Stay At The Table

Staying At The Table from Dennis Smith

Young Volunteer Program

Resource:  Dennis Smith

Friends:

The Young Adult Volunteer program is one of the best things we do as PCUSA. Please take a look at the attached materials and think if you or someone you know might be able to participate in this great program!

YAV Recruitment Invitation - Fall 2013

YAV Palm Card - 2013

YAV Info Flyer - Fall 2013

Saludos,

Dennis A. Smith

dennis.smith@pcusa.org

Regional Liaison, Brazil and Southern Cone, Presbyterian World Mission

Enlace Regional, Brasil y el Cono Sur, Misión Mundial Presbiteriana

Representante Regional, Brasil e Cone Sul, Missão Mundial Presbiteriana

Sucre 2855, 3o

1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina

Mobile: (+54)11-6621-8944

Residence: (+54)11-4776-0966

www.presbyterianmission.org

Microsoft Launches Quechua App For Tablets

Resource:  Peru This Week

By Rachel Chase

Proponents of Quechua hope that using the language in a technological setting will help to preserve the indigenous tongue.

Microsoft is helping to preserve the indigenous language of Quechua through a rather unexpected medium: the app.

According to Andina news agency, Microsoft is launching an application with tablet tools in Quechua for Windows tablet devices. Andina reports that the launch will take place on Thursday, Oct. 24, in the Cusco Conventions Center. The launch is part of Quechua Week, an event sponsored by the Ministry of Culture that aims to celebrate and promote the indigenous language.

Cusco writer Luis Nieto Degregori told Andina that by using Quechua in high-tech devices, proponents of its use can make sure it lives on for years to come. “Quechua should be in computers, in cell phones, in tablets— it’s very important; it’s a language of the present and of the future, and this is one of the ways to make sure Quechua doesn’t disappear,” Nieto Degregori, the author of acclaimed 2003 book “Cuzco después del amor” (“Cusco after the love”) said.

Quechua is the most widely-spoken indigenous language in South America. According to 2007 Peruvian census data, there are more than 3 million Quechua speakers in the country. There may be as many as 10 million Quechua speakers worldwide.

How Many Trees In The Amazon?

Resource:  Chicago Tribune

By Steve Johnson

There are almost 400 billion trees in the Amazon River basin, “close to the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy,” says Nigel Pitman, a Field Museum visiting scientist who is second author of a new study that provides the best answer yet to this difficult-to-quantify question.

The study, published today in the journal Science, calculates that there are roughly 16,000 tree species in the vast and varied region, roughly the size of the continental U.S., but that just 227 of those species, including Brazil nut, chocolate, rubber, and acai berry trees, comprise about half of all the trees.

Veterans Day Concert

Resource:  Jim Harrill jharrill@martinandharrill.com

The Annual Veterans Day concert for the community at South Mecklenburg High School, Wednesday, November 6 at 7:00 PM in the auditorium.

The public is invited!

Catching Up With The Dimmocks

Resource:  Sharon Presbyterian Church eDesciple

Our PC(USA) missionaries Nancy and Frank Dimmock are living mostly on two different continents
in their new assignments. Frank works at The General Assembly in Louisville, KY, as one of three
new mission catalysts, traveling to many nations to help with poverty and health issues. His vast
experience since 1979 of working with women and children in Africa will aid our larger church’s
understanding of world poverty.

Nancy is in Lusaka, Zambia, as the Young Adult Coordinator (YAV), organizing sites and programs for young adults to participate in a transforming year in mission work. Three of their children live in Zambia with her; four other children and one new grandchild live in southeastern US. Andrew stayed in Lesotho to continue his schooling.

Folk Art From Ayacucho Finds Admirers

Resource:  Peru This Week

By Rachel Chase

Artisans who were forced to leave Ayacucho during years of terrorism have returned and restarted their work.

The Peruvian region of Ayacucho was hit especially hard during the years of terrorism. Many people fled the area, facing hardship and restarting their lives in other parts of the country.

Among those affected were folk artists in Ayacucho. According to El Comercio, violence forced artisans and potential customers alike out of the area. Now, however, some have been able to return to Ayacucho, where their folk artwork has become a local attraction.

Textile artisan Fernando Arango of Qorimaqui (“golden hands” in Quechua) workshop in Huamanga explained his enthusiasm for his work. Speaking to Aaron Ormeño of El Comercio, Arango said “Since I was a kid, I’ve been working, my dad made me work. I’ve been learning and working since I was eight years old. And eventually, I found my vocation, which is my passion, folk art [artesania]. I get to express what I’m feeling, all my emotions […] I express them all in my pieces.”

“The motifs [on the pieces] are always generally very traditional, but also modern, you know? It depends a lot on the customer.” Arango said. Pointing to a traditional floral design incorporating plants native to the Peruvian Andes, he added, “We also try to express our customs, our traditions.”

El Comercio reports that Arango has even found success in the United States, having sold 500 embroidered belts to US buyers in 2012. “We do the embroidery by hand. We work with people who are specialists at this […] People really like the floral details that we incorporate into the designs. We use alpaca, sheep, and cotton fibers to make the woven goods, always with natural dyes. We want to keep growing, so the talent of Ayacucho will become more well-known within Peru and in different parts of the world.”

Read more...

Providing Medical Help In Peru

Resource: The Sylva Herald
By Nick Breedlove

The old adage goes: “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”

When Jerry Parker of Cullowhee and Janet James of Sylva traveled to Peru in August as part of a medical assistance team, they did just that.

Parker and James were part of a Mountain Medics International trip that provided dental and medical care to residents of remote villages in the Andes Mountains. MMI’s mission is “improving the health and quality of life of mountain communities that provide a home to some of our world’s poorest and underserved populations.”

James is a nurse practitioner in Dr. Clifford Mault’s office and Parker is a pharmacist in Bryson City.

Along with nine other team members from across the country, they hiked some 60 miles over the course of 10 days and saw hundreds of villagers in need of medical attention.

Graham Rogers of Colorado, who is married to a Peruvian woman, organized the trip.

The hike in was grueling, the pair said.

People told James the hike would be a lot like Sylva’s Pinnacle Park, which turned out to be an understatement, she said.

“It didn't even compare,” James said laughing, adding “now the Pinnacle seems like a piece of cake.”

James and Parker raised funds and contributed their own money, some $3,300, and donated their time to the cause. Mike Hamrick, a Bryson City dentist, also went on the trip, where he performed countless dental procedures.

The group flew into Lima, Peru, then took an eight-hour bus ride on winding, narrow roads to Huaraz before beginning their foot journey.

Assisted by 26 burros, the group made the trek and adapted to the climate and elevation. Their acclimatization was a 3,500 foot hike up into the mountains.

Read more...

Lima, Peru Named Host Of 2019 Pan American Games

Resource:  thespec

A body of 41 national sports organizations voted on Friday (October 11), with countries that have hosted previous Pan Am Games getting two votes.

The Peruvian capital won with 31 votes, beating out Santiago, Chile, La Punta, Argentina, and Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela.

Lima is hosting the Games for the first time. It was beaten out by Toronto for the rights to the 2015 Games.

