As we started the final day of ministry here in Peru, the
team was a little groggy and some were not feeling well. We got up and went to the church for
breakfast and talked through the remainder of chapter 2 in James. James tells us that faith without works is
dead, and our challenge for the day was to make sure our works were based in
faith – not in our own strength and ability.
We headed off for the center, and traffic was light – which made
driving easier, but also kept the car a little cooler. We stopped off at Metro (a Walmart type
store) to purchase more water and powerade for the day. Staying hydrated is a little difficult when
the temperatures are so high and we are so active.
The center was full of children when we arrived, and we went
right to work. The kids mingled for a
little bit with all of the children, and then we did the dramas that we have
been doing all week. The kids were young
– maybe 4-10, and they really seemed to like being involved in doing the
dramas. We followed that with handing
out the books for the kids to work on, and the kids began coloring and writing
in them.
We served lunch, and sent the kids on their way to
school. Some of the team took time for
lunch while others were visiting with the older kids that were arriving. After about 30 minutes or so, the team had
all eaten, and most of the kids that were coming had arrived. Apparently 2 of the grades at the high school
had to stay to help clean, so we missed some of the kids.
We ran our regular program and then gave the kids the
booklets. Again they loved working in
them. I pray that 3 weeks from now many
of them will have them finished.
We spent much of the rest of the afternoon playing Frisbee,
American football and soccer outside, while others worked on a puzzle
inside. The group did a great job of
connecting with the kids wherever they could in whatever capacity best related
to the kids they were interacting with.
We headed back to the hotel, got cleaned up for dinner and
headed to the “chicken place” as Jose calls it.
He loves the food in this restaurant, so we all had dinner together
there. Noah was not feeling well, so I
took him back to the hotel. I pray this
will be a short illness – much like Levi’s was yesterday (gone today!). We followed dinner with some ice cream and
said goodbye to the Apon family.
The evening was wrapped up with a game of Rage. It was a good day.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Red
lights, painted lines, and speed limit signs – what do they all have in
common? In Peru they don’t mean anything
J. I was driving today and the thought occurred
to me – why do they even waste any time on painting lines? They really don’t seem to matter. Red lights – are more like a suggestion to
stop unless nothing is coming (or at least nothing close enough to you is
coming). Speed limits – I saw signs, but
no one was driving that slow – not even the bigger trucks.
Chaos and mayhem ensue when rules are not followed. The lights, lines and signs in Peru are the “rules”
of the road, but the real rules seem to be the ones that people have
adopted. For instance, the bigger the
vehicle, the more rules it can make!
I long to live a life that has purpose, direction and impact
on others, but without the guidelines of God’s word at work in my life, I am
limited to chaotic and sporadic living.
God has given me certain instructions to make my life simple, but I want
to make my own rules and that often complicates the process – often causing me
to wreck.
I need to choose to walk according to His word, in His way,
with His strength under His guidance.
God help me do it.
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