And there is more....

It has been awhile, again, since I have written so you are getting a bundle of posts today. Life has gotten a little more complicated with the loss, this last week, of dear friends and volunteers that have been here for two years. Aaron and Kelly Linfoot left Sunday evening to head home. What an inspiration they have been to me. Our family has laughed, cried and prayed together with them over the 5 months we have been here.  I know that God will continue to lead in their lives, but they have left a hole in not only our hearts, but in all the girl's hearts at POPPY's house. Not to mention that we are now just a tad more busy without their help :)

My kids have been sick this week. I am convinced the local whatever flu that comes around this jungle community is a whopper! Matthew has been running high fevers, horrible cough and generally  not feeling good. Took him to the local little clinic and for $1.00 had a Dr. check him over and had him checked for Malaria, a quite rampant disease in our little town. Praise the Lord, Malaria turned out negative. And we are just waiting for him to get better.

This monday our gardner came in after worhip and said that he was so sorry that he had been late for worship. He explained that his neighbor had come by early that morning and told him that he was the cause of their son being sick. Juanito, our gardner, told me that his neighbor's son had gone up river to visit a witch doctor trying to find a cure for whatever disease he had. I guess this 20 year old young man had been sick for awhile and had tried other routes of getting better, to no avail.  So, they gave him some hallucinagenic potion and he saw Juanito and his wife and was told they were the cause. So poor Juanito was unsure what to do. I told him that we should go over and pray with the young man and his mom and see what God would do! That night it poured! Due to the bad roads we postponed our trip. I called the local pastor and he couldn't join us, so I called the head elder of our church and he said he would join us. We headed out the next day around 5pm. Juanito somehow let them know we were coming and they said they would be waiting for us. What a sad, little community we arrived in. Sad in that there are so many poor, destitute people that have no hope, no earthly comforts and yet keep on keeping on.  I had to duck to get in the door, sat on a little stool in the dark little dirt-floored house, and began talking with the mom. It seems the young man was gone. Didn't want to see us, I presume.  We talked about Jesus, His power and the importance of choosing him. the elder read some verses  and in the end the mom gave her heart to the Lord!! What a blessing...I just pray that she can keep her faith, sent a Christian book for encouragement and she already had a Bible. So many lost and needy people. The devil is ready to take them all...we so need to help!!!

Oh, I forgot! Aaron, Matthew and Juanito went and picked up the wood we helped purchase for one of the houses in the neighborhood. This wood has been hand cut with a chain saw! Amazing...


One more thing...we tried to go to a HUGE get together with all the Adventist churches in town this last week. We were excited about it. What a mess!! There were so many people, it was sooo hot, and noisy that we turned around and came back home to have our own church there. Just part of the fun in Peru!

Our family picture before Aaron and Kelly leave...we miss you!!

Matthew reading while waiting for the farewell party to begin...someone watching him do it!

Meri giving her baby a bath...she is a cutie!

Kimberly and Tatelyn Blood with Kristi...they left on Oct. 24, too. Miss you guys!!

Slumber party...last night that Aaron and Kelly are with us

Early morning and everyone's still sleeping

Our faithful dog, Bobby

Delivering the boards

Matthew helping

Amazing how straight they can make them with the chain saw

Juanito helping too

The mass of people at the last Sabbath get together...it was soooooooo HOT!!

We couldn't find a place to sit

Matthew reading again with the crowd around him.

Yep...another visit to the hospital!

