Peru, Sunday, May 25th
Tue, 27 May 2008 02:28:10 -0400
Dear Family,
It has been along time since I rode a fast moving ride at a Theme Park. BUT, I do remember them well!! They start off with a jerk, and then slowly climb a steep incline. You reach the peak of the incline and then your body is departed from your hip pockets!! While on the twist and turns and jerking here and there (not lasting but a few minutes) you are on a blinding run-away car just trying to hang on. Then before you know it, it's all over. There is a lot of similarity with Theme Park rides and our trips to Latin America. You grab a flight and you are jerked off the grown and slowly climb to a very high altitude. Your flight seems like a long slow ride until you finally reach the peak, and your final destination. What happens next remains a BLUR!! You turn around and several days have passed and then before you know it, it's time to get off and go home.
Every trip I make, I always think to myself as I leave, it won't be anytime before I will be driving back home with 3 weeks behind me.
I arrived here in Lima this past Saturday night about 11:22:35 pm (more or less). When I arrive at Rodolfo's home and greeted everyone and talked for a few minutes, I lugged my bags up to the 3rd floor where my standard room awaited me. I have learned over the years that if I am to stay at a place for a week, I need to do my best to organize my "stuff" immediately upon arrival or before you know it several days have passed and I'm still digging through my bags. It took me until 2:30 am to get the job done this trip.
The first Sunday in Peru is always rush rush. We leave Rodolfo's house about 9:00 am and don't return until about 10:00 pm. In that time frame we normally go to 3 services and preach at each one with lunch and supper jammed in between. That was the program this time as well. We had to make a short stop to pick up a young man from Valdosta, GA who grew up at Forrest Park. Austin Pyler is here in Lima doing a Spanish course at one of the Universities.
Our first stop this morning after getting Austin is the San Juan de Miraflores congregation. Rodolfo started this congregation back in 1992 just shortly after returning from school in Panama. The church has grown from about 20 members to well over 150 since I have been coming down in 1995. I know a lot of the members and have taught and baptized a number of them over the years. It is ALWAYS GREAT to meet with them and get greeted with joy and love.
With us this morning is Donnie Bates from Hugo, OK. Here is here to teach at the Preacher school from the Bear Valley Institute of Biblical studies in Denver, CO. Donnie was asked to do the morning class and I was asked to preach. At the conclusion of services this morning, there was one baptism. Teresa Barru, the sister of one of our preachers, Carlos Barru, decided to put Christ on in baptism. I had the privilege of baptizing her into Christ. I am enclosing a picture of her.
After a late lunch, we left for our second stop. One of many things that I love about my brother in Christ, Rodolfo Espinoza, is that he is constantly evangelizing and starting new congregations here in Lima. Today is the second Sunday for a Bible study at the school facilities of our Preacher Training School (Bible School of the Americas - Peru). This is located in the Jesus Maria, a barrio of Lima. There were about 20+ students in this class which included Rodolfo, Eliana, and Rodolfo's sister and her husband. Along with them were 2 students from BSAM-Peru who live at the school building. The other attendees of the Bible study were those who need to be taught the gospel.
I was asked to lead the class on an appropriate topic. I chose to teach on how to identify the Church of the Bible today.
We finally got started about 4:30 and had great interaction with everyone's participation.
Our study finally ended about 6:00 pm (largely due to a late start and waiting on some who finally came late). Our third stop was supposed to be at a third congregation, Los Olivos, but we could not make in time to worship with them, so we went to supper about 7:00 pm.
Before going home we stopped at a local mall to get a cheap cell phone for the campaign.
After all things being done, I finally got into bed shortly before midnight.
I am writing this Monday night, and already it is 1:09 am. I had wanted to include TODAYS activities, but I'll have to leave that for tomorrow, or I won't get any sleep tonight.
KEEP US IN YOUR PRAYERS.
God bless.