Yes, I do know I haven’t updated for a few days, sorry! Around here the days have been full and the evenings even fuller. The theme of Monday was “work.” Mike had a project that needed done (ok, several actually) and so we jumped right in and got to work. We knocked down a house, moved massive amounts of lumber and building supplies, did some painting and a few other things probably (I can’t keep track of it all.)
In the afternoon while the group continued in their manual labor, Miss Amy, Chelene Kennedy and I ventured into La Molina to Sodimac. Sodimac is a store similar to Lowes where we were able to get totes and plastic in order to store the suitcases full of my belongs we brought to the field in hopes of my relocating here permanently in February. We were also able to get the pricing for several items that I will need to purchase when I come back. Seems like it wasn’t a huge deal as you read it, but in reality having friends there to help me measure my apartment, plan what furniture and items I will need to purchase from Peru and then price it all out has been a huge blessing – and something semi-concrete I can know as I venture into this whole new world.
Tuesday was such a huge blessing and joy I don’t know that I can begin to describe. We left early in the morning with our group, a group of interns, Mike Kennedy, a few of his kids, Pastor David and a few other men who were going to interpret. We took the ride into Lima where we had the opportunity to present the gospel and several testimonies to a group of high ranking officials and workers in the Peruvian Intelligence community. After a couple testimonies and then Mark speaking about the responsibility of intelligence…protecting the citizens of a country and then protecting the citizens of this world from hell, Mike gave an invitation and almost every hand in that room went up as a response to accepting the gospel message. I can only estimate there were about 50-60 in the room.
After the invitation, a few more testimonies were given and then the Director who had invited us (someone Mike had previously met) got up and began to tell the group about the movie End Of The Spear and how he greatly respects what missionaries are willing to do in order to share the love of God. He then had our entire group come to the front where he led everyone else in a prayer for us. It was a blessing all around.
That afternoon we went to Gomorrah (I can’t guarantee the spelling) – the marketplace/street where many groups have gone in the past. Sound like just repetition? Maybe but in no way is it. There are thousands of shops and people on this street. We had 25 people, 300 or so John and Romans and we made it maybe 15 minutes and a quarter mile (if that) down the road before they were all gone. People come running to get the Bibles, and then as we walk back down the road to the bus, every where you look you can see people reading. We will never know the results of those 15 minutes until heaven; but I can’t wait to find out.
Today so far has been another work day. The rest of the house came down, rooms were painted, we moved a gazebo 2-3 times the size of the one at CoBeAc (for those of you who have seen that), and hired someone to bring in a machine (I’m sorry I am a girl and can’t tell you if it is a front end loader or a back hoe as there were items on both ends) to load at least 2 truck fulls of rubble and take it away. Again, sometimes it seems like it isn’t a big deal, but when 20 some people can get the work done instead of 3… I know God can use that work too. I am here to help the missionary instead of him catering to me, and if this is what he needs, it is what I will do.
Alright, I gotta run…Gots kids to play with!