It’s hard to believe we are already coming up on the end of August. Month 8, you have flown by. While at the same time, I can look back on last week and feel like it was a month ago. This seems to be a pattern for me on this Race. Time flies by when I look at a calendar, but so much happens in every day life that a month can feel like a season.
Let me share with you some of the highlights of my time in Perú:
We are living in a clinic (that has not yet opened) in a town called Cajamarca. Cajamarca is a desert town surrounded by the Andés Mountains.
Although this is their summer, the weather here is cold, yet sunny.
We are working with Pastor Helmer Chavez, pastor of Monte Sion church. He is partnered with many churches in the area (and out of the area), so our month has been full of travel, as we have been visited them.
Our first week here was spent preaching, singing, and sharing testimonies every night at the church and nearby homes. Also, we spent a few afternoons playing volleyball with the youth group, and taught a Bible lesson at the school nearby.
Second week: we took a trip into the Andés mountains. We stayed in a little village called Negritos Bajos for 3 days, and then from there spent 4 days in Yanacancha Baja. It was GORGEOUS!
It was cold. We had no running water, and we got pretty creative with our cooking…
…and our outfit choices…
But we were blessed by the locals with a warm welcome!
We spent our mornings sitting on the mountainside spending time with the Lord. And during the afternoons, we played with children, and hiked through the mountains to visit families, share songs, testimonies and the Word. Rain or shine!
Every night we had a service at the church with more songs, testimonies, and the Word.
We were blessed with local cuisine, such as cuy (ginea pig) and potato soup!
We taught Bible stories to the children, put on some talent-filled dramas, and got ourselves all tangled up…
We even had time to hang out with each other…
Perú has treated us well! The last week, we spent back at our clinic in Cajamarca…
…doing the same kind of ministry, but in day-trips to nearby villages.
We have been preaching, singing, and sharing our stories every night!
We have also had time with friends…exploring, laughing, and having good conversation!
Thank you Lord, for months like this! It was hard, and beautiful.
I am still overwhelmed to have this opportunity to live like this.
Bring it on, month 9!
