JP Update

The first week of September, the Peruvian doctors returned from a strike, and JP was admitted to the hospital for observation. The doctors ran some more tests on his kidneys, liver, and heart during the time he was there. The doctors observed him for about a week and then he was sent home. The doctors said that because of the strike, there were many waiting for various surgeries. Due to the many waiting, JP was told they wouldn't be able to operate for a few weeks, so he would rest better (and save money) by resting and waiting in the comfort of his own home. JP returned home to wait on September 12th.

At this point, JP was feeling very down and frustrated. One evening when we chatted online, he said he felt that the devil was attacking him. He said it seemed to be one bad thing after another, and the doctors just keep him waiting with no direct answers. However, after my conversation with JP today, he seems to be in much better spirits. He was laughing quite a bit at my not funny statements, and he was much more talkative than he has been the last few times we've chatted. (Maybe it's the drugs he's taking.) Anyways...

Last last week, JP was called and admitted to the hospital again. The doctors have done more tests and discovered that his liver seems to be in normal, working condition. This is a HUGE praise, as at one point they were discussing the possibility of a liver transplant. The doctor said from here forward the timing is all up to JP's decision making. He will undergo more analysis this week with the plan to operate on his kidneys early next week. This operation will help to alleviate the swelling in his hands, feet, face, etc. as well as solve any other problems he is having due to kidney failure. At this point, the doctors believe they can save both kidneys, but there is a slight possibility that only one will survive.

After the kidney surgery, JP will remain in the hospital to heal for approximately two weeks. During this time, the doctors will continue to observe his heart. He will also be prepped for the heart operation. Doctors are hopeful that they will be able to do the heart surgery and close the hole in his heart the last week of October. JP told me today on the phone that the doctors explained to him that because he is young (32 years old) and has led an active lifestyle, he should come out of the surgery and recover quickly.

There will be a Worship Night at Living Gospel Church on Sunday, October 14th at 7pm. We will be taking a love offering to help offset the costs of JP's surgery. We will also have Martin's coupon books for sale; these contain over $80 in coupons, and you only pay $5. If you are interested in either of these events, please let me know!

Please remember JP in your prayers this month. He's got a long month ahead of him, but with an outlook like his, I'm sure things will go just fine. I am so grateful for a God who comforts, heals, and provides. I am also thankful for each of you who are prayer warriors for JP during this difficult time).

God bless you!

Little Did We Know

The Background Info

A little over a month ago, I witnessed God's protection in a way I'd never before experienced. I saw my life flash before my very eyes as gunshots were fired at my friends and I. We darted down the mountains we had spent the previous two hours climbing, and only by the miraculous protection of our Lord and Savior did all 8 of us escape without even a scratch. Did you read that post? It's titled "God is  My Protector" and is two posts prior to this one. If you haven't read it yet, you probably should.

Looking back, I can't hardly believe it actually happened. It seems so surreal, like sometime straight out of a movie. Yet it was real life; I lived it fully. I am still amazed at the protection of the Lord that day. Not that I doubted His abilities or anything; I am humbled every time I think of that day.

Little Did We Know

My friend, Juan Pedro (age 32), who went climbing with us that day, was even closer to death than any of the rest of us. You see, he'd been having health problems for a few months prior, but the doctors had done tests, put him on medicines, etc. and nothing seemed to be working. His body would (and still does) swell randomly, he gets dizzy and short of breath, and other normal body functions just didn't seem to be working properly. Being into extreme sports in his earlier years, it has been quite a lifestyle change for him to be weakened, swollen, and sedentary. 

The day we went climbing was his first strenuous activity in a few months. He had taken pills, and ensured me that he would be fine. He refused to stop for a breather, and he pushed on all the way up and back down. It was only afterwards that he was honest and said that he didn't think he was going to make it, especially once the shooting started. 

Recently, the doctors have discovered that he has a hole in his heart between the left and right ventricle. He needs an urgent operation to close the hole so that his heart will function as properly as possible once again. Without the surgery, his life looks grim, but the doctors are hopeful that this surgery will solve most of his other health problems. 

The problem is the surgery is estimated at $20,000 not including all of the prior tests and medicines that the doctors have experimented with. This price also assumes that this one operation will be sufficient. JP has exhausted his medical fund (I'm not sure how Peruvian insurance works), and he cannot afford the surgery on his own. 

