Peruvian Potatoes

Would you eat a potato that is cooked under moss on the ground?  We did...  and would again! 

Perú Mission Jenga

Taylor tries her hand at Jenga.  Photo by Darby Buchanan.

Highest Base Jump In South America

A Mission Reflection

To all,

I would like to thank each of you for an amazing experience. The personal and spiritual gifts received during our time together are too numerous to list so I would like to offer one more devotion and prayer,

The True Measure of a Mission Trip’s Success = Relationships

In general when we look back at a typical mission trip we tend to recite values. We traveled x number of miles, through x number of cities/countries, completing x number of task, provided x bags of donations, etc… Sounds familiar I’m sure.

After spending 9 days traveling to and around Peru, and after an afternoon chat with our PCUSA missionary representative Rusty Edmondson, I now understand that the only values you can assign to a mission trips success are the number of laughs, hugs, songs sung, meals shared, games played, and memories made. These are the important statistics because they are what ultimately lead to relationships being formed, nurtured and trusted.

As a newcomer to the trip I was unsure what to expect, or what lie ahead. I was prepared to work along side our Peruvian brothers and sisters and provide some relief from the physical burdens that come with building a church, but throughout the trip and now with the benefit of some reflection time, I realize all the good things we want for our Peruvian family start with the relationships we’ve built. These relationships are the vehicle for further provisions of relief and are what allow our long term mission workers success.

During my devotion on our trip I prayed that each of us be capable of speaking and giving from hearts that are being cleaned/ transformed by God... looking outward away from ourselves so God can do the work in our hearts. Now as I reflect back on the trip, that prayer, and the faces of my new Peruvian friends I have one last mission prayer to offer,

“Thank you Lord for your word, that by it and through it we find and form the relationships that bind our Christian family together and provide the vehicle for the gospel to spread, Amen”

Best Regards,

Khris Wigington

A Special Offering From Our Peruvian Brothers And Sisters At VRAE II Church

2017 Minute For Missions: Una Familia {A Family}

2017 Perú Minute For Missions Interview With Rebeca Massón

2017 Perú Minute For Missions Interview With Khris Wigington

2017 Perú Minute For Missions Interview With Chris Buchanan

2017 Perú Minute For Missions Interview With Tom Skinner

2017 Perú Minute For Missions Interview With Sara Armstrong

2017 Perú Minute For Missions Interview With Ashley Aldridge

2017 Perú Minute For Missions Interview With Darby Buchanan

We're Back

A few of us returned yesterday from our visit to Perú.  We arrived back home with a few lingering stomach issues, but nothing serious.  Thank you to Sara Armstrong, Rebeca Massõn, Lucy Poma and Miriam Laura for joining us again this year!

All 16 of your donation bags with clothes, shoes, reading glasses, toys and crutches made it to Perú!  A special thank you to Crews Walden for providing Spanish Bibles too.

Please keep in your thoughts and prayers Ashley Aldridge, Pat Blumer, Darby Buchanan, Rob Blumer and Chris Buchanan as they are still in Perú.  They extended their trip on to Machu Picchu.  (Apparently their luggage did not make the trip to Cusco...)  All will be returning in the coming few days with more stories to tell.

Our work this year was again though Samuel Montes' NGO of Puriyninchic.  In Ayacucho, we visited the VRAE II church.  At VRAE II we sanded and varnished church benches.  For the children, we sanded and varnished tables and painted chairs. This year's hit was tie dye shirts!

In the church in Maynay, we helped to paint the primer coat on a brand new sanctuary.

We thank Yesenia Montes, Darby Buchanan, Anna Vickrey and Taylor Vickrey for "taking control" of the kids.  Thank you to Randy Ross for providing water balloon games, balloons, crayons, coloring sheets and beaded necklaces.

This year, we were blessed to rekindle old relationships and create new ones in both Ayacucho and Hunata.

More news coming soon...