8/7/2009

Hello from Minnesota,

It seems strange to say that. We  arrived safely yesterday at 12:30 pm in MN. It is good to be home, but it is sad to leave our friends and other team members  behind. I want to thank you for your support and prayers for our team. This trip was a struggle for us all, with the flu like sickness that we passed around to almost the whole team. Taylor almost made it out of Peru with it not hitting him, but as we were having our bags rechecked at the gate his time came. The trip home was not very pleasant for him. Maggie and Dave were graciously looking after him.

The work was hard the nights were short the showers were sometimes cold. The time away from home was hard for some. Being obedient to the Lord when he calls is always fruitful and rewarding. We thank the Lord for the opportunity to share the love and hope that is in us as we are called to do.

As I reflect on the trip I see how the Lord was working in and through us all.

Mark, was the ultimate encourager not only to our team, but to the body of believers that worship at the Chepen church. He made a point to connect with as many people as possible and I know he made a difference in their lives no matter what the age or nationality. Not to mention he played the role of Jacob in our skit and made that character come alive for the kids.

Dave, allowed the Lord to work through him to prepare a message about” Love” that he gave to the married couples of the church at a marriage encounter night. He also kept the finances and made sure that all was covered. The Lord also gave us an unexpected blessing as we were leaving Peru by picking up our airport exit taxes which we have always paid in the passed about $35pp.

Sue, continued her ministry to the ladies of the church as she has done so well on the last two trips. She showed the gift of teaching that the Lord has blessed her with, as she helped the children during the VBS and Sunday school time.

Patti, allowed the Lord to put a evangelistic  message on her heart for the ladies of the church. This is where 6 ladies accepted the alter call. One of these ladies was at every event the church had the rest of our time there.

Jessica, has allowed the Lord to really mold her and shape her these last couple of years. We all saw how the Lord is preparing her for ministry. She has really blended in with the people of Chepen.

Donovan, was a welcomed addition to our team. I see how the Lord has made him and that the mission field his where he belongs. The Lord radiates through him as he pours himself into any situation or task. Being prepared to give a message of hope and walking through any door even if it is guarded by a bunch of dogs that looked hungry.

Patrick, the Lord has blessed him with an infectious smile. He brought laughter and joy not only to our team but also the kids, Pastor Juan and the men at the construction site.

Taylor, the Lord has blessed him a strong back. He has a great work ethic and a ” can do” attitude. This is definitely needed on the mission field. It was funny to watch the little girls try to reach the sky to give him the customary kiss on the cheek.

Maggie, the Lord has blessed her with a heart for others. She poured herself into the kids and the young people from the church. Her hard work learning Spanish in H.S. really paid off and it was great to see her break out of her shell when she realized she could do it with the help of the Lord.

Stephanie, the Lord has blessed her with a creative eye. The Lord used her to the best of her ability to communicate through pictures. She also poured herself into others showing her soft tender side.

Anna Mae, allowed the Lord to work in her life. She was brave to go on this trip with a bunch a adults from Hope. It was a blessing to see the Lord lift her up, challenge her and strengthen her. She opened her heart, was a blessing to all the kids showing compassion and love.

Lon, allowed the Lord to work in his life. It was a step of faith for Lon to go on this trip. Learning that the Lord is control and trusting him to guide his paths. It was neat to see the Lord shine through Lon as he ministered to some of the small children. Trusting the Lord to give him the strength to lift and push the wheelbarrows.

Alicia, has allowed the Lord to work in her and through her. It has been fun to watch the Lord change her over the last few trips. She has opened her heart and become vulnerable to the leading of the Lord. Her love and compassion for the kids is contagious and it helped Maggie, Anna, and Taylor along. She was a great leader and role model for these younger team members.

Pat, continued her ministry to the women of the church. Her love poured out to all she came in contact with. She too was a great role model and encourager. The first year she thought that she wouldn’t be able to do the work. But trusting in the Lord that first year has lead to long lasting relationships with the Lord as the foundation.

Again I want to thank all that posted comments it meant a lot to our team as we went through the struggles and ups and downs that come with a trip like this.

