Berean Bible Church - Peru Trip - Day 1

This is going to be a trip of a lot of firsts.  For many of the team, this will be their first international trip, for some it is their first time flying, for all it is a first time to Peru.  The team consists of 24 people, 10 girls and 14 guys (including me).  For me there are a lot of firsts as well.  This will be my first time flying Copa, stopping off in Panama City, Panama.  This will be my first trip working with our missionary in Peru, Richard Hetzel.  It will be the first time I stay in Yungar.  For this being my 10^th trip to Peru in the past 60 months, that is a lot of firsts.

I met the team at the A2 gate at JFK (after flying into JFK from Atlanta) and we sat around for a brief time to wait for our flight.  Many of the team made their way around the airport getting something to eat, but by 2:00 we were all together.  Jeff informed me that this team was not as “experienced” as other Berean teams, but I can tell already that we are going to have a great trip. 

The plan – fly to Lima today, head to Yungar by bus tomorrow, and begin our work on Thursday.  On Sunday evening we will be taking the night bus to Lima, and will be working at the child care centers on Monday and Tuesday.  Wednesday we sightsee in Lima, and then late that evening we head for home.  It is a good plan – but we will see what God does with our plans.

We flew out of JFK on time and arrived in Panama on time.  We headed over to gate 14 where we were supposed to board our plane.  As we waited, we realized that they had changed gates (without much of an announcement) and we headed over to gate 8.  I am glad that we were watching as the timing of the flight and the destination changed on the display board.  It really would have been terrible to miss the flight.

We left a little later than expected, but arrived in Lima about 10 minutes later than expected.  We went through immigration and customs and headed off to our hotel about 2:30 in the morning.  By 4:00, we were at the hotel, and most people were heading off to bed.  By 4We left a little later than expected, but arrived in Lima about 10 minutes later than expected.  We went through immigration and customs and headed off to our hotel about 2:30 in the morning.  By 4:00, we were at the hotel, and most people were heading off to bed.  By 4:30, I had packed it in for the short night and went to bed. 

Tomorrow we begin by having breakfast at the hotel at 8:00, and we are catching a 9:30 bus to Huaraz/Yungar.  It’ll be a short night’s sleep, but I know the team will appreciate some sleep before the long drive tomorrow.

Thought for the day:  On my first flight out of Atlanta, the plane was very cold and the guy next to me smelled rather badly.  It was probably one of the worst smells I have ever experienced, and when it wafted over to me, it was hard not to be sick.  Interestingly enough, it didn’t seem to bother the man at all.  He was across the aisle from me, but he was sitting with 2 girls that I know had to be having a hard time.  Yet, you would have never guessed by his expression that there was anything “wrong” with him.

It got me thinking about how often the “stench” of my sin rests in the nostrils of a Holy God, and how I can wallow in the filth of this world and not be affected by it, yet all the while, I stink in the nose of God.  I am not a “fragrant” offering to God, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that by how I was responding to my smell.

What is the cure? Asking the Father to expose to me to my odor and being willing to hear the difficult things.  As God makes me aware of my sin and the odor that comes with it, I am able to be cleansed by His Holy Spirit, and can be washed clean and become a pleasant smell for the glory of God.

God help me be real about my condition and avoid the pitfalls of “smelly” sin in my life.  Help me be a glorious smell of the grace of God in the world around me.  Help me cause others to desire to know you as a result of the “odor” that my works give off.