Back in the jungle

I'm back in the jungle town of Iquitos. I'll be visiting two of our LACC schools, preaching the Gospel, thanking our teachers, meeting local pastors and filming the installation of two new wells for the schools. It's very exciting and I feel blessed to be a part of it.

The damper on my feelings of blessedness comes from the news that my great friend, Joe Zickafoose, has passed away. Joe and I worked together at the University of Louisville back in 1989. He was the senior pastor and I was the new guy. He was a close friend, brother-in-the-Lord and ministerial mentor for many years. Please pray for his wife, Jayne, and their two boys, John and Andy.

He is coming soon.

This entry is from Lena:

About a month ago, I saw a rather home-made movie of the testimony of a Peruvian man who was brought back from the dead. His descriptions of heaven and hell were so real. I felt such an urgency to warn people. Heaven is awesome, and no one who goes there ever wants to come back, even with loved ones back here on Earth. This is hard for us to imagine, because our view just isn't quite big enough to keep eternity in our hearts and minds all the time. Frankly, we don't think enough about the reality of hell, either. It is so uncomfortable, even stressful to think of what really is at stake when we share the gospel.

Not long after, some missionary friends of ours were moving into their new place. I felt the urge to share the gospel with their new maid-- a young lady with a baby--smiley, pleasant. But I thought twice, because I didn't want to look like I was trying to out-missionary anyone, and I was certain that they would begin sharing with her soon.

About a week later, we received the news that she had gone to the hospital, and within just a few short days, she had gotten very ill and died. I couldn't believe it, and more than that, I couldn't believe that I had missed my chance over perceived territory issues (which I am quite certain were nonexistent--really awesome folks).

I wish this was a happy note, and that I had led her to the Lord. But I believe that every day, we are passing people who only have a short time left. Mostly, I think of Peruvians in this, as their health care is such a thing of faith from first to last. There are no guarantees of the medical community going to great lengths to save a life here where there is a lack of funds. Even when there are... you get the picture.

The truth is that this very week, Bill's brother and a very dear friend have their lives hanging in the balance, and they have great health insurance and the best the States can offer.

I did take the opportunity to witness to my taxidriver this week, though. He was amazingly open, but unwilling to make a commitment to the Lord. I warned him that Jesus is coming back soon, and in that moment, all who have not made Him Lord will perish. He was well-warned!! I am not willing that any should perish.

And if there is anyone out there reading this who has not yet given their life to Christ, I need to tell you that you are in serious danger. You must be found safely under the protection of Jesus Christ if you are to escape Hell and find Heaven. You do this by surrendering your life to Jesus, admitting that you can not pay your debt of sin, and receiving his gift of salvation. There is no other way to get in. Only through his sacrifice. Please do it now, because you do not know when He is coming back-- to the whole earth, or just for you.

Blessings to all of you, our friends! may He help us all to walk awake to the fact that He is coming back soon.

Witnessing in Cusco

One blessing of being in Peru is that the people are open to talking about their faith. When the First Christian Missions Team was with us, our time in Cuzco and Machu Picchu turned out to be a significant ministry experience. Everywhere we went, the Lord opened doors of witness for us. The team brought Bibles and we gave many away--showing people important verses and explaining that salvation is the gift of God. The team encouraged me to be more aggressive in personal witness. Two guys I talked with were our guides for the Machu Picchu tour and the Sacred Valley tours--one named Renato and the other, Augusto. Both are of Quechua Indian descent--the mountainous people most closely associated with the Inca empire. Both mentioned worshipping "Mother Earth" while we were there. I asked Renato who Jesus was in his life. He said, "He's a great guy, ... a really great guy."

I said, "Yea, but is he your Lord?"

Renato said, "Yea, ... a lot of the time."

I laughed and said, "I think this whole thing works a lot better when he is your Lord all of the time."

Renato said, "That's really difficult because I'm Quechua."

He was implying that it was incongruent to be a Native American Indian and to also be a Christian. There are two reasons why he thinks that. First, the Spanish conquered the Quechuas and tried to assimilate them--changing their names, their worship practices, their theology, culture and language. The Spanish failed. To this day, the Quechuas lead double lives. They speak Spanish in the market place and Quechua in their homes. They are Catholic in name, but continue to follow the ancient worship practices of their ancestors. To Renato, to become Christian means becoming Spanish. Since the Spanish conquistadors were very cruel and failed to exemplify proper Christian living, becoming like them is not an acceptable option for him. The second reason is Jesus, himself. Romans 9:33 says that Jesus is "the stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." Since Jesus demands exclusive worship and the identity of the Quechua Indians is integrally tied to their worship of the sun and the earth, it is painful even to be confronted with the name of Jesus. I tried to share with him that Jesus created us (not mother earth), and that when we worship him we do not lose our identities. Jesus loves the Quechua Indians. Nonetheless, he is the "name above all names," and does not permit us to even play games that imply we are worshipping the earth or the sun.

He listened, then said, "You know, when I was a teenager, I attended an evangelical youth group."

I thought this was interesting, because it implied that he wasn't a closed to the idea as he had implied previously. I said, "Why'd you quit?"

