2017-Aug-Nov 2nd trip of year to Peru Mission (part 4 of 4)
1 Nov, Wed – Give me a minute, it’s still a blur … what did we do this day …. Finally bought some oil to use the primary part of the sachi-popa cooking station we bought for the mission. Prior to this we have only used the grill, now we will use the deep fryers for chicken and potatoes.Made the investment to purchase the ‘battery’, what you call drums in spanish.
2 Nov, Thurs – Much decorating of the main meeting area for the coming holiday season. Also retrofitting the original kitchen to be an extension of the main meeting room, intended for ‘musician’ use (drums, keyboard, etc)
3 Nov, Fri – Arrival of our San Diego and Mexico team. 8 people dropped to 7 due to last minute emergencies put on our San Diego pastor. Of the 7 visitors, 5 were from San Diego (Ron Nielson, Hank Sybrandry, Richard Lamb, Johnny Cena & Doug Sholder), and 2 from Mexico (Tanto Hussein & Pedro). Hank, Richard and Doug represent Missions from Branch Church, Ron Neilson represented Horizon Church and is a close associate with Tanto. Tanto and Pedro represent Mas Vida Bible school in Mexico which is where our resident missionaries are students of.
Our visitors from the north got to participate with the missions weekly youth services in San Juan Bautista first, hosted by the Sanchez’s. Resident missionary Irma Roses Reyes was setting up in Altura (north of the mission) for the later evening bible study group at Nelly’s home. Pastor Pedro took the youth separately while adults were in study with other visiting missionaries.
4 Nov, Sat – We spent a good deal of time on Saturday, after morning prayer, getting to know the locals, visiting El Carmen, Invacion after seeing Altura yesterday. For lunch we all went into Ica for a great Peruvian lunch at Huancaha restaurant. Today was Lily and my 22nd anniversary so they all made us smooch .. but I would have anyway!
Two missionaries stayed behind in Ica to preach at the El Shaddai youth group church. The rest of us returned to the Mission. Johnny Cena was to speak to the youth group, Hank and Doug were going to lead two different home bible studies in El Carmen and Invacion.
5 Nov, Sun – Morning services in Ica at El Shaddai, Evening services at the mission. Pedro was to preach at the early service, Johnny & Tanto did the next service that the rest of us attended. After which we all went to lunch up north toward the mission at Tacama Vineyard. This was a great touristy restaurant at a vineyard that has well over a hundred years of history.
After which most of us returned to the Mission with a few to go to Ica to do the evening services at the mission and El Shaddai. Hank Sybrandy and then Doug Sholder delivered the sermon at the mission, with Lily translating.
6 Nov, Mon – In the morning, we had a powwow in the upstairs of the new building. Some reflection, some kidding around, mostly sharing of what we have learned and where to go from here. Afterwards we went downstairs for breakfast. The Sanchez’s and Irma were busy cooking up a mexican breakfast of quesadilla’s. Johnny Cena decided to join in on the cooking fun and added a Phillipino chef accent to the Mexican food we were consuming in Peru by the visiting Gringos!
The layout of the childrens center downstairs, and our decision to shut down the primary kitchen in the main building, proved to work out wisely for feeding groups. Excellent test of the new two building campus by our friends from North America. We would like all to return, but hopefully stay more than three days because they really were not able to do much in such a short period of time. Departure of our San Diego and Mexico team was in the afternoon. We will miss them!
7 Nov, Tues – A visit from Elsie Goicochea from Los Angeles and her friend from Lima. Elsie is a Peruvian born American who loves to visit Peru. She is a high school friend of Lily’s. They were only able to spend one night but it was good to have them visit.
8 Nov, Wed – Nelson Vega just arrived from Mexico, with the intended task of staying two months at the mission and managing things till early January. He has been spending a month in San Diego working on his English for an eventual assignment in Florida.
We are excited to have him for two months over the holidays, covering the mission mostly while the missionaries return home for the holidays. We met Nelson in Sonora Mexico earlier this year and were very blessed to get to know him. Although we will only be with him a few days now until we return in January to relieve him, he will have a month with the other missionaries to get the operations down as best he can.
9 Nov, Thurs –Did a lot of internet work around the mission. Nelson and the Sanchez’s werre working on the 3rd floor preparing for tomorrows Quinceañera that we are hosting for one of our newly 15 year old nina’s. Irma is helping Marilu in the Activity Center with crochet and knitting session. Later we have a home fellowship at Alicia’s which Nelson and I join Irma on. I enjoy the young children here quite a bit.
10 Nov, Fri – Today is the big day of the Quinceañera and a lot of last minute preparation and decorating the top floor.
Lily decided to see if we can close the latest opening on the cloth roof, so we took a stab at it. I continued to close up some low voltage internet and TV wiring in the new building. I think I made 5 versions of a video for the soon to be recognized 15 year old (Stephany) but it was a nice touch as well, greatly appreciated. The party planning moved forward and went off spectacularly. I was absolutely amazed at all the preparation and love and final touches that were pulled together for this special event. The Sanchez’s and Irma did a really great job.
11 Nov, Sat – Last day at the mission. Some more unfinished work on the cloth roof. 4pm bus to Lima, 2am flight to USA.
12 Nov, Sun – Arrival in Los Angeles
