Hello Friends!
I've been able to create some interactive maps on Google Maps for you. Please enjoy following along our places as we travel!
Interactive Mission Maps
Basic Instructions:
- Click on the location you would like to see.
- Right click on the icon on the map.
- Use the slider along the left side to zoom in.Faithfully,
The PCB-LWW Team
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Home Safe and Sound - and forever changed!
Hello again, Friends!
Since our last post, we have enjoyed one last delayed flight (3 out of 6 flights delayed... eh, could be worse) and arrived home late Saturday night. We would like to recap a little of what we found, experienced, and learned in Arequipa.
Our journey began over one year ago with a simple idea - that people need clean water, and Living Waters for the World has a system to address this need. Throughout the subsequent months, we learned about what was involved, sent four team members to training at Clean Water U, researched many countries, networked with others in the Mission field and at long last made last week's trip to Elohim School in Arequipa, Peru.
We met some amazing living 'Saints' who walk their talk, and teach by example. We met Dr. Bob from Health Bridges International, who left his pediatrics practice to help heal the children of Peru. Father Alex, who has an amazing story of service through his order. Susi, who has adopted Arequipa, Peru as her second home when not in Australia. Rosa and her husband Jose have given their lives to serve the children of Elohim as the schools director and caretaker, respectively. Adan who serves La Iglesia Primero de Junio in many capacities, including maintaining the physical compound, delivering food to over 600 in the community, maintain the current LWW system, and drive the Mission House guests to the work sites as needed! Veronica and Steve, who by humble service, help those who visit the mission house to feel at home and be more effective in our mission.
There are countless unnamed souls giving to their community in ways we haven't even begun to understand. Through all of this, we have come from a misunderstanding that we have a lot to offer and our Peruvian friends have little, to the more correct perspective that we are all Children of God with our own offerings in service to one another!
Here are some additional photos to fill in some of the gaps from our story - and there are more gaps yet to be filled! Please join us in May as we present our findings, and our plan for moving forward, to the congregation.
In departing, our goal was to assess the water needs of Elohim School. Five days later, that simple goal has been revised and enriched!
Faithfully,
The PCB-LWW Team
Since our last post, we have enjoyed one last delayed flight (3 out of 6 flights delayed... eh, could be worse) and arrived home late Saturday night. We would like to recap a little of what we found, experienced, and learned in Arequipa.
Our journey began over one year ago with a simple idea - that people need clean water, and Living Waters for the World has a system to address this need. Throughout the subsequent months, we learned about what was involved, sent four team members to training at Clean Water U, researched many countries, networked with others in the Mission field and at long last made last week's trip to Elohim School in Arequipa, Peru.
We met some amazing living 'Saints' who walk their talk, and teach by example. We met Dr. Bob from Health Bridges International, who left his pediatrics practice to help heal the children of Peru. Father Alex, who has an amazing story of service through his order. Susi, who has adopted Arequipa, Peru as her second home when not in Australia. Rosa and her husband Jose have given their lives to serve the children of Elohim as the schools director and caretaker, respectively. Adan who serves La Iglesia Primero de Junio in many capacities, including maintaining the physical compound, delivering food to over 600 in the community, maintain the current LWW system, and drive the Mission House guests to the work sites as needed! Veronica and Steve, who by humble service, help those who visit the mission house to feel at home and be more effective in our mission.
There are countless unnamed souls giving to their community in ways we haven't even begun to understand. Through all of this, we have come from a misunderstanding that we have a lot to offer and our Peruvian friends have little, to the more correct perspective that we are all Children of God with our own offerings in service to one another!
Here are some additional photos to fill in some of the gaps from our story - and there are more gaps yet to be filled! Please join us in May as we present our findings, and our plan for moving forward, to the congregation.
 |
| A toxic plume of bacteria, released into a bucket of bleach water and grown from one of the water supplies we tested on our trip. |
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| The local grocery! Oh, how we can learn to live on what is available from a place such as this. |
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| The Road to Elohim! The water truck must carry a full load of water up roads such as this. For those of us in business, knowing the cost of time and maintenance, this is a significant hurdle to supplying water to Elohim School. |
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| Protesters promoting agriculture over mining in Arequipa. While we were there, a blockade of fuel trucks by farmers nearly paralyzed the city by restricting fuel supplies and significantly increasing prices. This adds another layer to the complexity of simply getting water to Elohim. |
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| Missionaries Changed! (l to r) Father Alex, Ron, Barb, Fred, Veronica, Linda, Janet and Eric. |
Faithfully,
The PCB-LWW Team
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Heading Home!
