Monday Worship

Our plan was to run the clinic all day and gather the people for worship at 4:30. A complete service was planned with music and Dr. Pav preaching. But cooperation with the city has one down side. City workers are on the clock until 5:00 pm. 

The last few clinic patients showed up looking for service right at the end, they just kept trickling in as we tried to set up for worship. Pastor Pablo asked the city workers for 15 more minutes and used it to present the gospel. He used the wordless disk (a flying ring we modified to fill the center with colors of the wordless book and scriptures on the back). 

At the close of the presentation we lined up and gave out toothpaste and a toothbrush to everyone, witnessing dolls to the girls, and flying disks to the boys.

Every Part of God's Creation is Beautiful

The rugged beauty of Arequipa amazes us each time we come here. Majestic mountains and clear blue skies are an amazing contrast.

Pastor Pablo, Andrea and Bruno met us at the airport. We loaded luggage and people in a bus and headed off for a late lunch at a really good rotiserie chicken place. Then we unloaded at the orphanage, and got ready for the evening meeting.

We arrived at a beautiful hacienda converted into a house of God. Pastors began to arrive and soon Pastor Pablo opened the meeting with a welcome and an overview of the conference. Cindy, Walker, and Adrian lead in a couple of songs. David addressed the group in behalf of Hickory Grove Baptist Church. Tony Redden shared a brief testimony regarding his call to start the Hearts and Hammers ministry and how the Lord stretched him to work with volunteers. That prepared him to go into missions. Pastor Finny Matthews then spoke about Alpha International Ministries.

We returned to our accommodations at the orphanage ready for sleep. That was one long day. I count it from the time we boarded the bus for Charlotte International Airport until we crashed in our beds. Attempting to sleep in an airliner seat doesn't count. But we were grateful for the bed and blessed by the first day of ministry.

Beautiful mountains!!!

That's Misti, the mountain, not the walkway thingy. Arequipa is surrounded by volcanoes; don't worry, they're in a deep sleep -- not even snoring. 

Where are we going? Another gate? Oh! A meal -- is this breakfast or lunch. Let's see we had a meal in the air between Miami and Lima in the middle of the night, and a snack in the morning between Lima and Arequipa, so what are we going to eat? #travelweary! 

'Norky?' Is that some strange creature we're eating or the name of the restaurant? No, No it's rotisserie chicken and french fries.

Now, here is a church with missions on their minds. Nueva Vida (New Life) Baptist Church is a vibrant church with a God-sized vision. 

Gathering for our opening service on South American time.

Pastor Pablo made opening remarks while his youngest daughter, Andrea, used her skills as a self-taught Sound Engineer tracking down sound system problems (she's only 15).

Cindy, Walker, and Adrian sang in Spanish, (requested to do so just before the service started). They did a great job.

Tony Redden with Bruno translating.

Pastor Finny Matthews with Pastor Paul

Monday Clinic

Because of Pastor Pablo's amazing connections the City of Cayma (part of Arequipa) set up tents for our Clinic, also the Mayor's office paid for lunch for us.

The ladies loved on the girls and women by massaging their hands and backs and painting their fingernails.

The 'Beauty Salon' was a hit but also an opportunity to share the Lord. Gabi Carhuachin is using the Evangicube to share Christ with these girls and their pretty nails. 

The 'Beauty Salon' was popular but the docs were about to get really busy.

A Christian lawyer gave legal advice, while in the background Starla, Jeff, and Bruno shared Christ and prayed with a woman. Starla and Jeff are members of Daystar Church in Greensboro.

Catherine LaHaye shared the evangicube with patients in the waiting area while Deborah Newman translated (both are Hickory Grove Baptist Church members).

Moments later Deborah and Catherine were praying for the people who listened.

Pastor Pablo is fitting people with glasses. He gives them a new testament to read to see if the prescription it right.

Meanwhile, back at the Beauty Salon, Amy is giving a hand massage.

The pastor of the church that sponsored this clinic asked us to his home for lunch. His wife had prepared a delicious dish similar to Au-gratin Potatoes and stuffed peppers or tomatoes for the spice lovers or the mild eaters. Muy deliciouso! (I know that's spelled wrong). Above is the view from their third story. The clinic was held under the green tents and the church and its school meet in a white building that can be seen directly behind the tents. The city of Cayma provided the tents and sent us sandwiches and drinks.  

