The Craziness From PA

Where to start with this group and this time...I haven't written much because we have been kept fairly busy and by the time I have time to write, I'm too tired and just want to sleep.

To refresh your memory, there is a group from a PA Alliance church who came for a mission trip to Trujillo, Peru. We had the exciting adventure in Lima where my things were taken (or left somewhere). But since then, we've been in Trujillo doing various ministries. The main job - and most physically demanding - is working near a dump where a new building has been constructed to hold activities for the kids whose parents work in the dump. There has been sanding down of the walls and painting primer, and final color. There has been a lot of playing with kids (it has been great to watch them just completely love on the kids), going door to door (this was stretching for me as well since in my group, I had to share twice and translate once), we ate in the homes of the people, we attended small groups as well as church, and visited a historical site.

It has been amazing watching this group come together as a church body, after sacrificing their time, energy, family, work, etc, to come help out a church in another country.

Today was our last full day together. Tonight we will be taking another late night bus to Lima so the group can head out tomorrow on the plane. It will definitely be hard to say good-bye as we have grown close. But I suppose this is what my summer will look like. I will constantly be building relationships only to have to say good-bye after a week or 2. I am glad, however, to have shared in this experience and to share my passion for missions with this group. I hope and pray that they will return home with a strong fire and light the fire in others too! I also hope and pray that they will go home changed people, and not just a change for the short term, but a life change.