metropolitan cutting-edge commercial buildings and 8 lane super-highways to dirt roads, motorcycle carriages, and chickens crossing the road...
Finally all the things I needed to get done were checked off and I said goodbye to all my loved ones in the United States.
My parents saw me off at the greyhound bus terminal in Appleton, WI and I took a bus ride on route to Chicago, Illinois towards the
O'Hare Airport. Instantaneously, I felt like I was in my element, living and breathing, excited, and taking it all in.
On the way there I was able to share the gospel with an American born haitian. He said his parents are from Haiti and he was born here. I said Como uve which means, HOw are you in haitain. I learned that a few months back from a haitian friend named Gary whom i met through a friend in church.
He thought everything I had to say was "very interesting." He had no religious background and was on his way to Michigan to pick up his car to bring back to Madison. It is my hope and prayer
that a seed was lodged somewhere in his heart and that the soil that it fell upon will help nurture it. (use parable of the soils)
So many people of many colors, customs, religions, backgrounds, and passions passing by each other like hurrying ants on their way to different destinations...
I then stayed overnight at a Super 8 hotel near the airport. Before the trip I had many apprehensions since I wasn't able to make contact with those of whom I was going to stay with in Peru. Mostly, I knew that I had a place to stay but I wasn't suree where. I also
knew that most likely someone from the church would pick me up at the airport but I didn't know who or if it was for sure or if I would have to fight through the taxi solicitors barking at me when I got through
customs to find a good chofer to take me to where I needed to be. I also wasn't sure if I was going to Pichanaqui or not and if there was a bed for me to sleep in, if I were to arrive there or if there
was someone to accompany to the bus station and go with me on this 15 hour bus ride to this remote destination to get there since there were no seats available on Eddy's shuttle van.
However, this is to be expected if you are living in Peru. The culture is very laid-back and the concept of time is very relaxed if you are not working in a professional environment like a cell phone or insurance company in San Isidro. People do make plans and get things done but everything usually is set in place and implodes together
at the very last second. For me, this happened while I was in the super 8 hotel. Through skype, I connected with 3 different friends all in the same hour from different locations in Lima who let me know that I was going to be received in the airport,
that the place I was going to stay is prepared and ready for me, and the location of time to my bus ride to Pichanaqui and who was going to go with me. Not to mention, my friend Ruttman from Pichanaqui connected with me
at an internet cafe in the jungle village and let me know that there is a bed for me there as well. What a sigh of relief! All three of the people I talked to a couple of weeks ago were thinking of me all this time and working things out so I could be there. Glory to God!
As I was on the plain in Chicago I had a thought shoot through my mind which was "am i right with God if this plane were to go down?" I had to think about it and I started the self-examination. I was repulsed at myself when comparing myself with the Word of God and Christ but then I was able to look on Christ and I found peace in that I
am fully resting in the finished work of Christ and what He did for me on the cross; mainly, that He bore God's holy fierce anger towards sin when He was nailed on the cross that was supposed to be directed towards me, He died, was buried, and rose the third day, and is at the right hand of God. That's it. Eternal rest and solace in that
fact, and full trust that He did it for me.
Took the plane from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Lima and sat next to a Jewish guy and was able to share with him Jesus the Messiah. I then arrived in Lima and Alfonso and Nata picked me up. I arrived to my room and was welcomed warmly.
THe room was a million times better than I thought it would be, very spacious, clean, orderly, and there was a bathroom with a washing machine and another kitchen. All this would probably pass for less than a 1 star hotel in the United States but
it is excellent considering that it is only S./100 a month or approximately $35. My roommates love the Lord too so that's a plus. I'm looking forward to the fellowship.
Passed the day in Lima getting tickets for Pichanaki with Tito, ate at a restaurant with Eddy, and had bread with jam and butter with coffee with Gloria and her husband and Francis. I am still not tuned-in completely to spanish. I understand most of
everything but it's a little tiring and I know I'm definitely not thinking in it since it is an excercise to get my words out at times. Tonight I'm leaving for Pichanaki which is an 8 hour busride.
Arrived in Pichanaki the next day around 8 o'clock. During the night we passed through some high elevations. I don't remember sleeping or being awake for that matter. The country-side was beautiful when the sun started coming out. We were passing some jungle foliage and mountanous areas, and beautiful lakes. we were greeted by
Ruttman and Rodik. Ruttman studied with me at the Academy a year ago. We started the day with breakfast and talking about how the day was going to go. The hermanas in the church were always serving us, making breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some of our meals consisted of Yuka, chicken, rice, quinua, bread, etc.
Ruttman and I swam in the river since I needed a shower and this was the best option. He showed me my living space for the next 5 days. It is a room that he has been renting from a family who is renting out to make some extra money. When you look on it from the outside, it looks like something that Mary and Joseph would have lived in 2000 years ago.
It had two beds in it. We had a shower and a toilet room as well. I forgot that it's important to buy your own toilet paper. Around 3 oclock we had our conference.
The conference was about a 2 hour message by Martin Zacarias on the Gospel.
Throughout the week we had various messages on, "The Gospel," "The New Birth, "Marriage and Parenting" and some others. I would say after 3 days my spanish listening skills were back up to speed. I would wish to say that it was a super-encouraging time in the Lord but I was so exausted for most of the time. I did enjoy meeting new people and talkign to old friends and
hearing the subjects which really made me think even thouhg I've heard those subjects many times. The fellowship was also great. There was a peruvian-italian guy who came on the trip too who we ended up talking a lot. He was a missionary in italy for about 10 years. What I enjoyed most was sharing and exchanging testimonies
with other people and how they came to the Lord.
The 5 days consisted of fellowship, setting up for the conference, going to the plaza and witnessing and inviting people to go and handing out flyers for the conference and eating meals with each other. Willi and I talked to a two guys who seemed very interested in coming. One was a 7th day adventist and had many questions on the sabbath and the law. Some of us
also ran into a new denomination called the "israelitas." There's really no point in talking to them since they won't listen to you and they are usually loud and baligerent that one has to keep the law of the old testament with no regards to mercy, grace, and justice.
The last day after the conference we went to Ruttman's chacra (plantation). Ruttman was very proud to drive us up the hill and was very proud that he could drive pickup trucks now. He had to pay big money to to go through training and to get the license (I think equivalent of $500).
We saw a big spider web as thick as a guitar string. When you pulled it it would revirberate like a guitar.
We also spent the day at "El Bosque," sort of a nice sandy area surrounded by woods (palm trees) and consists of volleyball nets, and soccer fields. We played soccer and swam in the rio there too. It was great talking to William, Rodik, and Ruttman again and I will definitely miss them.
Maybe sometime I can spend more time there.
To kind of give you a feel for what Pichanaki is, picture yourself driving on a very sunny hot day in a carriage being driven by a motorcycle on a bumpy sandy road passing dogs and people and shabby looking stores and houses and palm trees. Everyone is either walking or driving a motocar. I was also woken up around 5:30 every morning by roosters. Ka-ka-doodle-doo!
The next day I arrived back to cloudy and misty Lima. I don't mind winters in Lima much since a chompa (hooded sweatshirt) and jeans is sufficient.
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