What YOU Can Do

There has been a fund set up in Juan Pedro's name to help raise money for him to have this surgery. I am amazed at the uniting of the Body of Christ for my dear friend. There are two benefit concerts in Peru next week in which all proceeds will go towards JP's surgery. There have also been other donations made to help with the expenses. However, there is still a long ways to go to raise $20,000 (or nearly 60,000 Soles - Peruvian Money).

My Bible study group is planning a bake sale and possible car wash to also raise money for JP receive the necessary medical attention. Once those details are confirmed, I will forward on the information if you would like to help out. Or if you would like to help out by simply sending a donation, you can comment on this post, and I will get you the information on how to do so.

However, the most important way you can help out, would be through prayer. As you can imagine this is a very trying time for my dear friend. He is a believer, and we have had many discussions about God's plans, His protection, and His healing. Juan Pedro recognizes that whatever the outcome, the Lord is in control, and He boasts that through all of this, the Lord will never leave Him. As you pray, pray for the well-being of JP (stress, nervousness, weakness, health, etc.), pray for the Lord's will not man's, pray for wisdom in the doctors, and for the surgery -whenever it might be- to go well without any major complications. Also, keep his family and friends in your prayers as they walk side by side him throughout this process.

I must admit, it makes it even more difficult to be here, knowing my friend is passing through these trying times, but I am grateful for technology in which I am able to chat with him a few times a week to see how things are going. I am also thankful that technology enables me to help from afar not only through prayer, but by wiring money down to Peru. As I've told JP, even though I am not able to physically be by his side during this time, my spirit is with him, and he is always in my thoughts and prayers. 

Remember, if you are interested in helping with a monetary donation, please comment to this post, email, Facebook, or text me (if you have those contact informations), and I will let you know what you need to do in order to do so.

And just for fun, here's a picture of JP and I taking a break on our way up the mountain. :-)

Headed Home

The last few days seem to be a whirlwind. Things didn't go as planned {typical in Peru}, but in the end, the days were just what I needed. Saturday and Sunday were calmer, soothing days which allowed me time to unwind, pack, and get together with a few people who had been there for me throughout my time in Peru this year.

Saturday I wandered the artisan markets in Miraflores, yet I bought nothing. After 6 times in Peru, everything starts looking the same. Saturday evening, friends were busy with family parties for Independence Day, so I met my friend Javier and we had dinner on the third floor lounge of Rustica. I liked the environment and the company. It was a comfortable ending to a very busy month.

On Sunday I headed to Manchay for church with some friends I had met on the trip to Huaraz. I enjoyed the church service and the smaller, intimate atmosphere of the typical Peruvian church. Camino de Vida where I normally attend, didn't draw me in this year as it has in the past. God opened my eyes to more, and He lead me away from the "mega-church" setting to a more intimate, passionate group. The churches in Huaraz and Manchay helped me to understand more about the need for a body of believers to work together.

After church in Manchay, I met up with a few friends for lunch. After eating my final Peruvian meal, we went to the theater to see Brave, wandered around the mall, and ate ice cream. Last evening, my friend Hector called, and I met him near my apartment to visit one last time before my departure this morning.

Now here I sit in the San Salvador airport for 5 long hours awaiting my next flight to Guatemala; then it's on to Chicago where my parents and Kelly plan to joyfully welcome me home at 1:50 a.m. (Chicago time). Okay, joyfully may be an exaggeration as I'm sure we'll all be dragging our feet, trudging along in spite of fatigue and exhaustion. However, there's just something warm and fuzzy that warms my heart as I think about being home. For the last two days I have been dreading leaving Peru, fighting back tears each time I departed from friends. Saturday evening, alone in my bedroom, I cried until I lulled myself asleep. It's not easy saying good-bye. It's not easy leaving behind the ministries and people that have so deeply touched me and changed me over the course of the last 5 years. However, it's a reality I face year after year.

Now with one flight behind me and two more ahead, I wish more than anything to be home. I can't wait to embrace my family, to share with them the stories that changed my life this summer. You know those stories you've read here on my blog? They sound so much better in person! I can't wait to have a home-cooked, American meal; although I do love Peruvian food. And I'm excited to sit in my own apartment, use my things I've worked hard for, and reflect over my time away all while being swept up in the busyness of starting a new school year.