Peru: Let The Fire Burn Bright

Resource:  The Baptist Standard

By Janet Ruiz

On a recent Sunday after church, the pastor brought out a small grill he bought and wanted to use. He had never grilled in his life, and I had never started a fire in my life. So, this was a new experience for both of us.

We got the coal, wood and cardboard. We tried to start the fire by burning the cardboard and the wood. That material would burn fast, but the coal did not want to light. It was embarrassing how long it took us to get the coal to fire up, but once we got it burning, it continued to burn. It made me think about the church members.

I see members who come to church, sit in a pew and leave after every service, but it is always the same people. I see no growth, no true communion between the members, and no one wanting to step up to serve. It is a bit discouraging, but the thing that sparked a flame of hope in my life was the idea that maybe the members are like the coal.

What if they take a lot more time and energy to light? We must not give up and continue pouring into them, because they might just light up when we least expect it. We have the assurance that once they light up, they will not burn out.

The problem I see is that all the people here in the town think they know about God, but because of the actions of some church members, they decide to stay away from church. They respect the pastor and his family for what they do for the community, but they do not dare step into a church service.

God placed in my heart the desire to prayer-walk the town. Talking to people, I know they want more. We must pray like never before and trust God will open their eyes. It is my desire to see a church that burns bright for God. Only then will the town be willing to hear.

Janet Ruiz, a student at the University of Texas-Pan American, is serving with Go Now Missions in Peru.

Sharon Presbyterian Church, (PCUSA) Charlotte, NC 28210 is honored to host a book signing at Sharon On Wednesday on November 6th for the new book by Ken Garfield, Billy Graham: A Life in Pictures.

Ken, former Religion editor for The Charlotte Observer, will speak to us about the book and share some stories about Rev. Graham beginning at 6:15 p.m. in the Chapel, and he will be available to personally autograph your book following his talk.

Pre-order copies of the book at a reduced price ($11 each)

Toby's Adoption Day!!!

Resource: gringacharapa.blogspot.com
By Pam McAbee McGraw

In our hearts it has been official since Thursday, May 23 when we received a phone call telling us we had matched with a birth mother - we were instantly attached, instantly in love, instantly a family – before he was even born and before we ever laid an eye on our beautiful baby boy. But today, Thursday, October 10 (11 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days since this amazing journey began), it is now legal and we are more in love than ever!!!

In celebration of Toby's life we want to honor the woman whose love and sacrifice made our little family of 3 possible. We hope you will take the time to read my newest blog post entitled "Birth Mother." Please feel free to repost, forward, email, print or otherwise share it. Click this link to get to my blog: www.gringacharapa.blogspot.com or type this address into your web browser.

Pam McAbee McCraw
www.gringacharapa.blogspot.com

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:13

Peru Presentation

Resource:  Sharon Presbyterian Church

Participants in the 2013 Mission Trip to Peru will share their personal experiences and photographs during the Sunday School hour on Sunday, October 13, 2013.

The presentation will take place at 9:30 am in The Chapel.

Coffee, juice and a light snack will be served.

Everyone is invited to attend; this is an excellent opportunity to hear about this meaningful extension of mission for Sharon Presbyterian.

Quechua Bible Welcomed In Ayacucho & Huanta

Resource:  United Bible Societies
From:  Carol Weaver of Wycliffe Information Services

Last month thousands of speakers of Ayacucho Quechua in Peru joined together to celebrate the publication of a new, updated version of the Bible in their language.

They flooded into the city of Ayacucho (also known as Huamanga) and the town of Huanta, singing and celebrating and waving banners with Scripture verses. Young and old, men and women – they all gathered in the town squares to witness the official launch of the new translation and to buy their own copies at subsidized prices.

Within a month, all the copies were sold and a second print-run is under way.

One million speakers

Peru’s one million Ayacucho Quechua-speakers have had the Bible in their language for more than 25 years, so why is this new translation being welcomed so enthusiastically? It’s because most of them now find it very difficult to understand, explains the Peruvian Bible Society:

“The terrorism in the Ayacucho region in the 1980s forced many Quechua people to abandon their rural communities to seek safety in the cities. The Ayacucho Quechua Bible was published in 1987, at the height of this conflict. The upheaval led to significant changes in the language. New terms have absorbed into the language from the Spanish spoken in the city and some old Quechua expressions are no longer used. Young people today cannot understand some of the language used in the original Bible translation.”

Read more...

Satellite Reveals 'Hidden' Palm Plantation In Amazon Rainforest

Resource:  Mongabay

By Rhett A. Butler

Peruvian official surprised by appearance of 1,000 hactares (2,471 acres) Amazon oil palm plantation. Newspaper report was first the forestry authority heard of the plantation.

A regional forestry official in Peru has expressed surprise over the sudden appearance of a 1000-hectare oil palm plantation in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, reports La Region.

Notified of the new plantation, which according to remote sensing data was established between last December and this past May near Tamshiyacu, Peru, Abel Benitez Sanchez, Regional Program Director of Forest Management and Wildlife for the Department of Loreto, told the newspaper he hadn't authorized the project nor granted a logging concession in the area. The regional attorney general is now opening an investigation into the development, which would have required a business plan, environmental impact assessment, and soil survey before proceeding.

Satellite imagery provided to mongabay.com by Clinton Jenkins showing an area of forest 12 kilometers outside Tamshiyacu, Peru. The first image shows the state of the forest on December 7, 2012. The second images shows the new plantations on May 28, 2013. The third image provides context at landscape scale.

The revelation comes less than six months after a developer was caught leveling 7,000 hectares for an oil palm plantation. The developer initially denied clearing rainforest, but satellite data provided by scientists working in the area demonstrated the company was misleading the public.

"Those planning to raze the Amazon forest for industrial oil palm plantations should be on notice," said Clinton Jenkins, a GIS-expert at North Carolina State University, at the time. "We can see everything they do from space, and so they will be exposed when they lie."

While palm oil development in the Peruvian Amazon is currently low relative to other parts of the world, plantations have rapidly expanded in recent years, raising fears that it could become a major driver of deforestation in the region. A study published in the journalEnvironmental Research Lettersin 2012 found that 72 percent of oil palm expansion in the Peruvian Amazon since 2000 has come at the expense of forest. The study concluded that expansion into forest areas was more common with industrial plantations, rather than low-yield plantations established by smallholders.

Perú Comes To Street View

Resource:  Digital Trends

By Trevor Mogg

Street View cars are continuing to make their way around the world, with Peru the latest country to join the ranks of those visited by the Mountain View company’s camera-laden motors.

In fact, according to a Google+ post announcing the news, the South American nation is the 51st country to join Street View, with its major cities now among more than 3,000 around the world that’ve been given the Street View treatment.

To make the most of your armchair-based Street View trip to Peru, be sure to click on the thumbnail images at the bottom right of your screen to bring up a panel offering more full-size images of a location or famous landmark using public user-contributed photos from Picasa and Panaromio .

Where possible, Google has brought these images together to create a photo tour that show a particular location from multiple angles, with the pictures morphing from one to another. Such tours are currently available for more than 15,000 famous sites around the world.

The Street View team also said it has expanded its coverage of Chile, with a colossal 21,000 miles of the country’s roads now mapped by its vehicles. Among South American nations, Google’s Street View cars have also mapped parts of Brazil.

