In May of 2010 we the Interns and some people from our church got to go to Peru. One of our pastor's goes there quiet often so we already had a connection (plus at least two previous Intern classes had gone as well). We had spent from January until we left practicing Drimes and preparing to do some VBS (Vacation Bible School). However our main goal of going down there was to help one Pastor build his church. He had plans for a three story building, the main level for the church, the middle for offices and such, and the third for him and his (soon to be) wife and some church employee's to live in. (And even then, his testimony of how he got the land his church is on, and even how they got the materials to make the building they had already then was so amazing)
The trip started out the way any Intern trip must start out. With a ride in Marge, the church van. That was to the airport where we boarded a plane to Huston Texas. From there was the plane to Lima Peru. We stayed the night at a hotel there and then the next morning got on a bus. Oh the bus. It's pretty much a double-decker Greyhound-esk bus, where the bottom deck was "First Class" (had bigger seats, and less of them) and on the top deck was the rest of us. (Our two lovely second years, PC and the building crew from church got the lower deck, the rest of us where up top. I really liked it up there). And then it was a bus trip up the mountain. Up up up. And then up some more. We stopped at this one place for lunch. That was good food. Just saying. And then we took the bus down the other side of the mountain until we reached La Merced Peru. The little town that I fell in love with.
I think out of all three of my overseas missions trips, Peru is the first place that I would go back to if given the choice. Cambodia would be a close second. I fell in love with the people there, and the pace of the city, and the heat and well - I just loved it.
Pretty much, our day's from there on out followed a continuous routine. Get up (we were staying at this nice hotel, two to a room. I was rooming with Eva) have breakfast, slather yourself in bug spray and sunscreen, go to the church where we were helping to build. Have lunch, shower, change, nap ext. then off to some church or other place to do Drimes or VBS (sometimes more then once). Dinner fit in there some where. Bed. Repeat.
At the church we were building, Pastor M. (the pastor of that church) and his congregation had a BBQ for us on the first Sunday. And it was a cool Barbecue too. They dug this huge hole in the ground, and coals in the bottom and then layered the food (putting plantain leaves between each layer of food) covering it back up and letting it cook. The food was amazing. Lots of it, but amazing. See they dished out the food and then gave you the plate. It was a lot of food. On my plate there were three different types of meat, at least five potato's, one Yuka (a type of potato), a sweet potato, and a huge pile of these really amazing tasting beans (they were in pods like peas but soooo good) I couldn't finish it.
As we were getting ready to go to Peru KS (who had been to Peru the year before) was preparing us to know that we would all be sharing our testimony more then once on the trip (sometimes once per day). That was cause the year before all they were doing was Drimes and VBS morning and afternoon. Lots of the Interns did share there testimony more then once. Luckily, I only had to share my testimony once (I have, had {sorry}, this strong dislike of talking about myself and my life) but I did introduce the Drimes a lot (I was very good at it apparently).
Although, my most favourite memory is from our final Sunday there. We were at this other church and were going to do a VBS at for them that morning. When it came to VBS we were split into groups. Jay and Eva were doing games, JJ and Melody were doing crafts, KS was the director, S was taking photo's, and Me and K-A were doing the story. (I love telling stories, can't you tell?) Throughout the week we had two stories, one of Jesus calming the storm, and one of when Saul was met on the road to Damascus and went from someone who wanted to kill Christians to being a Christian. (Our theme was God's Power) K-A told the calming the storm story, and I told the Damascus story. Each time we did a VBS we switched off telling a story. So if K-A told her story I would ask the discussion questions. And when I told the story K-A would lead the discussion. We also had this brown piece of fabric we called the SS Damascus, cause when K-A was telling the story we folded it to look like a boat for the kids to sit on, and when I was telling the story it was the road to Damascus.
Anyways, it was my turn to tell the story and the group we had at that moment was of little kids. So like four and five and six year olds. We tried to make it fun for them by getting them involved. Little things like, "and then Paul couldn't see! Can you cover you're eyes and pretend to not see" or "so his friends had to lead him. Grab someones hand and pretend to walk with them" and "and then God healed him, open your eyes and see!" And there was this one little boy when we said cover your eyes, he covered his eyes stood up and tried to walk. Oh he was so cute.
And then it was time to go home. Back onto the bus. Up the mountain. Stop at the same place for food. Down down down down down the mountain. We even stopped at the same hotel. We toured Lima's catacombs during because our plane wasn't until later that night. And then we were on the way home.
God taught me a lot there. Lots on my attitude (no really. Even out of you're own country He wants you to have a good attitude) and about a new work ethic (until then I hadn't really done 'hard' labour. McWork can't be considered hard, all I do is stand there and talk and count money. In Peru I was moving rocks and shoveling dirt like no tomorrow, which for me was hard). And how love doesn't stop with a language barrier. Cause God is love, and He obviously isn't hindered by different languages. It's not like His first and only language is English. I fell in love with so many of the people there. And the fact that they didn't understand a word I said, and I didn't understand a word they said and that we needed a translator just to have a conversation didn't really stop us. This one little girl (who was about eight) would just talk and talk and talk in Spanish. And when she realized I didn't know Spanish she would talk slower (when she remembered) which didn't help me at all, but still.
I would love to go back one day.
Hollie.
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