Hey everyone... I just thought I´d let you know what´s happening in Chepen.
With the group of 27 people (plus me and another intern), we hoped to get the roof started on the church...however due to various problems with the cost of materials rising, we were not able to get as far as we had hoped. Also, having 30 people, 60 hands, was a bit much to have here at this time. So that was the discouraging part. However, it has been great getting to know the people on the teams. When I was told I would be working with 28 other people, I was thinking, "how and I ever going to learn all their name??" I also wasn´t sure how all the translating would go. Fortunately, I have learned ALL the names of everyone I am working with! Plus the translating hasn´t been as bad I was thinking. A few of the girls on the team speak a little spanish (like what I knew the last couple years), so that definitely makes it easier because they can talk to people a little as well!
Our focus wasn't only on construction, but also on evangelism. So we spent 1 night in the Plaza in groups of 2 with a Peruvian talking to different people about God. This was a great experience for everyone. It was great talking to the team later that night at our debrief and hearing how many of them enjoyed their experience. (We were supposed to do this another night, but there was a concert in the plaza, si we couldn't, we had a birthday party for one of the team members instead.) Half the group also visited various people from the church in their homes. The time was spent getting to know people from the church and praying for them.
I think it´s interesting to see how things are different this year than in years past. I think things are different because this is a group primarily of people between the ages of 14 and 18, also including 21, 22 (2 of us), and 28 (2), with only 2 people above the age of 40. This just brings about another whole dimension to the group. This is also a group made up from 2 churches that didn´t know each other before landing in Lima, and actually before getting to Chepen. It has been fun to watch how they have bonded into 1 group. There are no longer 2 churches, but 1 family and I LOVE it! The only thing that could make me happier would be to see the people in these group bond and form a family with the Chepen church.
Then Saturday, all the teams (all 180 people, plus interns, and locals) had a sports day in Trujillo. It was a lot of fun and there was a lot of competition in the games we played. My AMAZING team got 2nd in 2 games (one was tug-a-war, where I cheered so much I lost my voice) and we got 1st in a game sort of like Steal the Bacon. It was a lot of fun to see them all come out of their shells a bit and get into the events. We didn't do so well at soccer, but the improvement over the 3 games we played was HUGE! Volleyball also didn't go so well for us, but all had fun and that is the most important. (Plus with the amazing win in Steal the Bacon, it didn't matter how everything else went, everyone was high off that win!)
I wish you all could have been here to experience this week with me. It was way better than I could have imagined and I am SO thankful to everyone who came and helped and encouraged the church of Chepen!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Next Group
I realize I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping up with what I've been doing during my time here...I'm SUPER sorry for that. When the groups are here, I'm busy almost ALL the time with them, and when I'm not working with groups, I'm off doing other things.
Last weekend I spent about 2 days in Chepen. It was a VERY short trip, but I was able to talk about the next group and what some of the plans are for them. Just a little background. The next group that is coming is from Ohio. It's a district-wide missions trip so we will be having 180 people here. We are taking them to 4 locations, one of those locations is Chepen. We will be having 27 people (from 2 churches) in Chepen (plus me and anther intern), so almost 30 people!! I'm so excited for having them all come and help further the church there. I think this will be a GREAT encouragement for everyone. We will working on putting the roof over the part of the church that is currently finished.
If you could be praying for this time. The hotel that we stayed at last year will be able to hold us all (YAY!!), but for the meals it could be a little difficult with such a large group. Our lunches will be at Pastor Juan and Martha's house, which really isn't all that big and could hardly hold our group of 10. Our dinners will be eating in restaurants, which in Chepen really aren't that big either. Pray for the ladies who will be cooking our food, that they won't get stressed over the number of people coming. Pray for the church to not be overwhelmed meeting so many gringos all at one time. Pray for the groups as they prepare to come and that while here we can bond as 1 team, completely united. Pray for me and Patrick (the other intern whom I have yet to meet) that we will do good at leading the groups and keeping communication open between the 2 of us and the pastors and the groups. Finally, pray for me, as far as I know, Patrick doesn't know Spanish - or at least not much - and I'm not sure on the groups either, so please pray that communicating for 28 other people will not be too much for me.
