Peru Trip Part 2

Junior spent one week in Cusco, which gave him a chance to visit the church that we will be working with.  He was able to preach several times, go on a church picnic and see a little bit of Cusco.  Being at 11,000 ft., the altitude in Cusco was a bit of a shock.  But the Lord protected him and helped him during his time there.  Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what it looks like.



View of Cusco from the plane

Main plaza in Cusco

Quechua woman weaving

Beautiful countryside



Junior with the pastor of La Roca Church in Cusco
 

Playing ping pong with the youth group

Junior preaching at the church picnic

the streets of Cusco

Peru Trip Part 1

In March, Junior had the opportunity to visit Peru for two weeks. He spent one week visiting his family in Lima, and the other week he went up to Cusco to see where we will be serving. While in Lima, he was invited to speak at a church about missions. This was a neat opportunity because it is the first time anyone had spoken at that church about missions. It's exciting to see the Latin American church growing and starting to send out their own missionaries. Also at that church, God used him to pray for the pastor's wife who was sick. Later he found out that the she had been healed. Praise the LORD who continues to show His power!

The church in Lima

Junior and the pastor praying.

Indiana

In July we traveled to Indiana for a WGM training workshop. We also used this trip to visit some friends and share in a Church. We were going to stay at some friends' house, but because of a flooded basement we couldn't. We didn't have anywhere to stay the first few days, but then at the last minute God provided a wonderful house for us!  We thank the Wilsons for letting us stay in their lovely home with a pool! What a blessing! 

 

 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

 

 

 

Happy 4th of July!

During the Fourth of July we enjoyed camping with our family at Anderson Island, Washington.

 

 

 

VBS

In June we were honored to participate in our Church's VBS program as the guest missionary speakers. We had fun teaching the kids a little about Peru, and about how much Jesus loves them.  

Decorating the room to look like the scenery near Cusco.

 

Junior dressed up as an Inca.

 

An Answer To Prayer

We praise the LORD because He has answered our prayer for direction.  We also thank you for joining with us this past year in prayer. In February, God opened the doors for us to join World Gospel Mission (WGM), to work in Cusco, Peru. We will be working alongside the local church, helping with evangelism and discipleship.  We are excited to see what God has in store for us in Cusco!

A Christmas Letter

We're Back!  I know it has been a long time, but I am hoping to get back into my blogging.  To start off, I am posting our Christmas letter.  We hope you all have a Merry Christmas and God bless you!

Dear Friends and Family,

We pray you have a blessed Christmas time as you celebrate the birth of Jesus.  We are happy to be able to take this opportunity to share what the Lord has been doing in our lives.  This has been a year of changes and of trusting in the Lord.  God has been good to us, and we praise him because he is always faithful.

The first four months of the year were spent in Peru, as we continued to work in evangelism and preaching the gospel in the small churches outside of Lima.  One of the highlights from that time was being able to host the first ever retreat for the young men from the church.  We were blessed to see the way the Lord miraculously worked out all the details to make it possible.  We also had a special time of baptism in the river.  The members of these churches became very dear to us, and it was sad to say goodbye to them.

In May, however, we boarded a plane and returned to the United States.  Since we didn’t have the necessary support to continue in Peru, we made the decision to come back to Oregon and wait on what the Lord would have for us to do next.  Although it was hard to leave Peru, it has also been wonderful to see the ways that the Lord has worked things out for us here.  God led us to a great church and through them He has provided us with a home to live in for this first year.  It was amazing to see how the Lord gave us everything we needed to furnish the home within a week of moving in.  He is certainly a big God, who takes care of even the smallest details. 

The kids are excited to be back in the US again, but at the same time they miss Peru as well.  We continue to enjoy homeschooling, but it certainly keeps us busy with a 7^th grader, 5^th grader, 3^rd grader, Kindergartener and a preschooler.  This fall we also added soccer to the schedule.  The four oldest kids were all on teams and had a lot of fun, although it was a bit hectic getting everyone to all of the practices and games. 

As we look to 2014, we are excited to see what God has in store for us.  Our desire is to return to the mission field and be involved in ministry full time.  Please pray with us that:

·         In his time, God would open the doors for us to work in missions.

