. Manuel has been reading his Bible so we were very encouraged to see God working in his life.
Some of the ladies in our group spent most of the morning with a lady named Nancy. She continues to show interest in the Bible. Please pray for her.
Another part of our group took a quick trip to Sondondo to check on our friend Zocima. We found out that she is still in Lima so we got her contact information and will attempt to talk with her this weekend. She accepted Christ as her savior over the summer.
Tonight we will meet with Wilder. We are all hopeful that God has continued to work in his life.
Our last meal here in Cabana will be at the expense of some guinea pigs. We appreciate their sacrifice. You would be surprised that some of our team members actually helped the guinea pigs take the first step towards our dinner plates. J
Some of the ladies in our group spent most of the morning with a lady named Nancy. She continues to show interest in the Bible. Please pray for her.
Another part of our group took a quick trip to Sondondo to check on our friend Zocima. We found out that she is still in Lima so we got her contact information and will attempt to talk with her this weekend. She accepted Christ as her savior over the summer.
Tonight we will meet with Wilder. We are all hopeful that God has continued to work in his life.
Our last meal here in Cabana will be at the expense of some guinea pigs. We appreciate their sacrifice. You would be surprised that some of our team members actually helped the guinea pigs take the first step towards our dinner plates. J
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Rainy afternoon
It is raining now in Cabana - which really makes it difficult to interact with the people since they are all bundled up in their homes. When it rains... it gets colder, too.
We have had a good day and will finish up in Cabana tomorrow by meeting with Wilder the banker. Please pray for us during this time - he has been reading the Bible that we left with him on the previous trip.
We have had a good day and will finish up in Cabana tomorrow by meeting with Wilder the banker. Please pray for us during this time - he has been reading the Bible that we left with him on the previous trip.
What a work day...
Just in case you are wondering… the Peruvians are very hard workers - Attempting to work alongside them while still adjusting to this high elevation proved to be a great challenge for our team. One of the great compliments of the day came when a Peruvian lady said that we work like Peruvians. Well, only for one day! David Ripple said that if he had to wake up every morning know that was what he had to do every day – he would just cry. When I moved to get out of bed this morning I almost cried, too.
We really were not sure if we would be able to complete the entire work day. The Peruvians were wondering, too. They did not know that people from the United States did any physical labor but instead believed we only sat behind desks and worked with our heads. Movies that they watch don’t always help our cause here.
We were able to share with the work group why we were volunteering to help. It was a privilege to share with them again our purpose for being in Cabana. One lady named Gladys was very curious about why we were working with them. After Mandy (one of the IMB missionaries with the Journeyman program) told her why we were helping, Gladys asked if we had Bibles (which we do) and if she could come by to talk about the Bible.
Part of our team also had a great day sharing with some of the ladies in the village. Please pray for a young, single mom named Jackie. Please pray that God softens her heart towards the Gospel. Please also pray for Irene and her family. All of our teams have had great interaction with this family and over time we have built a strong relationship with them. However, we have not had a good opportunity to share the Gospel clearly. Please pray that God gives us that opportunity.
Continue to pray for the mayor, Octavio. We have met with him once and will be meeting with him again soon. Please pray that God gives us wisdom as we interact with him.
Everyone on the team is doing great. We thank you for your prayers and for the great comments that you are leaving. We are sharing those with everyone during our time in the morning.
We really were not sure if we would be able to complete the entire work day. The Peruvians were wondering, too. They did not know that people from the United States did any physical labor but instead believed we only sat behind desks and worked with our heads. Movies that they watch don’t always help our cause here.
We were able to share with the work group why we were volunteering to help. It was a privilege to share with them again our purpose for being in Cabana. One lady named Gladys was very curious about why we were working with them. After Mandy (one of the IMB missionaries with the Journeyman program) told her why we were helping, Gladys asked if we had Bibles (which we do) and if she could come by to talk about the Bible.
Part of our team also had a great day sharing with some of the ladies in the village. Please pray for a young, single mom named Jackie. Please pray that God softens her heart towards the Gospel. Please also pray for Irene and her family. All of our teams have had great interaction with this family and over time we have built a strong relationship with them. However, we have not had a good opportunity to share the Gospel clearly. Please pray that God gives us that opportunity.
Continue to pray for the mayor, Octavio. We have met with him once and will be meeting with him again soon. Please pray that God gives us wisdom as we interact with him.
Everyone on the team is doing great. We thank you for your prayers and for the great comments that you are leaving. We are sharing those with everyone during our time in the morning.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Oops! Accidentally rejected some comments
Two comments were rejected in error this morning. If you don't see your comments, please send them again. I pressed the wrong button!!! So very sorry.
Mucho Monday
Mucho happening on Monday
What a day… We woke up on Monday morning to learn that David Jacola and Je’sus (our translator) went out to find something to eat later on Sunday evening and instead found the mayor in a meeting. They sat in on the remainder of the meeting and then setup a meeting with the mayor for 9AM Monday morning.
One of our goals for this trip was to find a way to serve the community. On our first trips we learned that the mayor did not believe that the existing church did not have any impact on the community. We were going to ask the mayor to help us identify someone or some way that we could help in the community.
When we met with the mayor yesterday we shared that desire and he immediately got excited and told us about a group working up on the mountain. We walked up the trail to the job site and realized that we were not going to be helping farmers but rather helping a group that is building a new water treatment plant for the community. Several of us will spend all day today working with cement, rocks and dirt. Please pray for us to have lots of energy. We feel a little pressure since the mayor introduced us all to the group last night and told them that they needed to come observe us working. J It will really be a tough day since we are not yet fully acclimated to this altitude.
We also met with some of the people from previous trips and have set up meeting times to continue sharing God’s Word with them. Even as we had our devotional time in the city plaza a lady came up and asked us what we were doing. She then joined in our Bible study and then we shared a Bible story with her. It was awesome.
Please pray for us today – that we are “on task” and that we do not experience the distractions that are so common here. It is difficult at times to know which people are really interested and which ones are just taking our time. We only have a short amount of time here so we are asking God to order our steps throughout each day.
Our team members are doing wonderful. Last night we had some great worship time as David used a Peruvian’s antique guitar to lead.
Your prayers are critical – they are making a huge difference. To experience so much on our first full day in the village is not normal. Thanks again for your comments – they help us to keep moving, too.
What a day… We woke up on Monday morning to learn that David Jacola and Je’sus (our translator) went out to find something to eat later on Sunday evening and instead found the mayor in a meeting. They sat in on the remainder of the meeting and then setup a meeting with the mayor for 9AM Monday morning.
One of our goals for this trip was to find a way to serve the community. On our first trips we learned that the mayor did not believe that the existing church did not have any impact on the community. We were going to ask the mayor to help us identify someone or some way that we could help in the community.
When we met with the mayor yesterday we shared that desire and he immediately got excited and told us about a group working up on the mountain. We walked up the trail to the job site and realized that we were not going to be helping farmers but rather helping a group that is building a new water treatment plant for the community. Several of us will spend all day today working with cement, rocks and dirt. Please pray for us to have lots of energy. We feel a little pressure since the mayor introduced us all to the group last night and told them that they needed to come observe us working. J It will really be a tough day since we are not yet fully acclimated to this altitude.
We also met with some of the people from previous trips and have set up meeting times to continue sharing God’s Word with them. Even as we had our devotional time in the city plaza a lady came up and asked us what we were doing. She then joined in our Bible study and then we shared a Bible story with her. It was awesome.
