Up Early at Granja Porcon
This morning I spoke to two groups of workers at Granja Porcon. Services there start at 6 a.m. – they start each day out this way! I have to get up and going by 4am to get there on time because traffic is bad going up the mountain if I leave any later and have to compete with the commuters to the gold mines.
Tomorrow I leave for the mountains with two other men. We’re taking literature and the projector and films with us to help reach the people there. Pray for us!
Good Start to 2012
Cajamarca region Sunday school leaders receive didactic materials at the 2011 regional gathering
We are starting this semester of missiology and ministerial studies on the 10th. Additionally we have a group of Sunday school teachers that we are going to train in a two-day event.
My wife Udelia’s health is better now and thank God, my 10-year visa to the U.S. was renewed.
Adding More Churches to the Cajamarca Group
I am in Chota now; I got here last night and today Pastor Jorge, another brother and I are taking literature, films and Bible courses to work with during the day as we invite people to attend an evening service.
Last week I was going through the mountains, travelling toward Trujillo, in a town called Magdalena that produces fruit and sugar cane. It’s between the high mountains. I walked up the mountains to visit a man had been with the Church of God (Anderson, Ind.) a long time ago. But when my wife and I left for mission work in Ecuador and Chile, no one ever came again to visit this man. There were three churches in this area and I met with the three leaders and they told me, “We are from the Church of God, but we’re all alone up here. No leader has ever come to visit us. We have received visits from pastors from other churches, but nothing from the Church of God.”
So in talking with these leaders and one other, they decided to join us. We are incorporated separately from the other Church of Gods (Anderson, Ind.) in Peru. To do that, we had to change our name, so we are actually recognized as a new movement, which is why the Church of God leaders in Peru have told me they don’t recognize our organization as being as part of theirs. But in actuality, each region has its own corporation, and ours is the largest of the Church of God in Peru. There are three churches in the jungle, two in Lima, five between Chepen and Chiclayo on the coast and we have 16 churches in Cajamarca. And we have a plan for each congregation to plant another church within the next two years, working in conjunction with other denominations if we need to. We are praying that God will provide leaders to continue this growth.
Here Comes the Rain Again
This picture of the recent mission group working with the children in Cajamarca show the tin roof we're having problems with now that rainy season has begun.
Well, the rains have begun in Cajamarca and they are complicating our meeting in the church in Cajamarca, because rain comes in everywhere with just our ill-fitted tin roof. I think we will move evening services to twice a week, one in one home, another in another home. While it doesn’t rain in the mornings, we will continue to have Sunday school for the children who come to sing, pray, do crafts and Bible Studies. We’re hoping these rains bring the blessing of funds for a proper roof.
In October, I will travel to Piura to visit a man who is asking for 10,000 tracts from Christian Triumph – I hope to be able to find his home! Then the following week, I will be travelling to a new place where we will hand out testaments and tracts and have some meetings in a school for some Bible studies. We’re praying that God will give us victory and that people will accept Jesus as their savior. The place is far from here – four hours by car then two on foot. We will have to carry the literature on horseback. It might also be possible to take our projector and show a film – that brings people in.
Back to Chota and then to the Coast
Outskirts of Chota
I have been in Chota again, but this time out in the county, to help a small church. This Monday, I’m leaving again for three days out in the country to have evangelistic services and see about possibly helping a new church that is starting up in the mountains. On Sept 3, I travel to the coast to do a seminar on evangelism and do an evangelistic campaign. Prayers, please.
Narciso Zamora
Estuve nuevamente en chota pero por el campo, para ayudar a una iglesia pequeña. Este lunes salgo nuevamente para el campo por 3 días para tener cultos con gente inconversa y ver las posibilidades de ayudar a levantar una iglesia que esta levantandose por las montañas. El 3 de septiembre viajo a la costa para dar un seminario sobre evangelismo y hacer una campaña evangelsitica. oraciones por favor.
Narciso Zamora
Shop till You Drop on Market Day at Caraz
Here’s the last of the videos we produced for our presentation at Hilltop Bible Church following our mission trip to Peru. Enjoy this colorful walk through a Peruvian market. BTW, there is an error in this video, that is, something is not quite right about the whole thing. Would love for someone to bust me on it! Look and listen.
Suffer the Children?
Hard to believe there are actually people who feel they have to suffer the children. Take a look at this sample of shining faces we met in Cajamarca, Chota and Bambamarca. Toward the start of the video, you’ll see us working on materials. We took some things folks in our church had leftover from years gone by, but while there, we also printed out three months worth of lessons for four age groups, and made flannel graphs. We made 30 sets of lessons and 15 flannel sets, including 9 stories for each congregation. We only completed one of the seven do-it-yourself flannel lessons (see Jonah story in video), and then provided all the materials for the congregations to finish the other six. The other two flannel sets each church got were “store bought” (donated by Dorothy Kennedy and our church). May not sound like much, but those brief flashes of our work day are actually representing a 12-hour work day times four people, plus Bill and Baltazar helping out for about three or four hours each, plus random good Samaritan Daniel (pictured in flannel board making scene) plus about five hours times two people in Cajamarca one day buying supplies and getting copies and printouts made, plus time to find and download all the materials, plus more! All in all, about 100 combined hours of labor of love.
