Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Peru: Days 6 & 7

Day 6:  Thursday morning was our off-morning, so we walked to the Inca Market and took in the sights while buying the place out of Alpaca blankets, silver jewelry and other essential items. After a wonderful lunch in Miraflores at Atthos Restaurant we headed back to the church for more sewing ministry work. Again, the ladies were quick studies and knocked out several projects before stopping to have a ladies' spa night. It was a time of fellowship, care and laughter as our women cared for the ladies of the village. Due to the generosity of the people at First Baptist Norfolk, each of the 25 women girls were able to take home a sample kit of shampoos, lotions and other beauty items. To watch the delight on their faces and in their eyes as they walked out with their gifts was truly a blessing for us! 
Day 7:  Today the team met for the last time at the church prior to heading out for some targeted evangelism.  The team split into two teams and visited the homes of some of the families that had accepted Jesus after being seen at the clinics earlier in the week. It was a humbling experience to be welcomed into someone's home and treated as an honored guest. We had the pleasure of answering questions about this new religion they had given their hearts to, and along with giving them a new Bible written in Spanish, invite them to the 6pm church service later in the day. The team spent the entire day engaged in this ministry.  Back at the church, the service was another unforgettable experience, with Pastor Tito describing how far the church had come is just five short years while comparing and contrasting the parables of the sower found in Matthew and Luke. It was a great message and to top it off, the people of the church amazed us with beautiful gifts and handwritten letters!  Our last meal of the church was cooked one more time with love by the wonderful women of the church.  It was a family affair, marked by joy, laughter, gentle teasing, but mostly the fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ. Tomorrow morning we board the plane to return home, but it will be a bittersweet moment as we say goodbye to the people of Peru and especially our new family in the Primero Iglesia de Villa El Salvadore.  

Of special note, this report would not be complete without singling out Pastor Tito and his wife, Mariane, Melissa, Blanca, Meche, Ruth, Marivel, Jose, Auturo, Julio, David, Xtian, and of course, Romel! They made every second we were there special, like we were forgotten family returning home once more.
See you when we get home!
The Peru Mission Team