Peru, Amigos in Cristo

Today part of our group stayed in Marquez around the Luz Divina area and I went with the group that went to a village called Jerusalem. To get to this village we drove up a dirt road, along a river with a steep embarkment with trash in the river and all around the river. A couple days ago people in our group built a small building that will be used for Sunday School since the church is about an hour walk away. Public buildings are often painted blue, so of course we painted the building that color. The village is only able to access water four about 2 hours a day, in which they all must get the necessary water for the entire day. I bought a coke at the store in the village, for 0.80 soles, which is just a little over 60 cents, so I overpaid, and she was so gracious for the extra $$, which is the least I can do.

I need to share pictures of this, but the building is on a slab of concrete on the side of a hill and therefore, we were not going to be able to paint the front because we had no ladder, after talking to a couple people who lived there, one went to find a roller brush they had and the other went and found a very long stick as well as wire... within 10 minutes, we had the roller we needed to paint the front... and all morning we were wondering how that was going to get done...

My friend Jenna made some domino necklaces for me to share with people I meet in Peru and today I meet two ladies in the village whom I shared this gift with. Earlier in the day Lena invited me to her casa to see her baby, 4 months old, I have pictures to share, sooo cute. She was so happy and excited for the visit. I later met her neighbor Jessica, and shared the gift with them, she shared about her family and I had pictures of my family I shared with them. Then we went on to Jessi´s house, and I wasn´t sure what was going on, but later discovered, they wanted to share a gift with me, which I will also share with Jenna. I have experienced amazing and genuine hospitality in my life, but never with such care and excitment for being such strangers. I have a few pictures with them and also of their homes, simple, yet all that they need.

My day concluded at Luz Divina, with hugs and conversation with the kids--we later met them at the ´water park´ which is really a park full of fountains and lights and music, gorgeous for sure! It cost just a little more than $1 to get in, which something of this caliber would probably cost more than $10 in the USA. Dinner and conversation ended yet another late, but blessed day--God continues to be reveal through the people and the expèriece in this place.