John

We are home!!  Taylor became our last person to get hit by the “illness” before leaving Peru! He fell ill when we landed in Lima and his ride home was not what he would have wanted, but he remained the champ he was the whole time in Peru, not complaining and not saying much! 

Our ministry in Chepen will be a part of us for the rest of our lives!  We went down to minister to but we were the ones who were blessed and ministered to by the church family there. For those of us who had gone before, we were back home, amoung people that have loved us from our first visit and within a day or so, the new members became a part of their family as well, accepting them like they accepted us. Each day they blessed us in some way, their appreciation, their smiles, their concern for our health. It was exciting to see alot of new faces at the church and the standing room only that they had in their Sunday services.  The work we were able to get done will help them pour more concrete and make the space bigger so that they can continue to reach out to their community and bring in more to hear about how much Jesus loves them. This is the heartbeat of Pastor Juan, to reach out to the people in Chepen, to minister to them that they will have a relationship with Christ.  It was our privelegde to go and be the feet and hands as we passed bricks and moved rocks, shoveled and moved dirt, ministered to ladies, work with children, be a part of a marriage seminar, show God’s love through our smiles and hugs for those of us who couldn’t speak much spanish, taking time to converse with peruvians in our broken spanish and sign langauage.  Thank you all who supported us in prayer while were were there and for encouraging us with words on the blog.  Without you praying our trip wouldn’t have been what it was. Thank you families who let go of your dad, husband, mother, daughter and son for 2 weeks so that they could go on this specail mission trip.

As the stewardess said to us before we got off the plane in Minnesota, be safe, be grateful and keep giving!

After a long day and a half of travel, the team is now home.  We now have the privilege of sharing our adventure with you all, face to face.  Thank you so much for all your prayers; they carried us through each day!

Our hearts and lives have been forever touched by this experience in Chepen, Peru.  To God be the glory!

Pastor Mark

Good day friends…

I do not know how many of you will be reading this as loved ones return home, but for those of you who will not hear about the trip from someone for a couple days, I will share a little with you of our last day.

Yesterday, as the final day in Peru for the team, except Alicia and I, was a busy one.  A few members of the team really wanted to visit Chan Chan, the ancient ruins of the Chimu people (they were the people who were conquered by the Incas, who where later conquered by the Spaniards).  After the 2 hour tour we went to down town Trujillo to do some shopping.  This shopping trip went faster than most other trips I have taken with teams, which was definitely a plus! 

Then Wendy, a friend of mine (who so graciously helped me with a few things to make things flow in Trujillo) met us at a sea food restaurant.  The food was good (I would have liked some sea food, but due to the sickness the day before and still not feeling 100%, I thought it was best to stick with chicken.  Then to end our lunch, we had a surprise anniversary cake for my parents, who celebrated 31 years together!

After lunch, we returned to the Helping so everyone could pack their bags then we headed to the airport where Alicia and I said goodbye to the team.

Overall the trip was a great time, there were ups and downs, but that is normal for mission trips.  It was a time for growth by the team and also for the Chepen church.  It has been great to watch the construction change from our first trip in 2006.  Now the construction will be very different as all the work will be visible, no more foundation that gets covered with dirt!  I am excited to see how the church grows, both the physical church and the spiritual Church!

Please continue to pray for the church in Chepen, as well as for the team members as the re-enter the USA and get back into their normal routine.  Encouage them to produce fruit to make the trip successful.

Thanks for your support of each member of the team, whether they are from MN, WI, PA, or FL, each was chosen by God to play an important role for these 2 weeks!

VERY early this morning I became the seventh victim of the mysterious “illness” that has hit our team and by breakfast Jessica became the eighth, which made our drive to Trujillo very interesting. Breakfast consisted of “grilled cheese” (which I didn’t eat), a “ham” sandwich (which I also didn’t eat), our “daily bread” and butter & jam (which, again, I also didn’t eat), and pineapple juice (which I didn’t drink).  Pastor Juan and Juan-David joined us for breakfast and afterwards we were thanked by the staff of Gran Hotel Dorado.  As we were loading the bus with our luggage, we were joined by Martha, Henry and Albert (our “payaso”) so we could say our FINAL final goodbyes.  We then left for Trujillo with Pastor Juan and Juan-David; the two-hour bus ride gave some team members time to catch up on some extra sleep (that was lost in the process of packing last night) and others the chance to see a bit of the Peruvian countryside and general state of the poverty that is so evident in this country.

