Second Confraternidad

Hi All,

Hope you are all very blessed and doing well. These are my last days in Peru for a while and I wanted to catch you up on what's been happening here. We had to stay in Iquitos the past week and a half due to various reasons such as Lucy and I were ill, then I was scheduled to deliver the message at the church in Iquitos and finally they had the election here in Peru which as I stated in a previous email, it is mandatory that you vote here and if you don't you have to pay a fine. So with all of that said, there was no one able to travel with me so we stayed in Iquitos until the arrival of the people from Lima .

Pastor Daniel arrived this past Wednesday. Marleni and Ricardo also flew from Lima on Wednesday and arrived in Iquitos but could not land due to fog and ended up flying in on Thursday. In a way, this was good for me as I ended up in the emergency room the night before as I had been sick for 2 weeks with stomach issues, so it gave me an extra day of rest. Most of the people left Thursday morning on a slow boat for Santa Ana but we had to wait for the others and take a fast boat to Tamshiyacu then a small boat to the mouth of the Tahuayo River where we then had to push the boat up the river. It was pitch black outside as it was cloudy out so there were not even stars and they kept saying to make a lot of noise to scare off the stingrays. We then had to walk through the rice fields where I was once again scared of snakes. We finally arrived wet and tired and they invited us for some soup for supper. It of course was dinner by candlelight as there is no electricity in Santa Ana so we really couldn't see what we were eating. Lucy finally put a piece of meat in the light and said, "Oh, this is monkey." I thought Marleni was going to lose it, especially after she discovered she had eaten the head. Even without good lighting, I could see she had turned a weird shade of green.

We then had a short opening service until about 10:30 pm and went to bed. I could not sleep due to the snoring, then the drunks from the town headed “quietly” home. At about 4 am, I was drifting off and I heard someone say “kill it, kill it” and then the sound of a sandal smashing on the floor. I of course thought it was a tarantula but found out it was a naca-naca or coral snake that was inside the mosquito net crawling on the man's arm. I didn't sleep well after that and everyone was up at 5 anyway and we started the day. (Photo: Confraternidad)

The first day of the Confraternidad went well with 6 of the Wesleyan churches in attendance along with 2 others. I did my teaching on the first day and was glad about that as then I was able to sit back and enjoy the rest of it.

One thing that was really exciting for me was there were five people came from Nueva Esperanza which we opened up as a new preaching point and the Pastor from Yanashi is continuing to follow up with them and it is bearing fruit.

These Confraternidad’s have been a real blessing here resulting in 12 marriages with 4 more planned for the next year and 32 baptisms so far in the 2 years we have had them. These gatherings are something I have been praying for for years as I wanted our Pastors and churches to get to know one another, know they were not alone in this work and receive teachings. Marleni and Ricardo took it upon themselves to start this here not knowing they were an answer to prayer. Next year’s Confraternidad will be in the community of Amazonas. (Photo: Some of the Participants of the Confraternidad in front of the church in Santa Ana )

The second complete day of the Confraternidad we had the rest of the teachings until 1 pm then we had free time until the night services in which we had a banquet and a time of sharing. The Confraternidad ended on Sunday with 11 people being baptized and then communion. We said our goodbyes and headed in a boat for Tamshiyacu where some of the people stayed to wait for the boat that would leave at 11 pm, while Lucy, Pastor Daniel, Marleni, Ricardo and I headed to Iquitos in a fast boat as we had to be back in Iquitos Sunday night for church services. (Photo: Baptism)

Today we are going to just relax in Iquitos as Pastor Daniel, Marleni and Ricardo don’t fly out until tomorrow morning and tomorrow night I have to preach my last service here in Iquitos and say my goodbyes. I fly out on Friday night and arrive in Austin at 9:30 a.m. on the 16^th. I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. I am sad about leaving my friends here and excited to see my friends and family in the states. It is really difficult sometimes to figure out my emotions as I love both places. I always have an adjustment period when I go from one place to the other so please pray that it all goes smooth without too much of a roller coaster feeling. Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers for the Amazon region of Peru .