He said, "Because they were all hypocrites. They sang worship songs in the youth group, then went out drinking afterward."

I told him, "A lot of people talk about being Christian and others can see that they're not, but their failures don't change the truth. Jesus really is the Messiah and we can't tell the Lord that we didn't serve him because other people were phony."

He agreed. He would have talked more, but our train came and the rest of the team were already on it. It was one of those scenes where I had to run and catch the train before it left the station.

Please pray for Renato and Augusto. I think about the book of Revelation, which tells us that there will be people from every tribe and tongue worshipping Jesus. I want Renato and Augusto to be two representatives from the Quechua Indians in that glorious choir.

Prayer Requests

Having a missions team from the states produces many effects, one of which is spiritual warfare. When the team was here, I was sick with digestive problems and cramps. When they left, I got a bad cold. The night they were leaving, I found out that both my mother and brother were at the hospital emergency room. They both stayed in the hospital a couple of days, then returned to their respective homes. Today, my brother went back for emergency surgery. Last week, he had arterial bypass surgery on his leg. It clogged and developed a staff infection. Today, they removed the bypass and left the wound open to heal. I'm grateful that he's alive. The news I received this morning made his survival seem questionable. My worries for my brother were compounded by the ongoing problems with my mother's health and a serious blood-pressure problem with a close friend here in Peru. I also found out, from the team, that a good friend in the states has terminal cancer. I currently have 5 friends, all roughly my age, that have cancer. I found out tonight that a friend of Sarah Olejarz is in critical condition in the hospital. We are all worried about our friends and, at the same time, are struggling with the knowledge that we can't just run home and be with them. So, I ask for your prayers for: My mom, June, and my brother, Jan. Also for these friends: Joe, Scott, Russ, Lisa, Edith, Oscar and, Sarah's friend, Fern.

John McCain & my cousin

I read my local newspaper, The Cincinnati Enquirer, on the internet. Today, I saw a great story regarding my cousin, Janice Karl, and John McCain. During the Viet Nam war, people would wear bracelets with the names of men and women who were MIA's (Missing In Action). I remember my cousin wearing her bracelet, which had the name of an American prisoner of war, John McCain. My cousin kept that bracelet all these years. Last night, she got to give it back to him. Here's the story from http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080807/NEWS01/808070370/:

Janice Karl of Landen has waited more than 30 years to give something to John McCain - a POW bracelet bearing his name.

Today, when McCain, now the Republican candidate for president, comes to Four Bridges Country Club in Liberty Township for a campaign fundraiser, she will get that chance.

"I wore that bracelet for a long time and after he came home, I kept it in a box," Karl said.

"I always intended to return it to him but just never got around to it. Now I can."

Karl was one of millions of Americans in the early 1970s who obtained bracelets from a national POW/MIA organization. Each had the name of a prisoner of war or missing serviceman and the date he was captured or went missing.

Many of them have presented the returning POWs - or their surviving family - with the bracelets they wore to honor their sacrifice.

The bracelet Karl wore is etched with his name and rank - Lt. Cmdr. John McCain - and the date of his capture, Oct. 26, 1967.

McCain was a Navy aviator in October 1967 when his plane was shot down over North Vietnam.
McCain was badly injured in the crash and was held prisoner for the next 5½ years, during which time he was frequently tortured and beaten. He was released in March 1973.

Karl said she remembers watching the television reports when McCain arrived back in the U.S.
"I remember thinking how awful he looked," Karl said. She recently decided it was time to give the bracelet to the former POW. When she heard that McCain would be coming to the area today for a fundraiser, she began making calls to McCain's campaign and Senate offices to arrange to meet him.

A Taste of Home

The youth missions team from First Christian Assembly of God (in Cincinnati, Ohio) just left. First Christian is our home church. As such, their departure has caused my heart to be flooded with emotions. We had a fabulous time when they were here. We painted part of a Latin American ChildCare school and did street evangelism (while handing out invitations to attended an evangelistic service) in three different districts of Lima. We also did street witnessing in Cuzco. There were 13 teenagers and 5 adults. The adults were already friends. Of the teens, 9 or 10 were the children of our friends. They were all like a sweet taste of home. It was a joy to hang out with people who knew us and with whom we could express our thoughts and emotions. It was also a thrill each time someone on the team had a great witnessing experience. I'll be adding pictures of their visit, and the work they accomplished, over the next few days. For now, I want to thank God for old friends and the chance to advance the Gospel. I also want to eat the Cheddar cheese they brought, spread over a nice hot bowl of Cincinnati Chili.

Team Update & CNN

Our team coming from Cincinnati hasn't arrived yet. They were in the air, when a loud popping noise made the flight return to Atlanta. Please pray for them. They've been up since yesterday and are not scheduled to arrive until tomorrow.

Here's the CNN article on it:

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A Delta Air Lines flight en route to Peru was forced to return to Atlanta, Georgia, after attendants heard a loud "popping sound," a Delta spokesman said. Flight 351 had taken off from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport shortly after midnight Sunday and was heading to Lima, said spokesman Kent Landers. Landers said attendants heard a loud popping noise when the plane was south of Fort Myers, Florida.
The pilot returned the plane safely back to the Atlanta airport about 2:45 a.m. ET. It was not immediately known what caused the sound. Landers said passengers would be flown to Peru on a different flight.

