It’s been a crazy last week or so.
We’ve helped with a lot of ministries over our time here in Peru, but we’ve really begun to plug into two specifically. The first one shouldn’t surprise you, but we’ve excelled in manual labor this month again. Whether it’s been building things for a weekend camp that 80 kids showed up to or digging in the desert (we’ve started to give each other nicknames based on the movie “Holes”), we enjoy the chance to leave each ministry physically better than we found it.
Our latest project is our biggest yet. The compound we’ve been staying at has a vision to one day be self-sustainable and one of my teammates, Joseph, has experience and a passion for sustainability. So, we’re now working on building, starting, and training people to use a compost system that we’ve designed. This will allow them to grow more grass (they’re also trying to build a grass soccer field in the desert – a rarity) as well as some of their own food. We’re all excited to complete this project as it’s something that will last for years to come.
Now, the second ministry we’ve begun to plug into is a little different and may not make sense to you initially as we’re all younger men; it’s a mothers and kids ministry. This specific ministry, Amijai (Ahm-y-high), focuses on teaching mothers life skills and helping them grow in their faith while also teaching their kids about Jesus and helping them grow as well.
Most of the time we work with the kids, putting on programs with games, songs, lessons, and skits. However, on Monday afternoons, we minister directly with the mothers in a Bible study that they have. We usually sing several songs, share testimonies, and just talk and pray with them. There is a language barrier, but it’s usually overcome through having a translator, whether an Inca Link intern or Jon who speaks ok Spanish. This past week though, we were almost in trouble.
Because of the camp that was hosted here this past weekend, all the Inca Link staff got Monday off and Jon also wasn’t able to be at the ministry that day. In other words, we had songs and testimonies planned but no one to translate. We really weren’t sure what we were supposed to do, so we did what any other group of non-Spanish speaking missionaries would do… we put the testimonies through Google translate!
(If you’re unfamiliar with Google translate, just know that it doesn’t always work well when you put anything with more than a few words into it.)
So, armed with our Google testimonies, we walked to the Bible study, praying that God would bless the time and break down the language barrier or even give us tongues to communicate; and He came through, but not in the way we thought.
Will was the first to give his testimony. He’s not great at reading Spanish, but he figured he’d give it a try, and we were there to help him if need be. He started with, “Hola. Mi nombre es Will” (Hi. My name is Will), but that was as normal as it got. He immediately followed his intro with a long pause and finished, “uhhh… Ayuda?” (Help!?). I think everybody shed a tear laughing so hard at his almost pitiful plea as he stared at some words he’d never seen before in his life.
Anyway, we finished our Google testimonies with lots more laughter, but also a lot of understanding and learning. I realized that God answered our prayer, but not in the way we thought He would. He didn’t give us tongues; He didn’t give us a translator; He instead gave us understanding through laughter and joy. We’ve been to three studies with these women now and this last one was hands-down the study where we’ve connected with them the most. It’s so incredible to see what God can do regardless of your resources or abilities if you just ask Him to move in whatever you’re doing.
We had no Spanish speakers, Google testimonies, not a whole lot in common (young men vs older women), and yet, God used that blend to create one of my best memories on the World Race so far. How great is our God?!!
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Rom. 8:28
God Bless!
-Ben
(Also, if you’re interested in actually seeing what we’re up to, find me on Facebook or look up TyInman on youtube)
