Well we finally arrived in beautiful Trujillo Peru:) But to get here was quite the adventure to say the least. Here are some of the highlights for you:
1. Flat tire on one of the busses 2.5 hours into the first 12 hours of the trip to the Ecuador border (what`s a travel day without a flat tire)
2. Getting 25 people piled up in a pick up truck to go to the border to get our passports stamped.
3. Riding in a small bus to cross the border into Peru. We couldn`t open the windows till we crossed the border as it is very unsafe and many people will reach in and grab your belongings. At this point we all stink and are sweaty so what`s a little more heat. It is HOT here!!!!
4. Riding on the top of a double decker bus for 12 hours….and stopping many times along the way to pick people up
But with all that being said we have arrived safely. We left on Sunday night at 9pm and made it to Trujillo Peru on Tuesday morning at 9:30am. Praise God for safe travels again.
Our team this month is living in a children`s home outside of the city. We are actually in the desert. The children don`t live here yet as it is under construction. We are living in a compound with guards to watch over our house. We do have our own beds and brand new mattresses. We are so blessed!!! Some of our ministries are construction, evangelism, helping in daycare and visiting the dump to visit peole there.
On Wedsnesday we started working in the field of the children`s home. We started the process of making cement. It is so cool!!! We had to first prepare the field by digging the dirt down to make it even, then we followed with a hoe to make it all nice and smooth. When that was done we had to mix dry dirt and water together in a hole. The best part was when we got to take our shoes off and walk through the wet mud to make it ready for cement making. Instead of having cement mixers they have human cement makers:) Then it goes on a big tarp and the guy helping us puts it together to make cement blocks. They are using them to make a wall around the field eventually.
This week has been a time of preparing this home for the children to come. Our work is just a small piece of the puzzle. They hope to one day have 70 children live here. Their hope is to get the children out of the dump and into this home. They can have meals and have people who love them be here with them. We hope to go and visit them in the dump in our time here as a team. We are also going to the daycare to play with the children which is located next to the dump. The purpose of the daycare is for the children to have a place to go with structure while their parents are working in the dump. What an awesome ministry.
A few things that God is teaching me in my time here is that he is not yet finished with me. Living in an unfinished house I have come to realize that this house is like me. I am unfinished and God is still working on me to completion. I was so inspired by that thought. And I also came to realize one day while pulling out weeds in the yard that God was telling me he is pulling weeds out of my life. Such weeds as doubt, fear, comparison and many more. What a mighty God we serve.
This week has been a time of learning more and hearing from God. I may feel dry at times but God is still working. I need to stop comparing myself to other Christians and remember that my walk is unique and is between me and God!!!
My team is growing closer every day. We have many laughs together and also share each other`s burdens. I have grown to love these people as my family. They are all wise and give me much encouragment. I hope to also be an encourager to them in their journeys. We believe in praying over people in our group who are sick, and we have seen much healing. Our team name H.I.S (healing is sealed) is definitely suitable for our team. Praise God!!!
