July 26, 2011 - Sweat, Love, Blood, and a Plane Ticket
Today was the last day at our Lima home. The place we have been able to rest and chat each night can now only be found in our memories, journals, and pictures. As we get ready to go back to our various USA homes, I am taking parts of Peru back with me, and leaving parts of myself here.
Señora Maria has one of the pieces. Sunday we went to work clearing rock that had been cut out of the mountain face that was 2 feet from her back wall, and by 2 o'clock this afternoon, she had a new wall that not only doubled the area within the house, but that will withstand the damp Limean conditions better than her other wall had any hope of.
Though the actual putting-up of an 8 x 20 foot wall is probably the greatest tangible accomplishment of the Trek, the heart that went into it is even greater. Each nail, each support beam, each piece of plywood, was put in place with determined blood, sweat, and love. Juan David and his enormous smile helped with everything we would let the five year old touch, plus a few things we wouldn't.
The joy I felt in seeing the home open up was surpassed only in the fruit of our labor visible in the faces of the family. The sweetest part was as we said goodbye to this amazingly strong woman, who could take a pickaxe to break and carry a rock nobody could budge while carrying a baby on her back, began to cry as we exchanged I'll-never-forget-you's, prayed, and praised together. The joy of the children's smiles as we took pictures in each of the two new corners prove their embodiment of Nueva Esperanza -- New Hope.
Even sitting now typing this, my heart is melting. But the parts left here are immediately filled with peace at the kingship of God. My California and Nueva Esperanza worlds are fusing. The Kingdom of God is making new gerrymandered shapes that combine areas and lives and people whom otherwise would never be joined.
Possibly my favorite, and definitely tastiest example of this joint world is the fudge for our World Vision friends I made last night with my stove-top United States recipe, and Limean ingredients. It tasted different than usual. But it was definitely fudge. And definitely Limean. Like this experience, I will never be able to replicate it, but I will always remember it; both the differences and similarities.
Now I just need to figure out how to make this simple chocolate example a complex reality. How do I get countries, cultures, or friends, to merge and become something that is neither better nor worse, just different? On my own, it's impossible.
But here lies the other beautiful lesson I am learning: the less bread and fish I have to offer, the more people Jesus will feed. Matthew 14:19-20
The less useful the world sees me, the more Jesus will use me.
Shannon
World Vision Guest Blogger
July 19, 2011 - Who's Who in Peru?
Meet Carmen... A loving wife and mother of two young boys. Together with her husband, she has started a non-profit ministry aimed at helping children develop into leaders for the future in their churches and their communities. Carmen and her husband teach the children through sharing the Gospel and teaching virtues that can be applied throughout their lives. When asked, Carmen details how she would like to expand the program to offer more, but the only people who fund it are Carmen and her husband, selflessly giving everything they have even while raising two growing boys.
Meet Luis... A pastor at a local evangelical church that is overflowing on Sundays and has four church branches in the mountains. Despite a continually growing congregation and typical services with around 100 people attending, he is still in despair. When asked about programs the church has for children, he sadly says that there are no programs, yet dozens of children, because of the lack of resources. No one can give time, either, as members struggle to help their families eat on a daily basis.
Meet Isabel and Elena... Unpaid directors of the comedor, these two women work tirelessly so children in the neighborhood can get free, nutritious lunches during the week-- perhaps the only balanced meals they get. Neither young woman knows how long to remain at the comedor, as working there means that they cannot get a job to help support their families. Selflessly, neither woman has decided to leave, because quitting means that 40 children go without meals.
These are just a few of the examples we have seen-- people sacrificing what little they have and dedicating their lives to raise a generation of confident children. But in every case, I witness such a lack of resources. These programs and many more that we have worked with are noble causes that help the youth in the community. It's difficult to see so little being offered. Being an American and having the “if there's a problem, fix it” mentality, I'm at a loss with how to help here. And maybe that's part of the problem. Coming in with the mindset that I, in my own way, can help fix this problem.
I've learned that the answers aren't clear. The sad reality is that the people we've met can work extremely hard the rest of their lives and still be consumed by poverty.I've learned here that the problems run much deeper than it seems on the surface. Issues of drug use, abusive relationships, child neglect, gang violence and others run rampant in the streets where we work and live. I've taken a learning posture in this experience by sitting back and taking in as much as I can. The more I see, the more questions I seem to have. What has caused people to be in their current situation? How can I help? Can they get out of it?
