On Monday morning, most of the local children headed back to school after a two week break due to a week off for Peru's independence day and then an additional week of vacation that was declared by the President.  With that in mind, we headed off on the bus to try to get into some schools in order to share the Gospel and to hand out Bibles.  Believe it or not...that's actually something that we are allowed to do here...at the discretion of the headmaster of each school.  The first school where we stopped was not having classes that day, but the next school allowed us in.  They gathered all of the children out in the courtyard, where Walter and Becky were able to share their testimonies, and Dave was able to give a Gospel presentation.  Many voices joined in the prayer to receive Christ, including the voice of the headmaster of the school.  It really is an incredible experience to hear so many voices, lifted to the Lord, accepting His gift of salvation.  After the prayer, we were able to go through the groups of kids and hand out Bibles, candy, and stickers before the children returned to their classrooms.

The next school where we stopped in Manchay was also not in session today.  It's a very large school where the Kennedy's have been praying to get into in order to share the Gospel for a long time.  Continue to pray for them that those doors will open.  Another group will be here next week to do what we have been doing, and they may have the chance to get into that school.  We went to one more school, where we were able to go inside.  We divided into three groups, and we went to each classroom in the school, sharing testimonies and the Gospel, along with candy and Bibles.  In classroom after classroom, people in our group shared from their hearts, and child and child (and even teachers) accepted Jesus into their hearts.

After leaving the school, we headed back to the site of the "Extreme Home Makeover" from Friday morning.  We were able to see the completed new home that some of our team put together for one of the ladies who works here in the kitchen of the Children's Home.  Following our stop there, we went for a late lunch at Jockey Plaza, a local mall, and then headed to the Indian Market to shop for some souvenirs and reminders of our time here in Peru.

Our last full day here in tomorrow, so we are all heading to bed with mixed emotions about leaving, and some are already making plans to return.  If we don't have an opportunity to type in our notes from tomorrow, we'll get them uploaded after we arrive back home.  We're looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday!

Sunday Morning began with an early breakfast for those who were going to ride on the bus routes to invite people from the community to attend church. The rest of us walked to church at Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva.  Pastor Tim & Dave played with the worship team there, and Abby shared a special song in Spanish with the congregation during the praise & worship time.  Juan was able to share his testimony with the congregation, and Pastor Rob delivered a message from Luke 15: The Parable of the Prodigal Son.

After a quick lunch at the Children's Home after church (including some delicious empanadas!), we got back on the bus in order to go to another church service at Iglesia Bautista El Calvario in Pachacutec, a huge community, filled with hillside after hillside of shanty homes....thousands upon thousands of them.  The Iglesia Bautista El Calvario is the only Baptist Church for what is likely millions of people.  We were able to ride through the community on the bus, and we stopped at a playground, where Pastor Rob shared the Gospel and we handed out Bibles and candy to children and their parents.  Afterwards, we went back to the church for the service.  We heard from Pastor Jorge's daughter and son-in-law, who are missionaries to the deaf in the jungle.  Then Carole was able to share her testimony, and Pastor Rob shared a message about Jesus feeding the 5000.

We stopped by a local restaurant, Las Canastas, for delicious rotisserie chicken, French fries, and salad, and then we headed back to the Children's Home for devotions and some much-needed rest.

Today the ladies started out early, with plans for a first-time visit to a Women's Maximum Security prison to share the Gospel and to hand out Bibles.  Unfortunately, typical it seems of Peruvian ways, we arrived at the prison, only to wait.  And then we waited some more.  Then we learned that we would be unable to enter into the maximum security prison, so we went on the bus to another area of the prison.  There, too, we hopped off the bus with Bibles in hand and prepared to wait.  As we waited, we handed out Bibles to cars that stopped on the side of the road, and some handed out Bibles to families who were waiting in the visitation line to go inside with the request that they hand them out once they got in.  We were ultimately not able to go inside the prison, but the Bibles went inside!  We made a pit stop by the ocean, where some in our group were able to dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean for the first time.  Then we tried another stop at a police hospital.  Again, we stepped off the bus and grabbed Bibles and prepared to wait for permission to go in.  As we waited, we handed out Bibles to passers-by, to taxi cab drivers, and to those visiting the hospital.  We had hopes that one of the English-speaking doctors, who was also a Christian, was going to be able to get us in at the last minute, but again, we were unable to go in...but the Bibles did!  We got back in the bus and headed back to the Children's Home.