(These pictures are from my last flight from Atlanta to Peru--possibly on the same plane!)

Sharing the Gospel & 2 prayer requests

Here's the text from our latest email update:

One of the blessings and curses of being a missionary is the fact that I stick out—but God has a way of using that. Last week, I was in Piura to preach, to make friends and take pictures of the kids in our Latin America ChildCare school. I was leaving the church, when I was stopped by two teenage boys walking down the street. One of them spoke, while the other just listened. The one who spoke asked, "Is that church Christian?"

I said, "Yes."

"Are you a missionary?"

"Yes."

The area I was in was not entirely safe. There are gangs there and I was afraid the two teens were going to harass me. Instead, he asked, "Why did Jesus come to the earth?"

"To pay the price of our sins. Sin separates us from God, but God loved us and wasn’t willing to be separated. So, something had to be done about the sin. That’s why Jesus came—to pay the debts we had incurred by sinning."

He continued, "If God loves us so much, then why is there suffering in the world?"

I said, “That is a great question. It’s not really easy to understand from our perspective. The short answer is that, for now, suffering is part of having the ability to love freely. God wants to have a relationship of love with real people, not just with robots. So, people have to have the right to make choices. When people make a choice to sin, they set off a chain reaction that hurts innocent people. God could stop it and take away everyone’s ability to make choices, but he couldn’t really have a relationship of love that way. Nobody wants that. But, it’s important to remember that this place, along with the suffering, is not the end of the story. Jesus said he’s building a mansion for us in a place without suffering and that he is coming back to take us there. But in order to go, you have to be his disciple. Is Jesus your Savior and Lord?

The two young men stared at me and fumbled to find an answer. So I continued, “Are you in a relationship with Jesus where you show your love for him by obeying him?”

One young man looked down without speaking. The other said, “No.”

I said, “Do you want to confess your sins to the Lord and ask him to be Lord of your life?”

“How do you do that?”
That is the very question all missionaries want to hear! I said, “You say, ‘Lord Jesus, I know that I’m a sinner, but I want to walk with you. I’m asking you to forgive me, to save me and to give me your Holy Spirit.’” I then asked, “Would you like to pray that prayer right now?”

They both looked down, silent. I waited, but they wouldn’t look up again. That’s a common way of ending a conversation in Peru. I had to change the subject. I told them that the church I was at was having a concert that night and I invited them both to come. They smiled and asked what time, then they left. I don’t know if they came, because there was a huge crowd at the church that night. I don’t even know their names. So I’m asking you to pray for them.

I have a second request. This week, we’re hosting a team of youth from our home church in Cincinnati. Please pray that the whole team will have conversations like the one I had with those young men. Pray for safety, salvations and life impacting ministry for all.

Thanks for being part of our team!

Fear

Our trip to Piura and Trujillo was really long--20 hours of driving north, then 20 hours back to Lima. One friend said it sounded "crazy long." It was crazy, but not because of the length,...rather, because of the fear! For a large part of the driving, I was very afraid. Early on in the trip, we were stopped by a cop who wanted a bribe. He had an accent that was unbelievably thick. So, I was nervous, not knowing what my rights were or what the proper response was. He was applying pressure for me to pay him off. At the same time, I had to keep asking him to repeat himself. That frustrated him. When Lena told him that we were Christians who do not pay bribes, he backed off of his extortion attempt, but was still agitated. He told us about bandits attacking cars on the highway at night. He did this to frighten us, but it is nonetheless a legitimate warning. The bandits wait until the dark of night, then put logs or rocks in the highway to force you to stop. If they can blow out a tire, they wait until you get out of the car to change the tire. I have a friend who was attacked in this way. He and his wife lost $800, all their jewelry and nearly their lives. When the cop stopped us, we were still many hours from our destination, meaning that we had to drive on a deserted highway in the dark. Once the sun set, I was filled with fear. I’m not accustomed to being afraid and it was an unpleasant experience. It left my body full of nervous chemicals that clouded my brain when I needed to think clearly. The good news is that we made it to our hotel safely and were not stopped by bandits or extortionists. (Praise the Lord!) After a few more days, with more time on the highway (during daylight), I eventually got to the point where my fears lessened. At that point, I started to enjoy the trip and felt more capable of handling the challenges ahead.

The kids asked, "What are bandits?" The kids had never even thought of the possibility of being robbed on the highway. It made Lena and I aware of how blessed people are in the US. We've driven all over the US where, apart from the inner city, I never feared of being robbed. But, now we’re not in the US anymore and are much more able to empathize with the Apostle Paul. He traveled all over the middle east and Europe—on foot! In 2 Corinthians 11:26-30, Paul wrote, “I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”

Becoming a missionary definitely reveals your weaknesses. So, I’m going to take this opportunity to proudly boast, “I was afraid!”

(The pictures are of the road. That's me driving. The first picture shows desert brush; the second, desert sand that goes on for miles and, finally, a fort left over from an ancient civilization.)

