Wednesday, February 18

Monterrico – Jicamarca – Different But Same!

Confused? It is easy to understand when you are here and go from the Lima area of Monterrico to the new development area of Jicamarca.

You leave nice buildings, homes, streets, electricity, water on demand, but you also leave the busy sounds of the city - buses, taxis, car doors slamming, people walking all times of the night. You trade all this for the quietness of the night, only interrupted by the sounds of a dog but the stillness is overwhelming and sleep is only troubled if you are used to the busy sound of the inner city.

You also have to deal with the sound of the generator during the evening before it is turned off. Then it is light by propane gas. You carry a flashlight with you around your neck so you can see when walking out of the one or two rooms where the gas light is hanging.

You must be sure the battery is charged so the water pump will pump water to the roof container. You are careful about your use of water – and the rhyme: “If yellow, let it mellow, if brown flush it down” is the law of the bathroom.

You travel outside to go downstairs to the bedroom. Thus you reverse the procedure to go upstairs for food and fellowship or to go to Church services. Well you do get a lot of exercise that way! And you do find sore muscles!

O yes! The Weather! It is summer here and the temperature in the area of Lima where we stay with Pastor Agustin is in the mid 80's. It gets hot here because there is no air-conditioning. (Marilyn just told me it was in the mid 50's in Ft. Myers.) So you do feel the heat. But in Jicarmarca, there is a breeze that moves from the valley area up the mountain through the gap above us. So it is cool in the morning and then the afternoon breeze picks up considerably as the thermal powers take control. At night – great – there is nothing better than God’s AC!

A BIG DIFFERENCE is the continual battle with the dust. The mountain area of Jicamarca is desert. The sides of the mountains are nothing but rock, rock, rock and dirt, dirt, dirt thus the continual presence of dust blowing through the open windows. And how can I forget the fact that there are no screens on the windows. So you do battle “some” this time of year but not nearly as bad as in their winter months.

Going to the corner store? It doesn’t exist so you must be sure you have everything you need for a couple of days. No car is available. It is travel by taxi – as you know a taxi – or a three wheel motorcycle or scooter with a “rickshaw” style seat but covered by a tarp with plastic windows.

THE ROAD! It is up hill all the way for almost two miles. And until recently and completed only Friday, February 13, it was a rock road half the distance to the Hodges home and the location of Iglesia Vida, Jicamarca, Peru.

Leaving all these things to be dwelt with by your flesh, you move to the spiritual side of your time with Pastor David and Ceci Hodges and their two boys, Elel and Jordan. The work there is progressing. Sunday evening we had close to 40 in the service with one lady coming to Christ. They twisted my arm and instead of a prayer meeting Tuesday evening, I spoke again. They had 50 present. Plus there were 25 regulars who were not able to be there. And again we had one man give his heart to Jesus. That wasn’t the only salvation, because a young man who was in the service Sunday evening came by to speak with the Pastor and repented from his sin of having walked away from Christ and the call of God on his life.


Pedro (name changed to protect him) - a former “hit man”who is in his 20's has come to Jesus in the past month. He lives in the Church, sleeping on the floor. You can hear him pounding the drum and singing praises and praying at various times during the day and night. He takes his drum and goes to the market every day to preach the gospel. In both services there were evidences of those he had contacted and brought to the service. In fact, it was his mother who gave her life to Jesus Sunday evening. He was 13 when his mother told him to do something and he hit her in the face and since that time has been an angry young man who made his living as a criminal. Only God knows the crimes he has committed, including murder. He does anything he is asked to do and with a smile. He is studying college courses with Pastor David. It was exciting to watch his face shine and to listen to his eagerness to learn some English phrases so he could communicate with us.

The Church is growing and impacting people so fast that the “Corinthians” - a Catholic based group down in the main area of the city have threatened to fire anyone working for them who goes to Iglesia Vida. One man has already been fired because he refused to stop. Others have stopped going to Church, but are visited in their homes. I believe they will return.

I weep just to think about the people there. If it wasn’t for David and Ceci and her relatives who are giving so much of their time to minister to the people, where would those who have come to Jesus be tonight?

Ceci’s niece, Jovana has moved to live with them and help them. She travels almost 2 hours one way each day to attend an institutional institution where she studies English. She has become an excellent interpreter and without any Peruvian carryover. Her cousin, Rosita travels also to Jicamarca to help in the services as does Jovana’s brother, John Carlos, who gives a Sunday every other week to lead worship. These youth do it they say because their Uncle and Aunt have given so much to them that they want to share what they have with others. Ceci’s sister, Maria travels almost two hours by bus three times a week to assist. She was the one who maintained the ministry while David and Ceci were in the United States for almost one year.

So you ask? Is it worth it to support the Hodges and their ministry and that of Iglesia Vida, in Jicamarca, Peru? I respond with a question: What do you think after reading about the sacrifice and impact the Church is making in the community?

I have so much to say and yet I need to close for today. Who knows? I may add more tomorrow.

With love from us and the Hodges,

Dr. D. & Marilyn