Google has been rolling out a ton of Street View updates in recent months. Besides adding 360-degree imagery for more unusual locations – the interior of the world’s largest passenger plane, the top of the highest building in the world, and Doctor Who’s TARDIS among them – it also recently launched a new behind-the-scenes site offering users the chance to find out more about how some of the content was gathered.

Webinar Invitation

Grace and peace to you.

Join us for a webinar to learn from and pray with our partners working in Egypt. Hear how our brothers and sisters are being impacted by recent happenings, and learn how God is present in the midst of this situation. We will have the chance to hear from one of our Egyptian global partners, a Presbyterian mission co-worker, and Amgad Beblawi, World Mission's Area Coordinator for the Middle East.

When: Thursday, August 29 at 1:00 PM (EST)

To register for this webinar

We hope you will be able to join us for this important conversation. Please share this event with your congregations and colleagues.

In Christ,

Hunter Farrell

Director, Presbyterian World Mission

Mission Crossroads PC(USA)

Lima's Dreaded Skies

Resource: Yahoo News

For roughly four months a year, the sun abandons Peru's seaside desert capital, suffocating it under a ponderous gray cloudbank and fog that coats the city with nighttime drizzles.

The 19th-century writer and seafarer Herman Melville called Lima "the strangest and saddest city thou can'st see."

Other writers have likened its leaden winter sky to "the belly of a burro."

Barometers often read 100 percent humidity, and rheumatoid and bronchial ailments soar in the city of 9 million.

Limenos don scarfs and jackets and complain of slipping into a gloom of seasonal depression.


Fog Covered Stairs Leading To The Bella Vista del Paraiso Neighborhood

This year, Lima has had a particularly bad bout of winter, its coldest, dampest in 30 years, according to the state meteorological agency, with temperatures dropping to a sodden 12 degrees centigrade (about 54 degrees Fahrenheit).

The cold Humboldt current that runs north from Antarctica along the coast is the culprit, colliding with the warmer tropical atmosphere to create the blinding mists called "garua" in coastal Chile and Peru.

Of course no one suffers Lima's winters like the poor huddled in its hilly, fog-draped peripheries.

In one cardboard-and-wood shack, 41-year-old Digna Salvador tells a visiting journalist that it takes her clothing 12 days to dry on the line. Four of her nine children are sick with bronchitis.

Her 10-month-old, Marcos, coughs incessantly as she holds him in her arms.

Salvador says the highlands province from which she hails, Cajamarca, is much colder in winter.

"But everything is sad here," she says. "In winter, it's as if we're living enclosed in a cloud."

8 Things You Should Never Carry In Your Wallet

Resource:  Finance Answers
By Kim Carleton

1.  Social Security Card 
Anything that has your Social Security number on it is extremely dangerous to lose. According to identity theft experts, your Social Security card is the absolute worst item to lose. If you happen to be a retiree you should take out your Medicare card as well (your SSN is on this as well). Be sure to check all the items in your wallet and keep your SSN to yourself.

2.  Checks 
Blank checks are a huge risk. Thieves can easily empty your checking account with a single piece of paper. Even if you've already filled out a check you are still at financial risk. Because your check contains routing and account numbers, almost anyone could transfer funds from your account. Only carry paper checks when they are absolutely necessary and leave the rest at home.

3.  Passport 
Your passport literally opens a world of possibilities for a thief. With a government-issued photo ID anyone can travel in your name, open bank accounts, or even get a copy of your social security card. Instead of carrying your passport try to only bring a driver's license or another form of personal ID while in the U.S.

4.  Password Cheat Sheet 
With so many different sites and accounts to access, we understand it can be difficult to keep track of passwords these days. However, carrying a list of them can lead to horrible consequences if misplaced. If you must write down your passwords we suggest you keep the list safe in a locked box at home or consider an encrypted mobile app in order to protect your identity.

5.  Spare Keys
A lost wallet containing a spare key and a home address is basically an invitation for a burglar. Carrying a spare key in your wallet puts not only your assets but also your family at risk. At the very least you'll have to pay for a locksmith to change your locks.

6.  Receipts
Fortunately businesses are no longer allowed to print any information containing your credit or debit card's expiration date or more than the last five digits of your credit card number. However, a clever thief can still use limited info and merchant material to phish for your remaining numbers. Try to shred and clear old receipts from your wallet at least a few times a week and keep your identity safe.

7.  Birth Certificate
Although a birth certificate itself won't get identity thieves very far, "birth certificates could be used in correlation with other types of fraudulent IDs," Junker says. Be especially cautious on occasions when you are carrying all of your important documents at once because someone can come along and steal them all.

8.  Multiple Cards
Carrying a single card is much safer than several. More plastic runs a greater risk and leaves you with more cards to cancel if your wallet is stolen. Carrying a single card is much safer and can be very helpful in the event of an unplanned emergency. It is also a good idea to know your cards' cancellation numbers or have them written down in case you need to cancel your credit cards.

We hope you gained some valuable knowledge from this list. When it comes to your identity and assets there's no such thing as being too cautious. Losing your wallet or purse can be an inconvenience but taking these steps can stop it from being a disaster.

In Perú, Fly The Flag In July, Or Pay Up

Resource:  Times-Standard National & World News

Anyone traveling in Peru in recent weeks could easily have concluded it's among the world's most patriotic nations. Until they find out why the national flag is flapping virtually everywhere: Failing to fly the banner for Independence Day can bring a hefty fine.

Under a 1939 national law, Peruvian homes, businesses and institutions are required to fly the red-and-white standard from July 27 through July 30 to honor Independence Day, which falls on July 28.

But some municipalities require that the flag be flown for the entire month of July, or even longer. Enforcement varies from municipality to municipality.

There is uniformity neither in the specified time period nor in the penalty for non-compliance.

Fines begin at about $20 and can run as high as $380, according to a 2011 study by the Peruvian Institute of Municipal Administration.

So, flags are everywhere.

And more often than not, they are affixed to roofs far from the street—where they can't be easily stolen

Ethernet In Huanta

This past year, mission members were able to connect to the WiFi network from the engineering office next to the La Posada del Marques in Huanta.  Albeit, it was only available in the hotel lobby area.  We have heard that the engineering group might be leaving at the completion of their project in August of 2014, possibly earlier.  So, the free WiFi might not be available when we return in July.

We are not sure if WiFi will ever be available in the hotel rooms.  There are new Ethernet cables in each room of the hotel, so if you decide to bring a laptop in the coming years, you should have no problem connecting.

WiFi connections with smart phones and tablets will be another issue.  I have ordered an adapter/converter that I hope will enable us to plug an Ethernet cable to a tablet.  As the order arrives and we try the converter with different tablets and phones, we will keep you posted of the results.

We can always return to the Internet Cafes too...

We Need You!

If you have ever thought about joining the adult mission trip to Perú, next year will be a wonderful opportunity to use the gifts and talents that God has given you.  The trip is scheduled for July 11-21, 2014.

The 2014 trip is going to be big!  So big in fact, that we have already started the planning!