A long journey

We just returned from a trip to Catacaos (near Piura). It took about 20 hours to drive there--all of it on a two lane road with an average speed limit of about 40 miles per hour. It reminded me of what it must have been like when my parents drove from Ohio to Florida in the early 50's. The good news is that it was hot. It's currently winter in Lima, so the sun and the heat were welcome. Here are a couple of shots of the kids in the Betel school in Catacaos.

Dunkin Donuts -- Nutricious!

In Hebrews 11:1, the Bible says that "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." That is definitely the case with the Dunkin Donuts stand at the Lima airport. The receipt says it all: "NUTRA -- Dunkin Donuts." I had the hope, a long time ago, that donuts were actually good for you. Now I'm certain of it!

The currency on the receipt is Peruvian Nueva Soles, which are about 3 to 1 against the dollar. Therefore, our 10 donuts and 2 cups of coffee cost a little under $4. That's not too bad when you're hankering for a taste of home.

The Cross of God

There is a large lighted cross that sits atop a big hill in the Lima suburb of Chorillos. You can see it at night from the highway that runs along the Pacific coast. It's so bright that it hurts my eyes. The other night while driving along, Willy said, "Look! It's the cross of God!"

Today, Abi said that the God in the sky loves us and that's why we don't need to be afraid. She went on to say, "He died on the cross of God, but he got up by himself."

I said, "That's right, he did get up all by himself."

She said, "Yea, ... and he looks better now."

Gotta Dance

So we were preparing to close the meeting, a little bring-a-friend tea at my apartment, and one of our friends from church leans over to one older lady in particular who was a guest in our meeting, and says, “Would you like to receive Jesus as your Savior?” Sarah (our missionary assistant) and I both had to cover up a wave of culture shock, as back in the States, we tend to make our altar calls a little less “outing.” Then the relief came when she said, “Yes!” Then not only her, but 3 others after her. Wow.

The whole night was a series of cultural shock moments for me. Hosting a tea in Peru was a bit of a risk, as I had only been to one so far, and it was less formal. I was mostly guessing with what to serve and how to do it. I had good help from the ladies, but there were moments when I felt like I was on another planet. How do you serve? Can people help themselves? How do you politely help people to hush? How direct can we be? How do you pray for people in a group setting when there are visitors?

I found myself thinking a lot through the night about part of the teaching I had prepared for the evening. I was talking about what it means to be truly beautiful as a woman, and I told them about Abi’s ballet class, and how all the girls there were so sweet, and their feminine beauty was showing, even as they were trying (and mostly failing) to do the little jumps and follow the teacher. One was crying because she didn’t have a plush toy to dance with. Another was sulking because she didn’t want to dance. They were less than graceful as they bumped into each other and made lines that looked more like squiggles.
Anyone watching them could see that they were only beginning and that it would be some time before they would do anything that looked like the graceful ballet they aspired to. Still, with time, the squiggles will straighten, and graceful gestures will replace the awkward ones I saw that day.

It is the same way for me. I found myself doing something I love to do—talking to women about the things that really matter in our lives in a small group setting. Yet, in this new culture, and with this new language that sometimes leaves me grasping when (as women do) someone gets emotional about what they are sharing, or speaks through tears. I feel sometimes like I am dancing ballet with steel-toed work boots. It’s awkward. I am unsure of things that come easily in the States. With time, I’ll work my way out of those work boots, but the only way to get rid of them is to wear them out. There is no other way to get to the place I want to go without taking the risk of dancing a pretty crazy- looking Swan Lake. If you want to dance in a new culture, you gotta dance. It isn’t possible to learn any other way. If I am the one who doesn’t get the plush toy, or someone knocks me in the head, or I can’t seem to do the little jumps how I want to, so be it. I am going to dance. And people are going to meet Jesus, because He wants to meet them, and because we were willing to look a little silly to risk it.

Wanna dance, too?

What Is In a Gift?

What is in a gift? I have thought about that a lot as I have carried out one of our very enjoyable jobs of purchasing birthday gifts for sponsored children on behalf of their sponsors. I agonized over the pink purse or the rust-colored one (earth tones are very big here), which scrunchies to go with them, what to get for a 14 year-old boy, and all the same thoughts one has when buying for a nephew or a birthday party for one of your kid’s friends.

I thought a lot about my mom through this process. My mom was an orphan who had the blessing to be born in the US, where we have a fairly adequate system for dealing with such delicate matters. She received her first birthday present when she was 16, from the daughter of her foster mother. I remember Mom talking about it like it was the most incredible thing at the time—I think it was a necklace. Someone thought about her, and it made a difference. She always talked about it—and it came up quite a few times—with tears in her eyes, and much love for the sweet young woman who had bought it for her.

And I have been thinking that although most of these kids are not orphans, the majority of them do not live in easy situations. If I was their mother, I would be thinking about how to get enough money to feed them, not if there was sufficient funds to take them out to a movie to celebrate with their friends or buy them something pretty that makes them feel thought about. These gifts may be the only ones they get to celebrate that they were born. How incredible, too, that it comes from someone they don’t even know, who does it in the name of Jesus. I think you can say a lot with a gift. You can say, “You matter to someone.” You can say, “Don’t give up.” You can say, “Jesus loves you, and I do, too.”