Please pray for us today – that we are “on task” and that we do not experience the distractions that are so common here. It is difficult at times to know which people are really interested and which ones are just taking our time. We only have a short amount of time here so we are asking God to order our steps throughout each day.
Our team members are doing wonderful. Last night we had some great worship time as David used a Peruvian’s antique guitar to lead.
Your prayers are critical – they are making a huge difference. To experience so much on our first full day in the village is not normal. Thanks again for your comments – they help us to keep moving, too.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Here in Cabana it is cold...
We are here. We are tired. We are ready!
We made it to Cabana early this afternoon. Wow – what a trip. Our entire team did great on the trip. We had one team member struggle a little with motion sickness but everyone is doing great tonight.
We will begin reconnecting with our friends in the morning. Please pray for us to be bold and for them to be open to talking with us about spiritual things. These conversations will then lead us into God’s Word and His plan to redeem their lives through the sacrifice of Jesus.
I am sure we will all rest well tonight… Thanks for joining us this week in Cabana.
We made it to Cabana early this afternoon. Wow – what a trip. Our entire team did great on the trip. We had one team member struggle a little with motion sickness but everyone is doing great tonight.
We will begin reconnecting with our friends in the morning. Please pray for us to be bold and for them to be open to talking with us about spiritual things. These conversations will then lead us into God’s Word and His plan to redeem their lives through the sacrifice of Jesus.
I am sure we will all rest well tonight… Thanks for joining us this week in Cabana.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Getting ready for the big yellow bus...
We just got our tickets for the Big Yellow Dog that will leave at 7PM tonight. We are leaving now for lunch and then a meeting with Mike Weaver will take place here at the hotel. We then begin the long bus ride to Cabana. Thanks for praying for our entire team to stay healthy during the trip. We will now be joined by one translator and 3 International Mission Board missionaries who serve through the Journeyman program.
We will post again as soon as we get to Cabana. Much love to all of our friends and families. Thanks for leaving comments, too. These get shared every morning with our team as we begin our days with devotions. Your encouragement means more than you know!!!
We will post again as soon as we get to Cabana. Much love to all of our friends and families. Thanks for leaving comments, too. These get shared every morning with our team as we begin our days with devotions. Your encouragement means more than you know!!!
Made it to Grand Hotel Betsy
We just arrived in Lima and are about to settle down for the night. We had a good travel day which means we did not experience any problems. It has been a long day but our bus will not leave until tomorrow evening so we are hoping to be rested by the time 7PM rolls around! Thanks for your prayers and comments!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Specific Prayers
We do have some specific prayer requests:
Please pray for us as we travel. Tomorrow night we will get on public transportation and go all the way to the village - this is a first for any of our teams. Please pray that God keeps us all from getting sick - motion sickness can make a very long trip seem much, much longer.
Please pray for our families that remain in the states. Pray that God places a hedge of protection around them.
Please pray for the mayor of Cabana - Octavio Alegrio Leon. Here is a picture of him. We are praying for his salvation.
Out-bound from Orlando
Once again a missions team from FBC Ocala has made it through the exciting and sometimes difficult process of checking in and getting through security. We now sit at the gate ready to load a plane that we are hopeful will safely carry us to the Great State of Texas and from there to Lima.We are thankful for the many prayer partners that will join us on this trip. We also thank God for all of the efforts that have been made to help this trip happen.
Please pray for us as we travel - in only 48 hours we should be getting close to our adopted village of Cabana! :)
Here are some photos of the happy travelers in the Orlando airport. I also wanted to show you the tub of supplies that we are taking - we are allowed 50 pounds so please notice the weight on the display.
Away They Go!
The November Peru Mission Team is on their way to our friends in Peru.
Please be praying for them over the next week as they explore public transportation to the villages and follow up with many of the contacts made on previous trips. Please also be praying for God to work in the life and heart of the Mayor of Cabana.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Home Sweet Home
The team made it home safely this afternoon - just slightly behind schedule. Thank you for your prayers!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Leaving Lima for Florida
We will be leaving the hotel in the next hour. Please pray for our team as we go through the regular events of the airport: long lines, luggage inspection, metal detectors and customs. Our flight departs at 11:45PM so we are all praying that we can rest on the plane tonight. We will be in Florida around 11AM tomorrow. We are all excited about what God did here in Peru but we are also ready to get home.
Thanks to each of you who joined us on this journey by praying, leaving comments and reading God´s story of reaching the people of Cabana with the Gospel.
See you soon...
Bobby, Angie, Adam and Kevin
Thanks to each of you who joined us on this journey by praying, leaving comments and reading God´s story of reaching the people of Cabana with the Gospel.
See you soon...
Bobby, Angie, Adam and Kevin
Friday, October 2, 2009
In Lima
Our team arrived in Lima around 730PM after leaving Cabana at 545 this morning. Obviously, we are all very tired. We will leave Lima tomorrow night. We are all ready to see our family and friends.
God has been so faithful throughout this trip. Even today there were several times where we witnessed His hand in protecting us as we drove through the crazy roads and traffic. I think today must have been a Peruvian national holiday focused on road construction. We stopped 11 times (yes I counted) for road crews who were mostly sitting down watching the traffic. We were stopped in Puquio for 30 minutes and then another time for at least 30 minutes. But... at least they have roads. :)
We will try to post some photos tomorrow. We have some great pictures of our friends in Cabana and some other ones of our guinea pig pets that became one terrific dinner. Have a great night knowing that God has used you to impact His kingdom. It has been a real privilege to see folks come to know Christ and to witness someone baptized in Cabana.
God has been so faithful throughout this trip. Even today there were several times where we witnessed His hand in protecting us as we drove through the crazy roads and traffic. I think today must have been a Peruvian national holiday focused on road construction. We stopped 11 times (yes I counted) for road crews who were mostly sitting down watching the traffic. We were stopped in Puquio for 30 minutes and then another time for at least 30 minutes. But... at least they have roads. :)
We will try to post some photos tomorrow. We have some great pictures of our friends in Cabana and some other ones of our guinea pig pets that became one terrific dinner. Have a great night knowing that God has used you to impact His kingdom. It has been a real privilege to see folks come to know Christ and to witness someone baptized in Cabana.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
God's faithfulness...
Here is a picture of Louisa as she is being baptized. It was great to see her courage and to see several other come to witness her baptism.
We are packing up now, having guinea pig later and then leaving for Lima tomorrow morning.
A full day...
We experienced a full day of God’s working yesterday in Cabana and in the annex of Sondondo. We wish that you all could be here in person to see firsthand how God directed the day.
We went to Sondondo to meet with a lady named Zocima who had received Christ with the summer missionaries this past summer. She was in Lima but we met several people who were very open to talk with our team. The team met a lady who said that she was a believer and that she had some friends who are also believers. This lady is named Angelica. She lives in Lima but we are returning this morning in hopes of learning more about her and the other believers.
We went to Sondondo to meet with a lady named Zocima who had received Christ with the summer missionaries this past summer. She was in Lima but we met several people who were very open to talk with our team. The team met a lady who said that she was a believer and that she had some friends who are also believers. This lady is named Angelica. She lives in Lima but we are returning this morning in hopes of learning more about her and the other believers.
The picture of the guys in the back of the truck is a typical Peruvian travel experience. There are always folks needing a ride - and there is always room for one more. We had 6 people in the front of the truck. The guys were real troopers - they rode that way for about 30 minutes coming up the very rough mountain road.
The Enhancement Team spent about two hours teaching the Bible to two ladies while they are sat down in the road. These ladies were going to spend the night thinking about making a commitment to Christ. Please pray for them. We will return this morning to visit with them again.
