Fried Chicken and French Fries
It all began with fried chicken and french fries. That’s what the Holy Spirit prompted me to go and eat at a street stand in Peru. I’ve learned that when prompted by the Holy Spirit, it’s best to listen and be docile. This particular day the Holy Spirit wanted me to go to a street food stand not far from where I was staying in the city of Tarapoto.
Dignity of Work
We have been able to employ some of the local men here. Four of them have been able to work full time, which has changed their lives in such a wonderful way. We have also found Mr. Sanchez, who is a woodworker, living a bit further up the mountain. We have employed him to make the home’s 19 windows and 19 doors by hand from his little humble dirt-floor home.
More Than Just a Handout
In an effort to assist the poor in a sustainable way, several missionaries have helped those in need to build their own sources of income. Starting a business can be a slow and patient process, but it’s also fairly straightforward and common in many of the countries in which we serve. People simply need some starting cash, perhaps a little training and guidance, and a good dose of encouragement.
Unexpected Joy
Only five months after our family’s arrival at our new post, we found ourselves in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, locked away from those we were sent to serve. Jesus, being who He is, still led us to the poorest of the poor. He opened so many closed doors—both literally and figuratively—for new ministries to flourish, despite the repercussions of the virus.
Unexpected Joy in an Uncertain Year
Only five months after our family’s arrival at our new post, we found ourselves in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, locked away from those we were sent to serve. Jesus, being who He is, still led us to the poorest of the poor. He opened so many closed doors—both literally and figuratively—for new ministries to flourish, despite the repercussions of the virus.
Learning the End of the Story
Isaura asked me what the Resurrection was. Angela and I looked at each other shocked, realizing that this couple, who had a large image of Jesus’ Cross on a poster above their table, had never heard of the Resurrection. The Resurrection changes everything, and this man was about to die without knowing about it.
Lockdown Ministry in Peru
I never knew living in solidarity with the poor meant being locked away from them for weeks! I think about what St. Paul must have felt when he was imprisoned: his ministries were halted by the authorities and he was unable to share the Good News as he planned. However St. Paul did not sit idle during his confinement.
Forget Not the Poor
I burst into tears. Perhaps one of the hardest things about being a missionary is seeing that, in spite of our efforts to live in solidarity with the poor, there exists a world of difference in the opportunities available to us and to them. Try as I might, I’ll never truly understand the plight of the poor.
How Kids See the World
We’re in a large port city off the Amazon River called Iquitos. One of the poorest areas that we’ve been visiting often is called Belén. I just learned that Belén is the Spanish word for Bethlehem. That realization was so profound to me because we have encountered Jesus in His poor and lowly stable every time we’ve gone to this Bethlehem.
In the Amazon
It’s been almost two weeks since we moved to our new mission post. From the jungles to the “Heart of the Amazon” (as it’s known by its inhabitants). It was a 10-hour drive through Peru and its mighty mountains, where our new home awaited. We arrived safely with only the belongings we were able to fit in our truck.