I am so privileged to have the opportunity to travel each summer to Peru. Summer missions was part of the reason teaching was so appealing to me as a young college student. The more I get involved, though, the more I realize my heart for ministry and the paths that could potentially lie ahead of me. It's all part of a waiting game; missions organizations only accept you with little debt. Unfortunately, my amazing college experience created more debt than most organizations allow. I really don't want to be on the teaching field overseas; I do that in the States. I'd rather work in full time missions of some aspect. In God's time, I trust He will reveal His perfect plan for me.

Thanks for following along on my journey in Peru this summer! Here's to 10 months of teaching in the States!

God is my Protector

I'm honestly not ever sure where to begin telling of the events of Thursday, July 26, 2012...the day I certainly thought my life could be forever alterted if not completely over. I don't even think words are sufficient to describe my gratitude to the Lord for his protection over myself and my brothers in Christ that day. It was definitely a day that woke up my soul, reminded me of how fragile life can be, and caused me to cry out for help in a way I've never before done. I was full of panic, crying inside without shedding a tear, and desiring to pray but lacking words in both English and Spanish. You know how they say at the moment when life is almost over you see everything flash before your eyes? That is exactly what I experienced Thursday. I heard my grandfather saying, "You're going to get killed in that country." I thought of my family and how I hadn't truly spoken to them in days, and I thought of my desire that when I'm gone people would say, "She truly loved the Lord wholeheartedly." (Sorry Mom and Dad if this freaks you out; really I'm okay. No casualties occurred which you will discover as you continue to read.)

Thursday started out as any other day. Having only gotten about 4 hours of sleep (and not good sleep) the night before, I woke up at 7:00 to go climb a mountain with friends in Manchay. Since The Oasis Center (the ministry I help with in Manchay) had vacations, some of the staff, a summer intern, and I decided to climb the mountains (el cerro) around the Family Center. We gathered at the Oasis around 9:15 a.m., we filled our bags with mandarins, bananas, and water, and we headed out and up the mountains around 10 a.m.  We had plans to climb to the tower at the top of a far off mountain, a 2 hour climb. However, due to fog and other blockades, we never reached the tower. Instead, we simply hiked further and further up and around the mountains until we were forced to descend.

It was a fun journey, although very difficult at times. We stopped to take an occasional break, and we talked throughout the trip. We helped one another climbing as needed, and we laughed along the way. At one point Liberato turned to me and said, “I remember when you didn’t speak Spanish and you never talked. Now you talk a lot.” I wasn’t sure how to take that, but everyone chuckled, and my dear friend Mary told me she likes that I openly talk now unlike before.

About an hour into our journey we reached signs that read: “Mining Session, Silence, Prohibited to Pass” The signs had fences blocking off the area behind them, so after much discussion, we decided to continue on the path in front of the signs. We were mixed on what to do, but us gringas decided that since the Peruvians climb the mountains every year, we should go with their decision. Little did we know what lay ahead.

We climbed a very difficult path; actually it wasn’t a path at all, but rather it was a bed of rocks that went up the mountain. Upon reaching the top of this bed of rocks, we all gathered together for a bit of a break. We were minding our own business, eating our snacks, and chatting amongst ourselves all while admiring God’s marvelous creation, the little bit of greenery that is found in Manchay, and pondering whether to head back down the mountain or continue further up. As we chatted, we noticed a man at the basin of the mountains staring up at us. Being friendly, we waved and yelled down to the man (jokingly of course) to bring us a car so we could get down.

For a few moments we had a stare-down with him, and we debated amongst ourselves who he was and what he was doing. As we discussed, more people joined him, and we soon realized they were armed with guns. A few of the Peruvians wanted to go down and meet face to face with the men and tell them we were just out for a friendly hike, but my gut told me that would be the wrong choice. I knew our only option was to go down the way we had come up; it was a dangerous descend, but we had to go fast. Before we were even halfway down the mountain, five men had gathered in the exact spot we had been sitting and began firing shots at us.