In Christ,

Kayleen

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San Lorenzo

Hi All,

Hope this email finds you doing well. We left for San Lorenzo last Tuesday by airplane to Tarrapoto. When we got there, we found a "hotel" to leave our things at while we went looking for transportation that could take us to a community where Lucy has a brother that she has not seen in 17 years. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. We went back to the hotel to sleep then continued looking the next day. We were about to give up when we went to the market, a lady selling cheese was from a nearby community and knew which truck we needed to take there. When we got to the truck, we found that Lucy's sister-in-law was in town selling bananas so we met up with her in the truck that was headed to the village. I opted to pay the extra 30 cents for Lucy and I to ride inside the cab instead of in the truckbed--probably one of the best decisions of my life. (Picture: the truck going to see Lucy's brother)

Outside of Tarrapoto are the foothills of the Andes Mountains so we were driving on dirt paths only as wide as the truck on the edges of cliffs. I would show a picture if I had one but I was too terrified to take a picture. I kept my eyes shut most of the way and was really depending on the power of prayer.

We finally arrived in a little town with mud houses. This was as far as the truck could take us. From there we had to walk up a narrow mountain trail through the coffee fields. It was beautiful but tiring. From the top you could see Tarrapoto, Llamas and Tablalosa, three towns near there. After about an hour walk we arrived in the "town" which consisted of 3 houses on the side of the mountain. We had some fish and rice for lunch and then waited for Lucy's brother to come in from the fields. There was really nothing else we could do but wait as the truck we came in on was the only transportation available and it wouldn't leave til the next day--in fact we had to plead with the driver as he was not going to go into town the next day and we would have been stuck there. (Picture: the mud house we stayed in)

Lucy and her brother had a tearful reunion and we ate some of the best chicken soup ever. We went to bed early as there is no electricity and we had to meet the truck at 3 a.m. The stars there were absolutely amazing. It was my first time sleeping in a mud house. It was extremely dark and on a slant so I kept falling off the cushion all night but slept well. Lucy said she felt like a wasp sleeping inside a mud house.

We got up to start the walk to the truck a little before 3 a.m. I was terrified that I would be bitten by a snake hiding under the coffee leaves but we arrived at the truckstop and started the trip back to Tarrapoto, picked up our stuff at the hotel and went to catch a bus to Yurimaguas. I thought the truck ride was bad but in the bus I definitely kept my eyes shut and Lucy ended up getting sick. It was all switchbacks right on the sides of the mountains. I was scared to death. When we got to Yurimaguas we went to the port to find a boat headed for San Lorenzo but there was none for that day so once again we were in a holding pattern and had to stay the night. They told us there would be a boat leaving the next day at 6 a. m. but when we got there the next day, they said the motor was broken but another boat was leaving from another port. We quickly went to the other port then had to get into a little fast boat to catch up to the larger boat that had already left us, but at least we finally were traveling again.

From there we travelled all day and all night and arrived in San Lorenzo Saturday at noon. Lucy's father is not doing well and it was difficult to see as he has always been very good to me. He no longer gets out of bed without help. We had some I.V. fluids put in and he seemed to do a bit better but it is really hard on Lucy and her family.

(Lucy with her father)

Sunday night Lucy and I went to a nearby church that we usually go to when we are here. From the pulpit, the Pastor asked if I would give the message for Tuesday night church, so of course I said yes (yes, I submit to peer pressure). It went o.k. although it had rained and we had to walk about a half a mile through mud to the church so we showed up in rubber boots and skirts. It kind of had a "Little House on the Prairie" feel to it. We brought our shoes along so I didn't have to preach in boots.

Lucy's parents have a well in their backyard that you pull up the water in a bucket but the metal barrel around it was oxodized and breaking (Picture of the well before)

so we bought a bag of cement and some bricks and made a new well. This whole year has been a year of construction for me. We also installed a light socket and outlet in the room we sleep in. That wasn't so difficult though because they only have electricity from 6 pm til midnight so you can install without worrying about getting shocked. I must admit a real feeling of accomplishment when everything worked though.

(Picture of well afterward)

It has been a very difficult time emotionally with a lot of family coming to see Lucy's father and the tears starting again but Saturday night we had a fiesta to celebrate a birthday, to pray for two babies and I had to cut the hair of one of my godsons which is a symbol of something here although I am not sure what ( perhaps hair today, gone tomorrow ). Saturday afternoon we had a huge storm that blew off part of the roof of the house and knocked out some of the power lines so we had to borrow a generator to have electricity. We had a service then ate duck with rice, turtle with spaghetti, jello, cake and soda. We then told jokes and went to bed very full of food and laughter.

