Peru 20 Somethings Completed

The "20 Somethings" (College & Career) trip to Peru was a great success.

There was a lot of work completed with difficult working conditions, tools, weather conditions. "Weather?" right! It is t heir winter season and it never rains or hasn't rained in the Lima area for over 125 years. BUT---But there can be a heavy mist that will go on and on and on (forever it seems.)

Consider this: Though the temperature did not get lower than 50 degrees F -- you have a concrete building; windows that are far from being weather tight; steel outside doors that have no seal around them; no heat in the building (this is typical of all homes in Peru -- at least where I have been); clouds that seem to sit on you all day long, therefore no rays from the sun; the fine mist making everything outside damp -- including you; PLUS - limited lighting and very limited hot water for a shower and do not forget that you sleep on air-mattresses on the floor.

This with 7 US raised college age students in such surroundings should equal problems! NO! NO! Not with this group! We never heard one word or complaint or bickering about their conditions. Not even when you add in the source of many of their meals was peanut butter and jelly with scrambled eggs and maybe some Peruvian sliced deli meat.

What did we get? WORK! SMILES! LAUGHTER! THANKFULNESS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE!

As leaders, Marilyn and I cannot but praise the "Seven".

They painted three rooms -- two coats; removed the installed single unit hot/cold water shower controls and installed different ones by hammering out the concrete around the originals and around the PVC so we could adjust for the double control; wired for the new gas powered washer dryer combo -- yes electricity is required to turn the tubs; uncovered and fixed the sewage system even though they had to work in very unsanitary conditions; piped and wired for the pump to pump out the shower and sink water that will be used to water the landscaping; installed the pump for the water system along with its battery power; installed a reverse osmosis system under the sink to provide pure water for the house; used picks, large toothed gravel rakes and shovels to begin the process of providing a level courtyard area for parking the missionary's car when it arrives (said by faith for its provision) and for the small amount of grass and flowers that will beautify that area.

Add to that the account of the loose "four-footed first fruits offering" that got loose on Sunday and created laughter during the worship service. That is the "pig" that got loose and caused four very dignified 20 Somethings to kneel and rub its belly to try to stop the squeal that emits from an anxious, nervous PIG!. Then imagine two of them very gingerly and lovingly picking it up and carrying it back to its pen! (I cannot image it -- I wasn't there but they did it.)

Did they do "any ministry?" Yes! They had three sessions with the children and people of Jicamarca, one with the youth of Communidad Cristiana La Vina, Pastor Edgard Guillermo and also with the youth of New Strength, Pastor Agustin Ciccia.

And all of this began with an early departure from Ft. Myers because of the approach of Hurricane Fay. We had to leave on Monday evening for Miami International by way of Clewiston to avoid the potential wind and rain so we could get to the airport and be ready to depart on Tuesday morning. This meant sleeping in the airport on benches all night -- well some tried, some succeeded but at Dr. D. failed to get any sleep. He survived! That's what leaders do -- they survive.

Thank you Chase York, Ryan York, Nick York (a brother from Maryland), James Galante, Paul Janiak, Carrie Naimeth, Bethany Wolff for being so fabulous on this work - ministry trip to Peru to bless our Missionaries: David and Ceci Hodges.

Dr D and Marilyn