Blog Archives
Campaign and more
From Monday, April 23, until Friday, April 27, there was a group from Texas in Collique for the spring campaign. This time there was a medical team and a construction team. Kees coordinated the construction part of the campaign and Elizabett served as an interpreter for one of the doctors in the moments she wasn’t teaching, because the children in our after school program had their normal schedule.
Blanca, OSA’s program director, asked a Peruvian to be available before and during the week to help me with the purchases of materials and the transportation of these to the construction sites. She specifically planned him to help me out with my Spanish. Finally, I did it all by myself, due to the documentation of former campaigns, which helped a lot. Last year, I asked the one who trained me if it was possible to make deals and order materials prior to the campaign, but his experience was that this doesn’t work in Peru. Well, I gave it a try and it worked for me. Tuesday before the campaign I ordered the wood, which I wanted ready to pick up on Friday morning at 10 am; it was because of the line at the bank, that I wasn’t on time, but they already called OSA that they were waiting for the tall Dutch guy. So when I arrived, we only had to load the truck.
During the campaign, I walked many times up and down the roads of the community to check on the teams. In this way, I have more interaction with the people and got to know new people. I always try to listen and examine the needs. I was able to guide several of them to one of the doctors and from others I got name and address so we can visit them.
The construction team finished two bedrooms, a small house, a water tank completely installed, roof repair, and replaced half of the roof of a house. In this second campaign for me, I learned again and we hope to improve the process with the next one.
Kees with the resident at one of the construction sites.
As I wrote, Elizabett taught her normal classes and hours during the week, but in the time she normally uses to prepare her classes and to visit families in the community she served as an interpreter. She had lots of funny moments with the doctor, who was Indian, and a Russian nurse. It was her first real experience translating for a doctor and she just didn’t know most of the medical terms he used. So after a couple of patients they start talking something what I will call simple English. It made it easier for all, also the patients.
Elizabett with Maria instructing a patient.
For more photos and stories, visit OSA’s Facebook page.
Elizabett’s mother.
Elizabett’s mother is doing much better since the surgery, almost a month ago. Last weekend, we spent in Collique, after all the weekends of April with her. We thank you all for your prayers!
God is good!
“All the time!” is possibly what you think… We can tell you that we never doubted about God’s knowledge of our needs and His provision during difficult times. He provided the finances we needed to pay the hospital bills!
Prayer
Since our first weeks in Collique, we acknowledge that Satan is not too happy with our work here. He uses different arrows to stop us from doing what we are doing. Sometimes he has been successful, for a while, as we experienced sickness, but we are victorious and conquerors, because of Jesus. We have victory over all principalities, powers and dominion because of the work of the cross!
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 15:57 (NIV)
But we would really appreciate it if you pray for us regularly! And we want you to know that we pray for you as well.
Photos
Yesterday it was exactly six months ago we started working for Operación San Andrés in Collique. These six months flew by faster than the last semester at Baptist University of the Américas. We thank God for the opportunity to serve Him here and we are grateful for the many moments that we could open His Word to share with the people of Collique. The people are really hungry for the Word of God.
On our invitation for our graduation in May last year, we wrote: “Another Ebenezer…” That’s how we can call February 15th too. As we look back, we see that God has been faithful, ad as we look ahead, we trust in His faithfulness. God said to Jacob in Genesis 28:15, “I am with you and I will watch over you wherever you go” We know that He is with us when we visit people in the community and we see Him at work.
We know that our friends have been waiting for photos of the place where we live and work. Sorry that you had to wait for six months. Recently, we uploaded four albums to our blog. You can find links to the albums on this page, http://heartforperu.wordpress.com/photos/. You can also get to the albums via the top menu of our blog.
If you have questions, you can reach us at HeartForPeru@gmail.com or via the form on http://heartforperu.wordpress.com/contact/
A Glass of Water
During the first weeks in our apartment in Collique there was a painter in the house and there were two men working on the roof because of leaks. Here and there I put a helping hand and I kept an eye on them.
The first day, I offered the painter coffee or tea. He was in for a cup of tea, so I put hot water, cups, tea and sugar on the counter and with my beginners Spanish I told him that he could serve himself. At the end of the day, he hadn’t drunk. When I told Elizabett, she explained me that here in Peru I need to serve the people. Usually, they wouldn’t serve themselves, even if you give them permission.
When the following week the roofers started their work, every now and then I served them something to drink too. They always kept it by a glass of water. They really thanked me for each glass I gave them.
Some three weeks after the work on our apartment was finished, Elizabett and I walked down the street towards the bus stop. Halfway there is a small bar. When I looked through the open door I saw one of the roofers drinking anything but water. When he saw me he called me immediately, “Pastor!” Then he came out to thank me again for the water that I had served him. He told Elizabett that I was the first person who had given him something to drink on the job. He would never forget.
For me it was natural to give him something to drink, so I was accustomed to from home. However, here it is not a normal thing. Cultural difference, I would say.
I never thought to make an impact in someone’s life by being just myself. That something simple like a glass of water can do so.
Beside the glass of water I tried to make him know with the Living Water. My prayer is that he will yearn for it and when I encounter him again he will ask for that.