Buying gifts for these kids--it’s a good job.

Like a seed

The #1 question I get is "How are the kids doing?" The kids have handled this transition very well, in spite of the challenges. Living in a foreign culture where you struggle to speak means that you are always two steps behind the rest of the crowd. Willy's experience is an example. We put him and Abigail in a pre-school, so that they could meet friends and continue learning Spanish. Willy's class had planted seeds as a science experiment some time before he joined the class. After a couple of weeks, the other kids plants were sprouting, but Willy's was nowhere to be seen. He compared their plants to his dirt and was sad. I was sad, too. It was an image of his life in Latin America. I encouraged him, saying, "Don't worry Buddy! The other kids got a head start on you. Your plant is coming. Just wait."

When I left, my heart was breaking. I felt his pain. At times, I'm fed up with waiting. People do not want to wait for us. They understand social situations and speak quickly. So, one minute you are with a group of people in a circle and you are thinking, "I'm starting to fit in." Then, they all laugh at joke you didn't understand, then they all turn and leave at the same time. Everyone caught a social cue that it was time to do something else. You're left standing alone, wondering, "What was so funny and where am I supposed to go now?" That is tough for adults, but it’s twice as tough to watch your son go through it. Why couldn't his plant grow like everyone else’s?

Time passed. We had to travel to Southern Peru and Chile, in order to complete the kids' residency papers. When we returned to Willy's class, his eyes opened wide and he ran to the window sill. His pile of dirt had become a lush, green plant. It took time, but it happened. He was so happy. I silently prayed, "Thank you, Father, thank you!"

In Hebrew (and in Spanish) the word for wait and hope is the same. Isaiah 40:31 says, "those who hope in (wait for) the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles." By faith we are waiting and hoping for the day when God makes us truly fruitful in this foreign soil. He has called us and is faithful to do it.

(By the way, Willy is doing very well in school. Thanks to all who ask!)

Science Projects

Hannah and Colton did some science projects this year.

Colton's was on the effect of fat (in the form of butter) on Snicker Doodles. He made batches with 1/4 cup of butter, 1/2 cup and 3/4 cups. As you can see, they get flatter, darker and stickier. 1/2 cup, as the recipe called for, is the way to go.


Hannah won second place for her grade. Her study was on the effect of High Fructose Corn syrup on Hamsters (named Sydney and Vanessa). The result: Vanessa lost 30% of her body weight. Who knew Hamsters don't like corn syrup?

Iquitos 3

Final pics of our trip down the river. Please visit our Picasa on-line photos album for some great pics and captions. The pictures here are of Ceasar--a wood worker on the Amazon River, who also has served as a Pastor of a River/Jungle church. On our web album, there is a video of Ceasar making sugar cane juice. Click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/BillandLenaPics/Iquitos3JungleRiverTour

4 salvations

I feel very blessed today. I preached two services this morning. Preaching in Spanish requires a lot, since I have to write the sermon in English, translate it, have it corrected by a friend (Thanks Pablo!), then read/memorize it. Today's sermon came off well. The best part was the end, when 4 people gave their lives to the Lord. I was a bit shocked, since my altar call wasn't very emotional. So, I said, "This is for first timers only, not just for those who feel guilty when I preach." The four looked at me, their hands still in the air, and shook their heads yes!

Thank you, Jesus!

In the dead fish

On Easter Sunday, we were singing a Spanish hymn (sung to the tune of "From the fount of every blessing). Hannah turned and asked me, "Dad, why are we singing about a dead fish?"

Bill: Where do you see that?

Hannah: Up on the screen. It says, "In the dead fish, I am dead!"

The word for dead fish (i.e., the kind you would buy at the market to eat) is "pescado." The word for sin is "pecado." The way to remember it is that both dead fish and sin are stinky. So we were actually singing, "From now on, regarding the world and sin, I am dead." You've got to give it to those Spanish hymn writers. They're a chipper bunch.

Lesson gleaned from a jigsaw puzzle

I was working on a jigsaw puzzle recently, and something that I noticed was that there were several points in which I thought, "There is no way that this piece fits here." Time passes. I piddle with other pieces. The easy ones come together. I think, maybe in the factory something happened, and this piece fell into the rest. I seriously think that, as if that were the truth. At points I would play with it a bit, return to the rest. Sometimes I hit a point where I go a long time without getting a piece to fit, and I realize that my color expectations are affecting my ability to move on to the next stage. Then I look at the picture again, and think, "Wow, of course, it's changing to purple!" And then I move on. Sometimes I find myself trying to figure out where one of the kids must have taken the piece I have been searching for, but it isn' t their fault. I just hadn't put the pieces together yet.

Life is like that, isn't it? We work on this puzzle of life, and we keep going until we don't. And all of a sudden things aren't working so good. We are surprised. Shocked. In denial. It must be someone else's fault (child, boss, husband, friend who has been more distant lately....). But if we are wise, we press in until the Lord shows us that the color has changed, and it requires a new strategy-- a new way of looking at life, a new skill that we didn't have before, but can have if we are willing to change and learn. And then somehow we move on, and it comes together. And it wasn't a lost piece in the factory, not an errant child, or anything of the sort-- just a change of scheme that is part of life, and an opportunity to grow.