The foreigners were taking a little break last week playing Monopoly in Aaron and Kelly's room when one of our girls shows up at their window huffing and puffing, crying out, "Angel has hurt his head, blood is everywhere, come quick!" I ran out of the room, bolted downstairs where five year old Angel sat with his mom applying pressure to his head. There was blood running down his neck, face and on his clothes. I quickly inspected the head wound of the screaming child and saw that it was a small, fairly deep wound. They told me he slipped, fell and rammed into the door frame as he was running into his room. Now what...hospital and stitches or pressure and wait. Well, into our little moto furgon we went and Aaron whisked us away to one of the local state hospitals. What a sight! A bunch of people were waiting in the ER. Because we had blood and gauze on the head, they let us in first. I was wondering what I would experience inside. We went into this dirty little room that said "Topical" on the sign and then waited for the Dr. He quickly showed up, inspected the wound and then gave me a list of supplies I would need to go purchase at a local pharmacy. Out I went and found the hospital pharmacy, waited in line to be told what items they had, waited in line again at a different spot to pay for them, waited in line again to pick the items up. Oops, they didn't have the suture we needed, better go to another pharmacy across the street. Picked up what we needed, headed back into the hospital, handed the items to the Dr. Then he told me I needed to go and pay for the procedure. Out I go again, wait in line again at a different place to pay for the procedure. Back I go into the hospital, hand the receipt to the Dr. By now, sure I was good for the money, he had already stitched up Angel, and we were good to go!  Another exciting end to our day. So sorry I don't have pictures of this either, it was already dark,  I was in a hurry and didn't grab the camera, but I hope you can get just a small picture of what it is like to go to the hospital around here.

Here is Angel the next morning after his stitches

Another Miracle....

So much has happened in the last week, I hardly know where to begin! The other day I had just returned from the office when I was met at the road by Aaron, one of the other volunteers. He stated that Susana's mom was very sick and could I come and check her out. So we went directly over to her house. Susana is one of our local workers here. She really makes everything happen at the girls home. That particular day, she had to go out of town and wasn't there. As I entered the dark, little home with dirt floors and little of nothing, I saw her mom not very responsive, burning with fever, and not able to walk. Off to the hospital we go...just not as easy as at home. I walked down the street to find a motokar driver, finally found one and with his help in carrying the lady, we were off. All was well, until we reached the paved road. Then he went crazy! I realized then we were riding along with a fairly drunk motokar driver. I remember just praying God would protect us and send His angels to watch over us as we weaved in and out of traffic. Sure enough, as we made our way into the center of town, he didn't stop soon enough and we hit another motorcycle that was stopped in front of us at a light. Believe it or not, I calmly paid the man (which I am ashamed of), found another man to please help me pick up this sweet older lady that was so weak now, blood oozing from the cut just incurred on her knee from the crash, and place her in his motokar to take us the Adventist clinic near by. As we drove off I noted that drunk man drove off, leaving the motorcycle driver in a bind. Ugh!! I was upset, but there was nothing I could do! We arrived, wheeled her in and praise the Lord, they took care of her. And I just sat down and gave thanks to the Lord for another miracle given to us! Sorry...no pictures. Just a little preoccupied with other matters :)

Where do I begin?!

Well, it has been a while and so much has happened. I will begin with some simple musings and end with the exciting! While walking to school the other afternoon with our girls, I noticed so many sights totally unseen in the states on any main road into town. It had just poured rain and as we were heading out, when here comes a motorcycle with two guys in nice pants and white shirts, as we watched we saw the whole bike slip and slide in front of us in the mud trying to keep upright. As the girls and I held our breath, we watched as the bike slid sideways and the guys caught themselves barely saving their white shirts. We continued walking in the now light rain, and I saw kids walking barefoot, carrying their shoes so that their shoes wouldn't get messed up in the mud. Then, two little ones standing on tiptoes trying to catch a glimpse at a TV in a home they were passing by. So interesting to see what happens in daily life here. Things we take for granted, like a roof that doesn't leak, a car to drive in when it is raining, walking in shoes in the rain because if they get dirty we have another pair we can use. Just some simple musings on my walk to school on a rainy day!

So our dear friends and fellow missionaries are leaving this Sunday Oct. 24!! We are so sad to see them leaving and yet are happy to see where God will use them next. We have some pictures here on some of our good-byes with them. The Bloods are a family that have been such a wonderful source of help and personal support for us. We will miss them, especially Matthew and Kristi who really enjoyed their kids company! Aaron and Kelly have been working here with the girls at the house for 2 years and are headed back to start their life in the States. Not sure how we will survive without them!!! But God will see us through!!