(Picture: Turtle and Duck before we ate them)

Monday morning we had to go catch the boat for Iquitos . I was a little nervous as there is only a boat to Iquitos from San Lorenzo every two weeks so if we missed this boat, we were out of luck. After a very tearful good-bye we made it to the boat on time. It is also a hurry up a d wait situation as once you get on the boat, it is a three day boat ride to Iquitos as we are with the current. It is 4 days to go there against the current. You just have to sit back in your hammock and even as relaxing as that sounds, it gets old after about the first 3 hours. Also it was so packed that the hammocks were on top of each other and it was so hot you could hardly breathe. Lucy and I got off in Nauta to take a bus the rest of the way as Iquitos is only 2 hours by bus from there.

(Picture: the little boy whose hair I cut and his family)

It was very difficult to leave San Lorenzo knowing that I would probably never see Lucy’s father on earth again. He was sobbing when we left as he also knows his time is short now. It was an emotional roller coaster of a trip but I am glad I went to support Lucy and so that I could see Lucy’s father again.

It kind of feels like a culture shock being back in Iquitos and having to think of all the things I have left to do before I leave. I can’t believe it is less than a month before I head home. I am excited but have mixed emotions due to the work left undone here. We will be having the second confraternidad with all of the churches in Santa Ana October 8^th through 10^th and then I head back to the states on October 15^th. Time passes much faster than I would like. I had always heard that saying of “Life is like a roll of toilet paper…the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes.” I can now see the truth in that. I hope all is well with you and yours. Please write me a quick note if you get a chance. God Bless.

In Christ,

Kayleen

Amazing God

September 5, 2010

Wow, what an amazing trip this has been. The team got here on Saturday and we left for Tamshiyacu that same day. We got all of our stuff loaded on a slow boat and headed out. The river is amazingly low and this group was a group of practical jokers so when we got to a place that had a beach type place, they pushed Pastor Mark from the top of the boat into the Amazon. Actually Pastor Bob will go down in history as the man that pushed Pastor Mark into the Amazon…of course Pastor Mark took Pastor Bob with him.

We got to Tamshiyacu that night and got settled in at the “hotel” for the night. The team was exhausted from two days of travel so we just ate supper, had devotions and went to bed so we could get started on the work the next day.

There was so much work to do just to get started. First of all we had to level the dirt floor in the church so that the cement could be laid. We also had to level the dirt under the house that we were building which was fortunate because we were able to use the dirt that was dug up from there to level the dirt inside the church. Also, all of the electricity needed to be changed inside the church so Aldolpho and Charles got started on that.

It was amazing how the team got right to work, every member doing his/her part. They were able to put up the beams and framework on the house so that the next day while some would be working on the cement for the floor, others could be working on the house. It was really incredible to see.

After working hard all day, we had a service with the children that night. Pastor Jim became known as “Wow wow” to all of the children from his dog puppet and every time they would see him from then on, they would come up to him and say wow wow. It was pretty cute.

The next day, the whole floor was poured with the help of a cement mixer. That was probably the best idea yet. We found one to rent in Tamshiyacu and it saved

mixing all the bags by hand like was done inSanta Ana last year. It saved a lot of time and the whole floor was down in 3 hours and while the two men we brought from Iquitosworked on putting the sheen on the floor, the rest began working on the house during the torrential rain. We ended up having to stop a little early as it became dangerous with the mud so slippery.

Within several more days of work, the whole project was completed. It was amazing. There is now a parsonage for the Pastor and the church is repainted and has a beautiful floor, new lighting, bricks around the wall where the boards were getting termites and gutters. As I said before, it was amazing.

We ended the time in Tamshiyacu with an open air service, then got all the supplies on a slow boat back with Javier and Abel (our two workers from Iquitos) and we got ready to go to Santa Ana the next day to see the church that we built last year and to baptize Michael.

As I said earlier, the river is really low and when we got to theTahuayo River, we couldn’t enter so we all had to get off and walk about a mile or so intoSanta Ana. We ended up having a service dedicated 5 infants then went down to the “Chismosa” the name of a pond there and 3 people, including Michael were baptized. It was awesome.

