As I walked from the old German Castle that I am staying across the street to Mario's in the blazing Peruvian sun I was once again struck by the absurdity of it. It seems to happen a couple of times everyday, when I am struck by how incredible this all is... I am in Peru! It seemed like a great idea back in the States and even on the plane ride down but since then I´ve sometimes wondered...
Here I am some gringo boy, who by the world's standards should be in college right now, carrying a 3 litter bottle of water with a shoe string and duct tape handle over this Peruvian Pastor's house in the middle of Trujillo. I had been thinking that I was hear to bless the people with my hands and back but as I lifted that first adobe brick I realized that if I were trying to add on to Hope or move a wall in Miracle my time would be better spent at home! I made 15 dollars an hour landscaping and for fifteen dollars an hour I could very comfortably pay 5 guys to work an hour down here. So every hour working back home would not only employ five Peruvians but it would kick the construction into overdrive. I´m working hard, actually I'm busting my butt, but it isn't used to this heat and ultimately it just can´t be about the work....
In my head I always knew that it was the experience but I was still thinking that I would be able to work long hours and really bless these people with my labor. It takes a while to understand third world countries. There is an abundance of willing laborers but a shortage of $mulah$ so I´ve found that the biggest way that I have really been able to bless the people here has been with my money and not as much with my back. This isn't supposed to sound like a complaint it is simply a necessary change of perspectives. I've always liked working and it is fun cultivating the relationships with the kids and adults while working alongside them but that very first day God spoke to me that although I am here to be a blessing to the people... God called me here, specifically, because he needs to work on my heart. I am learning patience that only comes from working in a third world country and so much more.
Days like today are great when I can sit back and check myself. Even in a foreign country I have the tendancy to busy up my life and shut out God and so everyday here I spend time in the word and in his presence praying and oftentimes just ¨soaking¨. I am here to grow as a servant of Christ, into a man of God, and to come into a place of greater intimacy with my Abba. Although I desperately want to learn the language more, the language barrier has created a life that is much quieter. Unless I am with Mario, Sarah, David, or my Dad I am isolated and am able to seek God and pray constantly, or atleast a lot more often. Once again I don´t want any of this to sound like a complaint! It isn't at all a bad thing, it has just taken a shift in perspective, and it has actually taken me one step closer to daily intimacy with my creator which is ultimately EXACTLY why I am here. Hallelujah!
There is so much more, so many other things that God is showing to me, but it is really hot and I want to go back to the Castle to shower... I'll post pics when I can and blog somemore.
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Well it took me forever to get pictures online and the viewer I have will not flip them but if you turn your head sideways you´ll see why I love Peru :)
There are stores everywhere and one of the ways David and I remain sane down here is to splurge everyonce in a while, it´s okay though a 500 ml pop is only like 36 cents.
My Dad and I spent 4 days in the high mountains.. this bird flew within like 10 feet of me.
In America you just don´t see buildings that are over a thousand years old!
Peru is a much simpler land.
you can barely see my dad at the foot of the falls (although it helps to turn your head sideways) but it seemed like everywhere you turned there was a waterfall.
The market down the road sells chickens...