Present among the poverty, the waste, the hungry, is truth: God is here. I see it in the kindness of the mothers' hearts and the sheer joy on the children's faces. God is bigger than all of this and gives Peruvians and me a reason to hope for the future. With him, anything is possible, and because of that, we can be truly grateful, even when answers are unclear.
-Jack
(All names have been changed in this post.)
July 12, 2011 - More Like Simon
Currently at the halfway point of our Trek, we have had time to come together—both the World Vision group and the Paz y Esperanza group—for a time of rest and rejuvenation during our Mid-Project Retreat. Both groups have had time to share their triumphs, struggles and observations in our time in Lima.
It has been an extremely fruitful time, as we have had an opportunity to step back from where we have been living and working in the past two weeks, and evaluate what we have learned, as well as what we still need to learn and accomplish leaving our Mid-Project Retreat and heading back to our sites.
Throughout our retreat, we have been looking at Jesus calling his first disciples in Luke 5. On the Sea of Galilee, Jesus walks into Simon, James and John's boats one morning—all three fishermen by trade. The three were washing their nets after an unsuccessful night of fishing. The three rowed out with Jesus in the boat, and he preached to the masses on the shoreline.
After speaking, Jesus tells Simon to cast out his nets. Simon responds, saying “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you said so, I will let down the nets.” Much to the surprise of the three fishermen, they caught enough fish that the boat began to sink. The three were astonished, and Jesus responded by saying in verse ten, “Don't be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”
This passage has been giving us insight to what we have been learning while in Lima and what Jesus is calling us to.
It's interesting to note that Jesus meets the fishermen where they are. He uses an example of their vocation, and how they can advance God's Kingdom with their work. As fishermen by trade, Simon, James and John know that the best time to catch fish is at night, and since they didn't catch any fish, they were bringing in their nets in the morning when Jesus met them. However, Simon had the faith to trust Jesus with what He was commanding.
Father, as we are in the eve of the second half of our Trek, I pray that we take on the mindset of Simon— wholeheartedly following you despite our doubts, despite our insecurities and worries. Open our eyes to the things and opportunities you have in store for us, and free of us the expectations we have brought with us. Like the fishermen, you meet us where we are, and you know what is on our hearts. Tune our hearts to you. Father, thank you for this amazing opportunity—to get a better view of how you see the world. The fishermen didn't forget how to fish, but rather, it no longer became the base of their being, it no long defined their being. You defined their being. May we never define ourselves as anything but your followers. Give us the strength and boldness to leave our nets behind, and follow you—for whatever that means in each of our lives. Open our eyes to the realities around us, and may we never be the same. Amen.
-Jack
July 5, 2011 - Under the Same Roof
“Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young. Set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
It has been amazing to see the different ways that God is working through us, along with the Peruvians we come in contact with. Our time has been extremely busy, spending every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at a “comedor,” a food kitchen for children who live in the mountainous regions of northern Lima.
Every day at the comedor, the kids come in with boundless energy, and it is our Trek site team's task to teach them life virtues including “ten dominio propio” (be self controlled) and “di la verdad” (tell the truth), for example. Growing in relationship with these children has definitely been a highlight, as we are learning daily what it means to inherit the kingdom as children of God.
Outside the comedor, we also began our work with Paz y Esperanza, one of the ministries here. Specializing in human rights cases, sexual abuse cases, and making rights known for women and children, the organization had an informational fair in one of the local neighborhoods. We passed out informative fliers and joined Peruvians in the community to inform the public of the rights to which they are entitled.
After working with various ministries during the day, it's such a welcome to go home to our host families. Although a language barrier exists, time in the community beyond our ministries and time spent with our host families has been extremely fruitful. It's habit to come home from working all day, but coming back to a family who wants to know about our culture and our customs in the United States has been a challenge, but in the best way possible. Living under the same roof as the people we are working with allows for easy two-way conversations. By learning more and more on a daily basis about the people, the customs, the churches, and the culture here, our group has connected with the community on a deeper level, and it allows us to share life's triumphs and struggles together.
From Wednesday through Friday this week (July 6-8) both groups on the Lima Trek will come together for a retreat where we can rest, relax and rejuvenate for the second half of our Trek. It will definitely be welcomed by everyone, as we take a step back from our community here and evaluate what we've learned and what we hope to gain from the remainder of the Trek.