Upon arriving in Trujillo, we made our way to Helping Hands (previously the Hospitality House where the 2006 team stayed before and after Chepen) where I was blessed to see some of my friends from last summer during my time here.   Some of us took our luggage to our rooms while others patiently waited for their room assignments because there has been some transition of teams today and rooms needed to be cleaned.  After lunch (which consisted of a bowl of soup which I attempted to eat), we traveled to Huanchaco, a beach and tourist attraction near Trujillo.  While there, we got to view the waves of the Pacific Ocean as well as do a bit of souvenir shopping.  I also got to spend some much appreciated time with friends from last summer.

We then returned to Helping Hands for a brief stop so that Joca, our Peruvian guide and a friend of Alicia’s (and Jessica’s) could change into warmer clothers; it is winter here, after all.  Joca gratiously filled in for Jessica who decided to spend today resting due to the mysterious illness.  We then went to view some of the historical architecture of the downtown and also to view the Plaza de Armas of Trujillo.  Afterwards, we went to a common chain restaurant of Peru named Roky’s.  They serve mostly chicken and french fries.  Donovan soon decided to become the ninth victim of the illness with his second bout of it.  I attempted to eat the chicken and fries, as did Donovan.  This probably wasn’t the smartest move of the day on our part, but we all took a vote and decided eating was the way to go.

Tonight was our last debrief as an entire team.  It’s tough to think of when we’ll be split up, but we all have the assurance that at some point, we’ll see each other again.  It may be everyday as we wake up next to our spouse, or maybe at church this Sunday.  Maybe it’ll be a little further down the road, especially for those of us that live quite a distance from Hope Church in Apple Valley, Minnesota.  It may not even be on this Earth that we so often take for granted.  The fifteen individuals represented on this trip know, without any doubt that we’ll see each other in heaven.  I know I’ll see many of you who are reading this in heaven as well.  Even though it may be the first time we meet, what a joyous day that will be.  I cannot wait for the day when we see each other again, but I know that the reunion I most long for is the one away from this Earth.

I hope I see you soon…

burning for HIM,

Patrick Watts

“A day would not be complete without the chance to pass bricks” – Pastor Mark

Today was our last day in Chepen.  The order of business was much the same; breakfast and morning devotional (today led by Jessica), and shortly thereafter we took our favorite walk down “P” alley to the church work site. Work, lately, has become lighter as many of the tasks have become more specialized.  The “down-times” have become quite precious to most of us because it means that we are able to spend time investing in the lives of our fellow teammates and brothers and sisters of Chepen (even with the language barrier); there have been times of laughter as well as times of prayer.  I want to say a special thank you to Pastor Mark for the many spontaneous moments of shepherding when I really needed it.

As implied at the beginning of this entry, it wasn’t long after we had arrived at the site that we were once again moving a pile of bricks.  THIS time, the brick pile offered a small, and very “exciting”, surprise.  As Patti was preparing to pass a brick, she noticed a SCORPION lounging comfortably on it!  After the initial fright and subsequent photo session by Stephanie, John’s farewell to the scorpion was short (and not too sweet); nothing left to say about that.  As our morning concluded, we took our lunchtime walk to Pastor Juan’s house where the women (plus our friend, Fernando) of the church have so graciously served us every day.  As we were preparing to return to the church, Margarita greeted each of us with thanks, blessings and a gift.  My gift was a colorful Peruvian basket with three hats to give to my kids.  I am truly amazed at the generosity, love and selflessness our Peruvian hosts have demonstrated.

Siesta today became a pile of rocks which needed to be moved from one end of the construction zone to the front of the church (the same rocks we had moved the first day… how appropriate).  I personally would have enjoyed a short nap, but in the end benefited more from being with my team and working a little more on the church.  For me, and I think many others, the highlight of the construction today was witnessing the initial concrete work on the altar.  I can only imagine being there for Pastor Juan’s first sermon when the sanctuary is complete; it has been a blessing and an honor to be part of building this church. 

