Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Family and friends....

I hope this finds everyone well! We are having the time of our life. What a great day in the barrio.

Relationship building to me is one of the most important aspects of our journeys to Peru. Those feelings were strengthened today. We did do some real work sanding and painting three walls in the classroom building next to the community center. We also put up another wall, that will get drywall on it before we leave.

However, I think the best part of the day was taking some gifts that we had Loys and Danell purchase before we came to five women that host either a home church, a bible study for adults or bible study for the youth. The joy those gifts brought was amazing. We let them know that we were presenting them these duplicate what they were doing.

I want to tell you a little story about one of the women. Her name is Carmen. Most of her family are Jehovah Witness. She is hosting a group of youth and adults for bible study. She is the only professed Christian in her household. All of her children and grown and are not abusive. Yet she had such a strength and said that she prays ever day that God will change her family's heart. She prays everyday for a changed man in her husband. She sets an example for all of them and knows that God will hear her prayers. What a beautiful lady!

After lunch we planned visits to the house of Henry and Maria, two of the kids that our group has gotten to know from day one four years ago. We also had a visit planned to see Annabelle. We had some gifts that we brought from three former team members.
Debra.....I was mistaken...Henry has grown and all the clothes will fit him perfectly. The sandals you sent were the perfect size. When we got there he was wearing sandals twice the size of his feet. And tell Andrew that Henry loved everything he picked out.

Melanie....Maria had a glow about her when we told her to take a seat on the couch and that we had brought her something too! She loves the pictures and just loved everything you sent to her. She to has grown into quite the young lady. You will be please to know that she is involved in Fuentes(story telling) to the younger kids. Now to make you jealous.......I get a big hug from her every day. I will give her several from you!

Roger and Livonia and family....Annabelle is getting bigger too and she is still such a doll. Her smiles when she greets us each day is priceless. She loves everything you sent! You know that she loves to write and her eyes lit up at all the notebooks. But I have to tell you....above all else....her eyes were bright with joy as she found the photo book. I believe that it will be the gift she will enjoy the most for a long time to come.

I think that will do it for tonight! Back to the barrio tomorrow. We have five more gifts to deliver and we are going to talk about prayer with 40 of the women from the barrio.

Good night from Trujillo, Peru

God Bless....
Mitch