I'm really excited about this opportunity to share Chepen with another group of people whom I hope will fall in love with them as well and will consider returning to help in the years to come! (Especially as a cement floor is REALLY needed as the last time I was in Chepen my arms got bitten way too much and I still have the bumps and itches to prove it!)
Thank you for your continued love and support!
Last weekend I spent about 2 days in Chepen. It was a VERY short trip, but I was able to talk about the next group and what some of the plans are for them. Just a little background. The next group that is coming is from Ohio. It's a district-wide missions trip so we will be having 180 people here. We are taking them to 4 locations, one of those locations is Chepen. We will be having 27 people (from 2 churches) in Chepen (plus me and anther intern), so almost 30 people!! I'm so excited for having them all come and help further the church there. I think this will be a GREAT encouragement for everyone. We will working on putting the roof over the part of the church that is currently finished.
If you could be praying for this time. The hotel that we stayed at last year will be able to hold us all (YAY!!), but for the meals it could be a little difficult with such a large group. Our lunches will be at Pastor Juan and Martha's house, which really isn't all that big and could hardly hold our group of 10. Our dinners will be eating in restaurants, which in Chepen really aren't that big either. Pray for the ladies who will be cooking our food, that they won't get stressed over the number of people coming. Pray for the church to not be overwhelmed meeting so many gringos all at one time. Pray for the groups as they prepare to come and that while here we can bond as 1 team, completely united. Pray for me and Patrick (the other intern whom I have yet to meet) that we will do good at leading the groups and keeping communication open between the 2 of us and the pastors and the groups. Finally, pray for me, as far as I know, Patrick doesn't know Spanish - or at least not much - and I'm not sure on the groups either, so please pray that communicating for 28 other people will not be too much for me.
I'm really excited about this opportunity to share Chepen with another group of people whom I hope will fall in love with them as well and will consider returning to help in the years to come! (Especially as a cement floor is REALLY needed as the last time I was in Chepen my arms got bitten way too much and I still have the bumps and itches to prove it!)
Thank you for your continued love and support!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
MN Group!
Kari and I just finished working with a group from MN working on another church site. This project has been the most physically demanding project thus far, but a project I really enjoyed doing. Not only was the group from Riverside a GREAT group of people to work with, but there was plenty of support from the Nor Oeste church as well. As you can see from the following pictures, we started with a building, and ended the week with open land (and a few bricks and dirt). The church as purchased this property, but in order to build their church, they needed to tear down the current building. It looked like a lot of work in the beginning, but we were able to get a lot farther than I orginially thought.
Some of the work was rather teadious, such as cleaning off all the bricks one by one and moving them from one location on site to another, then loading them and moving them to another site. But the end result was great! Kari and I came home every day covered in dust and made the people who work at the house we are staying at laugh because we were beginning to look like Peruvians. Overall, as far as work is concerned, I think this was my favorite project...I really feel as though something was accomplished (not that I don't think the other groups accomplished things, because, believe me, they did, but after being able to a lot of hard physical labor, it just feels as though more was done, especially looking at it was before, and what it is after).
Here are a few more pictures to help you see what the week looked like!!
(I'll try adding more later, I just ran out of time...)
Some of the work was rather teadious, such as cleaning off all the bricks one by one and moving them from one location on site to another, then loading them and moving them to another site. But the end result was great! Kari and I came home every day covered in dust and made the people who work at the house we are staying at laugh because we were beginning to look like Peruvians. Overall, as far as work is concerned, I think this was my favorite project...I really feel as though something was accomplished (not that I don't think the other groups accomplished things, because, believe me, they did, but after being able to a lot of hard physical labor, it just feels as though more was done, especially looking at it was before, and what it is after).
Here are a few more pictures to help you see what the week looked like!!
(I'll try adding more later, I just ran out of time...)