·         God would give us wisdom as we look into different mission agencies.  Pray that He would guide us to a place that would be a good fit for everyone involved.

·         For God’s provision now and for the future as we think about raising up a team of partners to join us in the ministry. 

We pray that each one of you will be filled with God’s joy and peace during this Christmas season.  This year, God reminded me to rejoice in the victory that we have through the birth of Jesus.  His birth is a powerful time of fulfilled prophecies and of God bringing the hope of salvation to his creation.  May we each grab onto the victory that we have in Jesus and praise him for it this Christmas.  “But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  I Cor. 15:57

God bless you and Merry Christmas,

Junior, Kristen, Alexis (12), Diego (10),

Lucas (8), Josh (6) and Jonathan (3)

 

Time Takers

Continuing with the brief series that I started, I will now tell about another chore that takes up some of my time here in Peru.  This is not a daily task, but is something that I only have to do once a month, and actually it falls right at this time of the month.  It is not one of my favorites time takers, nor one that I enjoy doing.  Every month it frustrates me with the inefficiency and amount of time that is wasted.  I am talking of course, about paying bills.  Here in Peru, bill paying is done a bit differently.  Nobody (that I know of) here pays with checks.  People just don't have checking accounts.  There may actually be online bill paying, but I haven't heard about it yet, and it probably wouldn't work for us anyway, since we have our bank accounts in the US and not here.  So you may be asking yourself, how do they pay bills in Peru if it isn't by check or online? 

Bills, bills, bills

Well, you go in person to a payment facility and pay your bills.  The thing that frustrates me most is that we have to go to several banks or stores to pay our bills because they aren't all payable at the same place nor due at the same time.  We have to go to one bank to pay the rent, but they don't accept payment for the electric bill.  So you have to go somewhere else to do that.  The grocery store will accept payment for the telephone bill, but not for the water or electricity.   You get the picture.  It is not convenient.   On top of that, wherever you chose to go you usually have to wait in line.  It is definitely not my favorite way to spend the time.  Occassionally it works out well, we happen to be going grocery shopping on the day the phone bill is due, or something like that.  But for the most part, it is just one more chore to add to the to do list.  Thankfully it only comes once a month. 



Yes, Jesus loves me...

Every night before bed I sing Jesus Loves Me with my 2 year old son Jonathan.  "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so...".  Today, we had the opportunity to feel the love of Jesus in a very tangible way through our brothers and sisters in Christ.

About two weeks ago, I asked for prayer for God's guidance in our lives.  Well, Junior is back from his trip to the United States, but we still don't feel that we have a clear answer.  We are still praying for God's guidance.  His bosses told him that there may be work soon, but there isn't anything immediately.  So we are still waiting and praying.  In one sense it is hard.  I don't like waiting in uncertainty about the future.  But on the other hand, I am seeing that it is also a beautiful time.  As one friend told me, we are in the perfect place to see God's miraculous working.  The only thing we can do is trust him and wait on him, and there is nothing better that we can do. 

For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him.  Isaiah 64:4

Today, in the midst of our waiting, we had a visit from some friends from the church that we work with.  They came to show us their support and love during this time of waiting.  They came to pray with us and encourage us.  Their desire is that we continue working with the church here and they are willing to do whatever they can to help.  So they gave us a very generous offering. It is so humbling to be given money, especially when it comes from people that the world would consider "poor."  They may not have much financially, but they are beautiful, generous people who today gave freely to us to show us their love and God's love.  Praise the Lord for them.  In addition to that, two other people blessed us as they were able today.  To top it all off, a neighbor shared a glass of pop with us as we were passing his house, simply because we are brothers and sisters in Christ.  I feel like I say this often, but it is truly a wonderful thing to be part of God's family. 

So we continue to pray, and we continue to wait, but we also praise God for his faithfulness, his love, his provision, and his amazing power.  He knows what we need and just when we need it. 

How has God shown his love to you in these days? 

A Request

Please pray for our family in the days ahead.  As most of you know, we have been praying for provision and guidance.  God has not opened a door here in Peru yet, although we are still praying.  So today Junior traveled up to the United States.  He is headed back to Oregon to talk to his former employer about getting his job back.  We ask that the Lord will be the one guiding us.  If he has plans for us back in Oregon, then we pray that he opens the doors there for work.  If he has other plans, then we pray that he will close the doors there.  Thank you for joining with us in prayer.  We will be sure to keep you posted. 

