Peru ~ Village of Pachacutec

On Thursday August 6 we went to Pachacutec ~ one of the poorest villages in Peru.

I am still speechless about what we saw and did and the people (children) we met on this day.

For this post I will let the pictures do the talking...

Peru ~ Testimonies

To read the testimonies of some of those who attended the English Camp and were drawn into a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ please visit our friends Rick & Beth's CCLIMA Blog.

Peru ~ Water Baptism

After the alter call a water baptism invitation was given and 7 of the new believers were baptized.

Check out this beautiful slide show.

Peru ~ Reflections (Part Two)

As I am sure you can tell by the previous pictures that this mission trip was not a traditional mission trip.

We stayed in a college dorm when in Lima and at resort when we were in Cieneguilla. We had hot showers, warm beds, coffee and fresh flavor filled meals.

The trip in and of itself was not physically challenging.

However, the places the Lord would take us, the things he would ask us to do and the ways He stretched us far from our comfort zones were at times excruciatingly challenging.

But unbelievably rewarding!!!

The Peruvians were real. They were honest. They were inquisitive. They were eager. And they were hungry.

But they ~ like the old saying goes ~ "didn't care how much we knew until they knew how much we cared".

Just because of bunch of Americans were coming in to teach them English through the Gospel didn't mean they were going to buy into it. They wanted to know why we believed what we believed and how that truth applied to them. They weren't just going to accept it because we said it. They wanted us to prove it.

It was amazing!!!

When asked the question "if you died tonight where do you think you would go"? Many admitted they would probably go to hell.

That crushed me to my very core! I wept for my new friends who didn't have the Saving Knowledge of Eternal Life with a Heavenly Father who loved them SO much that He gave His only Son for them.

We continued to share the gospel message and build relationships. We fellowshipped over meals and through recreational sports. We laughed we cried.

And over the 3 day camp we saw hearts soften, minds changed, eyes opened, souls tender...

It was simply miraculous...I have NO words...Lives were eternally changed, Forever Saved...when the alter call was given and these new friends stood up and accepted Jesus as their Personal Lord and Savior I knew that I just experienced a real modern day miracle.

These folks came to learn English. Just English!!! And they left with a promise of Eternal Life, a free gift of Salvation and the comfort of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct thier every step ~ long after us Americans boarded our plane and headed back to the States....

English Camp

On the bus headed to Cieneguilla

Our amazing bus driver who succeeded in getting us to and from camp safely ~ which takes a professional and Divine Intervention :)

The beautiful resort where the English Camp was held.

Our sleeping quarters

Our first meal together

Many classes were taught on phrasal verbs, reading aloud, idioms and slang. There were also many classes taught on the Gospel such as the cost and rewards of the cross, what the cross meant to us, the salvation message and hope in Eternal Life.

The only *rule* at English Camp was ~you could not speak any Spanish and if you did you would need to sing in front of everyone. Well...EVERY American got busted at one point or another and had to sing. But not one Peruvian broke that one simple rule and therefor managed to keep their dignity.

We played at the park

We played soccer

And football

Shot some pool

And we made friends!!!

Peru ~ Reflections (Part One)

Oh where do I begin??

Brian and I have been home for a few days now and I am still processing all that the Lord has done with a bunch of gringos in a foreign country without a clue...

I have honestly been struggling with this post because there are just no words to adequately describe what we saw, felt or heard...

When Brian and I first got involved with this "mission" we "thought" it would be to meet the immediate physical needs (painting, fixing up someones home, working in an orphanage, offering medical care, etc) to the local Peruvians. While tending to their Spiritual needs as well.

However, a few months before the trip Rick received a divine Inspiration to host an English Camp.

I have to be honest ~ I (like many others on the team) was not overly thrilled. My main reason for signing up was because I wanted to love, rock and hold the orphans in the orphanage. THAT WAS ALL!!!

I had no desire to teach English!!

But, Brian and I had come to know and love Rick and his wife Beth and we trusted that the Lord had shared a special vision with Rick for a very special purpose. (

So we prepared accordingly and headed to Peru to set up camp...English Camp.

Things I learned

Here are some things I learned about the crazy team we sent to Peru.

1. Brian ~ takes the agenda VERY seriously

2. Jeff ~ takes Brian’s agenda VERY seriously

3. John Silvas ~ you can’t believe a word he says. NOT ONE WORD

4 .Maria ~ is 75 and she can do whatever she wants because she's 75 and because she is Maria

5. Andrew ~ is quite the rapper and suffer dude. Strange combo but it works for him...

6. Dave ~ he isn’t so quiet after all

7. Bev ~ is from Canada

8. Gabby ~ can sleep anywhere and when she’s awake she is extorting money from someone

9. Les ~ is big and handsome and loves himself!!! Oh and he’s 99% Peruvian but so sad for him the other 1% of him lives in America.

10. Wes ~ is a human version of a guardian angel

11. Joe ~ is TOP KNOTCH security detail

12.John H. ~ should be an art teacher

13. Meagan ~ has a tattoo (who knew?)

14. Steffany ~ is a Diva and her next mission trip will be in Beverly Hills

15.Kim Brown ~ can out belch ANYONE.

16.Tiffany ~ is refreshing!

17.Laura ~ will eat all things Peruvian EXCEPT guinea pig...

18.Linda ~ real, honest, and lives her faith daily

19.Marcia ~ has quite the sense of humor

20.Dian ~ is great under pressure

21.Susan ~ is stronger than she thinks

22.Candy ~ was baptized in Peru. How cool is that??

23.Alex ~ attracts fans like a Hollywood star

24.Pastor Teddy ~ is one heck of a sport commentator

25.Jen ~ loved, loved, loved, getting to know everyone

26. Rick H. ~ knows every word and motion of Father Abraham. And does them well :)

Meet the Team

Pictured below is the team that traveled to Lima Peru

Brian, Jennifer, John S., Wes, Les, Pastor Teddy, Alex, Marcia, Dian, Steffany, Kim, Meagan, Gabby, Tiffany, Maria, Joe, Dave, Jeff, Andrew, Linda and Bev

*note pictured are John H., Susan, Candy and Laura.