The tentative work scheduled for us is to assist in completing the new kitchen for the Cristo Rey church in Huanta.  Hopefully the new kitchen (and new Sanctuary) will be completed for the Bible Institute students that will be returning to school later in the month of July.

All participant's talents will be needed!  The kids and members of Cristo Rey and Huanta are anxiously waiting for our return too!

Please search your hearts and prayerfully consider joining us.

More news and information coming soon!

Use Your Gifts Of Service On Western North Carolina Mission Trip

On October 24 - 27, 2013, Sharon Presbyterian Church will participate in the third annual Western North Carolina adult mission trip.

Partnering with Bryson City Presbyterian Church, we will be providing assistance to those residents of Swain County, NC, who have fallen on hard times. These individuals are physically and financially unable to maintain their homes and yards.

During the previous trips, the team has rebuilt disability ramps, installed tile flooring and cabinets, stacked fire wood, cleaned yards, trimmed shrubs, painted homes, replaced windows and siding, and repaired porch floors.

As noted in 1 Peter 4, we are to serve with the gifts we are given by the Lord. We invite you to consider participating in this year’s mission trip. No particular skill or experience level required. This is a great opportunity for you to use your gifts in service to others and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina.

For additional information contact David Spivey, 704-604-3644, spiveys_@msn.com.

The Week That Changed Me

A story from the Sturgis, SD, mission trip shared anonymously by one of our youth

Last week really changed me and I just want to tell everybody what happened. 

During Thursday’s evening program they gave us all a Band-Aid. The question of the night was ‘Why do you fear when Jesus is with you?’ They asked us to put the Band-Aid on our hand to cover our wound. My wound was the fear of being alone in life.

Even though I was surrounded by lots of people, I never interacted with the group. I hid myself from everybody, even people who did notice me.

To end the program we prayed and then Ashley the Emcee asked us to put our Band-Aids on the cross when we were ready to give up our fear. After she said that, I immediately got up and started to walk down. I placed my Band-Aid on the cross and sat down on the wall. That night I accepted that I didn't have confidence in myself. That night was really moving to me.

The next day I saw Jesus work through me as I went up to people and talked and hung out with them.  It was like my fear was gone, before that night I did't really have faith in Jesus. But the next day, like that, I switched groups and became faithful.  I don't really know what happened to me that made me change so much but today I feel like a new person.  That Work Camp was the best thing that I have ever done in my entire life.

August 9 - International Day Of The World's Indigenous Peoples

Resource:  United Nations

"On this International Day, I pledge the full support of the UN system to cooperate with indigenous peoples, including their media, to promote the full implementation of the Declaration."  Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

2013 Theme:

"Indigenous peoples building alliances:  Honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements"

The International Day of the World's Indigenous People (9 August) was first proclaimed by the General Assembly in December 1994, to be celebrated every year during the first International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (1995 – 2004).

In 2004, the Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade, from 2005 – 2014, with the theme of "A Decade for Action and Dignity." The focus of this year's International Day is "Indigenous peoples building alliances: Honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements."

The theme aims to highlight the importance of honouring arrangements between States, their citizens and indigenous peoples that were designed to recognize indigenous peoples' rights to their lands and establish a framework for living in proximity and entering into economic relationships. Agreements also outline a political vision of different sovereign peoples living together on the same land, according to the principles of friendship, cooperation and peace.

A special event at UN Headquarters in New York will be held on Friday, 9 August, starting at 3pm, featuring the UN Secretary-General, the Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, a delegate of Panama, a representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, and an indigenous representative. The event will be webcast live at webtv.un.org.

Also on 9 August, hundreds of indigenous and non-indigenous rowers are scheduled to arrive at Pier 96 at 57th Street in Manhattan at 10am, after having collectively travelled thousands of miles on rivers and horsebacks to honour the first treaty -– the Two Row Wampum -– concluded between Dutch immigrants and the Haudenosaunee (a confederacy of six nations, with capital in the Onondaga nation, in NY State) 400 years ago, in 1613. They will gather with members of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at 1:30pm.

We Have Returned!

Granadilla Fruit

We're back from our recent trip to Lircay and Huanta, Perú!

I know that it doesn't look like we are doing much here on the blog, but we are working hard to get pictures posted into the photo albums of the 2013 Perú Mission Trip and Logo Sightings.

More to come here very soon.

Liberty Island Reopens - Ellis Island Remains Closed

Debris Left From The Storm Surge On Ellis Island

The article below is posted to honor the hard work of the National Park Service and this year's mission participant Diana Pardue.

Resource:  Yahoo News

By Holly Bailey

For more than 100 years, Ellis Island has been an important symbol of the nation’s immigration system, a place where more than 12 million people passed through between 1892 and 1924 seeking a better life in America. And since 1990, when Ellis Island reopened as a museum, millions more have walked through its doors, seeking to understand its role in creating the nation’s “melting pot” of culture and their own family roots.

But for the past eight months, Ellis Island has been eerily quiet, another victim of the rage of Superstorm Sandy. The Oct. 29 storm flooded the island with what National Park Service officials say was at least an 8-foot wall of water, destroying its electrical system and damaging many of its historic buildings—including the immigration museum.

“We went back through the historical records, and Ellis Island has never seen a storm like this. … We thought the buildings were on high enough ground, but nobody imagined water coming over the walls like it did,” Diana Pardue, head of museum services for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, said. “It was a very damaging storm.”

Neighboring Liberty Island, home to the Statue of Liberty, also sustained major damage from Sandy—adding up to a combined $59 million in damage to both islands, according to the NPS. But after months of renovations—including the rebuilding of its electrical system, walkways and boat docks--Liberty Island will reopen Thursday in time for the Independence Day holiday.

Yet Ellis Island will remain dark, closed until at least next year. Park officials, who had put all their focus on getting Liberty Island back open, say they will soon turn their attention to Ellis Island, where they will undertake a massive renovation aimed not only at repairing Sandy damage but protecting the island from future storms.

“The decision was made early on that we didn't just want to put everything back where it was so that if there is another storm like this” the island is better prepared, Pardue said.

While park officials say they are only now beginning to plot the exact details of the rebuilding process at Ellis Island, their early decisions mirror those made by building owners in Lower Manhattan who are being forced to bring their structures, many of which are more than 100 years old, into the modern age.

Read more...

New Assignments For The Dimmocks

The Dimmock Family

This July, our missionaries Frank and Nancy Dimmock will move to Lusaka, Zambia, in Africa. Presbyterian World Missions has called Frank to be one of three “Catalysts” to address three Critical Global Issues:

• Poverty
• Evangelism
• Reconciliation

Frank will work 40% of his time in Louisville at the General Assembly and maintain a station in Zambia. Nancy will be the new Young Adult Volunteer Coordinator for Zambia.

They ask for our prayers as their family moves from Lesotho to their new assignments.