Diego

This past week Diego celebrated his 10th birthday.  We are very proud of him and pray that God will continue to bless him.  We had a special birthday party for him with his friends from AWANA (a Bible club). 

Diego at 10

He likes soccer.

The cake was yummy!

 

 

Everyone was very hot after an exciting game of soccer

Time Takers

Dear loyal blog readers, if there are any of you left, I apologize for the long absence.  Normally the first half of the year goes by slowly for me, but this year I have barely blinked and already it is the middle of March.  Wow!  I guess I haven't been writing for awhile because I have lacked inspiration.  I need some sort of a schedule or series to keep me writing, but I have yet to find something that works for me.  I am going to make an effort to write a bit more regularly.  I'll try!  I have decided to do a short series on our life here in Peru. 

When I wonder where the time goes, I look back at my day and feel as if I haven't accomplished much.  I usually manage to feed the family, do the laundry and finish homeschooling for the day.  But that is about all I can get done.  Part of that, I have decided, is that some things just take longer to do here in Peru.  So that is what my series will focus on.  Little things that I have to do each day (or almost every day), that I didn't have to do in the United States.  The little chores that take up a few minutes here, or a few second there, but all added together help fill up my day.  I'll call them "Time Takers." 

So my first time taker will deal with laundry.  Why not start with the dirty laundry, right?  :-)  We have a small patio here where we have our washing machine and 3 short clothes lines.  I feel blessed that the Lord provided us with a washer, because there are sooo many people here in Peru that have to wash their clothes by hand.  Talk about taking a lot of time!  Truly I am so thankful to have a washing machine.  So that isn't a problem, but what I don't have is a dryer.  Here in Peru, not many people do have dryers.  The weather is pretty warm most of the year, and clothes can easily air dry.  Most people have clothes lines on the roof of their house or in a patio (like us).  Since I have only 3 short lines, I have to do laundry every single day in order for it to fit.  In the US I used to do 5 or 6 loads of laundry all in one day, and I could get it all done.  Here, however, I only have room to hang and dry one load per day, and even at that I have to be pretty creative with my use of clothesline space. Although hanging clothes on the line is a job that I enjoy, it definitely takes more time than throwing a load of laundry in the dryer.  But I enjoy it because I feel that at least in some tiny way I am doing my bit to save energy, save the planet, save money, etc., etc. 

Our patio - where we do laundry, store bikes, hang up clothes,
and whatever else we need to use it for.

So it isn't much, but that is my first post of the Time Takers series - hanging my laundry on the clothesline. 

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

Eph. 5:15-17 (ESV)

May we all use our time wisely.

Christmas at our house - by Alexis

Christmas is my favorite time of year because we celebrate God's gift to us: Jesus. Whenever I look at the tree or hear one of my favorite Christmas carols, a tingling feeling of joy and happiness comes over me.  Here are a few pictures I took of our decorations.  I hope you like them!



MMMMMM....spritz!

Beautiful ornament

 

BIG tree

Merry Christmas!

Christmas in July

OK, I know it isn't really July, but that is what Christmas here in the southern hemisphere feels like.   The seasons are the opposite from those in the US.  We are definitely not walking in a Winter Wonderland, or Dashing through the snow.  We are just entering summer and the temperature is rising. So it feels like Christmas in July. It has been so nice lately, that we decided to take a trip to the beach.  The day turned out a bit cloudy, but it was still warm enough to enjoy the surf and the sand.  As you can see, the kids had a great time. 




Merry Christmas from Peru

Although we miss the snow, sledding on Mt. Hood, and sipping hot cocoa in front of the fireplace, we can't complain about being able to go to the beach two weeks before Christmas. 

Corcona Church Anniversary

About a month ago, the church up in Corcona that we work with celebrated an anniversary.  They had a special church service for  the occassion, with lots of singing, preaching, testimonies, and even a skit performed by the children of the church.  Afterwards, we celebrated with a big lunch.  It was a fun time, and we were glad to be able to share in the festivities with them.  I wanted to show you all a bit of what it is like to be in a church service here, so I shot a short video.  I must tell you that I am obviously no professional.  This is the first video I have ever made.  I apologize for the wiggly shots, but I just wanted to try something a little different.  My sister posts a video every month on her blog, so she inspired me to give it a try.  I hope this gives you a feel for what the churches are like here where we are working.
 