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Journey Group
Well, a couple days ago, we said good bye to the second Peru mission group. This group was from Arizona...I'm going to have contacts all over the country by the end of my summer!!
It was a group of 9 people who were here for about a week. We continued on with the work at the Guardaria (where we were working with the first team). We moved bricks to the roof - again preparing for the 2nd floor to be built. Then, we also painted. We added color to the white walls the first team painted. The main color we painted was yellow. The main room and the hall has been painted yellow (the bottom half of the wall). Then a large back room has been painted green (again, only the bottom half). Then, out front, we painted a cream color on the bottom half of the wall and a bright blue around the windows. It's been fun waiting the building come together with the colors. It is much more bright and friendly and inviting now! (I'll add pictures later.)
It is fun watching the groups because every group is different. The group make-up and the people who come on each team. I have enjoyed getting to know the teams and becoming part of the group. It has given me ideas of how to help groups in the future.
Tomorrow I will be helping with another team, but this will be a short time as I will be going to Chepen and helping out with the church there while waiting for a team to come help with their construction project.
It was a group of 9 people who were here for about a week. We continued on with the work at the Guardaria (where we were working with the first team). We moved bricks to the roof - again preparing for the 2nd floor to be built. Then, we also painted. We added color to the white walls the first team painted. The main color we painted was yellow. The main room and the hall has been painted yellow (the bottom half of the wall). Then a large back room has been painted green (again, only the bottom half). Then, out front, we painted a cream color on the bottom half of the wall and a bright blue around the windows. It's been fun waiting the building come together with the colors. It is much more bright and friendly and inviting now! (I'll add pictures later.)
It is fun watching the groups because every group is different. The group make-up and the people who come on each team. I have enjoyed getting to know the teams and becoming part of the group. It has given me ideas of how to help groups in the future.
Tomorrow I will be helping with another team, but this will be a short time as I will be going to Chepen and helping out with the church there while waiting for a team to come help with their construction project.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
PA Group Pictures
Here are a few pictures of the PA group's time in Peru. There only a few few because of the time it takes to put them online...sorry. I've been having some computer and internet issues with these machines/connections here in Peru, so please have patience all summer!!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
9th Anniversary Celebration
On Friday I arrived to Chepen in the afternoon to join in the 9th Anniversary of the CMA church there. In the afternoon I was able to visit the church before a bunch of people came and talk with some friends who were preparing for festivities.
A little after 8pm the festitives began. We had a time of singing with a pastor from Trujillo. Then there was a baby dedication for 2 babies. One baby was Jose, Pastor Juan and Marta's youngest son. The other was for Henry and Rosa's newest addition (yes, for those who have been to Chepen and know Henry and Rosa, they have had another baby! A 2 month old little girl named Rut Elena and sh'e adorable, looks a bit like her brother.) Then there was another pastor from Trujillo who shared a message with the congregation.
It was great being with the church again. There were about 90 people in attendance! It's starting to look more and more like a church - much farther than it was 2 years ago, our first time there. They now have a sound box, paint on the permanent walls, plus an enclosed roof (although it's only temporary). The ushers also dressed similarly to stand out - white tops with black pants.
After the service, we had a dinner. It was good, but, as usual, a lot of food. It was also a little more spicy than I'd like, but not bad. We finished the night off with cake! This time was also spent talking with people. I mostly talked with the people my age - those I know the best. It was great to just sit and talk with people. I didn't understand everything, but definitely more than my last visits - the good thing too was that they noticed the difference in my language abilities too! The party was so great, I didn't end up getting home until about 12:130am!
I must admit it si different being there alone, without a group of gringos. In some ways I liked it better because I'm seeing more what things are "normally" like. However, at times I wish I had some gringo with me. If I thought I got stared at lot with everyone, it's worse now because I know it's me they're looking at, not someone else in the group.
Chepen team members: I want you to know they remember everyone of you, even if it was only 1 yr you came. They have asked about each of you by name. I am sending you their love!