Mission Perú

2013 Perú Mission Team

Sara Armstrong {Lima, Perú}

Rusty Edmondson {Lima, Perú}

Rose Boelke {West Jefferson, North Carolina}

Connie Dale {Charlotte, North Carolina}

Brenda Paredes {Lima, Perú}

Diana Pardue {New York, New York}

Bev Vickrey {Charlotte, North Carolina}

Gary Geisel {Edgewater, Maryland}

Jim Hogan {Baltimore, Maryland}

Randy Ross {Charlotte, North Carolina}

Tom Skinner {Charlotte, North Carolina}

Van Dale {Charlotte, North Carolina}

• Saturday, July 6:
• Connie and Van travel to Lima.  They will visit the Paredes family and explore Lima.
• Friday, July 12:
• The majority of the team (Bev, Diana, Rose, Gary, Jim, Randy, & Tom) arrive in Lima.  Sara, Brenda, Connie, Rusty and Van meet arrivals at the Lima airport.
• Everyone spends the night in Lima.
• Saturday, July 13:
• Everyone departs Lima for Ayacucho in the afternoon.  In Ayacucho, we connect with the mission group from Port Orange Presbyterian Church, Port Orange, Florida.
• Sunday, July 14:
• The Lircay Team (Rusty, Diana, Gary, Jim, & Randy) departs Ayacucho for Lircay. The Huanta Team (Sara, Bev, Brenda, Connie, Rose, Tom & Van) depart Ayacucho for Huanta.
• The Presbytery of Huanta has asked that part of our team travel to the town of Lircay to help assemble benches to be used as pews in the churches of the Synod of Huancavelica. The other part of our team will travel to Huanta to help paint four (4) local churches.
• Gary and Jim have also graciously offered to share their many years of banking experience and are developing a curriculum on church and personal financial management to be presented to church leadership and members in both Lircay and Huanta.
• Wednesday, July 17:
• The Lircay team departs and travels to Huanta.
• Saturday, July 20:
• Everyone departs Hunata.
• Visit the artisan village of Quinua.
• Arrival in Ayacucho.
• Sunday, July 21:
• Everyone departs Ayacucho for an early morning flight to Lima.
• We will travel to Amen Church for morning worship and fellowship. In the afternoon, everyone will visit the Inca Market in Miraflores before having dinner and heading to the airport for our flights home.  
• Gary & Jim will remain in Lima and travel to Cusco after the mission trip to visit the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

This will be Sharon Church’s sixth consecutive trip to Huanta. Each year I travel there becomes more special than the year before, in part, because I am in awe of the blessing of yet another opportunity to worship and work next to my Andean brothers and sisters.

I am looking forward to the time together with each of you and each of them, a time of faith, fellowship and service to Jesus Christ.

I wanted to share a recent note from Samuel Montes, current Secretary (and past President) of the Presbytery:
"I am filled with excitement and encouragement in organizing the work we will do together in Ayacucho, Lircay and Huanta. I treasure many aspects of the partnership that Sharon Church enjoys with the Presbytery. The most endearing aspect is how our partnership has enabled and empowered the Presbytery to reach out and minister to its neighbors. “…the mission is not ours, the real promoter is Jesus and God himself, the One who moves mountains and changes lives… and nothing will stop Him.”

Amen Samuel, Amen

A special thanks to each of you for joining this year’s trip to help bolster, deepen and move this partnership forward.

Grace and peace to each of you.
Randy

Coca Is Good For What Ails You - In Perú

Resource:  Vancourier

By Joanne Sasvari

Yes, coca leaves are the raw material for cocaine, but chewing the leaves or drinking coca tea when you’re in Cusco (altitude 3,400 metres) clears your throbbing head and lets you breath again. And it’s legal.

Things, as they say here in Cusco, go better with coca.

That’s because the Peruvian city and UNESCO World Heritage Site is perched vertiginously at 3,400 metres in elevation, and nothing combats the effects of altitude sickness quite as effectively as this leafy member of the plant family Erythroxylaceae.

You could also say that the combination of elevation and coca make this one of the highest cities in the world.

You feel the effects of the altitude within minutes of disembarking from your plane on the dusty tarmac of Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport: shortness of breath, headache, dizziness and nausea. Then there are the hallucinations, which aren’t nearly as much fun as you might think. And, in extreme cases, altitude sickness can lead to death.

It makes you wonder what the Incas were thinking to establish the capital of their empire here back in the 13th century. Luckily, they knew all about the powers of coca.

So do the vendors who greet your flight. Most of them are descendants of the Quechua peoples who've long called this land home, and they come bearing plastic baggies of dried coca leaves, coca tea and coca candies.

Visitors greet their wares with both curiosity and trepidation. After all, coca is illegal everywhere on Earth except Peru, Bolivia and parts of Argentina. That’s because coca is generally best known for containing a psychoactive alkaloid called cocaine, the raw material for the drug snorted in nightclub bathrooms the world over.

However, the amount of cocaine in coca is minuscule, and the effects are quite different. Coca is a mild stimulant that combats thirst, hunger, pain and fatigue, without the euphoria and psychoactive effects of cocaine.

(And yes, coca is an ingredient in Coca Cola, but the version the soft drink giant uses today has been de-cocainized since the original recipe.)

Locals usually chew the dried leaves, adding more leaves throughout the day to a wad tucked in their cheeks. It’s the way they’ve done it here for 5,000 years; indeed, if you look closely at the paintings in Cusco’s cathedral, you’ll notice that all the saints have a suspicious bulge in one cheek.

Coca consumption also has a religious and cultural aspect. It was long a part of spiritual life among the Inca and, even today, locals bow to the mountain gods and offer a little incantation thanking them for this miraculous herb.

Visitors, too, might find themselves thanking the native gods when they finally break down and indulge after a day of panting and gasping as they explore Cusco’s historic streets with their pre-Columbian ruins, bustling markets, magnificent cathedrals and elegant shopping arcades.

Most hotels have urns in their lobbies dispensing coca tea. One sip and you’ll note that coca has a pleasant, delicately herbal flavour similar to green tea. A few more sips and your head clears, the throbbing subsides and you can breathe again.

It really is a miracle drug, you think. Just don’t be tempted to tuck a baggie of it in your luggage.

Ecuadorean Amazon Oil Slick Moving Closer To Perú

Oil In The Napo River

Resource:  The Guardian

By Jonathan Watts

Crude discharged after pipeline was ruptured by landslide has entered Napo river which flows across border.

An oil spill in the Ecuadorean Amazon is flowing downstream towards Peru and Brazil, heightening concerns about the impact of drilling in one of the world's last remaining wildernesses.

About 1.6m litres of crude was discharged into a tributary of the Amazon from the Trans-Ecuador pipeline, which was ruptured by a landslide on 31 May.

The slick contaminated the drinking supplies of Coca, a gateway city into the Amazon forest. Local media reported that 60,000 people had to rely on water brought in by 65 tankers.

Petroecuador, the pipeline operator, has hired the US clearup company Clean Caribbean & Americas, which was involved in the operation after the Gulf of Mexico spill.

Although the company and local authorities tried to contain the slick with a boom, some of the oil entered the Napo river, which flows across the border.

Last week Peru reported traces of the oil in its Amazon region of Loreto, prompting an apology from the Ecuadorean president, Rafael Correa.

The Peruvian environment minister, Manuel Pulgar Vidal, described the slick as a "very serious problem" and said Peru could seek compensation if the damage proved extensive.

Brazil, which is located many hundreds of miles downstream, has put its navy on alert and offered technical assistance.

Read more...