Our Apartment - photos

One of the difficulties of being a missionary is the loss of connection you feel with family and friends at home. Of course, that is also a two way street. That's why I've included the apartment videos below and these photos of our apartment. It's a bit of overkill on this one theme, but it gives those who are interested a snapshot (or video) of an important part of our lives here. I've included three shots here: our living room, dinning room and kitchen. If you'd like to see more, just click the link below: http://picasaweb.google.com/BillandLenaPics/OurApartmentInLima.

Apartment tour

I took this video in February 2008, just before we moved in to our apartment. The beauty of our apartment is the security. We never fear for our safety. The other is this lovely park, which the kids can play in. The third blessing is our proximity to the kids' school. We frequently walk to pick them up. In a big city like this, when I'm often away traveling, it is a blessing to not worry. We thank God for our call to Peru and for providing this apartment.

Bad Album Covers

It's important to know that I really like to laugh. I stumbled upon this link while reading the news: http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/ny-worstalbumcovers-pg,0,531818.photogallery

It is a photo collection of the 50 worst album covers. Not ironically, many of them are from Christian albums and all appear to be from the 70's. A word of caution: humor is subjective and can be dangerous. Therefore, if you are easily offended, then just skip this and enjoy the example I've provided above, that great album of uplifting songs: "All my friends are Dead." Otherwise, click the link above and make sure you view a few of my favorites; e.g., 9 (seen here), 27, 29, 42, 48 & 50.

Prince Caspian - Review & Thoughts

Hannah, Colton and I saw Prince Caspian on Saturday night. Thankfully, it's in English with sub-titles. It was a solid OK. It wasn't great, but I enjoyed it. If I didn't know the story, I'd probably rate it higher; but, since it is one of my favorite stories of all time, it had a lot to live up to. I rate the opening sequence a A+. The movie opens better than the book, with an exciting chase scene. After the kids get into Narnia, the movie diverts from the book and starts to fall apart. The last third gets back to the book and ends well. One aspect I hated was that Susan kisses Caspian at the end (which was unbefitting a queen). If he had kissed her hand, and looked into her eyes, it would have worked better. Also, following the kiss, there is a pop music song. Up until then, the movie had a nice symphonic score. The pop music & the kiss seemed to turn a classy movie into a TV show.

Two thoughts:

1) We watched the BBC version (from the 1980's) a month ago. In that version, when the kids retrieve their original gifts from Father Christmas, Edmund has none. He didn't get a gift because he was a rebellious traitor and wasn't with the rest when Father Christmas arrived. When Willy saw this, he was very upset and asked if Edmund would get a gift now--after he says that he's sorry. We explained that he would not; i.e., being forgiven does not erase the past and there are lasting consequences to rebellion. This effected Willy greatly. It's worth remembering for all of us.

2) In the book, when Reepicheep's companions pledge to cut off their tails, Aslan says, "You have conquered me!" I love the idea that noble companions can greatly touch the heart of God--like the four friends who dug through the roof. The new movie contains this scene, but not the emotional confession from Aslan. (By the way, in the new movie, Reepicheep is a mouse to be feared! He's not quite as pompous as in the book, but is nonetheless one of the great literary characters of all time.)

Missionary Adjustment

An old friend wrote me today and asked how our transition was going. I wanted to share some of what I wrote him:

Our lives here are going well. We like Lima. We miss our friends in Cincinnati and in Costa Rica, but if you have to live in a foreign city, Lima, Peru is a great place to live. We especially appreciate the orderly structure and amenities of this big city. Nonetheless, it’s not home and there are many aspects that are less than comfortable or simply hard to understand. It’s funny that some people make this move solely for the adventure or for financial gain. It seems costly to do that without the greater purpose of the kingdom. I once heard that ex-pats consider their original country to be home up until the 2nd year away. At that point, they don’t feel that either country is home. They simply don’t fit anywhere. After the 4th year, their new country is home. We’ve been gone from the states for 1 ½ years and we are definitely feeling the sense of a loss of identity. We’re not Cincinnati people and not XA people. We’re like Abraham, marching into a new land, a land of promise, based on faith and the call of God.

(This cross sits atop San Cristobal--a tall hill overlooking Lima.)

Arequipa

We are in Arequipa, Peru, on our way south to Arica, Chile. We're on this journey to complete the process of getting the children's residency visas. It's a blessing, because it has allowed us to visit friends who live in Arequipa--which is in the southern portion of Peru, high in the Andes mountains. Arequipa is famous for 4 things: 1) The snow capped mountains--including the famous volcano "El Misti." 2) The Cathedral and the city's staunch devotion to the Pope. It is often referred to as the Vatican of South America. 3) The white volcanic rock used to construct many of the buildings, giving the city the name "the white city." 4) Their independent spirit, giving them the titles of "The independent State of Arequipa" or "The Texas of Peru."

Meriachi Birthday

For Lena's birthday, a Peruvian pastor who works with Latin America Childcare, surprised Lena with a Mariachi band. You can see in the video, Pastora Vicky, two teachers, two LACC students, our apartment, Lena, Willy and Abi. The song the band is singing is "Felicidades!" which is "congratulations!"