After buying some of the locals arts and crafts we headed on the long walk back to the Amazon to catch the boat back to Tamshiyacu, ate lunch then got on the boat back to Iquitos.

The Lord worked in so many ways on this trip. He protected us from major accidents, He worked on the hearts of the two workers that were brought fromIquitos, He worked on the hearts of the people in Tamshiyacu and He worked on the hearts of the team members. It was an amazing construction project that not only built buildings but relationships and I am very sad to see them go.

To change the subject a little bit, Lucy’s father is probably in his last days of life. He can no longer get out of bed for anything and is hardly eating. Pastor Bob called Lima to ask for permission for her and I to go see him before the conference in October so we will be leaving tomorrow and will be gone for a couple of weeks. Please pray for this situation as many members of her family are not Christian and there are some problems that we will have to confront there. It will be more difficult for me to stay in contact as this town only has electricity 6 hours at night so getting on the internet is more difficult but I will try. It usually takes 4 days on a boat to get to Lucy’s parents but because the river is low, it is taking a week so we are going to fly to Tarrapoto, then take a bus to Yurimaguas then take a boat to San Lorenzo. We should then be able to get there in 2 days. Please pray for safe travel.

Well, I better get busy, I have so much to do in so little time but I wanted to make sure I got you all updated on the team. They should be arriving home this morning so tell them all I miss them. Hope you all are very blessed and continuing to serve our Lord Jesus Christ.

In Christ

Kayleen

The Past Week

August 22, 2010

Hi All,

I wanted to write you a quick update before the team gets here next Saturday. We have been busy here buying all the building materials and getting it out to Tamshiyacu. It isn’t as easy as it seems as once you buy the materials, you have to get them to the port, then you have to get all the materials down this big hill to the boat then travel in the boat for about 6 hours then get all the materials up another huge hill and about a half a mile to the church. Thankfully Pastor Leiter and Juanvolunteered to ride with the supplies and help get them delivered. I was very grateful as there were 40 bags of cement plus a lot of other supplies. Most all of the supplies are now there in Tamshiyacu and we have someone keeping an eye on them but please keep this project in your prayers as it seems every time we start a project such as this, something always seems to happen. I therefore covet your prayers for this team.

The team arrives this Saturday and we will be traveling out to Tamshiyacu that same day. It will be a lot of hard, hot work but will be a blessing to the church and to the new Pastor that will finish seminary in December.

Yesterday Lucy and I made a quick trip to San Juan de Sinchi Cuy to visit the church plant and eat Caymito which is a fruit that is in season right now. We also went to inform Lucy’s brother who is in charge of the work there that their father is not doing well. (Picture: Caymito)

We had a longer walk than usual as the water has dropped so much that we had to get off the boat on the Amazon instead of entering the Sinchi Cuy Creek. It was really a beautiful walk except that the bridges have gotten even worse—there are more broken boards making some of them very difficult to cross.

I wanted to write about this trip as I really felt a great joy as I looked out across the group of children and adults gathered at the service last night. A year and a half ago when we first started going to San Juan de Sinchi Cuy, the children were frightened and the adults were suspicious of us. They did not know any Christian songs and the adults did not really want us there. There was a real resistance to the gospel and we had to go house to house to invite people to the service.

Last night I truly recognized the changes that have taken place. We didn’t even announce that we were having service; instead everyone was asking us what time we would have the service. We had a children’s service in the afternoon and then a regular service that night. The children all had their favorite praise songs that they wanted to sing. We had a two hour service and they still did not want to return to their homes. It was truly a blessing for me to see this. My heart is still full of joy today—nothing huge happened, but to see the children and adults singing their hearts out and receiving us with such acceptance just brought me an inexplicable joy and I am truly grateful. (Picture: Lucy speaking to some of the children)

Today we left at 5:30 am so we could get back to Iquitos as tonight is the anniversary of the church in Iquitos and we had to help with the preparation. As we were getting off the boat in Iquitos , one of the members of the church from San Juan de Sinchi Cuy helped carry our things to the moto taxi. As he left he said take care of yourself Kaylita and asked when we would be coming back—that we needed to visit more often. This also touched me as most of you probably know; Kaylita is an endearing form of Kayleen. It just felt wonderful first of all because I didn’t even know that he knew my name and second of all, these were the people that once upon a time did not want us in their village. I just am thankful to the Lord that he is faithful to His word as in Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