Pacha Soap Makers Plan Perú Trip

Hastings based Pacha Soap is heading to Peru in early June to hand-deliver soap, put on hand washing clinics for children and make a photo essay. Here, Nathan Mueller, Abi Burrows, Andrew Vrbas and Joe Ritzdorf pose on May 25 in Lincoln while selling soap at the Haymarket Farmers' Market

Resource:  Omaha.com

By Emily Nohr

The Pacha Soap crew is going to Peru.

In April, we wrote about the Hastings-based handmade soap company that is trying to “raise the bar” for business by using a buy-one, give-one model. And because Pacha Soap was inspired by a trip “Head Jaboñero” Andrew Vrbas took to Peru, their goal was to travel to the South American country to hand deliver soap, put on hand washing clinics for children and make a photo essay.

The company’s online crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the trip surpassed their expectations, earning nearly a thousand dollars more than their $4,500 goal. Pacha Soap is heading to Peru in early June.

Peruvian Food, From Guinea Pigs To Pisco Sours

Resource:  Eatocracy

World-renowned chef, author and Emmy winning television personality Anthony Bourdain visits Peru in the next episode of "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown," airing Sunday, June 2, at 9 p.m. ET. Follow the show on Twitter and Facebook.

Peru's bounty of fresh fish, roasted chicken, fiery chiles and sumptuous cacao packs so much flavor, it would be cruel not to share. Anthony Bourdain invited his best friend, world-renowned chef Eric Ripert to join in his culinary journey across this vast, varied and distinctive land.

Here's where they feasted:

• Mercado Modelo - Chiclayo Market
• Chez Wong - Lima (San Isidro)
• Anticuchería Doña Pochita - Lima
• Amaz  - Lima (Miraflores)
• Canta Rana - Lima (Barranco)

Catch up on Eatocracy's previous adventures in Peruvian food:

Peruvian food is having a moment

More and more Americans are flocking to Peruvian food and discovering a world of flavor beyond pollo a la brasa (rotisserie chicken). This diverse cuisine, with influences from Andean to Spanish, Japanese and Chinese to African and Italian, is quickly finding its rightful place in the national food scene.

Credit is due in part to Gastón Acurio, the country’s most recognized chef, who acts as the unofficial ambassador of Peruvian cuisine with 34 restaurants in 14 cities worldwide, including the recently-opened La Mar Cebicheria in New York City. In 2008, Acurio, together with Apega, the Peruvian Society for Gastronomy founded Mistura. This 10-day food festival brings together street vendors, herbal stands and high-end chefs showcasing their most popular dishes and attracts over 300,000 every year.

Now, scaled-down versions of this event – complete with quinoa desserts, fresh bread, and traditional herbal drinks – are popping up outside of Peru.

Read more...

Mission Medicine

Katherine White With Children From The Village Of Calleria, Peru

Resource: Blue Ridge Now
By Amy B. McCraw

Before she went on a medical mission trip to Peru earlier this year, Katherine White never had an answer when people asked why she wanted to leave the country to help others.

The answer, she said, became clear once she reached the Amazon and met the patients who needed the care she could help provide.

“They have no sense of entitlement,” she said. “They come seeking help. They didn't expect anything other than our best effort.”

White, who is a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Hendersonville, North Carolina works as a surgical technician at Mission Hospital in Asheville and is a certified athletic trainer.

She will discuss what she learned in Peru and her experiences in the country at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Stull Hall at the church. White was part of a 17-member team from all over the United States who offered their time and gifts to provide medical and surgical treatment to Peruvians and resident missionaries who have limited access to needed orthopedic treatment.

White, 35, said she became interested in participating in the mission trip through the Scalpel at the Cross ministry after a doctor she works with mentioned he was going to Peru with the organization.

“He mentioned it at work,” she said. “I expressed some interest. I've just always been interested in that.”

Scalpel at the Cross is the realization of a long-standing dream of a Christian orthopedic surgeon and his family. It has developed through many experiences and friendships in the lives of those who want to reach out to people.

White said she thought it would be interesting to travel with doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to offer treatment to people who might not otherwise receive the medical care they need.

As much as she wanted to go, White thought her work schedule and a lack of money needed to travel to Peru would probably prevent her from making the trip.

But to her surprise, White said her supervisor had no problem giving her the time she needed away from work, and her mother stepped in to help with her expenses.

“I mentioned it to her. I never asked,” White said. “A few days later, she came to me and said, ‘This is something you need to do.' The next thing I knew, I was on a plane to Peru.”

Read more...

Local Students At Work In Perú

Resource: The Charlotte Observer

By Jennifer Baxter

Students from SouthLake Christian Academy in Huntersville, North Carolina are working in the mountains of Peru on the school’s annual senior trip May 19-29. Seniors have been embarking on this journey since its inception in 2004.

Susan Smith, lower school principal at SouthLake, said the idea for the trip came after she and two other SouthLake staff members worked as part of a missions team in Peru, in collaboration with Scripture Union, a group working to renew Peru through the power of the Gospel. Their team was assigned the task of constructing a home for orphans known as “street boys” in the Andes Mountains, near the town of Yungay.

“The three of us thought that this project would be an excellent connection and long-term project for our seniors and our school,” said Smith.

The trip is open only to seniors and typically has an attendance of more than half of each graduating class. This year, they have the largest group to date, with 38 of their 62 seniors going. Nine parents and three school personnel also went.

The original home has now expanded into several buildings and a school. For the first five days, students were to participate in construction work that includes making adobe bricks for building. The process begins with the students mixing mud, water and straw using their feet and then pouring the mixture into molds. The bricks are left to dry in the sun for several days and will later be used to construct more buildings in the village.

The students will also dig foundations, clear land, construct rock walls and apply stucco to the front of completed buildings. Female students also develop and teach Bible lessons in the local school, while the male students organize a field day for the boys at the home.

After five days in the Andes, the students were to travel south to the desert city of Ica to visit a shantytown with no electricity or running water. The group purchases several trucks of drinking water and walks throughout the community giving water to residents who would otherwise have to wait on the city for days or possibly even weeks.

Although the trip includes a lot of hard work, the students will also take a day trip to a glacial park high up in the Andes, as well as a boat trip to the Paracas Islands, south of Lima. The islands, known as the “mini Galapagos Islands,” are abundant in sea life and rare birds.

Read more...

Lesotho Visit

In March, the director of Torch of Faith, Krin Van Tatenhove visited Lesotho to establish a formal partnership with Ministry of Hope Lesotho (MoHL), which cares for children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected. Many of them are also HIV positive, victims of the sub-Saharan AIDS crisis.

If you don't know about Lesotho, the "mountain kingdom" of Africa, read this article at Wikipedia. Then take a moment to see Krin's photos of his Lesotho odyssey on our Facebook page.

Girls On A Mission To Provide Safe Drinking Water

From left, Julie Evans, Christina Lee & Katie Thornburgh

Resource:  The Marietta Daily Journal

By Lindsay Field

A Cobb County teenager is helping save lives around the world one clean glass of water at a time.

In 2010, Kennesaw Mountain High School sophomore Christina Lee and her older brother, Joshua Lee, were in South America on a mission trip to Peru with First United Methodist Church when they discovered that lack of clean water was a major issue in the developing country.

