LEARNING TO ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES - CHANGES

Thursday - Friday, September 15th - 16th:

If anything can happen on the mission field it WILL! And it did. First, the city for the Pastor's Meeting is to be San Francisco which is across the river from Kimbiri where we were last year.

A pastor from Honduras had flight delayed, causing him to miss a connection, thus causing him to miss the bus to Ayacucho, this causing us to wait 10 hours for his arrival, causing us to drive over the high Andes at night on dirt and gravel road which often would narrow to one lane and complicated by construction, causing us to arrive in San Francisco at 12:30 AM Friday instead of 2:00 PM Thursday, causing us to not be there for scheduled services at various Churches, causing disappointment for many.

Man! That is a lot of "causes!". But one more! It is important to the story. I had to change my return flight to Lima because I was to ride with Larry Cochran back from San Francisco to Ayacucho on Sunday and fly on Monday. But at the last moment he could not come, and I was forced to wait one more day before returning. Gratefully the air lines did not charge for the changes and I got the same flight, only one day later.

But we made it. The drive took 5 ½ hours and there was no sleeping to be had. I was in the back set, half of which was stacked to the ceiling with luggage because the trunk was full of boxes of Bibles. This was complicated by the constant turning, braking, bouncing, tossing left, then right, the forward, then back, then again and again.

Plus, the driver kept his window rolled down at least halfway and the cold air swirling around my head. Thank God I had packed my special emergency towel set and for the realization that my bag was on top of the stack. So I took out the small towel and wrapped it around my head, tucking the ends into the neck of my leather jacket. I then wrapped my arms around my chest and did some "self-cuddling."

I had thought ahead and purchased an "altitude pill" and 30 minutes before departure I downed that baby! Therefore I was not affected by the altitude, nor the roller-coaster over the mountains expedition but my interpreter, Desi Escalante from Chincha was causing us to stop two times for "relief."

In all honesty --what else would you expect but honesty -- excluding the roughness of the trip, I am glad it was night because I could not see scenes of thousands of feet straight down with to guardrail, one lane and a huge truck looming in front of us. Right-of-way belongs to the vehicle going up. So one vehicle has to find room enough for both to pass and stop until the other passes.

OUCH! The only way back is over the same road and it will be daylight!

Up and rolling by 7:00 waiting for the rest to go to breakfast but I was not ready to "break fast" - no I was not fasting but I cannot speak on a full stomach. So I skipped it! And honestly I was not ready to eat breakfast Peruvian style, like a pulled chicken sandwich loaded with lettuce, tomato and those tiny potato fries you buy in a can.

Then we headed to Church for the morning sessions. They were already lined up waiting for us to arrive. I am going to jump to the end of the morning and tell you the crowd was so many they - PASTORS - sitting in the back isle and on a bench outside the door because there was no more room inside. And it was hot out there in the direct sun .

Pastor Ivan Galindo Paz from Trijullo Honduras was the other speaker foe the morning sessions replacing Larry Cochran from Go International who had to cancel because of the discovery of prostate cancer. Pastor Ivan had the first session and I had the second but this was after one hour of preliminaries.

Imagine the scene: the Church auditorium was packed - all seats taken with some sitting on the steps entering the auditorium and some sitting or standing outside in the direct sun. No air conditioning. It is stuffy with almost no ventilation. I look around as Pastor Ivan is midway and see many asleep and I wonder what is going to happen when it is my turn. At least he speaks Spanish! You guessed it! Many could not stay awake during my session but youngest press on.

Dinner followed with fresh fish, fried with head and eyeballs staring at you and hidden beneath the large piece was yuca - covering the plate and I think uncooked and all of this topped with fresh sliced onions and thin slices of tomato. This was decorated with crisp fried plantain. I found myself becoming very generous and shared my yuca with the other pastors. That was nice of me, don't you think?

I did not return to the afternoon sessions until it was meantime. Stop thinking bad about me! My interpreter did not want to go and translate so I would know what Pastor Ivan was saying. And no, he was not being lazy but only wanting to save his voice to translate me. Well, anyway I made it through and returned to my room and moved to the room next door so I would have air -- not conditioning but a fan. Boy was it a life saver.

Oh, lest I forget - the shower includes the commode - minus the seat, sink - all in one but with no hot water and is it ever cold. I had, had it with the heat and my lack of courage to get completely wet under the shower and so I called up enough courage to inch my way until I was completely under the spout and it was not glory that came out on me! But I did take a shower, not my first but almost the first one since arriving here in San Francisco -- PERU -- not California.

The evening consisted of a Town Square service. No one told me the schedule for starting and my interpreter did not come for me until 8:00 and so by the time we walked to the square the worship was over. There were around 50 who responded for first time salvation and re-dedication. Anyway that rounds out my day and sets me up for my 9-10 session in the morning and then to be the speaker at the service tomorrow evening (Saturday).

Now for some, "SOME" sleep. But the hotel and my room face a very busy corner with ALL kinds of night life sounds, so it is time to push the ear plugs in, take some PM's and check out the back of my eyelids. Good night all!

Saturday, September 17th:

AW! Sleep did come and it was good, but the morning brought more schedule changes. It changed twice yesterday and again this morning. Instead of being the 9 o'clock speaker I was the 10 o'clock. No matter you just learn to go with the flow.

