Peru 2016 - Day 4 - Routine Sets in and Fountains - Part 2

Part 2

Lots of cleaning at the orphanage. 

Which is now actually an orphanage.

Things have changed here and the kids that were here two years ago have moved somewhere else. 

Still good to help out though. 

Another home visit group. 

Walking to get to various homes.  

Working on the water system and fire hydrants.
Infrastructure is slowly coming to Pachacutec.  

Jackie making new friends.  

Marsha and company doing another home visit.  

Dishes  

and lunch time for the children. 

Lucy how did you get all that water on you?

This is slightly reversed, but after lunch, I arranged for a visit with Pastor Sergio and Pastor Craig.  

I always love to visit with Pastor Sergio and his wife Falicitas.  

He always has such great words of wisdom. 

I was able to give him lots of small peanut butter containers to use in the feeding program they run. 

As well as some food gifts for the children.  

And a box of cards that were made by our youth back in February.  

We hope that they will bring encouragement to the congregation of Gamaliel church.  

They were greatly appreciated by Pastor Sergio and Falicitas.  

Pastor Sergio wanted to offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the cards. 

And then some time was spent letting Pastor Craig and Sergio talk and get to know each other. 

That brings me to some points I wrote out in the morning, when I was more coherent than I am right now. 

I found out that Pastor Sergio is finished his Seminary training from Calvary Chapel institute of Peru.

I also found out that Pastor Sergio is no longer supported by an American church.  His support comes via the Christian school.  All part of trying to make Gamaliel church self sufficient.  And it seems to be working. 

Pastor Sergio would like the church to be growing more, but he realizes that the Christian School is also a conduit for the gospel message.

Pastor Steve shared in his morning devotion that the first two times coming he was expecting to see the H.S. at work.  Wanting to see something happen.  It didn’t always happen.  This time around he’s decided to have no expectations while here and he has seen the H.S. at work in ways he didn’t before.  And that is the learn for we who come here, or do any other Learning Opportunity.  We need to have that attitude when we are living day to day at home.  Knowing the H.S. is with us, but not always expecting a result, but resting in the fact that there will be a result, not just what we might want to see. 

Pepe’s thinking on missions has changed for his own country.  He reminded us that when it comes to doing missions in Peru, N.A. aren’t coming to establish churches.  They are already here.  They existed long before we came.  So we aren’t coming to build the church, or create something out of nothing.  

Pastor Sergio already did that when he obeyed the call to come to Pachacutec.  We come to stand beside, learn from, teach, and grow together.  

There is 60 years of mission understanding that needs to change and that doesn’t happen over night.  But it is slowly changing.   For Pepe, for me, for the churches here, and for the CRC as well. 

Missions is no longer just going out to different places to do what feels good for me.  It’s about building long term relationships with a church and learning from each other.  

In that learning both sides grow.  An example for us is that Gamaliel church is now doing trips into the mountains for the past 3 years.  For us we see that the Holy Spirit works in ways we don’t normally see, and the the learn for us is to see look for that that when we are back home as well.

  

In this model we see churches equipped, not becoming dependent.  We see churches in N.A. going to Learn what God is doing in other parts of the world, not trying to fix what they think are problems in that part of the world, or that part of the worldwide church.   In this model we see multiplication that sticks, and growth that is sustainable.   

Churches in N.A. model things for a church in another country and that church starts to build a relationship with a church in their country and that church eventually starts to build a relationship with another church.   N.A. churches can learn from the churches they visit and come home and practice what they learn in their own church and in outreach. 

As Pepe says, we don’t want your money, we want people so we can all be blessed to be a blessing.  That highlights the investment vs the cost discussion.  Yes, it costs $$ to go to another country, but the way people are blessed and changed is the investment that brings about both seen and unseen events. 

A simple thing like modelling how we behave as we watch the VBS drama time.  Some of the kids don’t have much family structure, and if we can model proper behaviour that is simple but important discipleship.  

Now back to the events of the day. 

Lunch first.   

In the heat, and it was a hotter day today, lunch is always good.  

Time to sit down and relax.  

Sheldon and Marsha laughing together as always.  

BRITTANY eating lunch with Marsha and Brenda. 

Are we getting enough pictures of BRITTANY today.  : )

Ron stuffing his face again.  

Who took that picture. 

Did you do that dear????!!!!

BRITTANY taking some time to write in her journal.  

Christian getting some physio.  Nice to have that talent on the team. : )

Apparently while Pastor Craig and I were meeting with Pastor Sergio and Falicitas an accident happened near the church.  

A child, not connected to our VBS, ran in front of a taxi and in avoiding the child the taxi overturned, slightly injuring the people inside.  

We help set it back upright.  

And Andrea administered minor first aid to the injured.  

Kayla and Lucy travelled across the road to visit with a couple of people inviting them to VBS.  They couldn't come, but Kayla and Lucy had a great conversation with them about Christ. 

I'm bugging Gigi again.  

She takes it well, and dishes it out pretty good too. 

It has been an honour to work with her once again.  

Time to get the balloons ready IN ADVANCE this time. 

And time to set up the face painting. 

We started VBS at 2:30 today so we could get out before the traffic got too bad. 

Nice work whoever did Sheldon's face.  What, no face painting for you Danike?  

On guard..... : ) 

Peter is touched by Daniel's caring in coming over to talk to his dad.  

Great job in getting the balloon making organized Lauren.  

Kids latching on to our group. 

Literally. 

Once again Lucy has a child in her arms.  

Hmmmm, interpreters too tied to their mobile devices ???  : ) 

This is what you could do instead.  : ) 

Mila lost her voice today. 

She has a cold. 

Felt bad for her, but she managed ok.  

Gigi coordinating the interpreters to make sure everyone knows what they need to do for VBS. 

Time to start the singing.  



Today it was Lauren, Daniel, and Sheldon. 

They got the place jumping.  

hmmmm, so technical difficulty here, so we jump back a bit to the play time before VBS. 
Andrea brought some streamers with her. 

They were a hit with the kids, and the adults too it seems.  

Face painting time once again.  

And time to try out the streamers.  

George continuing to teach the basics of football.  

Looks nice.  

You can't see it, or feel it, but it's HOT! 

Andrea getting into the soccer mood.  

Colin trying to get a tan...or so I was told.  

Seems like face painting is a hit.  

More dancing broke out.  

We are going to jump around here a bit for some reason.  Too tired to care at the moment.  : ) 

Craft time at VBS. 
Today it was colouring in the Lord's Prayer on a sheet.  

Before VBS there was also colouring time and it looks like Marsha is heading that up.    

And a dance broke out among the interpreters.  

Daniel found a new friend. 

Addie helping the kids learn how to use the streamers. 

And Gigi and Cynthia joining a child in her dancing.  They have such fun with the kids.  

Back to colouring.  

More dancing.
  

And craft time.  

Sisters discussing who's going to get which child to hold.  

Songs were playing during craft time so Debora and I did some actions. 

To superhero. 
Lots of fun. 

Nice job on Pastor Steve's face.  

Is that safe Steve.  :  )

Back to singing.  

Israel is a real ham. He loves VBS and he loves these kids.  

The end of part 2.  Move on over to the conclusion of the day - part 3