While the ladies were traveling around trying to get into places to share God's Word, the guys were busy back at the Children's Home.  They took a prayer walk through Cieneguilla, the town where the Children's Home is, and prayed for the school that the Children's Home is planning to start and also prayed for the church, and they went back to the local market.

After a late lunch and some time to rest and play with the kids, some of us were able to go up to one of the villages that is on a bus route of the churches associated with the same ministry as the Children's Home, Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva (New Life Baptist Church). The church rents city buses on Sundays so that they can go through the villages and pick up people to bring them to church.  We went through the streets with Bibles and tracts and candy, inviting people to come to church tomorrow.

We're in for the night with plans to go to church at Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva, and then we will be traveling to Pachacutec to church tomorrow evening.

Even though we don't share the same language our hearts are able to speak to each other!

One of the things that Rob had built unto our schedule was an opportunity to make a meal for our Peruvian friends and team. It just happened that our opportunity came today. While going to the store was a fun experience and riding with Ms. Peggy  a prayerful trip, the highlight came with actually being in the kitchen.

Katy and I were making the meal and the two main kitchen ladies, Martha and Lucy were still there (even though they were supposed to have the rest of the day off because we were cooking) and I am glad they were. The joy that was found working with them was immeasurable. With a little help from a translator, a lot of hand gestures, and a lot of laughter, the four of us were able to prepare lunch for everyone. Lucy shared with me that she cooks because she loves us and loves to feed the teams that come through. She has a heart to minister to both the tummies and the hearts of those who come in for a meal. How similar we are in spirit even though we cannot always understand what each other is saying.

Martha's smile is infectious. Whether she is laughing at us because we burnt the tortillas AGAIN! or she is dishing out another great dessert. She takes care of us very well and I have never seen her without a smile... even when we were about two hours late for dinner because of an opportunity God gave us!

It is refreshing and heart affirming that God puts the same heart for serving others through the kitchen and servanthood in so many of us, regardless of where we live or what language we speak! (shared by Jaimeson Parris)

Friday Morning, a group headed back to Manchay in order to tear down and rebuild a house for one of the ladies who works in the kitchen for the Children's Home.  They had to tear down the existing shanty in order to clear a space for a new building that was 18 X 18 feet, separated into four rooms, which was twice the size of the house they had before.  Now the family has four rooms, new walls, actual windows, and a door that locks.  Pastor Tim even installed a light fixture and a triplex outlet in each of the four rooms, where before they only had a light in one room.  We're hoping to upload some "after photos" soon, so stay tuned!

After a trip back to the Children's Home for lunch (see Jaimeson's story above), we were able to go to the military base here in Peru where they train their special forces and paratroopers.  Some in the group were able to jump out of a five-story building on a static line (zip line).  It was great to see their faces (and hear their screams of excitement!).  Afterwards, we gathered outside with a group of trainees, and Dave was able to share his testimony and the Gospel with them.  Many of the young men in that group prayed to receive Christ.  After we finished with that group, we were asked to go to another area of the parking lot, where a large group of students from a military school were preparing to get on their buses to leave.  They got the students back off of the bus so that Pastor Rob and Stan Stone were able to share with them both who we were and a Gospel message.  At the end of that, the missionary we're working with, Mike Kennedy, led them in a prayer to accept Christ, and so many voices chimed in, it was amazing!  It seemed as if all of them prayed to ask Jesus Christ to be their Savior.  After taking some pictures with our groups together, we got on the bus and headed out.

We stopped at Lar Comar, where we were able to have dinner and treat our bus drivers and translators to a meal to thank them for all of their hard work for us this week.  After getting back to the Children's Home for some late night devotions, we headed to bed, because the ladies were going to have an early morning start on Saturday!