After speaking and while walking back to the hotel, Pastor Wilkinson, the Peru coordinator for Go International, told me I hit the pastors right on the head where they have a major problem. They frequently elevate custom and culture above the Word. I knew that from watching their culture show up in Church. He was very happy for the confrontation and the way I shared the teaching. Thank you Holy Spirit for your direction. That was Saturday morning.

I thought I had the afternoon free but once again I was wrong! I was asked to assist with the distribution of the 150 Study Bibles to those pastors who registered first. The look on there faces was worth missing a rest. We then handed out two paperback Bibles to all th rest. Then it was time to pass out the certificates of attendance. I watched as the pastors would once again run to the front just to get a certificate saying they attended this year's Pastors Conference with their face glowing with excitement and pride.

While departing from the morning session I told the conference director I had recorded each of my sessions and wondered if they wanted a copy to make available to the pastors. I had hardly made it to my seat for the distribution of the Bibles and certificates when a pastor approached me with his USB drive in his hand, and he was just the first of many. Someone overheard and spread the word. They are very anxious to learn.

Saturday evening I was selected to be the speaker. The service was to be held at the Pentecostal Church of Peru. I was dreading it because the morning sessions were packed and it was very hot. Boy was I surprised when we arrived and I discovered we were having an open air service in the courtyard adjacent to the Church.

We arrived to the sound of singing and 90% of the seats filled. But it did not stop there. By the time I was introduced the crowd had grown from about 200-225 to an estimated 400 -- 26 seats per row, 13 rows, plus those seated on the steps down into the courtyard, those on a bench along the entire length of the building and those standing along the walk along the length of the church on the upper level. You count them I could only guess with an honest guess (not evangelisticaly speaking.)

When I finished speaking, praying for the sick standing at their seats and laying hands on the pastors, fatigue had set in and so I excused myself from the after service meal and rain through the cold shower and fell into bed.

Sunday, September 18th:

This morning, Sunday, we were requested to join a pastor for a picnic at the Angelina Water Falls. I tried to come up with a legitimate reason for bowing out but I did not succeed. Finally, two hours later than scheduled pastor and our transportation arrived - a 4x4 extended seat Pickup. Now there are five of us, plus the pastor and his wife and two children a driver. Do?

No problem! Three climbed into the truck bed and we were off -- to get more people and the food. Finally, after another hour we headed out into the jungle. Forty-five minutes later after passing newly planted fields of cocaine, fields of all sized plants, and leaves laid out to dry on black plastic - one as large as a basketball court we arrived.

Now for the hike! No I will not describe it but only say had to walk up - climb - whatever - over 850 meters - 2,788 feet from where we parked. I do not know what the altitude is here, but I do know it isn't sea level, I made it and stood at the base of the falls enjoying the cool mist from the cascading water not caring that my shirt was beginning to really absorb the water.

The food part I was able to avoid due to having eaten a chunk of pineapple given to me by the Pastor's wife. How did that on it? It was not ripe, nor tasty and honestly produced a welcome upset stomach. I have almost come to the end of my ability to eat chicken and rice! Plus, I was scheduled to minister again at night.

And I have come to the end of my public ministry. The final service is over.

Tonight I ministered in the Evangelical Pentecostal Church of Peru to about 125. The are stuck in cultural and Church traditions, However there is a deep hunger for God. The pastor wants to break out of some of the traditions but is struggling, lacking the boldness or the "know how" to do it. I would would his name but I do not have it with me at this time.

For example: "Does anyone have a special?". Then three get up and sing. Now I am not a musician and as you know I cannot carry a tune -- even in their "mountain music" -- but I was embarrassed for them. HOWEVER, GOD WASN'T! it was evident to see the love for God coming through them. so who am I to say "I was embarrassed for them?" I was just embarrassed! I must look at things like this as though I were God, not man!

Anyway it was a good service and the people we're ministered to by the Holy Spirit and that is what is important. So now it is time to go forward by getting up and being ready at 5:00 even though those with me will probably not meet their own schedule. I would rather wait on them than have them waiting on me.

So Mr. Dirt-Rock Muddy Road, here we come. God grant traveling protection as we traverse Your creation on our way back to Ayacucho.

Monday, September 19:

Surprised to read about Monday? So am I. We rented out the "Cumby" - van - entirely so we would have sufficient space and so we could depart from San Francisco without waiting for more riders. That was a good thing because we had to remove a package from under one seat one potential rider placed there. Guess what was in it? Cocaine!

That placed us back in Ayacucho at 12:30 PM. The director rented a room for me and all of the team went to my room to rest while the director went to buy bus tickets for all the others. He came back too soon to have accomplished that, but with a surprise saying to me, "It may be possible for you to fly back to Lima on the 5:00 flight, if the pilot says the weather is warm enough to take more than 15 passengers."

Well here I am sitting and waiting for my flight. if the weather is too cold the airplane will not ascend from this airport due to the altitude.

The return trip over the mountains went without any problems, Although several times I had to tell myself not to get nervous. I was sitting in the passenger side in the front and therefore I could see the edge of the road and sometimes I could not. The "could nots" are what gave me a momentary nervous sensation, particularly when we were in one of those 90 degree one lane turns.

The altitude pill on an empty stomach helped. However. When we stopped for a fried fish breakfast, I had to eat, but only the fish and some rice. No problems - I did fine. The Honduran pastor had some minor difficulty but it was a successful trip.

Now to get back to civilization - Lima, and the Internet and post this manuscript.

God bless and thank you for your prayers.

Dr D

PS: Since this is now posted, you know I made it back without any problems.