Hello Friends,
Our journey is winding down. We had our last day of work on the enhancement we designed to improve their water delivery at Elohim School. We found that, yesterday (Friday) morning, the water truck came for the delivery, and used the system, testing our handiwork. The system worked well! This should make it easier for the delivery truck to bring water to the school, ensuring a consistent supply upon which to design the cleaning system we described in our Living Waters Covenant with Elohim School.
Part of our mission for this trip was to review systems already in place near Arequipa. The system in La Iglesia Primero de Junio seems to be working well, and requires only an upgraded check valve introduced since the system’s installation. The system at the Orphanage on the other hand does require some repair, as its water supply is not good by our preliminary testing. In the interest of empowering the local community in taking ownership of their systems, we instructed Adan, the church and mission caretaker, in the procedure to replace a faulty valve set. It will be interesting to hear how this goes in the next week or so, and to continue the excitement Fr Alex and Fr Francis feel in our helping them continue to provide a more healthful environment for the children of Arequipa.
Before departing Arequipa, Fr Alex shared a little more with us about Peru and her history, as well as his Mission as part of his Community of Saint Paul. He began his ministry in Afghanistan and Libya, spending some time in India, working with Mother Theresa of Calcutta, and arriving in Peru for work with only a pickup truck and a guitar. He has built his mission to include over 37,000 people, and is planning to continue to grow by moving farther up the mountain, and starting yet another church serving the poor of Arequipa! The work of his ministry allows those who have little or nothing to receive meals, education and medical attention at a rate far reduced from those provided by the government, or at no charge if they cannot pay. It is the ministry which is continued through the network Fr Alex has created , and which allows us the privilege of learning about service from the children and teachers of Elohim!
After this inspirational history and perspective of our mission in Peru, we bid a farewell and headed to the airport for our short flight back to Lima. Upon our arrival and return to the Manhattan Inn, where we spent our first night, we met up with Sarah Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson, the representatives of the PCUSA in Peru. We had a wonderful time talking over tapas about Faith and Ministry. They shared their mission and challenges in setting up partnerships in Peru, providing a means for those we partner with to meet us in mission for those they serve. Our mission is not to just give money, but rather to help them help themselves – much like the model of teaching someone to fish as opposed to just giving them one.
We are now in Miami waiting to board. I will be loading more pictures in another blog soon.
Thanks again for your prayers and support!
The PCB-LWW Team
Our journey is winding down. We had our last day of work on the enhancement we designed to improve their water delivery at Elohim School. We found that, yesterday (Friday) morning, the water truck came for the delivery, and used the system, testing our handiwork. The system worked well! This should make it easier for the delivery truck to bring water to the school, ensuring a consistent supply upon which to design the cleaning system we described in our Living Waters Covenant with Elohim School.
Part of our mission for this trip was to review systems already in place near Arequipa. The system in La Iglesia Primero de Junio seems to be working well, and requires only an upgraded check valve introduced since the system’s installation. The system at the Orphanage on the other hand does require some repair, as its water supply is not good by our preliminary testing. In the interest of empowering the local community in taking ownership of their systems, we instructed Adan, the church and mission caretaker, in the procedure to replace a faulty valve set. It will be interesting to hear how this goes in the next week or so, and to continue the excitement Fr Alex and Fr Francis feel in our helping them continue to provide a more healthful environment for the children of Arequipa.
Before departing Arequipa, Fr Alex shared a little more with us about Peru and her history, as well as his Mission as part of his Community of Saint Paul. He began his ministry in Afghanistan and Libya, spending some time in India, working with Mother Theresa of Calcutta, and arriving in Peru for work with only a pickup truck and a guitar. He has built his mission to include over 37,000 people, and is planning to continue to grow by moving farther up the mountain, and starting yet another church serving the poor of Arequipa! The work of his ministry allows those who have little or nothing to receive meals, education and medical attention at a rate far reduced from those provided by the government, or at no charge if they cannot pay. It is the ministry which is continued through the network Fr Alex has created , and which allows us the privilege of learning about service from the children and teachers of Elohim!
After this inspirational history and perspective of our mission in Peru, we bid a farewell and headed to the airport for our short flight back to Lima. Upon our arrival and return to the Manhattan Inn, where we spent our first night, we met up with Sarah Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson, the representatives of the PCUSA in Peru. We had a wonderful time talking over tapas about Faith and Ministry. They shared their mission and challenges in setting up partnerships in Peru, providing a means for those we partner with to meet us in mission for those they serve. Our mission is not to just give money, but rather to help them help themselves – much like the model of teaching someone to fish as opposed to just giving them one.
We are now in Miami waiting to board. I will be loading more pictures in another blog soon.
Thanks again for your prayers and support!
The PCB-LWW Team
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Covenant!
Hello once again, Friends!
