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Well, I can't believe it has almost been a month since my last post. I will try to summarize what has been going on here in Peru! I am in a hurry so if I have a spelling error - forgive me!!!!
I am sure there is more I haven't mentioned! It has been a hard road getting adjusted here. We have learned nothing is easy and the enemy doesn't rest. Why would he? And why should we? Eight people were killed on Friday between our city, Tacna, and another city called Moquegua which is about three hours away. The bus driver was driving fast, hit a guard rail, and the rest is history. One of the dead was a Police official just 42 years old. Our desire is to be salt and light in this dark place. We pray your light shines brightly where you are also!
A few weeks ago, we saw another baby abandoned in the newspaper. Today, Yolanda and I visited the city orphanage. Among the sweet ones we met, I was able to hold the baby I read about in the paper. When An abandoned baby arrives, the baby is taken to a doctor who determines their approximate age and they are given a first name. The police will investigate to see if they can find the mother or if a family member comes forward. The process usually takes about a year. I couldn't believe my ears when they told me baby girl was named Kimberly! Kimberly is not a normal name here. She was so precious. All I could think about was how much Jesus loves her. Oh that Kimberly will know one day Jesus will never abandon her.
I haven't been able to return to the jail this week with all the drama with the move and my back. I am much better, praise the Lord. Although on our bus ride to buy toilet lids today, (another convenience item which is not a necessity here), we passed over a bump in the road and Randy says, "Brace yourself." For some reason he was like 2 seconds too late, and the cramp which hit my lower back scared me as I felt I had just gone backwards a few days. Praise Jesus again, it was just a small set back.
Last week was a hard week at the jail. One of the ladies there, S., has four children. She has a set of twins age 14, a boy and a girl, and two younger children, ages 9 and 5. The girl twin is here in the city living with a lady who can't afford to send her to school and instead she is helping her work. The twin boy is living in a town 2 hours from here with a neighbor. He is able to attend school and working afterwards for the family. The younger children have been with their dad in the same city. As we were leaving the jail, we saw S. meeting with her father. He had just delivered the news that her husband had been detained by the police and the younger children were with a neighbor, but they couldn't stay there. S.'s dad and stepmother and sister who live here in town do not want to keep the children either. S. looked at me and said, "Hermana Kim, will you take my kids?" I can't even identify with the pain she feels being separated from her children. As I choked for an answer, Yolanda was very sweet to explain we are working on this, but right now legally, we can't take them in. Please pray for S. and her children. Pray S. will continue to seek Jesus and the Lord will place her children in a safe place while they wait on their mom.
In Latin America, when one moves, you schedule a day to return the home to the owner. A terminating contract is signed and you are then free and clear. We found out last Friday that the owner of the house we were in needed to leave Peru for two months and would not be available this week to terminate the contract. So, Friday at 6:00 p.m. we began getting the house together to move. I had just returned from locating a moving truck. The man wanted to know if we could be ready by 5:00 a.m.! (They get started early in the morning here.) I said 9:00 a.m. would be better for us. We finished most of our work by Friday evening at 12:30 a.m. We were up and going again by 5:00 a.m. and we were moved out with a clean house by 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. It is wonderful to have a teens who can help out with the work load! Tyler and Garrett were impressed with how short a time it took us to leave.
The new house has been a blessing. We have had people in all week doing minor changes - like changing out 10 year old electricty plugs which were sparking fire, putting shower rods in the bathrooms - they usually just let the water run out on the floor, and trying to de-activate the electrical shock we have been feeling with our widow maker. (The widow maker you can find out about here .) In the midst of all the unpacking, I have been down in my back - the first time in about 7+ years!
We now have internet so we will be able to keep things updated a little better. Thank you for all your prayers. I have another update on the jail ministry I will post soon.
We had a great visit on Thursday. I met E. She is a lady who is about 50 years old. We talked a lot as she seems very lonely. E. is in jail for 15 years. Some years ago, she was suicidal and murdered her daughters of 4 and 8 years old. E. is very broken and I ask that you pray for her. People are not very forgiving of a crime like this especially involving children. She believes she is forgiven, but the ladies around her aren´t so forgiving.
I also met C. She is very young, only 18 years old. It was the first time she has visited the jail Bible study. C. has one daughter with her, who is almost two years old and one in the womb...she is seven months pregnant! C. is shy ... pray with us believing Jesus for her salvation.
Randy is preaching tonight..please remember him in your prayers and Tyler will be coordinating the music.