We had a fifteen year celebration last night here. It was fun to be a part of it and yet, I must admit, I was exhausted after the day of preparation and planning! But all is well and went well. Here are some pictures of that.

Oh, I promised the exciting! We killed a coral snake in our front yard this weekend. Talk about a scary situation! Another reason I am not sure we will survive without Aaron, the only man in the household of girls!! Pleading for volunteer family and couples!!! Anyone interested?!

Well, we start evangelistic meetings this week, so we will be going to the church every night. Excited about that! Spent Sabbath afternoon handing out fliers to the general population around our little wall-less church.

Oh, I forgot something else interesting! We went to a church work bee the other day to help take down a roof for the kids church school room. That was most fun! Pictures to follow on that too!

I hope I haven't bored you and that you enjoy just a little taste of what is happening here in the jungles of Peru! Thanks again for your prayers and support!

Peruvian Coral snake we killed Saturday night in our front yard!

Cut in half...thanks Aaron!

Vanessa  getting ready for the party!

Marcos helping get ready

Elvira helping Milagros get ready!

Our sala transformed into a party place

Amazing what you can do with goal posts and palm frawns

Mili all beautiful...

Krist and Jessica looking beautiful, too

Girls in waiting...

All of us with the birthday girl!

Matthew playing games at the party

Fun...

The kids at the Bloods house at a little good bye party!

The crew with the addition of the Bostiks, another cool  missionary family

Kelly trying her hand with Sarabel Bostik

Matthew and Kristi waiting to get started on the church work bee

Kristi and I carrying a board

The work starts...this is how they put on a new roof here!

Glad I didn't have to get up there!

Looking better!

Someone had to man the fire...most of the roof was saved to share with a neighbor who needed a "new' roof

almost done!

Matt helping with the mowing!

some of the spectators

Bird's nest we found up in the roof...Matt placed it in a near by tree

other spectators....

Aaron and Kelly...at their and the Blood's good-bye with the office workers

Marcos  bobbing for mangoes!

Kristi having fun with the kids

Jessica getting in on the fun

Kristi got one!

Matt did too!

An Agape Feast and more...

This last Friday night, we wanted to do something different. The staff at POPPY's house put our money together and went out to buy some special foods, table cloths and goodies to make the supper special. The girls came in and were treated to the staff serving them supper and then doing all the clean up! We then talked about the importance of putting others first and of confession, repentance and forgiveness. The staff then proceeded to wash all the girl's feet and pray with each of them. What a blessing was had by all!

Speaking of money, our little church in Union has finally acquired it's first wall. I must admit that it is a bitter, sweet feeling seeing our church begin to get closed in. It is so nice to at least have a breeze during church time, yet when it rains church stops. We are now trying to raise money for a bathroom! When anyone has to use the bathroom during church, they must go to someone's home to use their facilities.  This makes it a little awkward at times. We have an estimate of a little more than $1,000.00 for the whole side building, even made with bricks! With a little bit more we are hopping to get a pump and ultimately someday, have running water instead of a bucket brigade to flush the pot. If anyone of you are interested in helping with this project, please contact me by email at lamolight@yahoo.com.  Anything above and beyond will go to helping finish our little church. I think they said it would be around $1,800.00 more plus labor to finish the last 3 walls. However, we feel that a bathroom should come first :) This will allow us a bit longer of the outdoor church feeling!!

Since we are on the topic of money, just wanted to share that People of Peru Project that funds the girl's home, medical clinics and many more projects, is a donation based organization. With the down-turn in the economy they have felt the pinch a very real way. If you are interested in helping out with what goes on down  here, go to http://peopleofperu.org/

I guess that is it for now...keep checking our blog for new and interesting stories from Peru. Blessings to all of you.

Our one wall done!

Susana and Brigith waiting to be served

Waiting for food!

Serving others...what a blessing!

Aaron serving drinks

We made cinnamon rolls!

The staff girls...Jessica, Kathi and Kelly

Washing the girls feet

Praying together