Adam and Juvenol were walking through Cabana looking for opportunities to share the Gospel. They went to talk with a taxi driver who is not from here but was waiting in the plaza. Adam shared the Gospel with him and he received Christ.
Part of our team met with Wilder and Elva last night. We had a great discussion about their friendship with us and his desire to know God better. Please pray that Wilder continues searching and that God continues to work in their lives.
This is our last day in Cabana. Please pray that we finish well. This has been an incredible visit already and we again thank you for joining with us here in Cabana.
Sidenote: We found someone to clean the guinea pigs and another person to cook them. Looks like guinea pig is what’s for dinner!
The Enhancement Team spent about two hours teaching the Bible to two ladies while they are sat down in the road. These ladies were going to spend the night thinking about making a commitment to Christ. Please pray for them. We will return this morning to visit with them again.
Adam and Juvenol were walking through Cabana looking for opportunities to share the Gospel. They went to talk with a taxi driver who is not from here but was waiting in the plaza. Adam shared the Gospel with him and he received Christ.
Part of our team met with Wilder and Elva last night. We had a great discussion about their friendship with us and his desire to know God better. Please pray that Wilder continues searching and that God continues to work in their lives.
This is our last day in Cabana. Please pray that we finish well. This has been an incredible visit already and we again thank you for joining with us here in Cabana.
Sidenote: We found someone to clean the guinea pigs and another person to cook them. Looks like guinea pig is what’s for dinner!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Just keep moving...
As I am sitting here typing this morning I can hear several children outside of my door. I am reminded that our task is worthy of the effort.
Please continue to pray for our team to keep a focus and strength that will glorify The Lord. We were reminded yesterday that reaching these precious people continues to be hard and that great patience is required. The temptation is to start pulling out all of the “tricks” so that we can say that their have been many decisions this week. However, those types of decisions will be made with a low level of understanding and surely will not last past our departure. Please pray that we remain committed to our strategy of reaching the people through relationships and the truth of God’s Word.
We were able to meet with the mayor and several others last night. The team did a wonderful job at sharing their testimonies. They wanted to know once again about our purpose and they were presented with the Gospel.
We are thankful for the privilege of being here in Cabana to join God’s work. Your prayers are being answered and we thank you for being part of this mission trip.
We only have 2 more days here in Cabana before we begin the journey back to Lima. Please pray for the people to be receptive to us and to what we have to share.
Please continue to pray for our team to keep a focus and strength that will glorify The Lord. We were reminded yesterday that reaching these precious people continues to be hard and that great patience is required. The temptation is to start pulling out all of the “tricks” so that we can say that their have been many decisions this week. However, those types of decisions will be made with a low level of understanding and surely will not last past our departure. Please pray that we remain committed to our strategy of reaching the people through relationships and the truth of God’s Word.
We were able to meet with the mayor and several others last night. The team did a wonderful job at sharing their testimonies. They wanted to know once again about our purpose and they were presented with the Gospel.
We are thankful for the privilege of being here in Cabana to join God’s work. Your prayers are being answered and we thank you for being part of this mission trip.
We only have 2 more days here in Cabana before we begin the journey back to Lima. Please pray for the people to be receptive to us and to what we have to share.
The photo above is our team plus the Enhancement Team that is working in Cabana. Brittne, Ginny and Martin have spent about a month working in Cabana. Juvenol is the translator who has been a part of our last 2 trips.
And… just for the Peruvian experience: we have found guinea pigs to enjoy for lunch today! We were able to purchase huge guinea pigs for about $3 from the high school. If we are able to find someone who can cook them for us then we will experience a delicacy of the Peruvian culture. I’m guessing it is going to taste like chicken????
And… just for the Peruvian experience: we have found guinea pigs to enjoy for lunch today! We were able to purchase huge guinea pigs for about $3 from the high school. If we are able to find someone who can cook them for us then we will experience a delicacy of the Peruvian culture. I’m guessing it is going to taste like chicken????
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tuesday news...
What an incredible day Monday was as we witnessed God opening several doors for us to take the next step with our friends here in Cabana. Our team is doing well at staying “on task” in building on the trust that has been established by past teams and missionaries.
We met with the mayor yesterday – it was awesome. He told us that all of our teams have done a good job at coming into the community and treating the people with respect. He said that he felt comfortable with us and appreciated that we did not come here acting like we were any better than others but simply came into Cabana as regular people. He said that most outsiders come into their town and act arrogant while looking down on the people. He said Cabana was our home, too. We will meet with him tonight to begin telling him why we are different. He knows that we are here to share spiritual knowledge based on the Bible but tonight we will begin sharing with him how our relationship with Jesus differs to the religion that he knows. Please pray for Octavius.
We will also meet with Wilder and his wife Elva. Please pray for them as we try again to help them realize the difference between what they believe and what the Bible says about their need for a relationship with Jesus.
The summer missionaries did an incredible job with this community. They are loved with a deep love by the people here in Cabana. More than once yesterday I heard them referred to as family. Way to go Shane Hess, David Jacola, Kelly Pajar and Kim Hiser! You have impacted their lives as they saw a difference in you.
We appreciate your partnership with our team! We are grateful to be part of a church that believes that we are to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Your prayers and encouragement are making a difference that can be identified by the response of the people here in Cabana.
We are also grateful for our families! We love you and miss you. It is awesome to hear how much our team talks about our families during the day.
We met with the mayor yesterday – it was awesome. He told us that all of our teams have done a good job at coming into the community and treating the people with respect. He said that he felt comfortable with us and appreciated that we did not come here acting like we were any better than others but simply came into Cabana as regular people. He said that most outsiders come into their town and act arrogant while looking down on the people. He said Cabana was our home, too. We will meet with him tonight to begin telling him why we are different. He knows that we are here to share spiritual knowledge based on the Bible but tonight we will begin sharing with him how our relationship with Jesus differs to the religion that he knows. Please pray for Octavius.
We will also meet with Wilder and his wife Elva. Please pray for them as we try again to help them realize the difference between what they believe and what the Bible says about their need for a relationship with Jesus.
The summer missionaries did an incredible job with this community. They are loved with a deep love by the people here in Cabana. More than once yesterday I heard them referred to as family. Way to go Shane Hess, David Jacola, Kelly Pajar and Kim Hiser! You have impacted their lives as they saw a difference in you.
We appreciate your partnership with our team! We are grateful to be part of a church that believes that we are to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Your prayers and encouragement are making a difference that can be identified by the response of the people here in Cabana.
We are also grateful for our families! We love you and miss you. It is awesome to hear how much our team talks about our families during the day.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Adam´s doing good, looking forward to today
Thanks Allyson and Poppy Dave and Nanna Mory for the posts. I´m doing quite well. Thought it would be cool to do the mock hold-me-down-and-force-me-to-eat shot. Didn´t know Kevin was going to post it but ...
The mayor just came back so I have to go.
Looking forward to today´s work; please pray as Kevin mentioned and for my part.
The mayor just came back so I have to go.
Looking forward to today´s work; please pray as Kevin mentioned and for my part.
Today´s prayer needs
Our team has divided into two groups today. Please join us in praying for the following items:
We are asking Wilder and his wife to allow us to meet with them in their home tonight so that we can have a Bible study with them in their home. We need to get to the second story in a series of Bible stories designed to teach them the Gospel story in their context. Please pray for them to be open to that and then to have open hearts and minds. Pray for us to know how to work with them in this process.