I’m honestly not even sure how we escaped, all 8 of us and not one even being touched by a bullet; one passed directly above my head. When I heard it, I dodged behind a large rock where I had a mini panic attack. As I sat, Mary saw a bullet pass in front of her eyes, and she knelt beside me crying out to the Lord. I wanted to pray, but nothing escaped my mouth. All I could think was, “Dios mio, cuidanos!” {My God, take care of us!} I thought of my family, how they would hear the news of my injuries or even death, and I thought of the things in life I have yet to accomplish: marriage, children, full-time missionary, etc. We sat for no more than 2 minutes before we all hopped back up and continued down the mountain. Shots continued to come at us as we rushed to “safety” at the bottom of the mountains where the streets were more populated.

Upon arriving at the bottom, we talked with the “watchman” who told us that a few weeks ago there had been an invasion of people wanting to steal homes from the people in this specific area of the mountain. The men have been told if they see anyone climbing the mountain they are to do whatever it takes to get rid of them. Little did we know, we had crossed over onto private property, and these men were simply following the directions they had been given.

Even as we walked on the road back to the Oasis Center, we could still see them men at the top of the mountain, and we continued to hear the occasional sound of shotguns being fired. Once inside the safe haven of the Oasis, we all gathered together, and each one of us offered up a prayer of thanksgiving for the protection the Lord had provided us.

As steep as our dissension was, there is no possible way each one of us could have physically made it down that mountain as fast as we did without falling and getting hurt. Aside from that, with over 50 shots fired, some passing right before our very eyes, I can’t help but know that God had his guardian angels surrounding us like a shield. The Lord had every detail in his hands, and he protected us the whole way. People who had said they would come hadn’t. For them their absence {while they were missed} had been a blessing in disguise; the Lord’s protection over their situations. Those of us that had gone, were physically strong enough to handle both the climb and anxiety that came with the dissension. The large rock behind which I hid could not have been better placed in order to throw off the shooters even if only for a few moments as we gathered together and took a breath in order to continue.

My God is a God of love. He is my protector, and He is always faithful. He plans my steps before I take them, and He offers me the free will to choose the path in which I take. While I may not always make the best or right decisions, He uses all things for His glory. He has brought me through valleys and times of doubt and difficulty to mountains steep where I am able to shout of His goodness. He is always with me, He always hears me when I call out to Him, and He has provided me with more in this life than I deserve.

While tragedy awaited me (and my friends) Thursday, the Lord has bigger plans for us. He permitted each one of us to escape unharmed with a story to tell. He gave each of us another day of life. He used this experience to awaken my soul and remind me that He has every detail in His hand. I was reminded that the Lord is always by my side even when I can’t feel or hear Him. Most importantly, I was reminded that nothing in this life matters apart from my salvation in Christ.

As a friend said earlier this week, “If you are not living to serve, your life is not worth serving.”
The events of Thursday definitely cause me to think twice about the purpose of my life. Am I here simply to enjoy myself, do things I want to do, and live selfishly? Certainly that is not the purpose of the Lord. My job on this Earth is to serve people, to love them as Christ loves me, and to do whatever I can to bring more people into His kingdom.

If this story of the Lord’s protection serves the purpose to share with the unsaved to help them comprehend how deep the Father’s love truly is, then I will tell it until I truly do find myself on my death bed. Or perhaps this event only happened to awaken my spirit. Either way, I cannot effectively communicate how grateful I am for the Lord’s protection and faithfulness daily. If you don’t know him as your personal Savior, Counselor, and Confident please feel free to ask me any questions you may have. I don’t have all the answers, but I do believe I’ve got some pretty good evidence the my God certainly is real. There is no other way to explain the outcome of Thursday’s events.

Just for fun {for those of you not on Facebook}, here's a few pictures from our adventure.

Love these people!

We made a great team :)

{Picture taken at the very beginning of our climb.}

Manchay from above!

It's a growing city, and God opened my eyes, mind, and heart to the people there this year more than ever. I <3 Manchay!!

A view of the path the lies ahead.

This was the easy, flat portion of the journey.

It wasn't all this easy going...

This picture is taken from above. We are literally crawling up the mountain.
There was no path to follow, and it was super steep!

This should have been our warning to turn around and head back.

But we continued on, and found a nice grassy area to relax for a bit.

This was our last rest before we went running down the mountain the same way we had come. 

Once we got down the mountain we saw this notice:

Private Property!

We were all in a bit of shock after our little adventure.

Aside from the "attack", we had a blast!

It was fun to be able to laugh over lunch about our little outing.