Wednesday, we began with a bit more haze in the air than usual, which was a welcoming way to enter a day which would be full of work. So you can follow our journey in a new way, please enter the following coordinates into a map program such as Google Maps:
Mission House: -16.325243, -71.538563
Elohim School: -16.397652, -71.483289
I've found that you can get some pretty crazy driving directions - and the drive really is a bit crazy!
Now that you can visualize the road, let us share a little of what we did when we arrived with our shopping goods.
When we arrived we met Susi and Rosa, and were introduced to Rosa's husband, Jose, who takes care of the school. Our group took a tour of the details of how their water is dispersed and managed, and then split into groups to focus on our tasks at hand. Most of us moved in our materials and started organizing our engineering creation while our "LWW 101" Team sat with Rosa, Jose and Susi to review and sign the Covenant - a promise to one another in what we will do to provide clean water to their children.
This Covenant is the key component of our Living Waters system. In this document, we promise to one another as partners - what we will do to provide a system, and what they will do to ensure it's continued operation. In our discussions, this included that we work together to ensure a consistent water supply, without which we could not proceed! Since the water is delivered by truck, and only one provider in the entire city of Arequipa is willing to make the trek to the school (see the above road photo), we needed to make it worth his time and expense to continue to provide the basic water to the school.
The materials we purchased were to this end. We created a way to streamline the delivery process with all manner of piping and valves, significantly reducing the amount of time the water truck driver waits for his load to be distributed. This is an immediate solution, along with better planning, to keep the water flowing, as it is, at Elohim. We continued modifying our design as we talked with Jose and the methods he has to maintain water to the Kitchen, Students and Bathrooms. He had some great ideas, which made our job easier, and we were able to either complete or guide Elohim in completing all the tasks we set for our partnership! The extensive details of this gadgetry will come to you at our presentation in May, but here is a little picture of some team members at work.
In these material tasks, we made another two trips to hardware stores - up and back - to ensure that we had the materials to do the job correctly. As a partnership team, we broke bread together at lunch, talking about who we are, what we feels is important in life, and that the mission of our Covenant is to enhance the lives of the children!
Wednesday evening was another long one (notice, no Blog entry yesterday), having some truly passionate devotions and discussions on what it means to be here instead of helping in a town next door. What we each bring to the trip and what we are taking with us. Why we are here, and how we feel God leading us to return! We went to bed physically and emotionally exhausted, but spiritually energized!
Thursday continued this Mission from Wednesday, with the renewed energy of the previous evenings spiritual exercises! We once again focused on our specific jobs, with our testing team taking more water samples, our teaching team working through a plan to educate teachers and children how to stay healthy with water and hygiene, and our work team continuing with our erector set projects. We finished all we needed to, and left Jose with quite the task list for how to continue to improve their water situation until we can return with a Clean Water system designed specifically to fit their needs.
Before returning to Arequipa, we enjoyed the company of a few of the students who reminded us, yet once again, why we are here! You and I can make choices and take care of ourselves, but these children are counting on us as providers and role models in life!
Thank you, as always for reading our story. We crave your responses, and are energized by knowing that we are not just the six of us here in the Mission House this evening, but a family of faith working from the US and around the world as well! Please know that our hearts are warmed by being a conduit of faith between you and the children of Elohim, and our hope is that we can continue to build this friendship we have, and that you can meet some of the saints we have worked with this week!
With faith and gratitude,
The PCB-LWW Team
Wednesday, we began with a bit more haze in the air than usual, which was a welcoming way to enter a day which would be full of work. So you can follow our journey in a new way, please enter the following coordinates into a map program such as Google Maps:
Mission House: -16.325243, -71.538563
Elohim School: -16.397652, -71.483289
I've found that you can get some pretty crazy driving directions - and the drive really is a bit crazy!
 |
| The road to Elohim! |
When we arrived we met Susi and Rosa, and were introduced to Rosa's husband, Jose, who takes care of the school. Our group took a tour of the details of how their water is dispersed and managed, and then split into groups to focus on our tasks at hand. Most of us moved in our materials and started organizing our engineering creation while our "LWW 101" Team sat with Rosa, Jose and Susi to review and sign the Covenant - a promise to one another in what we will do to provide clean water to their children.
This Covenant is the key component of our Living Waters system. In this document, we promise to one another as partners - what we will do to provide a system, and what they will do to ensure it's continued operation. In our discussions, this included that we work together to ensure a consistent water supply, without which we could not proceed! Since the water is delivered by truck, and only one provider in the entire city of Arequipa is willing to make the trek to the school (see the above road photo), we needed to make it worth his time and expense to continue to provide the basic water to the school.
