Day 2 - Peru 2014 - Introduction to Gamaliel Church

Day 2

After a short sleep, we were up once again at 7:30 pm. 

The sleep wasn't the easiest due to horns honking, chickens clucking (they have chickens here) Colin snoring, etc.  : )

Each year we bring peanut butter and Nutella for our team and for the translators.  Each year we build a tower out of them.  

This year was no exception.
The difference this year was that Gerry didn't create the tower, Steve did..... : ) 

Our translators arrived this morning as well. 
Maria-Gracia is joining us again this year.  
She and Mina are good friends.  

hmmmm...Lori Anne didn't get enough sleep either.  

It took a couple of tries to get the peanut butter tower completed. Simon used his engineering prowess to build a slightly different design.  

We ate breakfast at 8:30 am.  
Bananas and buns and cookies and coffee and tea and lots of good stuff.  

Sheila enjoying her morning coffee.  

Everyone socializing over breakfast.  

I'm enjoying a great breakfast. 

Our cook for the week.  Carlos.  
He cooked for us last year too. 
Great food.  

Hmmmm,  seems the peanut butter monument is taking new shape....will they ever stop?  : ) 

Steve passing the time playing frisbee.  

Gerry, what is everyone gathering around you for?  

Ines joined us again this year. 
She will be helping us translate for our teacher training. 

After breakfast we boarded two buses this time and began our travel to Gamaliel church.  I took the smaller bus.  

Martin getting to know Daniel, another of our translators. 

Here's our smaller bus.  
As we drove we were pulled over by the police. 
He wanted some $$, but the driver would not pay. The policeman let us on our way.   

We passed the other bus on route.  Gerry doing the queen wave. 

Pepe getting his usual travel nap in.  

Colin on the other bus. 

A car packed to the rafters.  Who needs a trailer in Peru?

Street performers while waiting for a stop light to change.  

Another street performer.  

Julie, the only sane one in the picture.  

Maria-Gracia catching some sleep before having us make her work so hard.  

Lots of containers as we drive to Pachacutec.  

A taxi that we won't necessarily use much.  

Chicken just hanging around and ready to be bought.  

The outskirts of Pachacutec.  

The children ready to welcome us. 
A small crowd now, because it's Saturday. 
There will be more children on Monday, when school starts.  

We bring our own bottled water with us for the trip. 

Erin and Ines. 

Annette remembering earlier trips that we've taken.  

Marsha reuniting with her Peruvian friends!

Ah, dear Pastor Sergio. 
Very excited to see us again, as are we.  

Once again we have our names on this wonderful heart.  
Pastor Sergio and his church have been getting up early to pray for us as we were preparing to come.  

This girl on the left is Genisis, Pastor Sergio's daughter.  She recited Psalm 63 from memory.  Then both girls sang a song which contained the same lyrics to 'Thrive' which Cornwall group sang a week earlier. God moment!

Pastor Sergio sharing words of welcome and the vision he has for Gamaliel church.  A vision that comes from God. 

Apparently some of us are still a wee bit tired.  : ) 

Pastor Sergio took us on a tour of the church and school. 
There are a few new buildings since we've been here. This one was under construction as we were leaving two years ago, and is now the place where the feeding program happens.  

We will be doing work on a class room today, taking out a floor to be redone.  Here are the desks from that classroom. 
Here we are being students once again.  Looks like Robert is really enjoying the new part of his life.  

Time to get to work and break up some concrete!  

After the tour, we had lunch.  Gerry, you look tired. 

Cindy getting refreshment.  

Sarah and I and Annette sharing social time during lunch.  

Daniel relaxing.  Our translators are both returning and new this year, but always amazing.  

After lunch we took time to walk around the community to invite people to VBS for the week, to paint, and to break up the concrete floor.  Here we are getting that organized.  

Steve and Robert filling up the wheelbarrow with busted up concrete coming from that room behind Steve. 

This is the way we remove the concrete.  A pretty sweet wheelbarrow too.  

Pastor Sergio is always involved in the work of his church, even the building of it.  

One of our groups going for a walk to invite kids to VBS.  

The dogs roam free here in Peru.  

Getting the job done.  It was hard dusty work.  

Cheryl decided she wanted to paint.  
The railings around the school needed painting.  

George taking a rest break. 

Pastor Sergio working away.  

Carmen painting as well.  

Dianne will be teaching the teachers this week, but she also wanted to get in some work, so here she is painting....interestingly enough while most of the boys are watching.  

Not Colin, however.  :) 

Keep pushing that Wheelbarrow Robert.  

After the walking around, we gathered together with the youth of the church and got to know them.  Here's Amy with a new Peruvian friend.  

Cynthia, another translator for the week.  She's just as spunky as Maria is.  Fun to watch them interact together as I bug them both. 

This is Genesis.  
Pastor Sergio's daughter. 
She has grown so much.  

We gathered our youth into 4 groups, and then placed a couple of Gamaliel's youth into those groups, and our translators helped them all get to know each other better.  They talked for almost 1 hour together.  

Here is Ines with three youth from Gamaliel church. 

Here is one of the groups getting to know each other better. 

Julia enjoying her time in her group. 

After the sharing time, Maria and the translators came up with a game similar Rock, Paper, Scissors, but using animals. 
It was a hoot to watch, and a hit. 

We were able to bless Gamaliel church today with a projection machine for their laptop.  
The funds were raised through Brenda's work place.
Pastor Sergio and his wife were very thankful for this gift, which they will use for their services.  

Apparently I fell asleep on the way home.  

Dinner was at 6:30 pm.  Some drama practice happened before then, and some showers too.  Then it was time for supper.  Soup to start with, and then spaghetti with meat sauce.  Delicious.  You could try some chili spices too, which many did, including me. : )  A very delicious meal made with loving hands.  

Now this is freaky. 

Don't Erin and Samantha look like twins. 

Freaky!!!  : )  

After dinner, and helping clean up after it, we gathered in the large meeting room to listen to Pepe and Erin share about the history and goals and dream for LivingMissions Peru.  A special time. 

We then heard comments from you who have been sharing them with us.  Thank you...the ones from John B. and his family are especially funny to read.  Thanks for the tidbits John. 

I end this post with a big thank you that goes out to Carefor Cornwall Hospice for the bags which are now filled with resource sofr the teacher workshops.  Many thanks to ALL who donated school supplies.  Gamaliel School, the orphanage and the special needs school will greatly benefit from all of these donations. 

So ends day 2. 

We settled down and everyone is now in bed. 

It's 11 pm and I'm actually going to bed too. 

NICE!!!!!  

It was a blessed and exhausting day. 

Tomorrow will be more so, as we will be staying later into the evening.  Blog post will be a later one for sure.