Okay, my brain for as much catch-up as it is trying to do in the US, is quite clearly still on Peru. Seems like there are just too many stories to share....

Even though most of the congregation has heard this story, there are several of you who have not that are regular blog readers. On the first evening in Moyobamba, Ken led the devotion and encouraged us all to keep our eyes open to God-moments. Here's the crowning one for those of us who were also on last year's trip....

Saturday evening just before we fly back to Atlanta, we're having dinner down by the Lima coast at this fantastic seafood restaurant that overlooks the Pacific ocean--where we have gone the last 3 years on our last night. Another waiter in the restaurant comes up to our table and asks if we are Christians. One of our group says yes, and asks if he is a Christian. He says, "Yes, because of Norma," and points to a member of our group who is one of our translators. Then he pulls out his wallet in which is a tract Norma gave to him at that same restaurant a year ago and tells how his life has changed over the last year because of what we shared with him.

How amazing is that!

God is good,
Jess Scholten

The plan was to post one or two pictures that captured the week in Peru. Right. Check out below and you’ll get a general overview instead. The problem with trying to find one picture is mostly that we were doing so many different things. At the same time a medical clinic was held in a small village without electricity that we had to cross a river and hike through the jungle to get to, the other group was shoveling a pipeline for Yantalo—which has no running water—and heading up a Vacation Bible School. So we had three big projects going on. And of course all the other moments as well.

Anne Lamott, in her book, Traveling Mercies, says that the two best prayers she can think of are “Help me, help me, help me” and “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” To help and joy and tears and reunions and work and sweat and God-moments—thanks, thanks, thanks be to God.

In Christ,
Jess

 

First day of the medical clinic--Kellie runs the coloring station 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hola! It was not quite as easy to email and update the blog in Moyobamba on a regular basis as I had hoped, so I'm sorry for not keeping you better posted. We are now back in Lima and have had an amazing week. We are safe and healthy. The traveling medical clinic saw 350 people in four days, and the construction/VBS group has fantastic stories of shoveling and singing. We are all looking forward to salads and hot showers when we're back home again, which is about 24 hours to Atlanta. See you all then! En Christos, Jess