The materials we purchased were to this end. We created a way to streamline the delivery process with all manner of piping and valves, significantly reducing the amount of time the water truck driver waits for his load to be distributed. This is an immediate solution, along with better planning, to keep the water flowing, as it is, at Elohim. We continued modifying our design as we talked with Jose and the methods he has to maintain water to the Kitchen, Students and Bathrooms. He had some great ideas, which made our job easier, and we were able to either complete or guide Elohim in completing all the tasks we set for our partnership! The extensive details of this gadgetry will come to you at our presentation in May, but here is a little picture of some team members at work.
 |
| Ron and Fred apply PVC Cement to create one of the junctions in our water delivery system. |
Wednesday evening was another long one (notice, no Blog entry yesterday), having some truly passionate devotions and discussions on what it means to be here instead of helping in a town next door. What we each bring to the trip and what we are taking with us. Why we are here, and how we feel God leading us to return! We went to bed physically and emotionally exhausted, but spiritually energized!
Thursday continued this Mission from Wednesday, with the renewed energy of the previous evenings spiritual exercises! We once again focused on our specific jobs, with our testing team taking more water samples, our teaching team working through a plan to educate teachers and children how to stay healthy with water and hygiene, and our work team continuing with our erector set projects. We finished all we needed to, and left Jose with quite the task list for how to continue to improve their water situation until we can return with a Clean Water system designed specifically to fit their needs.
Before returning to Arequipa, we enjoyed the company of a few of the students who reminded us, yet once again, why we are here! You and I can make choices and take care of ourselves, but these children are counting on us as providers and role models in life!
 |
| Two of the 170 reasons we are here at Elohim! |
With faith and gratitude,
The PCB-LWW Team
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Seeing and Planning and Shopping and Changing Plans and Shopping Some More!
Good Morning, Friends!
Yesterday (Tuesday) was another busy day, though quite different than Monday.
We started by testing the water here at La Iglesia Primero de Junio and watching the caretaker, Adan, run and describe the maintenance of their Living Waters system. Janet and Fred took some water samples as they currently run their system, before any maintenance was performed by us. This is the testing for which were awaiting results, which seem to be negative - it is a preliminary 24 hour test for bacteria and biological parasites in the water. This is also a great practice run for the testing we will run at Elohim on Wednesday.
\After enjoying yet another great breakfast, we went to visit an orphanage run by another of the priests under Father Alex. Father Francis runs the Aida Infantil Sagrada Familia, an organization which provides a home for 53 children who have no home, and a preschool for another 18 who have poor home lives, but have not been taken from their parents. The abuse these children have endured is unimaginable, but at least someone in the system has recognized this and brought them to a better home. Fr. Francis gave us the example of an 11-year old boy who, when he came to the Orphanage, was malnourished, didn't walk much, and didn't talk at all. Within three months of being in a caring environment, he changed and was a smiling and content child. The pain in his story is that the same institution which took him from harm is considering that conditions have improved enough for him to return home! Fr Francis and the others at Sagrada Familia are desperate to try to keep this young boy in a healthy place. This is the kind of advocacy the people of Peru desperately need, and which we see Elohim providing the children of Mariana Melgar.
The afternoon was spent engineering and re-engineering the solutions we would like to implement at Elohim for the rest of the week, providing them some immediate improvements in their water needs. For supplies, we visited a store called Sodimac, which is much like our Home Depot or Lowe's. This home and construction center is only three months old, which helps us understand why it took so many questions to find answers. While there, we found that our original over designed ideas were created using materials they did not have! So... we redesigned again, on the fly, with what Sodimac had available. After exploring the store several times, meeting a significant percentage of their staff and filling three large carts, we finally have what we need - or what we think we need. Our shopping tour took also a little more time than we expected - from departure to return for a reheated dinner (yes, we missed what Veronica prepared by quite a bit) was over 5 hours! Upon returning, Ron took some time to lay out our plans for the school, and it looks like we may have actually purchased all we need. As with all best laid plans, please follow again tomorrow to find out just how much re-re-redesign we did on site!
We talk several times each day about the challenges we are facing and the people we meet. We share stories of what we, as individuals, saw and felt. We read the responses our friends at home send to us, and the comments on this Blog. Our role as representatives to our new friends of all we have at home is more clear every day - every hour - and we thank you for your continued support!
Your faithful Servants,
The PCB-LWW Team
Yesterday (Tuesday) was another busy day, though quite different than Monday.
