Greetings friends and family from Panajachel Guatemala! We have begun our next ministry stage in a new country, and although we have only been here a couple of days, Guatemala is one cool place! Lake Atitlan on which Panajachel lies, is surrounded by beautiful mountains and even a couple of volcanoes, waiting to be explored I might add! I am so excited for what God has in store for me and working through me here in Guatemala, and I’m looking forward to learning and growing in all areas of my faith through different teachings from the local pastor, working projects and building team relationships. We shall be working in smaller groups on different projects in the area, with the intention to rebuild /fix / relocate a number of homes that have been affected by recent mudslides, which are very regular occurrences in this area.
Reflecting on the last month it is with great joy that I wrote this blog and share about my time and experiences in Peru!
Peru… is a country of history, bright colours, hiking, wool, mud huts, llamas, corn, unreached people, potatoes, mountain tops, cheese, strong winds, donkeys, dust, breathtaking scenery, fresh clear air, starry nights, pan (bread), avena (drinking porridge), Catholicism, farms, people that are reserved by nature- but also a people that are in need of the truth of Jesus Christ.
From the 19th April- 15th May we spent three amazing weeks of ministry in three different areas of Peru.
We were privileged to be a part of a bible distribution ministry by working with local pastors and a missionary couple from South Africa. The fact that we had to hike to get to the different schools and villages across the Andes Mountains between 3000-4000m above sea level was a definite added bonus and huge blessing in my life seeing I life doing such things regularly back home!
I ate potatoes, corn, beans and cheese most days;
tried on traditional clothing; hiked over mountain ranges from village to village with Spanish bibles in my pack; enjoyed eating local fruit such as ma-mi; spoke broken Spanish to get by; worked with an Argentinean YWAM family team and another team from South Africa; slept on mud floors; ate guinea-pig; swam in this side of the Pacific Ocean;
watched our bags being transported by bus, truck, donkey and wheelbarrow; reapplied a mud roof to a mud house;
pushed our kombi down and out of the mountains for 4+ hours in the rain and mud; experienced sleeping in the cold at 4000m; and I also played some jazz improve on a grand piano at a classical music concert one evening in Chiclayo (a GC record I believe!).
I also experienced the character of God in creation; walked in the truth of Prov 10:22; witnessed signs, miracles, wonders and healings of Peruvians and in our team; experienced God’s hand of protection and safety as we travelled in and through some pretty hairy situations; showed the Jesus film in the local language; was privileged to be a part of kingdom building and see people and children choose life in Christ for the first time; shared the Gospel through drama and stories in villages to unreached people; handed out bibles to children, youth, men and women who possibly could not even read or understand the Spanish language and only their local Ketchuwan tongue but through the Spirit will be able to understand the truth of Jesus Christ in the words they read;
prayed with people; met and worked with some amazing pastors and families; finished my reading of the New Testament; learning true servant leadership from the South African missionary couple; and learnt about God’s invisible qualities seen in the raw creation of the Andes mountains by hiking the ‘heights of the land’ with Him.
What a privilege it was to be a part of kingdom building in Peru and witness and experience all these things in my life! What joy it gives me to share the Gospel and impact the lives of children, youth, men and women, professionals, teachers, doctors and nurses, and even infants through prayer, with the truth of Jesus Christ. So as I begin this next stage of my GC expedition it is with love that I thank God for taking me through the journey He did in Peru- a major highlight of my Global Challenge year so far! Thank you so much to my friends and family and supporters for your continued love and encouragement through prayer and financial support over these last few months. Your support is much appreciated and from the team as a whole we thank you so much!
Cheers, Erin x
PS- I was born to be a Peruvian kingdom builder! God is good!