I ask for your continued prayers that we would truly rest with the Lord during our retreat, and that as the second half of the Trek starts, that we quiet our hearts to the noise around us and listen for God's voice in our vocations so that we take a servant's attitude as God leads us through our Trek.
-Jack
July 5, 2011 - Expectation Meets Purpose
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me...I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” - Jesus, Matthew 25 : 35-36, 40
My purpose for coming to Lima was to meet and work alongside people who have made it their life mission to expand God's kingdom, and to see if God is calling me to something similar. While I have immense faith in the human ability to withstand whatever life brings, I often used that as an excuse to assume people can get used to poverty and hardship so that I would not have to be unsettled from my comfort for the suffering of others. Though I expected to encounter “the least of these” in Lima, Maria was not who I envisioned.
Entering her house was sobering. In the 25'x12' shack, there was a little stove top, a chair, dresser, and small desk, cabinets falling off the wall, no running water, no covering for the rocky dirt floor, and two queen-sized beds for Maria and her four children who range from 10 years to 5 months. The father visits once or twice a week, bringing 12 soles (about $4; enough money for dinner). To provide for her family, Maria hand-washes enormous loads of laundry for 15-20 soles, but with tendonitis worsening with each load, she decided to fix a cart so she can sell emoliente (a warm, sweet drink) instead.
We went outside to see the hopes Maria had been talking about for the future. She and her oldest son have been chipping away the rough mountain face just behind her holey, mold-strewn wall to expand and make her home more bearable. Hearing the work her children do to help out despite having school and wanting to simply be kids, broke my heart. Hearing the hope she has in spite of everything, restored my joy.
This whole week, I had been praying to see Jesus' face. I saw his hands working, his feet going, and his heart yearning, but I had yet to really see him. As I looked at this beautiful woman, I saw whose image she was made in; I saw Jesus' face in hers. My purpose for coming to Lima began clicking into place. I realized I am here to meet Jesus in as many ways and in as many people as I can. I am here to see where he is. I am here to see his pain, and desire to deliver his people from hurt and into the Kingdom. I am here to be uncomfortable, and to see that Jesus is not okay with any of his children suffering.
Shannon
World Vision Guest Blogger
June 29, 2011 - Fires in the Fog
There are fires in this fog,
Fires of life, dirt, water, and stone.
Like tongues they speak of pain, echoing
Corrugated tin consonants,
Muttered, meddling with smiles
Moved far from a place once
Called home.
A sloped nose and sung slang remain accents
That eulogize the ancients from
Whom they have descended,
While the children of Ayacucho ascend,
Fashioning pyramids of success amongst
Families unfamiliar, homes and tombs built
One generation at a time – soul by soul.
More resilient than moths,
Magnificent than mariposas
They gather under the sonorous flames at night.
The electric glare reveals the sore feet
They still stand sturdy upon,
Upon a place to be proud of –
Sparks not from flint but of fight light these grounds,
Armed by hearts unappeased by the flight of smoke,
Rather working that their names should be
Set in stone,
Like the gods of uncles long buried.
Under the warmed fog, hope is sustained,
But where the flames fade,
And the tongues are stilled,
The sadness sinks deep in the fertile complacency,
Growing ripe with despair.
Planting mounds go unsurmounted by softened spades –
Community gone unspun.
Beneath and below the earthen mantle of gravity,
Tubers swallow only that which nature’s sky cries,
Yet they hide like a treasure, surreptitious,
As they grasp from unjust graves.
Backs, like pride, broken,
A vain sweat showers from unpropserous labor
Soothing like acid rain,
Leaving crops quenched and squelched
By the very flows by which
The rest of this world shall be saved.
Capital punishment – the poor are smothered
Under tides of untethered Western gluttony;
All the desire we have yet to lose,
We have let loose, like a drowning dust of dead skin,
As green-backed leaves spread from
An overabundant tree of opulence
Extending a shade to rob the sun from her brothers.
Alas, as the fires of the fog remind,
Autumn comes even for the strong oak.
Once-green riches shall fall, cast in to the wind:
Uncontrollable and unpredictable even to the mighty,
Landing gently to enrich the mounds of the poor.
The air breathes liberty
Where the flood presses somnolent saturation.
The tall branch that stretches
As its strength smothers,
Shall soon tumble too, under the autumnal reign.
The dust becomes one with the sky,
As humbled heads meet their feet.
