Life has been quite different here in Peru.
Ecuador provided us with near-perfect weather: low-70s daily, rare bits of rain, and a nice breeze most days. When we arrived in Peru, we heard it rains around four days a year, is sunny most of the time, and feels like it’s usually in the 80s or so daily. It’s rained five times, I believe, since we’ve been here – once even threatening to collapse a roof to one of the bedrooms some of my squadmates are living in – and has been overcast many days (which I have been thankful for when we’re working outdoors). The description of the heat has seemed right on point though – relatively hot and humid naturally, since we are in the desert.
Our squad of around 60 has also adjusted to life together once again. Having all of us in one location sometimes feels like a nightmare for an introvert like me. More often though, I enjoy chatting with folks I haven’t had a chance to get to know prior to this month, always having enough people around to make up a volleyball game on a whim, and working with different teams each week.
Something that quickly became apparent was a certain spiritual darkness that seems to hang over this place. To say life in general has been a challenge this month is a colossal understatement.
Ministry has taken a new face as well. Where we were building relationships at one ministry site
in Ecuador, here we’ve been assigned everything from working in a daycare to construction, sand boarding, and even sorting and folding thousands of articles of clothing.
Our accommodations have proven to be a blessing in many ways. We’ve been staying at a compound on the outskirts of Trujillo, Peru. This site will one day house Peruvian orphans, but for now, we’re here to help get this site a little closer to that end. IncaLink (who also ran Casablanca where we lodged in Quito, Ecuador) has been not only our hosts, but also our ministry contacts. We are sleeping in bunk beds (or tents if we so choose), have showers, and a volleyball court at our disposal! Also on site is Inca, the resident pup who gave birth to her fifth litter of puppies just a few days after our arrival!
A few days ago, we received a crash course of the many ways IncaLink is working to serve the folks of Trujillo.
The daycare we worked at in our first week here provides a meal and safe place for children to spend parts of the weekdays. On our first day, a precious 3-year-old girl climbed into my lap, walked me through a picture book about Jesus – telling me the story as we went, and whispering secrets into my ear (sadly, all of which were in Spanish and I understood not even a word…). These kiddos, who we learned have rather rough home lives, are receiving nourishment and love through a sponsorship program similar to Compassion International or World Vision. The last few days we spent cleaning, sanding walls, and primering a few walls.
The following week, we were on construction duty at the compound. I’m quite certain I’ve never
traveled that far behind a wheelbarrow, shoveled so much dirt and sand, or leveled so many pieces of land as I did that week. The work was strenuous and pushed us all in new and different ways. Most days, it was difficult to remember why we were doing this work, but the reminder that one day, this place will house children who otherwise would have no hope of a better life, worked to keep our focus where it needed to be.
This last week of ministry was spent with Joca, working with his sand boarding ministry called Inca Thakhi. Trujillo is well-known for being a dangerous city where children are often roped into a life of crime at an extremely early age. Knowing this to be true, Inca Thakhi targets kiddos and teenagers, building relationships with them through fun activities like skim boarding just outside of the compound and sand boarding on the sand dunes nearby. Ultimately, the hope is to communicate to them that they are loved and that there is a God who cares for them; that they have a future and a hope in Him.
Some of us on Team Agapetos had the opportunity to spend the last few days with various other squadmates at an organization called Helping Hands. Established as a collection site and thrift store in Bothell, WA, this organization sends hundreds of pounds of clothing and other items to Peru for distribution. We worked to break pallet upon pallet down, organizing the miscellaneous items and thousands of clothes into bags. Along the way, we chatted, sang, and tried on some favorite items. This turned out to be my absolute favorite ministry in Peru!
Peru has stretched and challenged; in many ways I haven’t loved being here. One way in particular was the day someone walked out the door of Starbucks with my laptop in tow… Another being the day a dear friend and teammate had to return to the U.S.
In the midst of whatever situation comes about, I often struggle to keep in mind why I'm here. My prayer has been and continues to be to keep His glory and making His name known the center of my thinking and motivation for all I do.
