IT IS FINISHED! THIS TRIP THAT IS!

This is blog “#7" and since that is a perfect number, I will complete my task of informing you of the happenings since Friday, February 26th.

Saturday, February 27th:

We will skip talking about “sleep” since “sleep” tried its best to “skip” me and get on to the real activity which took place after departing from my abode with the Falcons – not “birds” but Dr. Roger and Magaly Faclon, the assistant pastor of Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento where I spoke on Friday evening.

I think it was about 3:00 when Marco and I headed for Principe de Paz (Prince of Peace) to meet with Pastor Gilberto Varillas and the students enrolled in Pacto De Vida. Again, no one can tell you in words the experience of deriving anywhere in Lima without using at least a video so you can visualize what takes place.

We arrived a few minutes early for the 4:30 appointment and what I thought was a time to personally meet the students and share 5-10 minutes more information about the college program. But as it turned out we did not leave there until 7:30 PM. So the event was filled with greetings from the Pastor and then it was my turn. When I finished sharing the scope of the Covenant Life University (Pacto De Vida) I started to return to my seat and was greeted with “now minister the Word!”

So being the “instant in season and out of season” leader, I obediently complied. Now, I never go anywhere for any meetings without taking something to deliver to the people, “just in case” and this was a time for the “in case.” And for the next one (1) hour I delivered what was on my heart – in fact it was a shortened version of Lecture #1 of a class on Leadership which I will be recording for the Spanish contingent of our educational program. I promptly sat down when finished

The pastor then asked each person there, students and other Church members to stand and introduce themselves and tell me how long they had been serving God and anything else they wanted to say. So I returned to the front so I could personally greet them and establish a more personal conversation with them. As the proceeded, the anointing began to stir me and I prayed and prophesied what God was speaking to me regarding their lives. S000000000000000000 – you’ve got the idea – the whole event extended our stay.

The most interesting event then took place. Ten more people approached the pastor and told him they wanted to be a student. So we went from 14 to 24 students in the process of visiting the extension.

This was followed up by a video depicting the ministry of the Church to two areas of poor youth and children in there area. These people are not even in what we would consider “middle class” area of their city (part of the metroplex of Lima) but they have a heart for those who are not as fortunate.

The children to whom they minister live in an area where the garbage and trash trucks dump their “goods” and the people who live there go through and “recycle” anything that is “recyclable”. Now that is “some job” but that is the way the majority make their living.

One hour after leaving we arrived at Nuevas Fuerzas, the Church pastored by Agustin and Jessica Ciccia and my bed for the remainder of this trip. But one thing I keep forgetting is that the Ciccias are so hospitable and tender toward others who are having a tough time, that frequently there may be as many as 8 +/- additional people staying in the house. So it was and is on this occasion. My room was “supposed to have at three more men/young men in the room with me. But God used one of my “problems” to scare two of them away for the night and every night since I have had the room to myself.

You are asking “what problem”? It isn’t a problem to me! But it is a problem to others! I SNORE! Apparently they were so taken back and afraid of sleeping that two of them went to the third floor and slept on the floor! Thank God for “snoring!” Now I do not do it all the time, but I was and they “fled.”

Sunday, February 28th

In the morning I ministered the word here at Nuevas Fuerzas (New Strength) and at 3:30 Marco arrived to take me to Iglesia Vida (Life Church) where David and Ceci Hodges live and minister.

I learned that there has been more violence. Someone “bombed” or at least “blew-up” some piece of equipment related to electricity (transformer or something) on Wednesday and there had also been occasion of brutality on some residents as well as the “squatters” who are attempting to move in and possess the mountains and the land belonging to those who are already there. Fortunately the electricity was on and no more violence had transpired since so we worshiped, prayed, preached the Word and then spent time in fellowship with a bowl of Ten Bean Soup over rice.

We concluded the evening by packing eight people into a car designed for 5 maximum and with 5 it is close in the back seat. The others were members of Ceci’s family who were there for the service and to avoid a lengthy bus ride we dropped them off about two blocks from the family home.

Monday and Tuesday - March 1st & 2nd:

I had plans to video for approximately 4-6 hours on Monday and concluding whatever was yet to be done but because the Spanish was not yet complete, it was required that I “punt” (using the football analogy when you cannot advance the football any longer).

The activity for Monday was a “breakfast” appointment with Peter and Blanca Wollensack who have been living here in Peru for about 5 years. They have been using the ISOM cuniculus (which we also use for the first one and one-half years of study). Their desire is to network with us and be able to see those who have completed their studies under them be able to continue their educational studies in the Bible and for pastors to attain their Bachelor’s degree.

Now a “breakfast” appointment does not mean a trip to a “breakfast restaurant” (whatever your favorite one may be.) My breakfast consisted of a pork sandwich with sweet potatoes, onions, lettuce between the typical Peruvian “hard bun” and a glass of juice – fresh squeezed juice – I had pineapple and guava.

The place was almost empty for the first 45 minutes, then suddenly two swarms of workers from the surrounding offices began to fill the place and eat their “breakfast” – the have a “breakfast break” about 10:00 AM. They also ate similar sandwiches.

The rest of Monday was spent taking care of records, etc. and a trip to the super market with Agustin and Jessica. I do not usually go to WalMart with Marilyn but because I was invited, and needed to spend some time with them, I accepted.

It was an experience! The store was jammed with shoppers. It is a BIG SUPER MARKET and had so many customers that it was next to impossible to find a shopping cart. We did and we filled it and proceeded to return home.

The only “known activity” today is a 5:00 meeting with Pastor Gustavo Rodriquez of Iglesia Centro Christiano De Avivamiento who returned home early Saturday morning. He seems to leave the country when I am coming to Peru and so I seem to “leave” the country when he comes to the US. Therefore this meeting is important to both of us.

Thanks for your prayers
Dr D