Corcona from Kristen Vega on Vimeo.

Back to School

Most people started back to school several weeks ago.  We weren't able to.  For the last few weeks we have been busy trying to get our school books out of customs so that we could begin the school year.  We ordered our books and had them shipped here from the US, but due to a variety of complications we couldn't get them out of customs.  The most unique of the problems we encountered was that you can't import maps of Peru into the country without special government permission.  That is a rule that I knew nothing about.  So while we ran around town trying to get the necessary documents, and making phone calls, the days ticked by. 

We had hoped to start school about the same time as people in the US, so we were extremely discouraged by not being able to get our books.  The red tape they were requiring of us and the inefficiency of the system was so frustrating.  I couldn't understand why God was letting this happen.  What could possible be the point of having our books held up in customs for 3 weeks?  Who benefits from that?  As I talked to others, however, I realized that my problems, as frustrating as they are, really are trivial.  The world will not end if we start school a few weeks after everyone else.   Things don't always have to go according to my schedule.   Life will go on, and we will survive.  Here in Peru, they have a much more laid back approach to schedules and time lines.  Things will happen when they happen.  For example, one of the major roadways (I hesitate to call it a highway) from Lima to the interior of the country is closed for renovation.  It has been closed for a year, and in the meantime, the traffic is detoured through side streets and residential neighborhoods.  In America, no one would have approved this slow construction time or this inconvenience to traffic and residents alike.  But what can people here do?  There really isn't much to be done, but just to live through it.  As an American, I feel like I should have certain rights.  I have the right to good customer service, efficiency, being treated with respect, a certain degree of convenience.  But in the rest of the world, things don't always work that way.  Things don't always go the way you think they should.  I'm not saying that we should all just kick back and let life go by as it will.  But it just serves to remind me that even when I can't control the situation, there is someone who is in control.  There is a master schedule for all of our lives, and while things may frustrate us, "set us back", or detour us from what we had planned, in the end we have the assurance of knowing that none of it is happening by chance.  We know that there is a God who loves us and is ordering our lives.  He has our best in mind.  So we can rest in him, wait on him, and let him fight our battles.  Sometimes we just have to accept what He gives us, even though it isn't what we would have asked for. 

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."  Pr. 16:9

I praise the Lord because he sees the bigger picture, and he knows the end of the story.  I know that I can trust in him in all things.  God is good ALL the time.

Well, this story does have a happy ending.  Last week we finally went down to customs ourselves and did all of the paperwork in one day.  Thanks to the Lord we got our books and this week we started back to school.

Celebrating "Box Day".  Thank you Lord for
helping us get our school books

Diego is happy to be in fourth grade and also enjoys playing soccer.

Lucas is starting second grade and just lost his front tooth.

Joshua is very excited to finally be in Kindergarten.

Jonathan is two and loves playing with his tiger.

Alexis is in sixth grade and now has a heavier workload.

A Surprise Party!

This week I celebrated my birthday.  I had a lovely day because I was able to talk to many of my friends and family around the world.  Just as the day was winding down and I was getting my kids ready for bed, I got a call from Junior.  He had gone up to the church in Corcona for the Wednesday night church service.  He told me that he would soon be arriving home with a group from the church.  Although I don't usually go up to Corcona for the Wednesday night service (since it is late and difficult for the kids), they had gotten word that it was my birthday and had prepared me a special meal.  They were disappointed to find that I hadn't come up for church, so they decided to come home with Junior and help me celebrate.  About 9:30 PM they arrived here with food and a birthday cake.  It was a wonderful surprise.  It made me feel so honored that they would be willing to drive one hour down the mountain to help me celebrate my birthday practically in the middle of the night.  After singing, sharing, eating and praying together, they all headed home about 11:30.  It was a long day, but a great chance to spend some time getting to know the members of the church better.  So I thank the Lord for their big hearts, their flexibility and their kindness. 

These kids came along and sang me a special song.

Here I am with some of the members of the church.