Pray for our preaching

This morning (Sunday, July 26th) our team is splitting up six ways:
Dr. Brekin Pav, Cynthia Conner, and Judy Lawrence will leave for the men's drug and alcohol rehabilitation center at 9:00 am to offer medical care to the residents. the rest of us will meet them at 3:00 pm for a worship service.

The rest of the team will split up five ways and go to morning worship at five  different services. Preachers will be Pastor Finny Matthews, Tony Reddin, David Millsaps, and Kurt Lawrence. Jeff Kearns will give his testimony at one of the churches. Pastor Finny will actually preach at two churches.

Pray for the Lord to be honored as we minister in these churches.

More on the Pastors' conference yesterday later. There were too many blessings to do them justice in the short time I have now.

Split in 3 different directions with one purpose!

Today we held a pastors' conference for the men and their families.  A few of us stayed behind and taught the men, others shared with the women in another room, and the rest of us took the kids to a sport complex to have VBS. With my teaching experience, I was asked to coordinate this effort. I teach everyday but this was something new for me. It took a lot of faith and belief in my teaching skills. It might sound strange, but it is not my comfort zone. But the Lord moved. Through know power of my own. He got everything together. He brought in all the materials. He prepared my team to me the easy going, flexible crew that they were. All to bring those children closer to Him. 

-Cindy

Encouragement Cards from VBS

As part of their ministry project 5th VBS students wrote and decorated homemade thank you cards for the Peruvian pastors. None of us could imagine how these words of encouragement and pledges to pray touched the Pastors and their families. There were enough cards that each pastor and wife and many of their children went out with one. 

Two of our team members reported seeing Pastors with tears in their eyes as they read the cards. One said that he was so encouraged that people in another country

who don't even know him are praying for him. Pastors and their families often feel isolated and unsupported, but the cards lifted their spirits. Way to go VBS Kids. 

Pictures from the morning, pastors conference. Some of the men, some of Dr. Breckon Pav doing medical consultation, some of Judy teaching the pastor's wives.

Victory despite the struggles - Cindy

The Lord is going to do mighty things on this trip. We know it. How do we know it? The Devil is trying to attack us with all his might. However, our God is bigger than any scheme the Devil can throw our way. He has been running interference the entire. Though, I admit, in my weakness, the evil one has gripped me with fear and anxiety, the Lord proves bigger than my doubt and concern. HE IS GREATER.

As I write this post I could write about all the little annoying things that happened along the way to Peru yesterday and today, but that draws away from our ultimate purpose. Let me call to attention what God did. First, he got us all here safely and soundly. He encouraged by the love and affection we received upon seeing the dear friends we adore so much.  We also were able to participate in the beginning of the pastors' conference. I, personally, babysat the pastors' children as they sat in presentations from various speakers. The kids, Lindsey, Andrea, and I had a blast playing with blocks and chess. Though when you are preschool and elementary age, chess is more of a color matching game.  

Overall, I am tired, but joyful. He has proven His goodness once more. 

Medical Clinics have already started.

I got up to stretch my legs,and noticed our team doctor, Breckon Pav, was also up. When I reached the back of the plane, he was kneeling by a lady who looked quite pale and was receiving oxygen. Without telling too much medical, she got better after about 30 minutes of oxygen and lots of water,and she was ready to go back to her seat. Then a teenager and her mom came back, bad case of motion sickness, relieved by getting an anti nausea pill, and then Breckon had me give her an injection also. About 45 minutes later we landed in Lima, both ladies were fine - we saw them at baggage claim. Glad to help, to start our mission, even on the plane.

- Judy Lawrence

The Lima Experience

In Lima we experienced several fun necessities. Immigration - it went smoothly. Ours seemed to be the only plane unloading at the time. Our entire team came through without a hitch.
Customs - no problem!!! Now going from the domestic check-in is where the brakes came on a little. As usual we had to exit the airport building by one door, walk down the Lima sidewalk about 20 yards and back into the same building by a different door. That was our one minute tour of Lima -- I don't think it did the great city justice.

Waiting to board is actually not boring

Fun and fellowship on the concourse. There are never a lack of conservation topics with this group. In fact the average layover just isn't longer enough. When the boarding announcement is made everyone says, 'Aw! Can't we was wait just a little longer?'

Leaving

Loaded up, prayed, said 'goodbye', on our way.