41 years of Lena

Lena turns 41 today. I want to say, that I have loved our 16 1/2 years of marriage together. That makes her birthday a real cause of celebration. Lena is my best friend. She can be both extremely funny and highly spiritual in the same moment. We don't mind long trips, because we're often looking for excuses to spend more time together. We laugh, we pray, we love and we work for the same cause--the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She's my partner and an excellent mother. That's why I'm celebrating the day she was born!

(This picture of us was taken outside of Ayacucho. We're standing on the site of the last battle fought for South American independence from Spain.)

Where's the bath-robe?

I recently wrote a friend the following: The move to Peru has been a tearing down of identities. I was once a man with a large vocabulary. Now, I am a man who says, “Where is the bath-robe?”

They say, “What?”

And I say, “You know, the habitation of the urn!”

-----

In Spanish, one of the words for toilet is inodoro. If you look closely, you can see what it is saying; i.e. without odor. This is clearly a symbol of a Don Quixote type of hopefulness, in spite of reality, which is found throughout Latin culture.

-----

The picture is of Lena, Hannah, Colton and I. It was taken in a hotel parking lot in San Diego, following a missions trip to Mexico back in 2000.

Piller of Smoke & Fire

For my devotions, I do a combination of Bible reading, journaling, singing and prayer (in English, Spanish and Tongues). The anchor is the Bible reading portion. The other activities are inserted into the Bible time. I aim to read 3 chapters per day in English and selected passages in Spanish. I just finished reading Exodus. The book ends with the completion of the "Tent of Meeting" (also referred to as the Tabernacle). This was a big tent with the Ark of the covenant at one end and a larger area for animal sacrifices. The tent was the place where God's presence was manifested and was both physically and figuratively at the center of the community (i.e., all the tribes set their tents around this central tent). The final verses of Exodus read as follows:

Ex 40:34-8--Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.

I want that. I want God's presence to settle upon me in a visible fashion. I want to be lead by God's Spirit in a strong way. If He goes, I go. If He sits tight, then I sit tight. I want Him in sight in all my travels.

Please pray for me, for this to be a reality.

77 Chigger bites

During our visit to the jungle last week, I received at least 77 chigger bites. (Yes, I counted them.) Each bite, leaves a nasty, itchy bump. They don't suck your blood; rather, they inject a fluid that liquefies your skin so they can drink it! They like areas which are dark and sweaty, like the elastic area of my sock (as you can see). Other areas include your arm pits, waste band and... Well, let's just say that I won't be scratching #76 in public.

He kissed me--Croc guy - Part 2

The guy with the Croc obsession is back. This is the guy who, when he sees my crocs, yells, "What beautiful shoes!" and then tries to slip his foot into them while I'm wearing them. I ran into him in the business district of town. I was waiting to cross the street and he was standing next to me. The intersection is huge, with five streets intersecting and hundreds of cars and busses. When I saw him, I immediately looked down to see what shoes I was wearing. They were tennis shoes that he couldn't slip into. He was wearing slip on loafers that he'd cut off in the back, to make them like clogs (or Crocs). I'd been thinking about him since our last encounter. He walks miles upon miles, aimlessly, every day. He is a small, thin man with prematurely gray hair and the voice of a child. He is mentally challenged, innocent and possibly gay. I tried to think of what Jesus would do with a mentally challenged guy who kept trying to put on His sandals and I concluded that Jesus would not be afraid of him or treat him with indifference. So, I greeted him. His name is Renato and our conversation went like this:

I said, “Hi.”

He said, “Ohhhhhh, what beautiful glasses!”

“What's your name?”

“Renato.”

“My name is Bill. It's nice to meet you.”

It was clear that he had no idea who I was, or that he'd tried to climb into my shoes twice before. I extended my hand to shake his hand. He grabbed my hand and shook it eagerly, saying, “Thank you! Thank you! It’s nice to meet you too.” Then he kissed my hand and, before I knew what was happening, he kissed my cheek. I spoke to him firmly, as though I were speaking to a child and said, “No kisses, Renato!”

I tried to ask him where he lived, because I've seen him all over town. But, at my level of Spanish, I make a lot of mistakes. So, rather than ask “where” he lived, I asked “how.” I laughed inwardly, because I really was asking within, "How do you survive?"

He answered, “With my Mother and brothers.”

I asked, “So, do you just walk on the street all day long, every day?”

“Yes.”

Then he looked at me and said, “You’re face is so beautiful…you look like Jesus!”

The street light changed and we began to cross the street. I said, “Thanks. Jesus and I have a really close relationship and I like looking like him on the outside, but I’m more interested in looking like Jesus in my soul.”

He stared at me, like a person trying to see through a window and said, “The Spirit of God is all over you!”

I said, “Yes, Renato, I’m filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you have a relationship with Jesus?”

He replied, “Oh yes! I take Jesus in every day” and made the motions of a person taking communion. He was wearing a blue, plastic rosary like a necklace.

He said, “Where are you from?”

I replied, “The United States.”

He said, “The Papá (the pope) is there!”

