Peru

We have been in Iquitos, Peru for over a week now and are getting ready to start our journey home this evening. I can´t believe the trip is almost over! We have had an amazing time in Peru this last week working with Drew at TBarM Camp Amazon. Here is the rundown of the week.

The first two days we spent helping Drew get ready for the youth camp that started Monday and is going on now. We cleaned cabins and bathrooms, built bunk beds, and spent a majority of time unloading and hauling grass for a new soccer field. On Saturday we got to participate in a plaza outreach. We walked around a neighborhood and gathered all the kids we could. Then we played games in the plaza with them and had the opportunity to share the gospel with the kids before we left. It has been really great getting to work with Drew and see his heart for the Peruvian people.

Monday, camp started and we got to jump in and help out. Since Monday was Peru´s day of Independence the campers all decorated their coaches as patriotic as possible, came up with team cheers, and had a parade around camp. I joined in with the Eagles (one of the girl´s teams) for the week. Tuesday and Wednesday we got to jump in with all the sports rotations: volleyball, basketball, kickball, and American football.

I think the best part about being in Peru is that I have gotten to see how Camp Amazon is coming together! I came to Peru on the trip in January of 2005, when camp wasn´t even started yet. It amazes me the work the Lord has done down here since then to put together an awesome camp experience for the Peruvians. I have also reunited with a couple girls who helped us out at the camp we put on in 2005. God has blessed me with the opportunity to see how much camp means to these kids. The girls remembered what group they were in as well as my group. They also sang their team cheers for me and my team´s cheer (which I didn´t even remember). They also named off almost every other person that came on that trip with us! It has been so fun getting to work with these girls again this week (as a couple of them are now the counselors)!

Another surprise blessing about being in Iquitos is that Deborah, who has worked with a lot of TBarM trips in the past, is here for a couple of months! I first met Deborah when she was one of our translators on a trip to Panama. It has been a lot of fun getting to be around her again and hear how the Lord is working in her life! One of the funniest memories from Peru is probably when we found out that Deborah has never had a brain freeze. We tried really hard to have her experience her first one while out to dinner with us one night, but sadly our attempts failed :).

I can´t believe this trip is ending. God has been so good to us, and I am so blessed to have been a part of God working in so many countries. I´m sad the travels are ending but looking forward to coming home and seeing all of you! Thanks again for all your prayers and support! See some of you Friday and hopefully the rest of you soon!