Of course, during all the laughter, we continued to praise the Lord for the protection he provided us.

El Tiempo Pasa Volando - Time Flies By!

Wednesday was a pretty relaxing day. After more than two weeks of having an annoying headcold (I’ve had a lot of “sickness” this year in Peru), I finally went to the pharmacy where I was able to tell my symptoms and receive medication without going to a doctor for a prescription. I enjoyed lunch with a friend, ran a few more errands, and went to the Kids Alive apartment to prepare for a Worship Night among friends.

I helped the Kids Alive interns bake cake, cookies, popcorn, and caramel corn, too. We ordered Papa Johns pizza for 25 people, and we enjoyed a glorious night worshiping the Lord and talking among friends. As in the past, Juan Carlos shared a mini-lesson from the Bible. This specific night we talked about our spiritual gifts. Juan Carlos shared the difference between gifts and talents, and he discussed how we see the fruit from those gifts. My favorite quote from the night was, “If you are not living to serve, your life is not worth living.” It really made me think about my purpose in this life, my time here in Peru, and the upcoming school year in which my job is to serve my students.

After ending the Bible study around 10:30 p.m. we sat around and chatted for a while, stuffed ourselves with more food, and headed home around midnight. I hand-washed a few clothes and crawled under my covers around 2 a.m. only to wake up at 7 a.m. Thursday to climb the mountains of Manchay. (See post entitled God is my Protector {July 29, 2012} for this story.)

Thursday evening I decided to go to Pachacamac one last time to hang out with the kids in the Kids Alive Juniper Tree home. Before travelling to Pachacamac, I went to the interns’ apartment to shower since we were all dirty from our trip up the mountains earlier in the day. From the team apartment, we weren’t sure what bus to take, so I asked the driver if he went to the place where we would need to switch buses. He told me yes, so myself and the two interns hopped on the bus. However, halfway through Manchay we were the only three on the bus, and the bus driver refused to go any further. The cobrador (money collector), stopped a bus that was behind us, and told us that bus would take us where we needed to go…we didn’t even have to wait for a bus, it was just there! The bus change location isn’t necessarily safe for three white girls after dark, but again thanks to the graciousness of our heavenly Father, the next bus we needed to get on was there waiting when we got off the bus we could take no further. We hopped in and headed to Pachacamac.

The girls are gone to camp this week, so we hung out with the boys for a bit before they went to bed. The interns and I decided to spend the night so that we would be there this morning (Friday) to play with the kids a bit more. We woke up around 7, went in search of food on the street as we didn’t want to eat the fish the boys had caught yesterday and were excitedly eating for breakfast.
We took the boys to a local skate park where we watched them play around for about an hour. Afterwards we walked to a bakery, and with ministry money, the interns bought a slice of cake for each boy. We returned to the home, helped prepare lunch, and ate altogether before I headed back home.

Tonight I headed downtown Lima with my friend Gisell. You may remember her as my friend who spent time in Cusco with me last year. We did a bit of shopping, ate a delicious chicken dinner, and bought desserts from the street vendors. The city was packed as tomorrow (Saturday) is Independence Day in Peru, and the city officials were preparing the streets for the president’s speech as well as the city march.

Aside from the stressful situation of climbing the mountains Thursday, this week has been amazing. Even the mountain climbing is a fun story to tell, despite the tragedy that could have occurred. This place is home…5 weeks seems as if it’s only been a few short days. Huaraz seems to have happened ages ago, and already my despedida {good-bye outing} is tomorrow - Saturday.

 I’m ready for routine again, consistency in my schedule. However, in no way am I ready to say good-bye. God has opened my eyes to a very different side of Peru this year, especially through my trip to Huaraz. He has taught me to trust him in moments of need as well as in moments of confidence. I have been humbled more than once in ways I cannot appropriately describe, and my heart for Peru is stronger now than before {if that’s possible}. I have made new friends, yet again, and I have not been able to reunite with some old friends. This year has been a very different experience in Peru, but it has been everything I needed and more.

Here’s to two more days in this amazing country, my home away from home! My flight leaves from Lima at 10:30 a.m. Monday, and I arrive in Chicago at 1:50 a.m. Tuesday! I’ll fill you all in on my last days upon returning home!

Thank you for your continued prayer support during my time here in Peru. I wouldn’t be here without all of you back home supporting me on my journey!