Hope Church particularly, but everyone is included in this: Continue to pray for this church. One group that was supposed to come isn't able to anymore, so in some ways that's a discouragement, although you won't hear anyone complaining. Thankfully, in Juyly we'll still have 1 group. The church has been issued a challenge. If they can raise $1000 by the end of June, Chuck, a missionary who used to work in Peru (and my director), has said he would get $7000 from outside sources. With this $8000, they can get the 2nd floor of the church at least started, if not finished. Pastor Juan is sure they can get their $1000 raised. He has challenged the people of the church to donate $10 each. He believes that at least 60 people will do that, giving them $600, needing to raise only $400 more. That last $400, he hopes to raise in a yard sale and by selling baked goods. Please be praying this month for this opportunity to raise $8000 for the church!
Also please be praying for Pastor Juan and family. The are working on getting their visas for coming to visit in Oct. As it is difficult to obtain visas to the US, please be praying for this process. I'm hoping to travel with Pastor Juan and Marta to Lima to visit the Embassy to try to help in this process. Please also be praying as they prepare mentally and spiritually to come. They have a lot of questions and concerns, but I know they are excited about the opportunity to come!
(Sorry this is so long and there aren't any pictures. Hope to get those up soon!)
A little after 8pm the festitives began. We had a time of singing with a pastor from Trujillo. Then there was a baby dedication for 2 babies. One baby was Jose, Pastor Juan and Marta's youngest son. The other was for Henry and Rosa's newest addition (yes, for those who have been to Chepen and know Henry and Rosa, they have had another baby! A 2 month old little girl named Rut Elena and sh'e adorable, looks a bit like her brother.) Then there was another pastor from Trujillo who shared a message with the congregation.
It was great being with the church again. There were about 90 people in attendance! It's starting to look more and more like a church - much farther than it was 2 years ago, our first time there. They now have a sound box, paint on the permanent walls, plus an enclosed roof (although it's only temporary). The ushers also dressed similarly to stand out - white tops with black pants.
After the service, we had a dinner. It was good, but, as usual, a lot of food. It was also a little more spicy than I'd like, but not bad. We finished the night off with cake! This time was also spent talking with people. I mostly talked with the people my age - those I know the best. It was great to just sit and talk with people. I didn't understand everything, but definitely more than my last visits - the good thing too was that they noticed the difference in my language abilities too! The party was so great, I didn't end up getting home until about 12:130am!
I must admit it si different being there alone, without a group of gringos. In some ways I liked it better because I'm seeing more what things are "normally" like. However, at times I wish I had some gringo with me. If I thought I got stared at lot with everyone, it's worse now because I know it's me they're looking at, not someone else in the group.
Chepen team members: I want you to know they remember everyone of you, even if it was only 1 yr you came. They have asked about each of you by name. I am sending you their love!
Hope Church particularly, but everyone is included in this: Continue to pray for this church. One group that was supposed to come isn't able to anymore, so in some ways that's a discouragement, although you won't hear anyone complaining. Thankfully, in Juyly we'll still have 1 group. The church has been issued a challenge. If they can raise $1000 by the end of June, Chuck, a missionary who used to work in Peru (and my director), has said he would get $7000 from outside sources. With this $8000, they can get the 2nd floor of the church at least started, if not finished. Pastor Juan is sure they can get their $1000 raised. He has challenged the people of the church to donate $10 each. He believes that at least 60 people will do that, giving them $600, needing to raise only $400 more. That last $400, he hopes to raise in a yard sale and by selling baked goods. Please be praying this month for this opportunity to raise $8000 for the church!
Also please be praying for Pastor Juan and family. The are working on getting their visas for coming to visit in Oct. As it is difficult to obtain visas to the US, please be praying for this process. I'm hoping to travel with Pastor Juan and Marta to Lima to visit the Embassy to try to help in this process. Please also be praying as they prepare mentally and spiritually to come. They have a lot of questions and concerns, but I know they are excited about the opportunity to come!
(Sorry this is so long and there aren't any pictures. Hope to get those up soon!)
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