We started by testing the water here at La Iglesia Primero de Junio and watching the caretaker, Adan, run and describe the maintenance of their Living Waters system. Janet and Fred took some water samples as they currently run their system, before any maintenance was performed by us. This is the testing for which were awaiting results, which seem to be negative - it is a preliminary 24 hour test for bacteria and biological parasites in the water. This is also a great practice run for the testing we will run at Elohim on Wednesday.
 |
| Janet and Fred do their magic with some preliminary water condition tests at La Iglesia Primero de Junio. |
The afternoon was spent engineering and re-engineering the solutions we would like to implement at Elohim for the rest of the week, providing them some immediate improvements in their water needs. For supplies, we visited a store called Sodimac, which is much like our Home Depot or Lowe's. This home and construction center is only three months old, which helps us understand why it took so many questions to find answers. While there, we found that our original over designed ideas were created using materials they did not have! So... we redesigned again, on the fly, with what Sodimac had available. After exploring the store several times, meeting a significant percentage of their staff and filling three large carts, we finally have what we need - or what we think we need. Our shopping tour took also a little more time than we expected - from departure to return for a reheated dinner (yes, we missed what Veronica prepared by quite a bit) was over 5 hours! Upon returning, Ron took some time to lay out our plans for the school, and it looks like we may have actually purchased all we need. As with all best laid plans, please follow again tomorrow to find out just how much re-re-redesign we did on site!
 |
| Our crew loading the van with our bounty. |
Your faithful Servants,
The PCB-LWW Team
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Elohim School Teaches Many Lessons!
Happy Tuesday, Friends!
Yesterday, Monday, was.... LONG!
We began the day by touring the Mission Compound - La Iglesia Primero de Junio - seeing first hand the great work done here. We were able to meet and play with the daycare kids - always a great gift of any mission experience - and several of our team even enjoyed an impromptu concert by some 4-5 year olds! We also met some women who create wonderful knitting and weaving items, and several of us helped the local economy through their talents. The compound also has a water system very similar to the one we will be installing at Elohim School, so took a peek to see just what it looks like in an actual, functioning installation. This morning, we returned to install new filters and do some water testing, which is still in progress. For those who would like to see where our Mission House is, please zoom into these coordinates in a map program (-16.325243,-71.538563)
The first thing we noticed was that there some extra stories on the building we hadn't noticed before. Since part of the school is very old and condemned, nothing can be done with the leaky roofs, uneven floors and unventilated classrooms. The myriad problems the school is facing are truly daunting, but by the sheer willpower and wonderfully holy leadership in Susi and Rosa, slow but visible headway is being made. A previous group installed new toilets, replacing the two tin outhouses which welcomed children to school outside the front door. Now, students come in and are welcomed by teachers and other students! Toilets are great, but they still have a water supply problem which means that they do not always operate - ah, more challenges! Water tanks in play areas, condemned kitchen areas, damaged water supply plumbing, poor structural strength in the older building sections - this very beginning of a challenge list is already nearly overwhelming! Our positive hope is in the new construction mentioned before. The school will have two large, new classrooms to replace those which are unsafe, helping the children and their teachers focus on growing and learning!
Our team spent over 2-1/2 hours at the school, exploring and measuring, listening and learning, playing and feeling with the building and people of Elohim. The new construction is a fresh contrast with the majority of the school, and really helped to energize us with the possibilities we have to offer - with the Living Waters system and countless related (and some barely related) opportunities to help these children. We listened to heartbreaking stories of the children who come to school for their only meal, who are never held or comforted at home, who face conflict and abuse we would not tolerate and the sanctuary they have here to simply be and grow positive role models and teachers. Linda even found a friend in Patti, a five year old girl who walks to school and home along the mountain every day. The purpose of Elohim School is so much more than just literacy and mathematics, it includes having friends in other children, trusting adults, learning that there are possibilities, and that through it all they have a companion in Jesus.
Upon our return from Elohim, we were both emotionally drained and intellectually re-energized! We had dinner, but couldn't stop talking about what we saw only a few hours ago.
An Open flow if Ideas!
Rearranged possibilities with the resources at hand!
Fact research to find what is available!
We talked late into the night, drinking in the refreshing spirit of hope the people we meet are surviving - and thriving on.
There is a project the children of Elohim are learning with, and in which we have found a great example for what we are experiencing here in Peru. A few years ago, someone planted a leaf at the school, and by some miracle it sprouted roots and began to grow. This leaf produced a small tree. The tree was watched over and cared for until another could be grown from it. Then another... and another. Today, most of the plants in the school are the descendants of that first leaf, and the children of elohim learn patients, care, love and growth in nurturing that life.
In this same way, we find living roots taking hold in Elohim! We are distinctly called to help in caring for what is important at the school, making sure the roots are healthy before we expect shady foliage. Be sure the foliage is healthy before we find fruit. Care for the fruits to further this life and spread these seeds to the community of Mariana Melgar.