Fast forward to dinner at Pastor’s house; a delicious cornucopia of tastes (Potatoes and Aji, Chinese take-out, rice pudding, and empanadas).  As I was enjoying my meal, I noticed Stephanie frequently leaving the table to attend to a nearby computer.  Word has it, several thousand photographs of the past twelve days were being downloaded: Thank you, Stephanie, for being such a prolific harvester of our memories.

Dinner now complete, we walked back to the church for a final farewell gathering with our hosts.  When put to a vote, the Peruvians decided that the Gringos should speak first; Pastor Juan asked us to give them feedback as well as encouragement.  I was moved by the depth of love and appreciation in the room; God’s presence was clearly evident.  Many of us were moved to tears by the words that were exchanged.  I shouldn’t be, but I feel sad to be leaving my new-found friends;I feel as though they are family.  My hope is to return to Chepen, but even if I don’t I know I will see them all one day in Heaven. 

Alas, the end of this entry has come.  Tomorrow we head to Trujillo for some sightseeing and continued fellowship with the team.

Via con Dios,

Lon & Co.

Once again another team member is down. Please pray for Alicia as it seems to be her turn. We have been passing around a fever that seems to last 12-24hrs. We pray that this would be the end as we have one more day here berfore we need to travel to Trujillo on Tuesday morning.

hello. Today, we got up as early as usual and went to the church for the children´s church service. Afterword, we had Peruvian steak and rice. Unfortunately for Alycia, who was waiting for this meal all week, was sick and had to stay at the hotel. Next We split up into 2 or 3 groups and went our seperate ways. One group (the one I was in) went to see some ruins at the outskirts of the town. They included and old barn, old rice factory, and an old plantation, where a cow was about to be slaughtered. The second group went to the market to see if they could find anything worth buying. I´m not to sure if they found all that they wanted to find. The third group, if there was one, stayed at the hotel and had a ciesta. Pretty soon we´ll be splitting up again to go get desert, dinner, and then go to church.

Adios, Taylor SWartout

Hola a todos!

I hope everyone back home (wherever that might be) is enjoying themselves as much as we are here in Chepen with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Today has been a very-very long day as I am writing this blog at midnight. We started the day off like any other day, at the church working on construction poco por poco. Similar to yesterday there was not much to do except move previous bricks from the front of the church to the back. Andrea if you are reading this, if Donovan didnt come here with much arm muscle-he has them now. He carried up to 20 bricks at once!We might not be doing as much work these past couple days, but when we arrive the next day, there is always something we are amazed about.

Now that the VBS is over, and shortly cutting into our siesta time, we were able to spend the afternoon with the youth. Henry the Youth Pastor prepared a sports-like camp for the group he teaches as well as other teenagers from the area. By a quick hand count of everyone running around and playing various games, we think about 40 or so youth participated. It was a great experience to be with so many youth and goofing off, everyone seemed to be having a great time together. Henry was able to talk to the youth about God before we started and again once we finished, giving the teenagers a chance to allow God to work in their lives and if they needed change, God would open their hearts for a new life. Please pray that those who raised their hands, that they truely and humbly will come before God and give their hearts to the One who can give them eternal life. Although games may get rough and competative (team rosado won!!!!–Jessica, Donovan, me and the youth), in the end everyone was pleased and gracious for the time they had. We even had some extra time in the end for SOCCER!!! The gringos might have been scored on in the fist 45 seconds of the game, but we were able to put some goals in the back of the net too  

As far as the evening went, all the married couples went to the church after a delicous dinner to hear Dave speak about Christ in a married life. Although the time was supposed to start at 8pm, 45 minutes to an hour later they decided to get the ball rolling. Due to the fact I am not married, I dont have much detail on how it went. However, the rest of us kiddos remained back at Pastor Juan’s house to wash the dishes and play some games. It was a rambuncious night with all three of pastors kids awake and playing with us until 11:30pm when the matrimonial service ended. All in all, it was a fun filled day, but now it is time to catch some rest as tomorrow has nearly come…

En los manos de Dios,

Alicia

John is sick w/fever and stomach.