“Yes,” I said, “he was, though I think he’s back in Italy now.”

At this point, we were standing in the middle of the cross walk, where he had stopped. We were in that space on the street between two opposing directions. It was clear that Renato had to go in another direction. I said, “I want to pray for you. May I?”

He said, “Oh yes!”

I had no idea what to pray for. I wondered, “Is he just mentally challenged or are demonic forces at work in his life?” I decided it was too soon, too public, and too in-the-middle-of-the-street to cast demons out of him. So, I prayed for God’s blessing in his life and for total healing of his body, mind and soul in the name of Jesus.

He was extremely grateful. He shook my hand and kissed it two or three times. He tried to kiss my cheek, but I held him back and said, “No kisses, Renato! No kisses!”

Then he asked, “Can I kiss your feet?”

I held him back and said, “No kisses!”

After that, he stepped into a river of people flowing down the side walk and I don’t know where he went. I do know that God loves him and (mentally challenged or not) God has a plan for his life. When I see him again, I will try to continue the conversation.

Amazon River & Jungle Part 2

April 14 & 15 found Lena and I in Iquitos, Peru. Iquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian part of the Amazon Jungle. We visited two Latin America ChildCare schools there. I wrote about the first (Luz Del Saber) in a previous blog entry (below). The second school (Victoria de Jesus) is the larger of the two and is partially submerged 3 months out of the year. Lena and I enjoyed a canoe tour of the first floor classrooms, given by Pastor Jose. I've put together a collection of some of our photos, which you can see by clicking: http://picasaweb.google.com/BillandLenaPics

Please keep the pastors and teachers of these schools in prayer. The city is rife with prostitution, drugs and unemployment. It is a area in great need of the gospel. It is also a place in which it is a huge blessing to be a missionary. Thanks to all who have kept us in prayer!

Feeling un-invited & longing for heaven

Chris Chowdhury is a friend of mine and has written an incredibly insightful entry in his blog (http://chrischowdhury.com/). Regarding a seminary counselling course, Chris wrote the following:

One concept we consistently arrived at in the course was the unshakable lie. This a lie we hear at some point in our life and then spend the rest of our life believing about ourselves unless we find truth in Christ. Everyone has a lie…
“You are ugly.”
“You are a failure.”
“It is all your fault.”
“You are stuck.”
“God will not forgive you.”
“You cannot change.”
“No one really wants to hear what you think.”

The class helped me identify (more like re-identify) the lie I keep falling for… “You are not invited.” Yeah, no matter what someone tells me or what I see in the Word of God, my default outlook is that I am not ever going to be invited to the table. What does this mean? To be invited is to be valued and to be valued is to have purpose - purpose from God. The lie someone once told me and I’ve apparently failed to relinquish says I am of no value to anyone else and they would be better off if I didn’t show up to dinner. It says I am worthless. But it’s a lie.

Follow the link above to see how Chris uses the word of God to combat this lie. I found his writing insightful, because I've had the same feelings before--especially in our shift from Chi Alpha to World Missions. In XA, I was a District Rep. I had a title and people knew my name. I could also speak the language. Here, people can't even pronounce my name and I struggle to speak. Speaking a huge part of preaching and a part of a pastor's identity. When you don't speak well, people are hesitant to invite you to preach. So, I often share the feeling of not being wanted at the table.

I think that part of this feeling in all of us is the enemy trying to make God’s kids feel like outsiders. But, I think also that another part is a God given longing for home. We are meant to be with the Lord. Mankind was created to be walking in the garden with God in a personal way. I think our feeling of “un-invitedness” is part of our souls hankering for home. When you don't feel invited to the party, and you're stuck watching the other kids have fun, you long for a friend to show up. That's why, in the last two sentences of the Bible, the Apostle John writes for all of us when he says, "Come Lord Jesus."

School on the Amazon: La Luz del Saber

April 14-15, 2008 found us in Iquitos, Peru. Iquitos is a large city on the Amazon River. The only way to get there is via plane or boat. Latin America Childcare sponsors students in two schools in Iquitos. These pictures are of the "Luz del Saber" school, which is situated next to an open sewer. As you can see, there is extreme poverty. This is a community in which the presence of the gospel makes a huge difference.

Click on the title, above, to see the slide show in a larger format. You can go from there to our main gallery of photos.

Ciabatta Bread actually is better - Part 2

Below (in the entry entitled "Ciabatta Bread actually is better") you can read about my conversation with a guy who said that all religions are the same and that all missionaries are just salesmen trying to convince you that their product is better. The joke below displays effectively the notion that sometimes the guys who's trying to sell you something is telling the truth:

Reverend Ole was the pastor of the local Norwegian Lutheran Church, and Pastor Sven was the minister of the Swedish Covenant Church across the road.

I saw them yesterday standing by the road, pounding a sign into the ground, that reads:'Da End iss Near! Turn Yourself Aroundt Now! Before It's Too Late!'

As a car sped past them, the driver leaned out his window and yelled, 'Leave us alone, you religious nuts!'

From the curve we heard screeching tires and a big splash...

Rev. Ole turns to Pastor Sven and asks, 'Do ya tink maybe da sign should yust say 'Bridge Out'?