We are waiting this morning to visit with the mayor. Pray for that conversation to point him towards Jesus.
The ladies are meeting with Irene today in hopes of beginning a bible study with her. Pray for her to be receptive and for the team to help continue building a relationship with her.
Pray for a man named Sylvester that we hope to meet with tonight. He has been to a Catholic seminary and wants to know more about what we believe. He has been very open to the Enhancement Team (IMB missionaries).
Please pray for our team to continue being focused on the task of sharing the Gospel with these wonderful people.
We appreciate your prayers, your comments and your love for what God is doing.
We are asking Wilder and his wife to allow us to meet with them in their home tonight so that we can have a Bible study with them in their home. We need to get to the second story in a series of Bible stories designed to teach them the Gospel story in their context. Please pray for them to be open to that and then to have open hearts and minds. Pray for us to know how to work with them in this process.
We are waiting this morning to visit with the mayor. Pray for that conversation to point him towards Jesus.
The ladies are meeting with Irene today in hopes of beginning a bible study with her. Pray for her to be receptive and for the team to help continue building a relationship with her.
Pray for a man named Sylvester that we hope to meet with tonight. He has been to a Catholic seminary and wants to know more about what we believe. He has been very open to the Enhancement Team (IMB missionaries).
Please pray for our team to continue being focused on the task of sharing the Gospel with these wonderful people.
We appreciate your prayers, your comments and your love for what God is doing.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
In Cabana
We arrived in Cabana today around 11AM. This has been the smoothest trip that we have experienced. Your prayers have made a huge difference. Thank you.
We have already had the opportunity to talk with some of our Peruvian friends. Please pray that God continues to open their hearts to the Gospel. The task is overwhelming but we are reminded that this is God’s story and He is allowing us to join His work.
Please pray for Wilder, Jackie and Irene. We are going to continue sharing the truth with them and are praying for them to have understanding of the differences between their belief system and the Bible.
Everyone on the team is doing wonderful. Angie lost her pillow (which is her security blanket) but it was found tonight in Puquio so we can pick it up on the return trip. Adam has an incredible servant’s heart – he is always helping everyone else. Bobby continues to encourage us all with his Christ-like attitude and his incredible energy level.
Thanks for your prayers and for joining with us on this journey!
We have already had the opportunity to talk with some of our Peruvian friends. Please pray that God continues to open their hearts to the Gospel. The task is overwhelming but we are reminded that this is God’s story and He is allowing us to join His work.
Please pray for Wilder, Jackie and Irene. We are going to continue sharing the truth with them and are praying for them to have understanding of the differences between their belief system and the Bible.
Everyone on the team is doing wonderful. Angie lost her pillow (which is her security blanket) but it was found tonight in Puquio so we can pick it up on the return trip. Adam has an incredible servant’s heart – he is always helping everyone else. Bobby continues to encourage us all with his Christ-like attitude and his incredible energy level.
Thanks for your prayers and for joining with us on this journey!
A Smooth Drive into Puquio
We had a long but great day yesterday as we travelled from Lima to Puquio. We had everything loaded into the rental truck and ready to leave just a few minutes after 9PM.
We stopped to eat around 2PM and enjoyed the MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) that David Jacola had secured for us. Thanks, David, for lunch! When a person is hungry – the food is really pretty good.
We arrived in Puquio late last night to find out that our usual hostel had no rooms available. Not to worry… there was another one around the corner that had rooms. It is not as nice as the other (nice in hostel terms) but they did have beds inside of rooms that gave a person a chance to sleep.
Today we will finish the trip to Cabana. We are excited to see our friends and we are eager to see the progress with the new believers. We will have the privilege of working alongside some missionaries from the International Mission Board (2 year missionaries) who have spent part of the last month in Cabana.
Here are some pictures from our lunch stop yesterday.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Here in Lima...
In all of our previous trips we have never experienced a day that went as smooth as this day. We experienced small lines, pleasant people and no problems. God gave us some opportunities to share of His great love throughout the day. We walked up to the ticket counter in Orlando and the lady read our tag and introduced herself as a believer before helping us get everything ready for the flight. That set the tone for the day.
We arrived at our hotel tonight at least an hour earlier than we have ever been here before. We are getting ready to rest for the night and then begin the drive in the morning.
Thanks for your prayers and comments. I will share those with the team on a daily basis.
We arrived at our hotel tonight at least an hour earlier than we have ever been here before. We are getting ready to rest for the night and then begin the drive in the morning.
Thanks for your prayers and comments. I will share those with the team on a daily basis.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Ready to board...
We will be boarding on the plane in the next few minutes. Pray for us as we interact with folks on the plane. We are praying to have opportunities to share our faith with others...
We appreciate your prayers and comments in the days ahead. Your partnership in this mission trip is critical to the mission.
We are set to arrive in Lima tonight (10:30PM) and will start driving in the morning. If all goes well I will make a post in Lima in the morning letting you all know that we have arrived.
Now... we are headed to the Great State (Texas) to make our connection in Houston. Hook 'em horns... :)
We appreciate your prayers and comments in the days ahead. Your partnership in this mission trip is critical to the mission.
We are set to arrive in Lima tonight (10:30PM) and will start driving in the morning. If all goes well I will make a post in Lima in the morning letting you all know that we have arrived.
Now... we are headed to the Great State (Texas) to make our connection in Houston. Hook 'em horns... :)
And They're Off!
We were up early but everyone was right on time. The team pulled out around 7:30 this morning. Please pray for Adam, Angie, Kevin & Bobby as they travel to Peru. They won't reach the hotel until 1 am or so in the morning and then will be up early to begin the drive to the village.
Hitting the Road (and the skies) Today
We have been blessed with another opportunity to join God's activity in Peru. Our team will leave this morning for our adopted villages in the mountains of Peru. We appreciate the many people who will be praying for the team, our families and for the people we will encounter during the next 10 days.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
In Nasca and doing great
Our team just arrived into Nasca today after a day of saying goodbye and then driving the hardest part of the trip through the mountains. We are all very tired but at the same time excited because of the work God is doing in our adopted village. It has been exciting to see the relationships deepen and the awareness of our purpose building in the community.
Yesterday the village celebrated Peru's independence day. They have a parade where each neighborhood of the village marches before the community leaders. At the end of the parade they asked us to march, too. What was greater than that honor was to hear them announce us as being missionaries. That means we are more than visitors or tourists but they recognize that we are here for a specific reason.
Please pray for the summer missionaries as they begin their re-entry process. It will be difficult for them to adjust but they are wonderful young people with a great passion to share the gospel.
Thank you for your prayers and even for your patience as we have not been able to blog as much as we had anticipated due to the village internet not working during our visit. As we would say on the trip... welcome to Peru!
We will continue our travel tomorrow into Peru and then to a camp so that the summer missionaries can debrief with the missionary leadership.
Yesterday the village celebrated Peru's independence day. They have a parade where each neighborhood of the village marches before the community leaders. At the end of the parade they asked us to march, too. What was greater than that honor was to hear them announce us as being missionaries. That means we are more than visitors or tourists but they recognize that we are here for a specific reason.
Please pray for the summer missionaries as they begin their re-entry process. It will be difficult for them to adjust but they are wonderful young people with a great passion to share the gospel.
Thank you for your prayers and even for your patience as we have not been able to blog as much as we had anticipated due to the village internet not working during our visit. As we would say on the trip... welcome to Peru!
We will continue our travel tomorrow into Peru and then to a camp so that the summer missionaries can debrief with the missionary leadership.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Updates from Peru
The team has been unable to blog because of the clouds but today the rainy weather has started to let up. It's still cold!