“We realized that water was just a huge problem,” said 16-year-old Christina Lee. “People like to think that they get used to it and get immune to the bacteria and viruses that are in it, but they don’t, so they are sick all the time.”

Being sick all the time leads to residents missing work, not being able to take better care of their families and many deaths.

The brother and sister returned home from their trip, began researching how they could help, and eventually started the nonprofit Leave a Trace Foundation.

“We have a broad focus of trying to bring clean water to areas all over the world,” Lee said. “Essentially these people are drinking dirty water and the vast majority know it’s dirty and they know it’s making them sick, but there’s no alternative.”

And while Joshua and Christina both started the project, she has become the driving force behind Leave a Trace. Joshua studies aeronautical engineering at Georgia Tech.

“It’s just a great indication that if you turn kids loose, they can do anything,” said the children’s father, Gary Lee. “They are bright, and if you give them a problem to solve, they will take the initiative and run with it. That’s been neat to watch.”

Making a difference

That foundation has grown into an internationally recognized organization, and on Saturday, Lee and two of her classmates in Kennesaw Mountain ‘s magnet program, Julie Evans and Katie Thornburgh, will head to Chimbote, Peru, to install a water purification system at an elementary school.

“These children are walking on average an hour every single day to get to school and when they get there, they don’t have clean water to drink,” Christina Lee said.

They also plan to install water filters at the homes of their translator, coordinator and driver.

Rotary Club members in Chimbote are helping them.

“As a part of helping the people get back on their feet, we think it’s important to bring the Rotary Club into the entire process so they have a stake in it,” Christina Lee said.

The home filters cost about $100 each and the school filter, which can produce about 55 gallons of clean water per minute, costs about $1,000. All funds are raised through the foundation.

The byproduct of the machine is sodium chloride, so residents can also use the water to clean their dishes and cups.

The batteries are donated by Kennesaw-based Interstate Batteries. They use a wheelchair battery and a solar cell so that it is constantly charging. It takes one day to install the machine and a second full day to train others on how to use it.

Evans and Thornburgh have never been out of the country before, but decided to go on this particular trip after hearing about the foundation’s mission and how it can save lives.

“It’s a great opportunity to do something good, and Christina always talks about how ‘Leave a Trace’ is based off the Boy Scout saying, ‘Take only memories, leave only footsteps,’ but their idea is to leave something to help others, and I like that, and I’d like to leave a trace,” Thornburgh said.

She raised money for the week-long trip by asking family members for help.

Evans said her parents were encouraged by their daughter wanting to go on a trip like this, so they helped foot the bill.

“I feel that there are things in this world that we can easily change, and we’re not really trying too hard,” she said. “We are trying but we can try a little bit harder, so I want to do something good.”

The three girls, along with Gary Lee, will head to Peru two days after their finals next week. Travel includes an all-day flight and an all-day bus ride from Lima to Chimbote. The two cities are about 265 miles apart.

Read more...

World Mission Partner Conference

From Ellen Smith

Presbyterians can have greater impact in God’s mission. Come to Big Tent to find out how!

The Power of “We”: Collective Impact in God’s Mission
It’s not too early to make your plans to attend the World Mission Partner Conference at Big Tent 2013, August 1-3, in Louisville, Kentucky.

To make sure you get your spot at Big Tent, sign up today. You can do that here:  Link

Don’t miss the World Mission pre-conference featuring key note speaker Dr. Robert Lupton, author of Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Reverse It). Lupton’s presentation will challenge how you think about Mission and will equip you for more effective ministry.

World Mission Pre-Conference

August 1, 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.

$35 including lunch

Registration available as part of Big Tent registration

We promise you’ll leave Big Tent energized and informed, and ready to bring World Mission home to your congregation.

Landing In Ayacucho, Perú (Elev 9,000 ft)

Resource:  peterdarcourt

Neale Bayly Rides Perú

Resource:  Motorcycle USA
By Bryan Harley

Our resident road warrior has earned his stripes covering the rally circuit, from riding the Black Hills of Sturgis to cruising Main Street in Daytona Beach. Whether it’s chopped, bobbed, or bored, metric to ‘Merican, he rides ‘em all.

Neal Bayly (center) Is A Man On A Mission

Neale Bayly Rides Peru to Air June 9 Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Neale Bayly is a man of many hats. Or maybe we should say helmets, because he’s a madman behind the bars of a motorcycle. But he’s also a writer, rider, photographer, moto-journalist, wise-crackin’ Brit, father, and most recently, a philanthropist. We’ve been fortunate to have him pen articles for Motorcycle USA in the past before he began heading up SPEEDTV.com’s motorcycle section where many came to know him from his TV gig called “Trippin’ on Two Wheels.”

Neale’s got a new show coming out soon and this time the light-hearted tone of “Trippin’ on Two Wheels” is replaced by an adventure with deeper meaning. You see, years ago Bayly was on an adventure-touring ride to Peru where he visited the Hogar Belen orphanage. The kids in the orphanage left an irrepressible impression upon Neale, and not long after he formed Wellspring International Outreach, a “non-profit dedicated to helping orphans around the world.”

And it is bringing awareness to the plight of these children that lies at the core of his latest adventure. “Neale Bayly Rides” takes “three average riders on the journey of a lifetime.” Starting in Lima, they embark on an eight-day journey across Peru riding BMW motorcycles on their way to Moquegua. Watching the trailer, the riders were ill-prepared for the demands of desert riding. But it’s not only about the ride. They’re on a mission - to visit the orphanage for abandoned children in Peru’s southeastern desert. We guarantee it’s going to be one of those types of shows that not only touch those involved, but reaches out to those who watch.

Best part is, the three-part series is getting set to air Sunday, June 9 at 9 p.m. (EST) on SPEEDTV with the other episodes running the following Sundays, June 16 and June 23. We’re honored to call Neale our friend so we encourage you to tune in for a motorcycle show unlike any other. For more info, check out the "Neale Bayly Rides" website. Ride on, ride strong Neale.

Asheville Physician Bikes To Peruvian Orphanage

Dr. Laura Ellis

Resource: Asheville Citizen Times

By Susan Reinhardt

Those who meet Asheville surgeon Dr. Laura Ellis know she has glamour and grace.

But she hides a part of herself from most patients, afraid if they knew her “other” side, they might hesitate before undergoing a procedure.

It’s that other side — her passion for riding motorcycles — that has landed Ellis, a renowned vein specialist and anti-aging expert, in the spotlight.

For nine days and more than 1,700 often-grueling miles, Ellis rode a BMW motorcycle throughout the countryside in Peru.

Her destination? A little-known orphanage that desperately needs attention and awareness to help some 200 kids with no families.

The results of the “life-changing” trip have been transformed into a reality-based TV program and will premiere on the Speed TV series “Neale Bayly Rides: Peru,” airing at 9 p.m. June 9.

To celebrate this accomplishment that tested her grit as she weathered some horrendous conditions on the way to her destination, she is hosting a special event with Bayly and the show’s cast 6-9 p.m. Saturday at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville. Trailers and footage from the show will be shown.

Ellis embarked upon the journey Feb. 11-20 and talked with me about this experience and the three hourlong episodes that will soon air.

