Month 9 of the race has been spent in Peru. For my team, Holy Cliqua, this is our last month together before new team changes. Our last month was spent in village ministry! This was my fourth month doing village ministry and it has become my favorite ministry of the race by far. We spent our month going into different villages high in the Andes mountains to build the growing church. We would sing a song or two, share testimonies, and preach a sermon each night. We had the opportunity to pray over the church members and do house visits. We spent 5 days in a village called Yamacancha Baja. A beautiful and cold mountainous village hours away from the nearest city. We only had about one hour of ministry a day for church so I found my own ministry playing soccer with all the kids running through the muddy streets playing in the pouring rain.
The first day I made a special friend in the town. One that I found to be very loyal, very kind, always happy, and incredibly special. I decided to take care of my new friend as another ministry for the week.
Meet my friend Keiko.
Maybe you’re laughing or think I’ve run out of blog ideas but this sweet street dog seriously is one of a kind.
We found this happy pup laying outside the door to the the bunk house we were staying in for the week. She would lay by the door and watch us patiently from the cold wet outside. Obviously my heart broke.
Even though one of our team mates is terrified of dogs, everyone agreed to let this cuddly friend come inside. Soon the team was feeding her scraps from our meals. There was no turning back. Team Holy Cliqua adopted a dog.
Everywhere we went, so would Keiko. Door to door ministry, Keiko was there. Patrolling the streets and barking aggressively at any other street dog the dared come near to us. It was clear that we were now her people.
She always showed up to watch us play soccer.
And she always greeted us with a smile.
One night she walked over to the church with us in the rain. She sat outside the door of the church whimpering for us to come out until church was finished. You just can’t make this stuff up!
So give it up for one my best friends on the race. Keiko.
