After our Machu Picchu adventure we got on a bus to the Bolivian border from Cusco on a Monday evening at 22:30. We reached the Bolivian border the next morning with anticipation and hopes of seeing the jungle again but...God had other plans. About an hour later we found ourselves on the pavement back in Peru as we couldn't get into Bolivia. In a rush of praying and thinking and trusting we unloaded our bags from the bus and waved it goodbye as it entered Bolivia without us. So there we were...apparently Peru wanted some more pictures with us.
We prayed.
We felt God was sending us to Antofagasta in Chile
We headed towards the international bus terminal.
At the terminal we discovered that the busses to Tacna only leave in the evening. We slept in an empty office on a crooked mattress, 5 of us, while waiting for the bus to this town on the border of Peru and Chile. So we eventually got on the bus and headed towards the border. No idea of what or where or how. Just faith that God has a plan. We drove through the night, arrived at 05:30 the next morning, and slept at the bus terminal in Tacna until the hustle and bustle of the vendors woke us up. We had breakfast, took pictures with locals, and then starting scouting for a hostel. We spent a night in a hotel at an unbelievable R32 per person and cooked our own meals on the roof. It was a day of prayer and seeking God in scripture. The next morning we set out to cross the border into Chile. We only had a name of a town and a ticket in our pocket. The Chile border crossing was smooth and effortless. We arrived in Arica at lunch and spent the day exploring our first town in Chile while waiting for the bus to depart at 21:30 to Antofagasta. We arrived the next morning and then the reality of it kicked in. We had no plan, only faith and prayer. We hiked to a park and while the team rested a few people set out to go find a church or place we can serve the community. We where directed to the municipality by the security guards at the bus terminal earlier the day and that is where we met Adolpho. He connected us to the social department and organized a meeting for us the following Monday and asked we should phone him at 17:00 for a place to stay. It was only Friday at that stage. We met up with the team in the park again and waited. Later the day we headed to a mall with our backpacks to make the call. Unfortunately he couldn't get us a place to stay. We slept at the bus terminal again that night. It was evening and it was morning and it was Saturday. We have been without a shower since Monday and some of us have been wearing the same clothes since. Saturday morning we were woken up by the terminal security guards who thought we missed our bus. So we packed up "camp" and a scouting party went out again while the rest evangelized, slept, studied the word, and hung around the terminal.
The scouting party headed towards the main plaza as we heard that there is a Christian relief center there. We went from church to church but to no avail. No one was home. We stopped by the fire station and asked if we could maybe stay there for a few nights but they only had space for one person. They directed us to a place that could maybe help us. To our surprise it was the relief center we have been looking for. The elderly man who answered the knock at the door was very excited to receive us...only on Monday. We exchanged contact details and said we will phone him the following week. While scouting the city we passed a Christian bookstore several times. On our way from the relief center we decided to enter and ask if anyone knows of a campsite for us. The owner of the store was a humble and friendly man. We told him our story and he jumped into action. He phoned for hours trying to connect us with people and churches...
And then it happened.
We were taken in by a local church.
Pastor Rene is a man with a big heart. His church is full of joy and celebration. We were split up into different homes. We met up once a day to help out in the city by planting trees, serving at hospitals, repairing roofs, and whatever is needed. We were interviewed by the municipality for a local television show on social issues in Chile. Chile is the only first world country in South America. It is just amazing how God guided us here and connected us to the right people. It seems that through us the pastor had gained more favor with the municipality and so strengthened their relationship. God expands His kingdom through the willing. It is an honor to be used by Him to do this.
All glory to God...
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