We thank you for continuing to support us on our journey, and for your patience with our story. There is SO much to do, and prioritizing our tasks is primary. The road ahead of is is till churning and uphill, but we are learning how to navigate it. Please continue to read our story as even we don't know what tomorrow will bring!
Humbly bridging you and the people of Arequipa,
The PCB-LWW Team
Yesterday, Monday, was.... LONG!
We began the day by touring the Mission Compound - La Iglesia Primero de Junio - seeing first hand the great work done here. We were able to meet and play with the daycare kids - always a great gift of any mission experience - and several of our team even enjoyed an impromptu concert by some 4-5 year olds! We also met some women who create wonderful knitting and weaving items, and several of us helped the local economy through their talents. The compound also has a water system very similar to the one we will be installing at Elohim School, so took a peek to see just what it looks like in an actual, functioning installation. This morning, we returned to install new filters and do some water testing, which is still in progress. For those who would like to see where our Mission House is, please zoom into these coordinates in a map program (-16.325243,-71.538563)
Before lunch, we walked to Fr. Alex's clinic (Maria Madre de las Misiones), which provides health care for those who have very little. The costs are kept to a minimum, and the caring staff continues to provide services to the community even though working for a government clinic would pay more. The heart and passion of the doctors and nurses showed in the people patiently waiting their turn to get treatment.
Veronica prepared another wonderful mid-day meal, giving us energy and a great base from which to continue our journey to Mariana Melgar, the community Elohim School calls home, for the afternoon. The Peruvian back roads offered some significant churning and climbing, but once we arrived we understood much more about the challenges the students and teachers face in their day to day lives. Susi met us there with Rosa, and from our first step inside the school, were humbled by what they have done - and what they have yet to do. Much has changed for them in the past 5 years, and more changes are well under way!
 |
| Elohim School. The main top floor is under construction, and should be ready for students in 4-6 weeks. |
Our team spent over 2-1/2 hours at the school, exploring and measuring, listening and learning, playing and feeling with the building and people of Elohim. The new construction is a fresh contrast with the majority of the school, and really helped to energize us with the possibilities we have to offer - with the Living Waters system and countless related (and some barely related) opportunities to help these children. We listened to heartbreaking stories of the children who come to school for their only meal, who are never held or comforted at home, who face conflict and abuse we would not tolerate and the sanctuary they have here to simply be and grow positive role models and teachers. Linda even found a friend in Patti, a five year old girl who walks to school and home along the mountain every day. The purpose of Elohim School is so much more than just literacy and mathematics, it includes having friends in other children, trusting adults, learning that there are possibilities, and that through it all they have a companion in Jesus.
Upon our return from Elohim, we were both emotionally drained and intellectually re-energized! We had dinner, but couldn't stop talking about what we saw only a few hours ago.
An Open flow if Ideas!
Rearranged possibilities with the resources at hand!
Fact research to find what is available!
We talked late into the night, drinking in the refreshing spirit of hope the people we meet are surviving - and thriving on.
There is a project the children of Elohim are learning with, and in which we have found a great example for what we are experiencing here in Peru. A few years ago, someone planted a leaf at the school, and by some miracle it sprouted roots and began to grow. This leaf produced a small tree. The tree was watched over and cared for until another could be grown from it. Then another... and another. Today, most of the plants in the school are the descendants of that first leaf, and the children of elohim learn patients, care, love and growth in nurturing that life.
In this same way, we find living roots taking hold in Elohim! We are distinctly called to help in caring for what is important at the school, making sure the roots are healthy before we expect shady foliage. Be sure the foliage is healthy before we find fruit. Care for the fruits to further this life and spread these seeds to the community of Mariana Melgar.
We thank you for continuing to support us on our journey, and for your patience with our story. There is SO much to do, and prioritizing our tasks is primary. The road ahead of is is till churning and uphill, but we are learning how to navigate it. Please continue to read our story as even we don't know what tomorrow will bring!
 |
| What a way to start the day! An energizing sunrise from behind the Misson House. |
The PCB-LWW Team
Monday, April 4, 2011
Buena Mañana de Arequipa
Good morning from Alto Cayma, Arequipa, Peru.
Since we last shared with you, a LOT has happened! This promises to be a journey full of surprises, uplifting and challenging, but always with a full dose of the Holy Spirit.
At breakfast yesterday, we met a sweet couple from Brazil on vacation to visit the sites of Peru, and enjoyed a great welcome in meeting others who are also visiting this beautiful country and its people.
In traveling to Arequipa, we has some more wonderful experiences. The woman sitting near us on the plane was travelling with her adorable 10-day old daughter, who Janet got to hold and coddle for part of our flight. Fred sat next to a man who is connected to the leadership of Arequipa, and who offered some ideas and help as we find out more about what Elohim School will need to fulfill their mission. What a wonderful, life filled flight!