We gave the leaders a brief (!) demonstration on their use, but I’m thinking it was much too brief. Just got word from Narciso today that he would like us to return next year and do a two-day workshop on children’s ministry. We also left a fund of 500 soles with the regional pastors group to reimburse churches who make photocopies of the lessons. If each of the churches used the materials each week, the fund would probably last about four months. Really doesn’t seem like much and when you see these faces… just makes a body want to do MORE!
The View from the Andes
Thanks to Jill for sharing regarding our ministry
opportunities in Trapiche and Granja Porcon, and indeed that was the purpose of
the trip, but as Narciso said of me more than one, “A esa Hermana Dana le pican
los pies,” which means loosely, I can’t sit still. In fact, I coined a motto
for the trip during a planning e-mail: “We can sleep back in the States.” I
wanted everyone to be prepared for a maxed out schedule – taking advantage of
every waking moment we had.
Whereas there were those dull brushing teeth moments, and we
did need some sleep, this trip did not disappoint. From sharing meals with new
friends, to hitting the road at 4 a.m. with the Walking Man, to seeing, smelling,
sampling and singing, every day was brimming with sensuality in its purest
form. Really, it’s kind of hard to describe… But here’s a short video from days
2 and 3 of the trip to give a glimpse of what I’m talking about.
Enjoy, Donna Lee Schillinger
Granja Porcon
We´ve just finished our week at Granja Porcon. Monday-Wednesday was a pastor´s conference. Donna had two speaking sessions and Jeanene and I enjoyed meeting the conference attendees and also the Porcon people. During the teaching sessions we three would sit in the near back rows so that Donna could translate for Jeanene and me. They were excellent topics and I´m glad God placed me there.
On Wednesday evening Donna and I, along with Narcisso, Udelia and Alberto, a Chilean pastor rode back down to Cajamarca. Thursday morning the two of us were off to shop for children´s supplies. This was great fun. Our first stop was an internet cafe were Donna printed off Bible lessons she had previously downloaded. This took over an hour and our bill was enough to make the man behind the counter smile. Then to the print shop. Donna had two print shops busy printing a total of 2000 copies. Again we left with smiling shop owners. Down to the liberia. In a small book store, we hardly had room to stand. Colors, glue, markers, and the like were on display in a glass case. It was much fun to shop this way. Ask to see a product, ask for the price, agree on the item and then ask for 14 more. The shop lady had to run upstairs to her store room several times. She happily did so. We left Cajamarca with our arms full.
Thursday-Saturday was another conference, the 24th convention of the iglesia de dios in Peru. I believe we were close to 100 in attendance. And this time we had work to do. Friday was work day. Donna, Jeanene, Evelyn and I worked from 8:30 am to 11:30 pm organizing Bible lessons and making flannel figures, only stopping briefly for lunch and dinner. Donna´s father Bill, Baltazar, and a friendly helper Daniel also helped making the flannel boards. At the end of the long day Jeanene said with a smile, ´`It feels like Christmas Eve!“
Today we passed out teaching material for children ages 3-12 to 15 different churches. Donna gave a brief instruction on how to use the lessons and flannels. It is our understanding that most churches have limited to no resources for the children in their congregations. We sent these lessons out with prayer that they will be used to teach children about our God and his Word and change lives.
This evening we are all back down in Cajamarca at the Zamora´s home. Total capacity this evening is 15! I´ve been told this is not unusual, their home has been used for many years as a welcoming respite for hermanos y hermanas en Cristo.
Granja Porcon in itself deserves a full post, but it´s late and we have an early start tomorrow. Google it. It´s a Christian cooperation. A farm and tourist spot and community of 2000 people living simple lives harmoniously.
I have few pictures of Porcon. The latter are of this afternoon in Cajamarca.
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Trapiche
This trip took about 1 1/2 hours from Lima. It seems almost half that time was spent driving out of the city. It is large, with an abundance of traffic. Many cars, taxis, buses and horns, horns everywhere. As expected we passed many deprived neighborhoods. This was very humbling.
When we arrived in Trapiche we were greeted with hugs and kisses. This caught me off guard and it took me several minutes to regain my composure. I was touched by their sincerity.
Two years ago when Donna, Jeanene and others from our church visited Trapiche their church building was constructed of cane mats for walls and a tarp roof. They are now in four bricked walls and a tin roof. And I believe I saw two light bulbs, which were turned on after dark.
The church sang a song with a tambourine and a drum and enthusiastic hand clapping. Donna, Gerson (Narcisso’s son) and the two men who came with us all spoke briefly. As did Evelyn, Donna’s younger sister. Jeanene said a few words and Donna translated. I wanted to contribute so I led them in “God is so Good” because it has few words and is easy to sing in Spanish.
We then passed out glow sticks to the kids. This was exciting and new for them. Also, we passed out individual packages of soap, toothpaste, colors, etc. that were given to us by members of our church.
During the meeting the older women were busy outside preparing a dinner for us over a wood fire. They served us chicken noodle soup and a semi popped corn. It was all good.
As we started to leave the children kept asking when we would return. We could only answer that we didn’t know. How I wish it wasn’t so far to get to them. Our goodbyes were the same as the hellos. Kissing and hugging and utterances of hermana (sister).
My heart is full and heavy for these people. We all serve the same God and yet our lives are so different. What do I take away from this experience, what can I do?
Jill
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