Peru Mission 2010 Log
The missionaries have returned! Click here for audio and video about the trip.
January 20, 2010:
(Huanuco, Peru)
Hello all,
Well, this is the last night in Huanaco. We leave tomorrow for Lima and will spend 12 hours in the airport and then on to the US. We should be back to Utah Friday at 1:00pm.
It is difficult to explain the impact of this trip, hopefully some has been communicated in these updates and we will try some more next Sunday morning.
The back hoe never arrived, but the guys made the most of the time and accomplished a lot. They poured concrete today for the septic tank and finished up the culverts. They adapted well to the Peruvian style of construction… like hand loading a 600 pound cement mixer into the back of a compact mini pickup for a trip up a mountain road to the land.
A few of us went to a church in town last night. The church is pastored by one of the pastors who attended the leadership training. I (with David translating) was asked to preach, [Three Things to Bring us Toward Intimacy with Christ]. It seemed to go well and we had some good prayer time with them afterward.
We finished up the Firm Foundations and gave all of the participants certificates. David and I posed for many pictures. They seem determined to put it to use and we will be following up. We also wrapped up the leadership training. It went pretty well but it is difficult to tell if they will be able to start a church at this point. We decided the next step is to help Jim start a Men’s Leadership training group similar to what we recently started on Friday mornings. We will be continuing to discuss these things long distance but this seems to be the need for now.
They do have a vision for the ministry of 10 more homes… some for girls and some boys, and even elderly people, a church, an institute for teaching the bible, a small farm and maybe a grade school all up on the land in Sariapampa.
It has been a very busy and tiring 10 days but we are all so thankful for what has happened here and what has happened in us. Thank you all for all of your support during this time, but don’t stop praying yet!
Love,
Steve
January 18, 2010:
(Huanuco, Peru)
Hello all,
Another long day in the Peruvian highlands! No back hoe for Kevin, Bryon, Dean and Keith up at Sariapampa, but they pushed on to almost complete the septic tank and even mixing cement Peruvian style on the ground. Hopefully they will get the back hoe tomorrow. They continue to engage the ones living in the area, giving them part of their lunches and yes, sharing a little with the very skinny dogs.
David and I carried on with the FF teaching and more intense discussion on how leadership operates in the church in the afternoon teaching. Please pray that a real disciple making God glorifying church would be started here.
It seems that today was more of a spiritual battle for us all. We did finally get settled in and had some prayer and sharing time. It was one of the best times of prayer, confession and sharing that I have experienced. In addition to everything else going on here God is at work in all of the men here. Please keep praying for each one.
We are touched everyday by the children, especially as we hear their stories. We do see God’s amazing healing in their lives.
Love,
Steve
January 17, 2010:
(Huanuco, Peru)
Hello all,
It is Sunday night about 10:00 and we are wiped out!
We went to church up on the property at Sariapampa early this morning. The music was great as usual with an electric piano and a harp (just as you would imagine). David and I preached on the double themes of Romans… justification by faith alone and living victoriously. We had the meeting on the front porch of the house on the land (where Bernardo lives).
After church we rode in the back of a Toyota Stout pickup truck (with racks) up to about 14,000 feet into the Andes! It was a very long and very bumpy ride with a very steep and very long drop off a few inches from the tires. We had about 16 people total in the truck. We also took a short hike to a lake. It was good to get a feel for the people and the country. They farm almost up to the 14,000′ elevation on very steep slopes.
Please be praying for tomorrow. The guys will have a back hoe to level a spot for the church. We will be continuing with the firm Foundations and discussing further about appointing elders so it will be a big day.
I will send pictures from today with tomorrow’s update… I need to go to bed!
Love, Steve
January 15, 2010:
(Huanuco, Peru)
Hello all,
We just came up from delivering the gifts to the girls and singing with them. They were thrilled with the notebooks, pens, scrapbook and quilts! Their singing is awesome! Yes, we sang for them too… “I have decided to follow Jesus”. We did ok for us, but not up to their standard. They sang ‘I have decided…’ with us in spanish, it was fun. We recorded at least one of the songs. I am not sure if I can describe the singing and holding hands and dancing around the table…
The guys had another productive and hard day out on the land. They dug a hole for a septic tank with picks, shovels and the infamous ‘bar’. Kevin is becoming a legend for his mighty pick swinging. They also have been able to spend time with a family and many of the children that live out there. There is much poverty there. They have all been a great example with their hard work and the kindness they have shown to the children and others.
We hope to make some progress on leveling a spot for a church building on Monday.
The Firm Foundation teaching also continues to be an encouragement. We are all the way up to the 10 commandments which is about half way. They are amazing in how hard they work… they all do the home work, which is 3 -4 lessons a night. We hope quite a few of them will teach in the future.
The leadership training is fairly intense and more difficult for David to translate but he is doing an awesome job with it. We are having some lively discussions following the teaching.
The impact on us, and we believe on them, is becoming more each day. Please keep praying.
Steve
January 13, 2010:
(Huanuco, Peru)
Hey All,
What a day! When I met the guys on the stairway as they were coming back from the property (future orphanage, church and homes) there was no doubt they had put in a very hard days work, sunburned, dirty and thirsty. They improved a very rough road that enters the property with two culverts and poured concrete around them.
We also made good progress on the teaching. We made it through four of the Firm Foundations lessons and a had a good start on the leadership training. There were 25 for the Firm Foundations and about 10 for the leadership training. Quite a few of the ones going through the Firm Foundations are planning to teach. Some of the leadership group will be the leadership for the new church.
The girls continue to impact us. They respond so quickly to any attention given to them. The investment in their lives by the by those here is challenging and encouraging.
Please continue to pray. There is much to do but we have sensed God’s power.
Steve
January 12, 2010
(Huanuco, Peru)
Hello All,
We made it to Huanuco today on a two seat wide plane over the Andes. It is more third world here than Lima. Some of the guys are amazed at the bumper to bumper, door to door intense traffic and the crowded market.
We are staying on the top floor of the orphanage, well, more on the roof with rooms and a kitchen built on. Really open and breezy and perfect temp. We had some awesome Bryon soup for supper!
The girls are amazing, all of you would fall in love with them. Johnny hangs with the guys following us around upstairs.
We jump in with both feet tomorrow. The teaching and the work out on the land start first thing in the morning. Please be praying… a pretty intense day.
We’ll try to touch base tomorrow,
Steve
January 12, 2010:
(Lima, Peru)
Hey,
We made it into Lima and are at a mission house. It was a good trip here. One of the stewardesses visited with us and prayed for us… really prayed! We will go back to the airport later this morning for the final leg. Everyone is doing great. Pass along to all and we will be in touch as soon as we can,
Steve