Adorable I know. We're totally bffs!
While I've been in Chepen God has just been revealing some crazy things to me! I feel like literally every single day I'm being faced with new scenarios and having to confront all kinds of issues. But I've also just been so encouraged by the church here and every night as I lay in my tent, getting all cozy in my sleeping bag, (trying to have as little body parts as possible peek out because it's quite chilly) I am just so thankful and content with life!
There are three women who have just had a huge part of that feeling. Let me set the scene: we arrive on a Wednesday after 3 days of travel and by Friday we are still figuring things out. So the pastor tells us that we're going to be doing visitation. We have no idea what that means but we say sure ok! So in the afternoon this woman named Margarita comes to the church and randomly picks Jeff and I to go with her. I am now officially assigned to her for FOREVER! So we go to this place that seriously looks like an old west ghost town! Everything is covered in dust and dirt, no one is walking down the street. It looks desolate and deserted. And off we go, Margarita knocking on almost every door inviting the women to a Bible study hosted in the neighborhood (this isn't even her neighborhood!) later that evening. We walk and walk and walk. The smile never leaves her face. That night we show up to the Bible study and not one of the women she has invited has shown up. It's the usual group from the church. This doesn't stop her fervor as she shares the word of God with these ladies. And guess what we've done each week? The same thing. We walk, she inquires about people's health and family and woes, she smiles lovingly at them all and invites them to Bible study. They don't show up. Again and again. Her faith and belief is so strong. The first time I met her she told me her prayer was for everyone in the church to see two people come to Christ this year and she's doing everything she can to make that happen!
Next is Amanda. The first day I met her was when I was out with Margarita. We stopped by her store and Margarita told me about Amanda's hurt ankle. It was bandaged but I could clearly see that it was swollen. Amanda then closed up shop and walked around with us telling people about the Bible study! On a hurt ankle! Her ankle is not any better and yet she goes out on every visitation (even taking me out on one when Margarita couldn't!) without complaining! She also gives the best hugs and her face breaks into a huge smile every time she sees me. Let's be honest, there is no better feeling in the world than knowing someone is so happy to see you!
Finally is Martha the pastor's wife. First off she is just an INCREDIBLE cook! She makes all of our meals and pays attention to the things we like and don't like and makes meals accordingly. She is amazing with her kids, just showering them with love (and I think we've been luckily enough to be considered part of her family because she sure showers us with love!). There's about a million things she does each day that makes me love her but there is one thing that sticks out to me and that is how she spends her Saturdays. Saturday mornings around 7:30am she leaves to buy us fresh bread for breakfast. Then at 10am she (and we) go out to this poorer neighborhood and invite the children to a mini vbs that afternoon and the parents to church the next day. She clearly has been doing this for a while because the kids all know her and run to her to say hello. She does this till about 11:30 or so. Then she comes back and cooks us a delicious lunch and then prepares her family's lunch. Then around 3pm she (and we) head back to that same neighborhood where she puts on a mini vbs in a dark room with no lights, a few chairs in bad shape and two rickety tables. And she acts as though she's in a great classroom. She picks up trash, organized the furniture and gets all ready. She treats the kids with love and respect and tries to share the love of Christ while having fun. The children love it. They love her. But they don't show up on Sundays. Neither do their parents. Has this diminished her spirit or drive? You guessed it, nope, not one bit! Week after week she shows up as though it's the first week she's ever done this! Every.Single.Week.
This church is amazing with their desire for outreach. They work tirelessly and through this God has shown me a thing or two. But this blog is already ridiculously long so you'll have to wait for the next one to hear how this is changing my view on life and ministry.
These kids are seriously obsessed with Pato, Pato, Gonso (duck, duck, goose). Thanks again to Jessie for the photo because apparently I NEVER take photos….
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