One boy named Anthony accepted Christ last night. The team has witnessed to him each previous trip - truly a precious young one. A few others have said that they have accepted Christ but the team is still working with them to make sure that they understand the decision. God is moving in their hearts. Please pray for two that are very close - Jackie and Wilder (pronounced Will-daire).
Today is Peru's independence day. The team was invited to march in the parade. Kevin just called after the parade was finished and said that the team was introduced in the parade as United States missionaries, not as tourists. This is a huge step in acceptance by the community.
God has been so good to the team as they interact with people and the walls are starting to come down. There is so much work to be done but for the team to be able to see the progress on this trip has been a great blessing.
Please pray for the team's interaction with the people today as this is their last full day in the villages. The team begins the journey to Lima on Wednesday.
One boy named Anthony accepted Christ last night. The team has witnessed to him each previous trip - truly a precious young one. A few others have said that they have accepted Christ but the team is still working with them to make sure that they understand the decision. God is moving in their hearts. Please pray for two that are very close - Jackie and Wilder (pronounced Will-daire).
Today is Peru's independence day. The team was invited to march in the parade. Kevin just called after the parade was finished and said that the team was introduced in the parade as United States missionaries, not as tourists. This is a huge step in acceptance by the community.
God has been so good to the team as they interact with people and the walls are starting to come down. There is so much work to be done but for the team to be able to see the progress on this trip has been a great blessing.
Please pray for the team's interaction with the people today as this is their last full day in the villages. The team begins the journey to Lima on Wednesday.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Update from Cabana
The team has arrived in Cabana but it is very cold and rainy. Kevin is not able to blog right now - maybe due to the weather...
Great news: Last night, a lady that Shane, David and the girls had been witnessing to accepted Christ! Yay!
Please pray that the team keeps warm - I think it might be a little colder than expected - and for this new sister in Christ!
Great news: Last night, a lady that Shane, David and the girls had been witnessing to accepted Christ! Yay!
Please pray that the team keeps warm - I think it might be a little colder than expected - and for this new sister in Christ!
Traveling in Peru
Kevin called Jeanna this morning to say that the team is doing great. At the time, they had about 3 to 4 hours left to travel over very rough terrain to reach the villages. The weather is very cold and ready to rain. Please keep praying for the team. Hopefully Kevin will be able to blog soon.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Whew... we made it all the way
to the Orlando airport, through check-in and customs and to the gate. Here is a picture of John and Denise Hess. She affectionately goes by the official name of Pamela on this trip. :)
It is a real privilege for me (Kevin) to join them on this trip as we go to pick up the summer missionaries which happens to include their son, Shane. I am anticipating some great moments of watching them interact together over the next week.
We will arrive (hopefully) in Lima tonight around 10PM (central time zone) and will then leave in the morning for the villages.
We are grateful to have gotten through the check-in process and for our great last lunch at Chickfila. That sweet tea is always good...
Please pray for us and the folks in Cabana - we are praying that the hard work put in by the summer missionary team will come to a harvest in the next few days. Please pray specifically for Wilder and Jackie - that they will come to know the love of Jesus.
I will try to post again while we are in Lima. Thanks again for your prayers and for joining with us on this incredible journey.
Peru Mission Trip
The Peru team is on their way! We had a great time of prayer with them before they left. There were many kiddos that joined that circle of prayer - you could feel God smiling as their heads bowed and their small hands joined the adults.
We are looking forward to seeing what God has in store for this team. Please keep them in your prayers.
Peru Mission Trip
Our team is making final arrangements to leave and join our summer missionaries that have spent the summer building relationships with people in our adopted village of Cabana. It has been great to follow their story over the past two months. Please be praying for our team of 3 as we travel to Lima today. We will then have a translator join the team before beginning our 16 hour drive to Cabana. We should arrive in Cabana sometime on Sunday. We will do our best to post updates throughout the trip. Thanks for joining us on this journey! Your prayers make an incredible difference.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Canada Mission Team is Ready!
Tomorrow - bright, early and well before most of us are awake - the Canada Mission Team will depart Ocala headed to Mississauga, Ontario for five days. The team will serve alongside Brett & Kathryn Porter and David & Ruth Hudson as they reach out to the community through their church - The Sanctuary. Stay tuned to this blog to see how God moves over the coming days to reach the children and community of Mississauga.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Home Sweet Home
The Peru team made it safely home to Ocala just a little bit ago. Thanks for following the blog and praying for the team.
Stay tuned to the blog to follow the Canada Mission Team as they travel July 2 - 6.
Stay tuned to the blog to follow the Canada Mission Team as they travel July 2 - 6.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Here in Lima...
Our team has arrived in Lima after a long, long journey down and up and down and up and down and up the mountains. We realized during the travel through the mountains, with the help of a gps, that we left our villages with an altitude of almost 11,000 feet to climb mountains a little under 15,000 feet.
We continue to pray for our summer missionaries that we left behind in the villages. It was hard to leave them but at the same time it was very exciting to wonder what God is already doing through them. It has been a privilege to spend time with David, Kelly, Kim and Shane. God put together an incredible group of young people and we believe that He will use them in mighty ways this summer.
Our plane leaves around 11:30 tomorrow night. We would appreciate you praying that we are able to rest well during the all night flight. We will arrive at noon on Monday and then we will all be back at work on Tuesday.
Thanks again for your prayers!
We continue to pray for our summer missionaries that we left behind in the villages. It was hard to leave them but at the same time it was very exciting to wonder what God is already doing through them. It has been a privilege to spend time with David, Kelly, Kim and Shane. God put together an incredible group of young people and we believe that He will use them in mighty ways this summer.
Our plane leaves around 11:30 tomorrow night. We would appreciate you praying that we are able to rest well during the all night flight. We will arrive at noon on Monday and then we will all be back at work on Tuesday.
Thanks again for your prayers!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Another good day.
Please pray for our team in the morning – if you get up early! At 6AM (7AM Florida time) the summer missionaries will introduce themselves to Cabana through the public address system that is heard throughout the village. Can you imagine 4 college age summer missionaries getting up at 5:15 to do this? They must be called of God!
We continue to see God open doors and build relationships. It has been a very, very good week. It has also been a hard week as we all struggle through what it means to reach this village with the Gospel. Please pray that God helps us all to focus on Him and the ways that He works. It can all be very overwhelming at times.
The team from FBC will start the drive home tomorrow after lunch. We will try to go about halfway and then stop for the night. Please pray for us as we travel – a couple of the folks are still struggling physically and we are hopeful that they feel better for the trip to Lima.
We continue to see God open doors and build relationships. It has been a very, very good week. It has also been a hard week as we all struggle through what it means to reach this village with the Gospel. Please pray that God helps us all to focus on Him and the ways that He works. It can all be very overwhelming at times.
The team from FBC will start the drive home tomorrow after lunch. We will try to go about halfway and then stop for the night. Please pray for us as we travel – a couple of the folks are still struggling physically and we are hopeful that they feel better for the trip to Lima.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Wow...
We have just finished witnessing God work in some amazing ways. Your prayers are having a huge impact in this village!
This evening we are in awe of how God is opening doors here in Cabana. The summer missionaries were discussing what they needed to do next and Shane Hess said, “it would be great if we could announce over the loud speaker that we are going to have a Bible Study. A few minutes later the summer missionaries spoke with a lady who had inquired what they were doing. They shared that they are missionaries who are hear to share spiritual knowledge from the Bible. She said that she would be interested in the Bible Studies (wanting to know when they were going to begin) and just happen to say that she thought it would be good if they announced it over the loud speaker system that the entire community hears. She can make it happens since she owns ½ of it!