(Picture: Youth Group dancing)

As I mentioned above, tonight we had the anniversary of the Iquitos church. We have owned this building since 2001 which is ironic as 2001 is the first year that I came toPeru on a short term mission trip. The festivities of this evening were great. The youth group performed some dances, a Colombian Pastor who is our next door neighbor, delivered the message and of course the food. My heart is very full of gratitude in this night that God has given me this opportunity and honor to be able to share His word in this part of the world. I hope this email also finds you all very blessed. (Picture: Gladys'--our cook for our mission teams grandson singing for the church anniversary)

In Christ,

Kayleen

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Tamshiyacu

August 13, 2010

Hi All,

Hope this email finds you all blessed. Lucy and I returned from Tamshiyacu yesterday afternoon. We had anticipated being in Tamshiyacu one day, then going on to the Tahuayo River to visit San Carlos, Nuevo Triunfo and Santa Ana. It was not meant to be though. There ended up being too much for us to do in Tamshiyacu to get ready for the team that is arriving two weeks from today.

(picture:the church in Tamshiyacu)

Lucy and I went to Tamshiyacu with Hermano Edgar, the man that will be in charge of the construction, to get the measurements of the church and parsonage to know how much cement, roofing tin, sand, bricks, nails, lightbulbs, electrical wiring, ect. to get for the project. Lucy and I will bring all the supplies out on a boat next week so that it will be there when the team gets there. Until I came down here to stay, I never knew how much work there was in getting prepared for a team to come. We are usually exhausted by the time the team gets here and they are usually anxious to get to work.

(Picture:the ground where we are going to build the parsonage)

This next week, we have to get 40 bags of cement, 250 bricks, the roofing tin and other supplies up a big hill and to the church in Tamshiyacu. We are of course hiring some men to help us but it still ends up being a big job.

Hno. Edgar left later that day and Lucy and I went looking for the man that is cutting the wood for us. It was a bit upsetting that he had only cut one half of the wood as the wood needs time to dry. He promised it would all be ready by Saturday—tomorrow, so we shall see. We had a man dig a well but he dug 4 meters or 12 feet down and there was nothing so we decided to put the bathroom over that hole.

(Picture:the dirt floor of the church that we are going to put cement)

We then had to talk to the man who is going to be getting the sand for us. We are going to need 8 meters of sand for the project. He has to go across the river in his canoe, put the sand in his canoe and bring it up the hill to the church. I am so glad this is not my job.

That night we held church services and as usually had a lot of kids in attendance and we had a lot of fun.

The next day we had to go to City Hall to get some measurements of the land so that we know exactly where our land ends. Then once again we had to talk to the woodcutter and the man carrying the wood. They now have running water for one hour a day in Tamshiyacu so we started the paperwork involved to get running water piped to the parsonage. We had to go to one office to get the paperwork typed up, then had to take 2 copies of that paper to the governor’s office but since all of the officials are in campaign, he was busy and we had to take the paperwork to another person to follow up with on Monday. We didn’t have services that night as there was a big political campaign in town so most of the town showed up for that.

As I said in an earlier email, the political fury is very high in Tamshiyacu. The quote is 3 dead the last time, 6 dead this time so the political groups are battling it out right now.

Wednesday we continued working on all of the paperwork and getting all the logistics lined up for the team to come such as the lodging for the team ect. In the afternoon we went and burned the trash that was behind the church. We were cutting down some banana trees that had fallen and other dead brush so that night in the service, I talked about John 15 , where Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches”. We had a great time and a bunch of the kids walked back to the lodge with us and we played until it was time to go to bed.

(Picture:Some of the kids)

Thursday we took care of last minute details then caught a boat back to Iquitos . Today we have to start the purchases and find boat prices. I sometimes get tired just thinking about all that is left to do but I know it is in God’s hands and it is His work and not my own. Well, it is 6:15 a.m. so I better get busy, daylight is burning. Hope you are all well. Please pray for this team that is coming, that we be a blessing to the people in this town and that the name of the Lord be glorified.

(Picture: Tamshiyacu at sunset)

In Christ,

Kayleen