(This Blog was written before Blog #4 but we didn’t have a way to send it – so obviously, this precedes yesterday’s Blog.)
This is Marilyn and it is Tuesday and we have no idea when we will post but we will keep writing until the time we can get on the Internet.
We spent the day in Lima yesterday. Our first stop was at Pastor Augustin and Jessica’s. Augustin is famous for his coffee drinks and is affectionately known as “Auggiebucks”. He made us all coffee.
The kids were able to see the “other side” of Lima as they are in a more affluent area. Their Church is just under four years old and David and I were walking with them during the process of starting and they look to us for counsel. Yesterday Augustin wanted to spend some time asking some advice on how to proceed with instituting new and higher level leadership within the Church. It was decided that when David and I are here in August we will lay hands on one of the young men who graduated from David Wilkerson’s Institute (in the States) so that he will be recognized by the body for this new position.
We then went to the Inca Market so the kids could do some shopping. From there we proceeded to the Mall so we could eat a late lunch/early dinner at Chilli’s. This is a very modern and affluent Mall. On a Monday night it was crowded with people and the kids walked around a bit and then went to Starbucks. That is where we were able to post our Blogs and pick up e-mails from home.
Peru’s economy is growing at a rate that is second to only one other Country in South America. It is evident and reflected in ALL the prices whether it be at McDonalds where a Happy Meal is $4.36 or the grocery store where prices are 1 ½ to 2 times what they were a year or so ago. Prices have skyrocketed. David and Ceci have stopped shopping at the grocery store as they CANNOT afford it and Ceci’s sister goes to a market in a very dangerous area to buy all the groceries, not just for our team, but for David and Ceci’s every day consumption. Without her help in this area - David and Ceci could not survive.
Ceci, Debie and I stayed at the house today while the team went to minister at a Christian School in Lima. David and Ceci had a work team here just one week before we came. Because of all that was involved - she is behind on their own needs, laundry and Homeschooling. I am helping her with laundry today and Debie is here getting some rest and trying to get over whatever “bug” has attacked her. We leave tomorrow for an overnight trip to Chincha so we want her healthy and rested so we can make that trip. It was very difficult for her to make the decision to stay - but both Saturday and Sunday she worked very hard (when she probably should have been in bed) because she did not want to let the team down.
I cannot begin to describe the hard work that the student, David and Ceci and I did for our three “work days.” An incredible amount of work was accomplished and it was a huge help for David and Ceci. Thankfully, it was all done for the Glory of God!!!!
Missions blog
-Debie Phillips
There is nothing worse than being sick in a foreign country. For the past four days I have been fighting some kind of stomach bug. At first it seemed almost like a flu, nausea, chills, fever (I think....thermometer was dead) headache and aches all over my body. But as the days progressed, it was mostly just stomach pain and intestinal issues. Even though I felt very bad, I tried to fight through and participate with the rest of the team. Sunday we worked from like 9am to 3pm digging holes, spreading gravel and sorting through junk to be thrown out then got cleaned up for Sunday service at 5:30 pm. The service was awesome! We had a great time of worship led by Julie and Carlos. Julie-master of the tambourine, and Carlos- the great guitarist. Lol. Then I sang the song “healer” in Spanish and Jason and I both spoke on suffering for the cause of Christ. After we spoke, Pastor David gave an alter call and many, if not all, responded.
I wish I could’ve participated in the ministry more but I felt horrible :-( the work from the day, singing and preaching was all my body could handle so I sat and worshiped on the front row.
Yesterday, (Monday) was very eventful! We drove I think around 2 or 3 hours into the city. Im not sure how long it took exactly because time really seemed to fly when we were on the road. I was enjoying looking out the window and seeing everything. I’ve been to many different countries, in fact I was even born in a foreign country(Costa Rica) but I was too young to really see things the way I see them now. I just looked out the window and couldn’t help but say “thank you God!!”. I sat there trying to imagine what kind of lives these people have and I wondered what kind of dreams and aspirations these people could possible have in such a poor place. They definitely don’t have the same opportunities that we have and that is something I think works to their advantage at least here at David’s church. The people have such a clear revelation of their need for God. They truly know that without God they have nothing...literally. I believe we, as Americans, have lost sight of that. So many times our “stuff” whether we realize it or not, fills some of the void that only Christ can fill. But anyways, I wasn’t planning on writing all of that, it just came lol.
Soo we stopped at the “Inca Market” I believe is the name and shopped for about 2 hours I think. Its been very strange not to be able to really keep track of time, I should’ve brought a watch. We never know what time it is! Lol. After the Inca Market which sells traditional Peruvian souvenirs and such, we went to a reallyyyy nice mall. Our first stop in the mall was “chillies”.......HALLELUJAH!!!! It was so nice to have some American food!! But what was even better, was having a drink....with ICE!!! I guess for some reason Americans are the only ones who put ice in their drinks. Sooo all of our drinks have been like room temperature and I have been cravinggg an ice cold refreshing drink! So that was nice ;-). After lunch, we walked around the mall and got Starbucks. At this point my stomach was killing me and all I wanted to do was go home :-( Mrs. Marylin let me read my email from Cedric and that made me smile despite how I was feeling.
Once we got home Mrs. Marylin said that if I still wasn’t feeling good, I could stay home the next day. She said that she was proud of me for pushing through with my sickness the past couple days and that the decision to stay home tomorrow was mine. I really wanted to go to the school with the rest of the team but I knew it would probably be wise to stay home and fully recover so that I could continue strong through the rest of the week. Soo I stayed home today. It was nice to be able to sleep in and in fact, I slept on and off most of the day which just goes to show how sick I was because at home, I can never take naps or sleep during the day unless im about to die or something. So apparently I needed the rest. Im feeling much better today than I have for the past few days praise God.
I hope I am fully recovered by tomorrow(Wednesday) because we are traveling to “Chincha” (not sure if thats how it’s spelled) and staying there overnight to minister at 2 different churches. Apparently, its very conservative. So I can only have one earing in each ear. Also, Pastor David said we should probably wear skirts but none of us knew to bring any soo this should be interesting. Lol.
Well, I think thats all...I miss everyone back home. I’m enjoying it here very much (except for being sick) but I’m looking forward to being home with my family and friends.
Thanks to everyone who has been praying for us and reading our blogs. Pray for my stomach :-( please. I just want this pain to go away.
God bless!!!
-Debie
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