Upon arriving in Arequipa, we met Dr Bob and Father Alex who helped with our luggage and drove us to the Mission House, which will be our home for the next week. Dr Bob is a pediatrician from Wisconsin, who is following his passion in facilitating connections through Health Bridges International, to bring various volunteer groups together in providing a holistic, coordinated effort in bringing up the standard of living for some of the least of these. Fr Alex is a Priest of the Order of Saint Paul from Malta, whose mission is to reach out to the poorest of the poor, as he learned from Mother Theresa of Calcutta many years ago. At the Mission House, we also met Steve, who is another volunteer from Anchorage, Alaska, filling in wherever he is needed. He and Eric made some great connections from previous Youth Mission trips as well. Ah, Veronica! She is our caretaker and house manager. What a gift of planning for the Mission House, taking care of all our needs and preparing some great meals!
Once we settled in to our home in Arequipa, it was time to head out into the city and learn more about our outreach to the people here. Fr Alex drove us to Yanahuara Mirador, a beautiful square overlooking the city, and providing a breathtaking backdrop for tourists and weddings alike. We walked from there to the home of Susi Prescott, who is the main energy behind the life of Elohim School, finding a beautiful expression of her gift of making much needed connections. Waiting for us at Susi's home was Rosa, the school's Director. Rosa is the spiritual and administrative glue holding Elohim together, keeping the both the moral and physical welfare of the children the center of the school's focus.
Through our intense and emotional discussion we learned of the dire situation of the children and Elohim School. Through our discussions, we learned that the true conduit in bringing our efforts and prayers to a home in Arequipa is The Association Vida Esperanza (Association of Life and Hope). This association, which consists of Elohim School and its mission, the people we've met and those we haven't, and the Holy Spirit who is guiding us along this amazing path we are on. What a heartful time of information gathering was our conversation with Susi and Rosa!
How to follow this conversation?! We could only part with hugs and hope, walking from Susi's home to further explore the city. We left her home and began walking past some of the magnificent architecture of Arequipa - a wonderful mix of native and European styles, blended together in buildings, park and even the people. We made our way past an old Monastery, several beautiful churches, and down some narrow, cobbled streets to a small restaurant in a old courtyard. The dinner was nice and simple, seasoned with great memories of our travels so far.
Since we last shared with you, a LOT has happened! This promises to be a journey full of surprises, uplifting and challenging, but always with a full dose of the Holy Spirit.
At breakfast yesterday, we met a sweet couple from Brazil on vacation to visit the sites of Peru, and enjoyed a great welcome in meeting others who are also visiting this beautiful country and its people.
In traveling to Arequipa, we has some more wonderful experiences. The woman sitting near us on the plane was travelling with her adorable 10-day old daughter, who Janet got to hold and coddle for part of our flight. Fred sat next to a man who is connected to the leadership of Arequipa, and who offered some ideas and help as we find out more about what Elohim School will need to fulfill their mission. What a wonderful, life filled flight!
Upon arriving in Arequipa, we met Dr Bob and Father Alex who helped with our luggage and drove us to the Mission House, which will be our home for the next week. Dr Bob is a pediatrician from Wisconsin, who is following his passion in facilitating connections through Health Bridges International, to bring various volunteer groups together in providing a holistic, coordinated effort in bringing up the standard of living for some of the least of these. Fr Alex is a Priest of the Order of Saint Paul from Malta, whose mission is to reach out to the poorest of the poor, as he learned from Mother Theresa of Calcutta many years ago. At the Mission House, we also met Steve, who is another volunteer from Anchorage, Alaska, filling in wherever he is needed. He and Eric made some great connections from previous Youth Mission trips as well. Ah, Veronica! She is our caretaker and house manager. What a gift of planning for the Mission House, taking care of all our needs and preparing some great meals!
Once we settled in to our home in Arequipa, it was time to head out into the city and learn more about our outreach to the people here. Fr Alex drove us to Yanahuara Mirador, a beautiful square overlooking the city, and providing a breathtaking backdrop for tourists and weddings alike. We walked from there to the home of Susi Prescott, who is the main energy behind the life of Elohim School, finding a beautiful expression of her gift of making much needed connections. Waiting for us at Susi's home was Rosa, the school's Director. Rosa is the spiritual and administrative glue holding Elohim together, keeping the both the moral and physical welfare of the children the center of the school's focus.