The team also met with others who are interested in the Bible Study and were actually pushing the summer missionaries to say when the studies would begin. This is all happening much faster than anyone has anticipated!
There is a great sense of openness here in Cabana to our presence. We believe that God is causing that to happen and we are praying that he will help these Bible Studies to begin soon with the people that He is calling.
Please pray for us all to have God’s wisdom and strength. It is a privilege to be here and we thank you for partnering with us by praying for us and leaving comments on the blog.
This evening we are in awe of how God is opening doors here in Cabana. The summer missionaries were discussing what they needed to do next and Shane Hess said, “it would be great if we could announce over the loud speaker that we are going to have a Bible Study. A few minutes later the summer missionaries spoke with a lady who had inquired what they were doing. They shared that they are missionaries who are hear to share spiritual knowledge from the Bible. She said that she would be interested in the Bible Studies (wanting to know when they were going to begin) and just happen to say that she thought it would be good if they announced it over the loud speaker system that the entire community hears. She can make it happens since she owns ½ of it!
The team also met with others who are interested in the Bible Study and were actually pushing the summer missionaries to say when the studies would begin. This is all happening much faster than anyone has anticipated!
There is a great sense of openness here in Cabana to our presence. We believe that God is causing that to happen and we are praying that he will help these Bible Studies to begin soon with the people that He is calling.
Please pray for us all to have God’s wisdom and strength. It is a privilege to be here and we thank you for partnering with us by praying for us and leaving comments on the blog.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Day 1 in Cabana
We made it into Cabana today and we have continued to see God at work all around us. When you come into town the rooms at the hostel are available to those who arrive first. We were able to find rooms for everyone and the summer missionaries were able to get rooms right next door to each other. To our great surprise, they had upgraded one of the rooms which now has its own bathroom – with hot water. The two young ladies serving on our summer missionary team were awarded the room. That indeed was a treasure – the toilet even has a seat – very uncommon for the villages!
We were able to reconnect with people that we met on our earlier trips. This is critical to the strategy of building relationships. They seemed pleased that we returned. One relationship that shows great potential is with the local banker. He was happy that we had returned and has offered to help the summer missionaries if they are in any need during the summer. He actually gave me a hug when he was leaving – again this has been very uncommon during our previous trips.
We prayer-walked through the village this afternoon and God opened some great doors for the team. The principal of the secondary school was standing outside the gate to the school when we were walking by and he invited us inside. I reminded him of our previous trips and he remembered us, too. He asked for help with teaching the students English and then asked what else we could help with. We offered to help teach English by using stories from the Bible. He is going to meet with the teachers and officials on Friday to find out what we can help with. Please join us in praying that God opens that door for the summer missionaries.
Shane, David, Kim and Kelly make up the summer missionary team. Our team is working at helping them settle for the summer but we are also learning from them. Please continue to pray that God will use all of us in reaching the people here with the Gospel.
We were able to reconnect with people that we met on our earlier trips. This is critical to the strategy of building relationships. They seemed pleased that we returned. One relationship that shows great potential is with the local banker. He was happy that we had returned and has offered to help the summer missionaries if they are in any need during the summer. He actually gave me a hug when he was leaving – again this has been very uncommon during our previous trips.
We prayer-walked through the village this afternoon and God opened some great doors for the team. The principal of the secondary school was standing outside the gate to the school when we were walking by and he invited us inside. I reminded him of our previous trips and he remembered us, too. He asked for help with teaching the students English and then asked what else we could help with. We offered to help teach English by using stories from the Bible. He is going to meet with the teachers and officials on Friday to find out what we can help with. Please join us in praying that God opens that door for the summer missionaries.
Shane, David, Kim and Kelly make up the summer missionary team. Our team is working at helping them settle for the summer but we are also learning from them. Please continue to pray that God will use all of us in reaching the people here with the Gospel.
Pictures from Andamarca
Our team at lunch - minus David.
A precious little girl sitting on the sidewalk.
Shane getting ready to share with the assembly. 
Andrew - our man of peace.Our plans vs. God's plans
Our team ended up spending another day in Andamarca. One of our Summer Missionaries, David Jacola from Ocala, got sick and had a fever for part of the day. He is doing much better. We were all encouraged by him today as he endured the sickness without ever complaining. Please continue to pray for us all as we adjust to the altitude and different food.
We woke up yesterday morning with the plan of resting a little so that we would hopefully be strong for the rest of the week. We were going to leave for Cabana around lunch time. God, however, had a very different set of plans for our day.
We were standing outside of our hostel when a man walked up and said (in English), “Hello, my name is Andrew. I am the English teacher at the secondary school and would like for you to come and speak to my students. I am a Christian like you.” I asked him what he would like for us to do and he responded, “talk about God.” Well that was pretty obvious! You don’t hesitate in those moments to respond to God’s activity. We made arrangements to meet a short while later to go teach his English class.
When we arrived at the secondary school we were ushered into a meeting with the principal and all of the teachers. They welcomed us with the typical welcome here and thanked us for coming. As we walked outside of the room we realized that they had brought the entire school out to hear from us. There were around 200 students standing ready to hear from the gringos.
Shane Hess had agreed to share in the English class so he stepped up and shared a story about Creation and God’s provision of Jesus for all of us. He did a great job! We were able to share the Gospel with over 200 people on our very first morning.
We spent the rest of the day interacting with the people in the village. We found a few of the people that we had created prayer cards for so it was great to let them know that they are being prayed for by people in the United States. It was encouraging to find that the people do remember us from the other visits and that we are building relationships and trust that will help us as we share the Gospel.
We appreciate all of your prayers and comments. They encourage us more than we can express with these words. Please continue to pray for our focus, strength and wisdom as we walk through the days. Please also pray for our families at home – they are all missed more than they know!
We woke up yesterday morning with the plan of resting a little so that we would hopefully be strong for the rest of the week. We were going to leave for Cabana around lunch time. God, however, had a very different set of plans for our day.
We were standing outside of our hostel when a man walked up and said (in English), “Hello, my name is Andrew. I am the English teacher at the secondary school and would like for you to come and speak to my students. I am a Christian like you.” I asked him what he would like for us to do and he responded, “talk about God.” Well that was pretty obvious! You don’t hesitate in those moments to respond to God’s activity. We made arrangements to meet a short while later to go teach his English class.
When we arrived at the secondary school we were ushered into a meeting with the principal and all of the teachers. They welcomed us with the typical welcome here and thanked us for coming. As we walked outside of the room we realized that they had brought the entire school out to hear from us. There were around 200 students standing ready to hear from the gringos.
Shane Hess had agreed to share in the English class so he stepped up and shared a story about Creation and God’s provision of Jesus for all of us. He did a great job! We were able to share the Gospel with over 200 people on our very first morning.
We spent the rest of the day interacting with the people in the village. We found a few of the people that we had created prayer cards for so it was great to let them know that they are being prayed for by people in the United States. It was encouraging to find that the people do remember us from the other visits and that we are building relationships and trust that will help us as we share the Gospel.
We appreciate all of your prayers and comments. They encourage us more than we can express with these words. Please continue to pray for our focus, strength and wisdom as we walk through the days. Please also pray for our families at home – they are all missed more than they know!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Technical Difficulties
Several of you have reported problems posting comments. Keep in mind that comment moderation is on so we have to check the comments before they will post. If you want to also send your comments to missions@fbcocala.org, I will make sure to post them if I don't see them in the comment moderation queue.