The branch dries to become amble fodder
For embers that now fade softly
Into Lima’s morning light.
Jason Brown
June 22, 2011 - With You Peru
“Life is a dance toward God... And the dance is not so graceful as we might want... God crowds our feet, bumps our toes and scuffs our shoes. So we learn to dance with the One who made us. And it is a difficult dance to learn, because its steps are foreign.” - Donald Miller, Through Painted Deserts
A five-and-a-half hour flight greeted us from Mexico City to Lima, and since we touched down, we have been significantly impacted by Angie Guzman. Her demeanor hasn't faltered in the past three days. An expert in cross-cultural relationship building, Angie has been our guide through our orientation to Lima. It has been a time of absorption, as we learn more about the history of the city and the passion of its people, so we can better build relationships through our ministries.
The theme for our orientation has been “Contigo, Peru”-- “With you, Peru”. Monday we learned about Peruvians struggle for daily provision.
We went to Gamarra, the largest market in South America, accumulating 1.2 billion dollars in revenue annually. Presented with the task of creating our own revenue with only one sheet of paper, our task was to make art out of the paper and attempt to sell it in the market. We learned just how difficult it is to sell items on the street, as if our entire livelihood depended on it.
Working alongside different store owners in Gamarra in the afternoon, we were able to learn the hard work it takes to develop products and we saw how many Peruvians' entire livelihood centered around this occupation.
Our night ended with a fiesta, where we learned authentic Latin American dances from Angie. While it didn't always look pretty the way we danced, God was present and laughing out of delight for His children, who came together in love and admiration for each other and the culture.
Tuesday, our theme was “Contigo, Peru” in life and in death. We visited Cemetario Virgen de Lourdes—the second-largest cemetery in the world, which was full of life. It's funny how much life was present in the cemetery, and how Peruvians view death as a celebration of life, not as its end point.
Angie took us through a museum that documented the 20-year civil war waged in Peru over the threat of communism. Over 69,000 Peruvians were killed or went missing in the struggle, and the astounding photography showed the anguish and impact this war had on the country.
While telling us that we shouldn't feel guilty for the lost lives, but instead, feel a sense of ownership. Angie charged us with doing something about it. We learned that the only way to combat injustice is through tenderness, where we take the time to better know the situation, and empathize with those afflicted.
We take those lessons with us as the groups depart for their mission sites—Paz y Esperanza and World Vision today. I ask for you to pray for our understanding, that we get acclimated to our sites, and start building relationships!
Hasta pronto!
-Jack
June 19, 2011 - Planting a Mustard Seed
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all the seeds, when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32)
Wow. I think this is the only word which can accurately describe how Orientation has gone for us. Arriving Monday the 14th at night, we were promptly told to navigate Mexico City’s metro system—a task which taught us to quickly rely on each other and begin building trust—a hallmark for our summer spent in Lima. During the first week, our team grew to trust each other more and more based on the situations we were in and the impactful talks, bible studies and discussions that we interacted in. It was a very busy week, and the Lord was able to work through us for endurance, compassion and love for each other and our Father.
With over half of the world living in urban centers, and the U.N. estimating slum populations reaching up to two billion people in the next 30 years without purposeful actions halting that growth, we were charged to give selflessly and graciously to those living in slum communities throughout Lima this summer.
Throughout this whole process, we have learned most about Jesus’ life, and as a group, we have gotten to spend considerable time in the Word, thought and prayer, learning about His life and how He cared for the least of these. We have been called to do the same this summer.
As the week has gone on, we have learned more and more about what we will be doing in Lima, and the opportunities we will have there. Split into two groups, we will be working alongside World Vision and Paz y Esperanza—the former which works primarily with children, showing God’s love, as well as developing community projects. The latter will be developing a “comedor”—a food bank three times a week, and will be working alongside churches for community development programs.
A lasting image that has been with the group is the parable of the mustard seed listed above. As Christians, we are called to grow in community with the Peruvians, while meeting them on their level. Through this, we hope to show God’s kingdom through our actions and words. After planting the “mustard seed” there is no telling how much God can be present and grow in these two communities.
Today, we leave for Lima, where we will be orientated in our ministries and jump right in. I ask for your continued prayers, that it is God’s voice, not ours, being used in Lima, and that we be able to, with open hands, have God lead us through this experience and give all the glory to him.
-Jack