Through our intense and emotional discussion we learned of the dire situation of the children and Elohim School. Through our discussions, we learned that the true conduit in bringing our efforts and prayers to a home in Arequipa is The Association Vida Esperanza (Association of Life and Hope). This association, which consists of Elohim School and its mission, the people we've met and those we haven't, and the Holy Spirit who is guiding us along this amazing path we are on. What a heartful time of information gathering was our conversation with Susi and Rosa!
How to follow this conversation?! We could only part with hugs and hope, walking from Susi's home to further explore the city. We left her home and began walking past some of the magnificent architecture of Arequipa - a wonderful mix of native and European styles, blended together in buildings, park and even the people. We made our way past an old Monastery, several beautiful churches, and down some narrow, cobbled streets to a small restaurant in a old courtyard. The dinner was nice and simple, seasoned with great memories of our travels so far.
 |
| A traditional Peruvian Mountain couple in Quechuan dress, dancing in front of the Cathedral. |
Today's adventures are yet to be seen, but our team is very much looking forward to seeing both the community around the Mission House where we are staying and our introduction to Elohim School.
Thank you for following our Journey!
The PCB-LWW Team
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Benvenidos a Lima, Peru!
Welcome, friends!
Our day yesterday was a mostly care-free and trouble free time of conversation and getting to know our team better. We met at O'Hare - unexciting, but required - and flew to Miami for a two-hour layover. So far, so good.
Our plane leaving for Lima seemed to be doing fine - then we heard of some 'issues', none of which were serious, though a compulsory delay was in order. We waited at the gate on a plane with minimal ground climate control for about an hour and a half before heading to the sky to cross the Equator and land in Lima just after 10pm! OH - and local time is the same as Central Daylight Time, so for those of you following from the midwest, you don't have to calculate time zones!
Both flights were smooth, and the sunset from the International flight was breathtaking - even with a wing in the view so you know I was in a plane. ;-)
We stayed the night in the Manhattan Inn, just outside the airport. This is a nice hotel, which serves breakfast in the morning and is situated across the street from a small square. It also offers a nice view of the underside of planes taking off from the airport - but flights did not run through the night.
This morning, we are meeting our group for breakfast and another fun drive back to the airport for our flight to Arequipa. Have we told you about South American drivers? Ah... another story for another post!
Thank you again and always for your support and prayers,
The PCB-LWW Team
Our day yesterday was a mostly care-free and trouble free time of conversation and getting to know our team better. We met at O'Hare - unexciting, but required - and flew to Miami for a two-hour layover. So far, so good.
Our plane leaving for Lima seemed to be doing fine - then we heard of some 'issues', none of which were serious, though a compulsory delay was in order. We waited at the gate on a plane with minimal ground climate control for about an hour and a half before heading to the sky to cross the Equator and land in Lima just after 10pm! OH - and local time is the same as Central Daylight Time, so for those of you following from the midwest, you don't have to calculate time zones!
Both flights were smooth, and the sunset from the International flight was breathtaking - even with a wing in the view so you know I was in a plane. ;-)
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| Amazing sunset from the plane - somewhere near Panama. |
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| Sunday Morning at Manhattan Inn. |
Thank you again and always for your support and prayers,
The PCB-LWW Team
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Vaya ConDios!
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:8
Our bags are packed, and we're ready to go...
...To paraphrase the immortal words of John Denver - we'll be leaving on a jet plane, knowing full well that we'll be back again, with stories and relationships to share with you.
We are packed and ready to go, focusing now on the mission at hand. Our mission is that our traveling Living Waters team is a bridge four our US support to reach out to the people of Arequipa and Elohim School. One of the tools we are using for this is clean water. The other tools are, and perhaps more importantly, our gifts of planning, design, listening, teaching - and faith!
We are reaching out in faith - that people will be there to pick us up, that we will have an open welcome to covenant in providing clean water, and most of all that God will be with us smiling all the way. Time to reflect on those we are helping brings us peace and hope, much as their reflecting on a group coming from the US will do the same for them. We are in this together - you, us, the Peruvians - and of course God With Us.
Please pray for safe travels, and great anticipation of the connections to come!
The PCB-LWW Team
We are packed and ready to go, focusing now on the mission at hand. Our mission is that our traveling Living Waters team is a bridge four our US support to reach out to the people of Arequipa and Elohim School. One of the tools we are using for this is clean water. The other tools are, and perhaps more importantly, our gifts of planning, design, listening, teaching - and faith!
We are reaching out in faith - that people will be there to pick us up, that we will have an open welcome to covenant in providing clean water, and most of all that God will be with us smiling all the way. Time to reflect on those we are helping brings us peace and hope, much as their reflecting on a group coming from the US will do the same for them. We are in this together - you, us, the Peruvians - and of course God With Us.
Please pray for safe travels, and great anticipation of the connections to come!
The PCB-LWW Team
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