Thanks so very much for your faithfulness in checking the blog and praying for the team. It means so very much!
Allyson
Thanks so very much for your faithfulness in checking the blog and praying for the team. It means so very much!
Allyson
The Journey is long but well worth it...
I was reading this morning in Psalm 127: “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”
We continue to realize that all we do is in vain here in Peru – unless God does the building. Your prayers continue to encourage and move us towards God’s goal of using our teams to reach the precious people in these villages with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Our team is doing well. We left home Friday morning and arrived in Lima around 10:30 PM. On Saturday, we joined up with our 4 summer missionaries who will spend the next two months in our adopted villages. We have been blessed with an amazing team! They each bring great depth in their walk with God to these villages. God has built a great team.
Yesterday we left Lima at 4 AM to make the long drive to our villages. It was a very long, hard day but God continues to show His faithfulness to our team. The roads are difficult to travel – not only because of all of the huge bumps and holes but also because of the traffic on the roads. There were a few times where we were surprised by an incoming truck coming around a corner but again – God was faithful to get us to the villages. The travel is part of the journey and we believe it is worth the struggle.
Please pray for our team members as we adjust to the altitude. We had a couple of team members get sick yesterday as we travelled. This morning is hopefully a time of rest that will help us to recover from the long day.
It is also cold here and that can make it tough for folks coming from Florida.
We are in Andamarca this morning but will be leaving for Cabana after lunch. Please pray that God helps us to reconnect with the people we met on our last trips. It is important that the people in the villages identify us with past teams so that trust will continue to build.
We continue to realize that all we do is in vain here in Peru – unless God does the building. Your prayers continue to encourage and move us towards God’s goal of using our teams to reach the precious people in these villages with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Our team is doing well. We left home Friday morning and arrived in Lima around 10:30 PM. On Saturday, we joined up with our 4 summer missionaries who will spend the next two months in our adopted villages. We have been blessed with an amazing team! They each bring great depth in their walk with God to these villages. God has built a great team.
Yesterday we left Lima at 4 AM to make the long drive to our villages. It was a very long, hard day but God continues to show His faithfulness to our team. The roads are difficult to travel – not only because of all of the huge bumps and holes but also because of the traffic on the roads. There were a few times where we were surprised by an incoming truck coming around a corner but again – God was faithful to get us to the villages. The travel is part of the journey and we believe it is worth the struggle.
Please pray for our team members as we adjust to the altitude. We had a couple of team members get sick yesterday as we travelled. This morning is hopefully a time of rest that will help us to recover from the long day.
It is also cold here and that can make it tough for folks coming from Florida.
We are in Andamarca this morning but will be leaving for Cabana after lunch. Please pray that God helps us to reconnect with the people we met on our last trips. It is important that the people in the villages identify us with past teams so that trust will continue to build.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Message from Saturday
The team made it safely to Lima late Friday night. They are excited and ready to go. After a day of completing final preparations, the team will leave at 4 am Sunday morning to drive the 17 hours to the first village. Please pray for the team throughout Sunday for their travel.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Peru team taking off...
Our team has arrived at the Orlando airport, checked in and ready to roll.
Please be praying for our team as we travel for the remainder of the day. We will depart at 1:20, transfer planes in Houston and then arrive (hopefully) in Lima around 10:30PM. We will then go through customs and then onto the hotel for the night. There is not much hope of sleep before 1AM.
We have a great team: Annette Bushfield, Al Vaughan and Barbara Vaughan bring great strengths to this team. We will join with Shane Hess and David Jacola who are already in Lima going through the Summer Missionary orientation. They will make up part of a 4 person team who will spend the next two months in the villages that we have adopted. We will also have a translator travelling with our team. That brings the total team size to 9. We will be driving an 11 passenger van up the mountains - should be quite interesting. :)
Thank you for your prayers. This is where the difference lies between us taking a trip and us making an eternal impact.
Please also pray for the people in our villages. We are asking God to help us reconnect and deepen relationships with the people we met last year.
We will be updating daily. Thanks for joining with us on this journey. We count it a privilege to be part of a church that sends...
Kevin & the team
Please be praying for our team as we travel for the remainder of the day. We will depart at 1:20, transfer planes in Houston and then arrive (hopefully) in Lima around 10:30PM. We will then go through customs and then onto the hotel for the night. There is not much hope of sleep before 1AM.
We have a great team: Annette Bushfield, Al Vaughan and Barbara Vaughan bring great strengths to this team. We will join with Shane Hess and David Jacola who are already in Lima going through the Summer Missionary orientation. They will make up part of a 4 person team who will spend the next two months in the villages that we have adopted. We will also have a translator travelling with our team. That brings the total team size to 9. We will be driving an 11 passenger van up the mountains - should be quite interesting. :)
Thank you for your prayers. This is where the difference lies between us taking a trip and us making an eternal impact.
Please also pray for the people in our villages. We are asking God to help us reconnect and deepen relationships with the people we met last year.
We will be updating daily. Thanks for joining with us on this journey. We count it a privilege to be part of a church that sends...
Kevin & the team
Thursday, May 21, 2009
See you real soon...
Hatcher's Pass was visited on Tuesday night. Even though it has been a little warm, there was still some snow on the mountains. Some of us hiked up closer to the Mine Shack.
The kids had a great time in the snow, they had a snowball fight and made "Snow Angels".
Along the way we had to be very careful were we stepped, some places had water running under the snow/ice, where the snow had melted and been frozen again. You could see the entire Matanuska Valley, where the town of Palmer could be seen.
The kids had a great time in the snow, they had a snowball fight and made "Snow Angels".
Along the way we had to be very careful were we stepped, some places had water running under the snow/ice, where the snow had melted and been frozen again. You could see the entire Matanuska Valley, where the town of Palmer could be seen.
It's hard to believe that this is our last day here! There have been so many wonderful sights to see, all that remind us how awesome our God is. Yesterday, there were many "firsts" for some of us.
We went to the Iditarod, Jonathan and I were able to do the dog sled ride pulled by some of the winning dogs of past races. We all were able to play with the new puppies, some may be future winners themselves. Driving down the road, we saw a moose. The van was quickly turned around so that we could get pictures. There was one more stop, Cooks Inlet. What a view there was. We also saw the "Ghost Ship". Apparently, during the earthquake of 1964, a wooden fishing put was pushed up on dry land from a tidal wave.
All have worked hard, from washing down cabins, sewing curtains, raking leaves, to making bunk beds. Hoping that what we do will be a blessing to all of the children that will come to this camp this summer. We were all encouraged when we heard that last year there were 24 children that decided to follow Jesus, and that what we do now, helps lay the foundation for this summer.
We have just finished our morning devotions, about encouargement and finding our place, where God wants us to be. The friendships that have been formed through this Mission Trip will never be forgotten.
Thanks to all of you that have prayed diligently for us.
Julie
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Why We're Here...
The Lord has blessed us with the most beautiful weather for our work day! We are able to wear shorts & t-shirts without the need for jackets!! We can see the clear blue sky and enjoy hearing the birds sing or the kids laugh.
Cabin cleaning is almost complete...when those men get finished building another bunk and fixing a screen...we can get in there to clean!! 
We cleaned the summer cabins and the snack shack this morning then finished the leaves up around the cabins!!!
Cabin cleaning is almost complete...when those men get finished building another bunk and fixing a screen...we can get in there to clean!! 
We cleaned the summer cabins and the snack shack this morning then finished the leaves up around the cabins!!! 