Jesus said, “but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)
New Year, Great Expectations
The year is already half a month on its way, but we still want to wish all our readers, family, friends, and supporters a blessed 2012!!! We hope you are also excited to see what God has in store for this year.
We received the New Year in the Netherlands, where we spent the Christmas holidays with my family and friends. This time, we were there for a special reason, the celebration of my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. We thank God for this milestone. We realized that in today’s society it’s not a common celebration anymore.
The three weeks we were in Holland we spent mostly relaxing and resting from our first four months of work in Collique. Especially the first days, we recognized that our minds and bodies were rather exhausted.
This time, the temperatures didn’t get below freezing points and we didn’t see snow like last year. Some days were more like fall, with rain and wind. We look back on three weeks of quality time with our family and we shared some about our work with our brothers and sisters in the church in Wijngaarden.
My niece and nephew wearing their new Peruvian chullo
On Thursday night, January 5th, we arrived back in Lima. From 45°F in Holland to 85°F in Lima was quite a step, which our bodies couldn’t take in one day. They say it’s warmer than normal this time of the year. Now, 10 days later, our bodies seem to be used to the warmth and with a nice breeze it’s bearable. It was good to meet the team members, children, mothers and their family members again.
Now, it’s summer on this side of the equator and the children have summer break until March. A school year in Peru begins in March and ends in December; however, OSA started its classes last Monday. The children are excited to come and learn and were happy to meet us again.
Last Monday, we were on the bus from my mother-in-law to Collique. I was reading a book in which I read the following quote of Edmund Burke:
“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”It made me think. Looking out of the window, I see uncountable faces passing by—not mentioning the houses that hold many families. On this trip of about 20 miles there are many communities like Collique. Many people that need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For a moment I dream of reaching them all, by myself. Reaching a city with a population of more than 8 million. I think I won’t even start it. That’s why I didn’t want to make the mistake of doing nothing. The work in Collique among about 40 children and their families seems of no impact, seems to be little, but one day these 40 children can reach other 40 and these can reach other 40… (40x40x40x…) I believe in the great plans God has for Operación San Andrés and the people of Collique, that’s why I am here, that’s why we are here!
Then I looked out of the window again. A sign on top of a mountain caught my eye. “Con Cristo todo es posible” (“With Jesus everything is possible”). With a smile on my face I continued, x40x40x40x…
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”” (Matthew 19:26) That’s why we expect the unexpected, also in 2012!
Last weeks of 2011
Thursday, December 8th was a holiday in Peru. On this day we took the Scouts to the beach of Ancon. We left Collique around 8 in the morning. The sky was filled with clouds and the sun was still behind them, but the spirit was good. We expected a sunny sky when we would arrive at the beach, but there it was even cloudier and the little breeze from the ocean made it a little chilly.
In the end of the day, we saw the sun for a little while and still had lots of fun in the water and on the beach. Some of the mothers had prepared a great tasting lunch in the early morning, which was enough for two meals for all. We all look back on a great day and although the sun was there for only a while it was enough that I still got sunburn.
Musical “Ray el Angel”
Saturday, December 10th, was the big day for which the sixth graders practiced two hours per week since August. Although, OSA had the last classes the Wednesday before, Elizabett continued to practice the musical, “Ray el Angel.” Friday, December 9th, the whole group was present in the Church to get an idea place and practice the choreography.
At 6:30pm all children were ready to show their parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, friends, etc. and some church members what they had practiced. The sixth graders all with a new shirt, which stated “Angeles en Accion” (Angels in action), came singing and ‘flying’ to the platform. After a nervous start of the first song, they all did a great job in both singing and acting. The first graders acted the nativity scene during one of the songs. The mothers of these little ones did a great job on the outfits.
For more photos, click on the photo.
OSA Christmas Celebration
In the afternoon of Wednesday, December 14th, was OSA’s Christmas celebration and closing ceremony. The first part of the program was for two Christian clowns (payasitas). They did a great job. They brought smiles to the faces of all and in the end got most of the parents dancing and singing with their children. They even managed to share the Gospel during their 45 minute presentation of fun, songs, dances, and puppet show.
After the clowns it was time for another performance of the musical. Most of the people in the audience had been in the church on Saturday, which helped the children to give a more relaxed performance. In the end of the event the children and mothers received gifts. There was also Panettone and hot chocolate to make the Christmas celebration complete.
For more photos of this event, click on the photo.
After the Christmas program we set good-bye to the people of Collique. We never imagined that four months can bond so much that even a farewell for three weeks can bring a certain emotions. Yes, these people have already a special place in our hearts that we miss them now.
But we are for an extra reason with my family in the Netherlands right now, because on the day of OSA’s Christmas celebration (December 14th), my parents celebrated 40 years of marriage. Last year, we were in Holland too, that time Holland was already white. (photos of last year) At the moment temperatures are above average and days are cloudy with some rain. However, we enjoy the time with our family and a time during which our bodies and minds can rest of the busy last months in Collique with lots of impressions, testimonies, life stories, etc. We don’t dream of a white Christmas, but we pray for peace on earth, a peace that starts in the hearts of people. This is also the prayer for you, the reader, and for the people of Collique. Only the Christmas child can give that peace, which many are searching for.