“I like to race motorcycles,” she said, taking a short break between patients at her Biltmore Park office where she is medical director of medAge, a supervised and comprehensive approach to help patients achieve health through age-management science.

“I’ve kept that a secret from my patients and friends,” she said. “Some people might think it is dangerous or irresponsible.”

One day while riding on a track, the manager introduced her to Bayly, a famous writer, rider, producer and philanthropist.

“Neale wanted to do this TV show to get the word out about the needs of this orphanage,” Ellis said. “The track manager had called me one day and said he knew someone who needed my help.”

Neale, who once lived in Sylva and now resides with his two boys in Charlotte, told Ellis about his desires to bring awareness and funding to this orphanage through a reality TV show. He wanted a series that helped others, not glorified excess and extravagance like most reality programming on television today.

Read more...

Renco's Toxic Lead Fight

Resource:  Bloomberg News

By Andrew Martin

Aross the river from Belinda Elida Barja’s two-room apartment, the lead and zinc smelters of Doe Run Peru spread smoke and dust in the mountain town of La Oroya.

Her 9-year-old son Kenyi has headaches, memory loss, stomach ailments and difficulty concentrating, Barja said. The lead in his blood measured 41 micrograms per deciliter in a 2007 test -- eight times the level the U.S. government considers a cause for action. Barja blames Doe Run Peru.

“They just think about making money,” she said.

Most of La Oroya’s children suffer elevated lead levels, according to the Peruvian government. Parents say some have symptoms -- consistent with lead poisoning -- that include anemia, convulsions, stunted growth, mental retardation and the ills Barja said her son suffers.

The question of responsibility is at the center of a high-stakes clash between Peru and U.S. billionaire Ira Rennert, who owned Doe Run Peru for more than a decade through Renco Group Inc. Far from defensive, Renco is demanding $800 million from Peru because it ordered a costly pollution clean-up that the company says forced Doe Run Peru into bankruptcy in 2010. Renco has said it’s not responsible for the children’s ailments.

Its demand was made under an arcane, often secretive investor-state arbitration system that is growing rapidly in size and scope, roiling global trade and angering countries from Australia to South Africa over the perceived trampling of their sovereign rights.

Read more...

JetBlue Adds Its Southernmost Destination... Lima, Perú!

Resource:  Travel Broadway World

JetBlue Airways today announced new daily nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, subject to receipt of government operating authority. Lima will be JetBlue's 81st BlueCity and its fourth destination in South America. Sale fares for U.S.-originating flights to Lima are available today and until May 3, 2013, at www.jetblue.com/new for as low as $139 one-way from Fort Lauderdale and $199 one-way from the New York Metros and Boston, for travel between November 21 and December 19, 2013.

"JetBlue's low fares and award-winning service have worked very well between Florida and Latin America," said Scott Laurence, vice president of network planning for JetBlue Airways. "With Lima, our first destination in Peru and the southernmost destination in the network, we are confident in our penetration of South America. When you look at Lima's wonderful offerings, including its rich culture, cuisine and great people, we believe both Florida and Lima residents will benefit greatly from the flight, whether visiting friends and relatives, vacationing or on business."

In addition to JetBlue's nonstop service to South Florida, Lima customers will be able to conveniently connect onwards from Fort Lauderdale to other destinations in the United States and the Caribbean including: Boston, MA; New York (JFK, LaGuardia and White Plains); Newark, NJ; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Washington, DC (Reagan National).

Destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean now make up almost one-third of JetBlue's route network. In South America, JetBlue also offers nonstop service between Bogota and both Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Florida, as well as nonstop service between Cartagena, Colombia and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The airline also announced nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Medellin, Colombia, set to begin in June 2013.

JetBlue's flights to Lima will be operated with its comfortable Airbus A320 fleet and award-winning service featuring convenient, assigned seating; a first-checked bag free; complimentary and unlimited name brand snacks and drinks; comfy leather seats; and more legroom than any other carrier in coach.

Read more...

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Short-Term Missions?

Resource:  Got Questions

Although short-term missions have drawbacks, they can be overcome with godly wisdom, training, and heart.

The Pros:

• Short-term missionaries better understand the ministry and purpose of missions. Those who have never experienced cross-cultural missions often have wrong impressions about it. They may view missions as a glamorous ministry with thankful natives coming to Christ each day. After participating in a short-term missions trip, they better appreciate the goals and service of missions.
• Short-term missionaries become more sacrificial supporters of long-term missionaries. A short-term mission trip often increases a person’s interest in and support of missions. God may use a short-term mission trip to call a person to long-term missions. Besides going long-term, multiple opportunities await to support missions. The short-term mission trip itself strengthens missionaries. The church group brings fresh hands to work, enthusiasm for the ministry, and Christian fellowship to encourage. They can help with tasks the long-term missionaries don’t have the time or numbers to do: relief projects, tract handouts, children’s clubs, etc. Once back home, the short-term missionary doesn't easily forget the need. They often become life-long supporters of missionaries through prayer, gifts, and letters. Their passion for missions spreads to others back home.
• Short-term missions develop passion for knowing Christ and making Christ known. A short-term mission trip teaches people dependence on God. They face customs to get through, an unfamiliar language to understand, and culture shock to overcome. As they turn to God for help, short-term missionaries experience the power of prayer. Seeing God move in and through lives, they develop a love for Christ and the Gospel. This passion does not end at the mission trip’s end but should continue to energize the short-term missionary back home. By God’s grace, personal evangelism increases. Prayer and Bible study become a delight, not a duty or drudgery.

The Cons:

• Short-term missions are expensive. If cost were the only factor, short-term missions would not be worthwhile. Some people point out that the money used to fly 30 teens to Perú could be sent to the long-term missionaries there. After all, the youth group could do missions at home: passing out tracts at a park, teaching a children’s Bible club, or helping in a soup kitchen in the inner city.
• Short-term missions may not require “counting the cost." Some who go on a short-term mission trip still don’t understand the sacrifices of missions. They haven’t spent the grueling hours learning the language; they haven’t had to leave family and friends for more than a few weeks; they haven’t experienced the years of service without visible results. Besides, short-term missionaries sometimes only add to the burdens of long-term missionaries.
• Short-term missions may not have a lasting impact. Some short-term missionaries come with the haughty idea that they can single-handedly change the nation in the few weeks they serve. Without regard to the long-term missionaries, native church leaders, or even the Lord, they hand out a few tracts, hold a puppet show, or put a new roof on an orphanage. Their impact on the community fades as soon as they hop on the plane back home. Even with the proper heart attitude and goals, short-term missionaries have more limitations than long-term missionaries. Short-term missions may not provide the time it takes to learn the language and culture, build relationships, and make disciples.

Conclusion: Are short-term missions worthwhile?

God uses both short and long-term missionaries to make disciples of all nations (e.g. the apostle Paul vs. Timothy). The call and heart of both types of missionary are most important. While long-term missionaries carry out the bulk of missions work, short-term missions can lighten the load. Short-term missions are usually most effective under the direction of long-term missionaries and the national church. Although short-term missions has drawbacks, they can be overcome with godly wisdom, training, and heart.

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