I have REALLY enjoyed operating the leaf blower...only bad thing is that my job duration is predicated on how much fuel is in the tank...I am only allowed one refill...then...it's shower time. Julie & Rebecca are making draperies for some cabins that still need some black-out in the windows.
Kerry & Bobby are busy building bunk beds some for use now and some for future replacements and they have also made new screens for many of the cabins.
All the kids have been getting the canoes and paddle boats cleaned and ready for use. In between...we are all enjoying some boiled peanuts that Walter made on Sunday...YUM!
Today's devotion was based on the "Be The Church" evangelism card you may have recently seen for our church-wide event. I have one in my bible and wanted to share it with everyone this morning.
WHY WE'RE HERE...
Often people ask what brought us here, and why we're doing what we're doing. There are three simple reasons (we) came to serve others this week...
1. I met God one day, and He has changed my life...I care about people and meeting their needs in a brand new way.
2. I want you to see God's love in (our) service...(We) are serving because of God's love in our lives.
3. It is all about a personal relationship with God...read John 3:16 with new eyes.
I also spoke about where our treasure is there our heart will be also...I was humorously reminded while blowing leaves yesterday and discovering Moose "treasures." While blowing leaves, and getting down to the clean and fresh ground...that's what God does to us...He gets rid of all the "chaff" and makes us clean again. He laid down His life for us...I'm sure none of us can say we would lay our lives down for a room full of people let alone everyone!!
Lastly, I read Matthew 6..."Do not anxiously look about you or worry about what you will wear or eat...look at the birds, they neither reap nor sow, yet your Lord in heaven knows what they need...let's all try to be like birds...in total reliance on God!
Today's devotion was based on the "Be The Church" evangelism card you may have recently seen for our church-wide event. I have one in my bible and wanted to share it with everyone this morning.
WHY WE'RE HERE...
Often people ask what brought us here, and why we're doing what we're doing. There are three simple reasons (we) came to serve others this week...
1. I met God one day, and He has changed my life...I care about people and meeting their needs in a brand new way.
2. I want you to see God's love in (our) service...(We) are serving because of God's love in our lives.
3. It is all about a personal relationship with God...read John 3:16 with new eyes.
I also spoke about where our treasure is there our heart will be also...I was humorously reminded while blowing leaves yesterday and discovering Moose "treasures." While blowing leaves, and getting down to the clean and fresh ground...that's what God does to us...He gets rid of all the "chaff" and makes us clean again. He laid down His life for us...I'm sure none of us can say we would lay our lives down for a room full of people let alone everyone!!
Lastly, I read Matthew 6..."Do not anxiously look about you or worry about what you will wear or eat...look at the birds, they neither reap nor sow, yet your Lord in heaven knows what they need...let's all try to be like birds...in total reliance on God!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Market Day . . .
The morning began with beautiful blue skies, cool crisp air, loons on the lake, and fish scouting around for their breakfast in the clear shallows. It is truly awesome to walk quietly looking at all the wonders that God has created.
After breakfast we went to church; it was so nice to see familar faces from last year. The people were so friendly, they really made us feel welcome.
Then we were off to Anchorage to visit the open market. On the way, we were able to see the beautiful snow capped mountains. There is a lot less snow on them this year. Once in Anchorage, we "shopped til we dropped" in the open market and surrounding stores in the downtown area. We ate at a little open cafe and headed back to the camp where we were greeted with fresh boiled peanuts! Everyone here has made us feel like one big family.
Have a great day and take time to "stop and smell the roses". Rebecca Gillette
After breakfast we went to church; it was so nice to see familar faces from last year. The people were so friendly, they really made us feel welcome.
Then we were off to Anchorage to visit the open market. On the way, we were able to see the beautiful snow capped mountains. There is a lot less snow on them this year. Once in Anchorage, we "shopped til we dropped" in the open market and surrounding stores in the downtown area. We ate at a little open cafe and headed back to the camp where we were greeted with fresh boiled peanuts! Everyone here has made us feel like one big family.
Have a great day and take time to "stop and smell the roses". Rebecca Gillette
Saturday, May 16, 2009
We are the 30%!!
Hi there! Kerry here on behalf of the Alaska Missions group. What a beautiful day in some of the most unbelievable country God created!! We got a good start on work here at camp yesterday so today we were treated to some sightseeing with George and Pam. After starting the morning with some bisquits and gravy we loaded up in the camp van and traveled north to the town of Talkeetna. Talkeetna is an old quaint little "tourist" town filled with shops and cafe's along the Talkeetna River. Many of the buildings sported signs indicating they were built in the early 1920's. Moose and caribou antlers were hanging above doorways and some roofs were mounted with old dog sleds. We spent some time walking along the river. Although it has warmed up nicely there were still large chunks of ice along the banks of the river. In the distance Mt McKinley was clearly visible and stood out bright against the blue sky. Only 30% of the people who come to see McKinley actually get to see it because of clouds.
We could see the entire mountain range!! The mountain climbing season has just started and there are over 1000 climbers scheduled to have a try at the 20,000 + foot snow covered summit. While at the ranger station we saw a group of "weathered" climbers checking in that had just returned from their adventure. You don't see guys like that every day. After many photos we headed back south to stop by a "reindeer farm". After feeding reindeer, moose, and elk we headed to the Knik River to drive along the foot of snow covered mountains on our way back to camp.
One of the remarkable things I noticed was that after I had admired mountains and taken pictures until I thought I was done...along would come a ray of sunshine to shine on them and make them look even better. I guess that's a little like the life God has for us. All we have to do is keep looking.
One of the remarkable things I noticed was that after I had admired mountains and taken pictures until I thought I was done...along would come a ray of sunshine to shine on them and make them look even better. I guess that's a little like the life God has for us. All we have to do is keep looking.
Friday, May 15, 2009
We're Here!!
After a much delayed flight from Houston to Anchorage by way of Seattle...we made it to LaVerne Griffin at approximately 1:30amET!!! It was a long day, but without any incidents! We had a real treat of riding on the airport tram carts in the Houston Intercontinental Airport!! It became a great opportunity to tell of where and why we are going to Alaska! We had chances like this throughout our day and are grateful for these moments!
Pray for strength for this team. There is rain today, which is slowing us even more...you know, rain=sleep! We are tired, but very excited to see what the Lord has planned for us while here at LGYRC. As of now, we ladies have cleaned 8 cabins ceiling to floor and the men have begun to build much needed bunkbeds!
Pray for the needs of the camp, the Chastain family, the Lorenz family and for the healing of a camp visitor's aunt, who is dealing with pneumonia. We look forward to reading your encouraging words!!
Love from Alaska~
Pray for strength for this team. There is rain today, which is slowing us even more...you know, rain=sleep! We are tired, but very excited to see what the Lord has planned for us while here at LGYRC. As of now, we ladies have cleaned 8 cabins ceiling to floor and the men have begun to build much needed bunkbeds!
Pray for the needs of the camp, the Chastain family, the Lorenz family and for the healing of a camp visitor's aunt, who is dealing with pneumonia. We look forward to reading your encouraging words!!
Love from Alaska~
Thursday, May 14, 2009
2009 Alaska Mission Team
And they're off! The Alaska Mission Team left Ocala this morning bound for Wasilla and the LaVerne Griffin Youth Recreation Camp. 4 of the team members also went last May and are eager to see the Lorenz and Chastain families again. The team will be working to prepare the camp for the summer. Stay tuned for details of their journey as God leads them along a path He has chosen for them.
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