Well it’s the end of month 2 on The World Race and ministry has been exhausting physically and spiritually. For the first week here in Trujillo, Peru we worked with Joca (Ho-Ka) who is involved with the adventure sports side of Inca Link (the organization we are working with and staying with) and our ministry was sand boarding, which is kind of like snow boarding but obviously with sand and beginning the process of completing a Skimboarding area in which the neighborhood kids can have a place to practice for the times they are at the beach. So there was a small bit of construction we did that week, but more fun than anything. The second week was a little more tiring. We worked construction the entire week. Construction consisted of moving dirt and leveling the ground for near future projects. The compound we are staying at is in the middle stages of becoming an orphanage that will eventually house 75 children. Seventy five children who would likely become involved in gangs and trafficking if not for the efforts to reach out and show them a life of significance. The area we are living in is on the outskirts of the city of Trujillo and was literally once a dump and is built on sand and trash. It’s in this place that a large population of gangs reside and where little is done to stop it. It’s a very dangerous part of the city. Only few taxis are even allowed to enter the area because of a “tax” the gangs place on them and in return sparing their lives. Just the other day it was told to us that two American girls were raped at three in the afternoon in the very area we are in. Thank God we have not had any trouble in those areas and we are protected within a compound surrounded by 20ft brick wall. We have a curfew of 7pm and no one leaves throughout the night.
It seems it’s not always the safest route to follow where the Holy Spirit directs you, but it’s comforting to know that nothing can stand against you when you have a destiny on your life. While legitimate fear is respected it will not stop us from completing our mission. My God is bigger.
This last week has consisted of working in a day care that throughout the week gives education and feeds children through the gift of sponsors. These children come from harsh family conditions who otherwise would not be given this opportunity for a better future if not for the generous gift of a few. It’s just sad that they can only reach out to a few. There are so many more with the same problems that need to be reached out to.
We also had the opportunity to travel to a different ministry site within the city. It’s called the dump…and that is a literal description. Here families live in the dump where they rummage through entire mountains of trash to pull plastic, metals, and anything that can be sold for a small amount of money and that is their living. They rely on their meals here also. Anything that can be found whether it be a half eaten banana or a cup with a spoonful of yogurt left in it that is considered their meal. Keep in mind that bathroom trash and kitchen trash are mixed together and that in this culture they do not flush toilet paper. Everything is thrown in the trash. So that is mixed in with what they pull their food from. I witnessed in this place a small boy walking holding up two halves of a watermelon in each hand. These watermelons had already been eaten, but he saw enough on them to make a meal out of it. The smell of burning plastic and clouds of black smoke filled the surrounding air and I couldn’t imagine spending the night in that place even more so my entire life. It’s a sad situation. The sadness for me doesn’t come from the living situation, though, because these families can have somewhat better conditions if they choose but their mindset is generational and it’s all they know to do. That makes me sad.
It’s been an eye opening month and while I’ve been prepared to leave for the next country of Bolivia it was reported to me the other day that I would be traveling to the capital of Peru in Lima and continuing our second month their while some of the rest of our squad will head onto Bolivia. Apparently God still has work for me and my team here in Peru. I’m excited for the future and what is going to happen. We have not been given details yet as to what our ministry will be, but I know it will be worth while and I hope challenging.
I’m not ready to go home just yet, but currently will be if I do not get $4500 more into my account by the end of March. God is doing a lot in and through me in these places and I’m being prepared to do something great. Please help me continue by donating. If your not familiar with how to give its very simple. Click the “support me” tab on the left of this page and follow the prompts from there. Easy as that. You can mail and make out a check to “Adventures in Missions” and put my name in the memo line. Just mail them to:
Adventures in Missions
Po box 534470
Atlanta 30353-4470
Your gift will be a blessing to me and God will in turn bless you. He promises that. Thanks for being a part of my journey.
Michael Whitson
