Louisiana Team

June 29, 2011

Hi All,

Hope this email finds you doing well. I wanted to write you all and tell you about the past week and a half with the team from Louisiana.

The team arrived Saturday in the morning after a threat of being delayed in Panama City. They had all been traveling 24 hours so were exhausted and got to the church ate breakfast and took naps—that is all took naps except for Scott. He reminded me of the energizer bunny and as soon as he got here, he built us a nice table and benches for the back yard so now all of the teams will have a cool place to eat and we are also starting to serve breakfast to the Sunday School children so this is perfect. He took a job that I thought would take all week and finished it in the afternoon.

That evening we had a beautiful service in Iquitos that evening in which we also celebrated Father’s Day. I had to speak a lot and by the next morning I was losing my voice which was not a good thing since no one spoke Spanish on the team. We got ready and left for San Juan de Sinchi Cuy in a small boat and arrived around 11 a.m. The team played soccer with the children, then we had a puppet show and children’s service. In the evening we had a regular service and then showed a movie. We had a great turnout of people for the movie and they really enjoyed it. Several people afterwards spoke about how it had renewed their faith.

The next day we set sail for Iquitos again and held a short service in the park near the church. This was a good way to invite people to the church around the corner. It went really well except that a moto taxi drove off with five of the churches chairs which was sad but the team replaced them so all ended well.

Tuesday we left for Tamshiyacu. I was drinking all types of remedies for my voice and by the service that evening, I was able to talk. Last year a team from Texas had built a small parsonage with a lean to in back. The team bought wood and cement and we had the lean to enclosed and a cement floor put in. Later we are going to make another lean to for their kitchen. Harol will be coming in January or February with his wife and new baby so he needed a bit more space. This will be such a blessing for them.

We held a service in the evening then went to Santa Ana the next day where we swam in their beautiful pond and had a service with a large attendance. This church has suffered a split and during the service, several people made amends to each other. We headed back to Tamshiyacu that same evening then back to Iquitos the next day where we went to the zoo and sight seeing.

I flew with the team Friday to Lima and was able to see Oswaldo, our seminary student and Gianfranco, Gladys’ son. We toured Lima and then went to a hotel where we spent half the night as we had to leave by 3 a.m. to get to the airport for our various flights. All in all it was a great trip with new friends.

When I got back to Iquitos, we received an emergency call from San Juan de Sinchi Cuy. A man who had been at the service was hit by a tree and died. They wanted us to come asap to be at the wake. This is amazing in itself as these people were very reticent to have our presence in their community before. They really did not want the gospel message there so for them to call us now was something very special. Pastor Leiter, Lucy, Dayer and I went out and were at the wake. I ended up getting very sick with fever, vomiting ect. but fortunately arrived back in Iquitos where I am recovering now. As you can probably tell from this update, I am still not up to par but at least my fever is gone.

We have another team arriving next Saturday so we have to start making all the purchases and transportation arrangements again. Please keep this team in your prayers. Thank you to the Louisiana team for all your help here. You were a blessing. I will write more when I feel a bit better.\

In Christ

Kayleen

Team Preparation

June 11, 2011

Hi All,

Just want to give you a quick update of this past week. Monday, Lucy and I headed to Tamshiyacu. The river is really high right now and has flooded many areas destroying their crops for this year. Please pray for the people that they have food and clean water. The other problem comes when the water begins to recede. Then there is usually an epidemic from poor sanitation conditions. Lucy and I had to get into a canoe to be taken to the boat that went to Tamshiyacu. It is a 5 hour boat ride on the slow boat so we just hung our hammocks and chilled til we got there.

When we got there, we took our things to the parsonage that the team built last year. It is so nice to have a place to arrive and not have to pay for the hospedaje or hotel. (Photo: Our mosquito net beds) That night we had a service and afterwards played games with the children. We had a lot of fun and it was so good to see the kids again. This church right now is without a Pastor but has been continuing on with a 17 year old girl who is faithful in teaching the children and an Aguaruna woman who does not know how to read but is faithful in prayer, opening the church at 6 a.m. each morning to have her time of prayer.

Harol, who is a student that we have sent to seminary in Chiclayo will be coming with his wife and daughter in January or February. He was to come last year but there were some difficulties and he couldn’t come til then. I spoke with he and his wife on the phone and they are very anxious to get here. Their baby will be born this month so they cannot travel til she is a bit older as the traveling conditions are not easy here. We look forward to them coming as the church in Tamshiyacu has many needs, especially the need for a consistent Pastor. (Photo: Some Children in Tamshiyacu)

Tuesday night we also had a service with an even larger attendance and quite a few adults. No one wanted to leave after the service so once again we played games then were all talking out on the sidewalk and I saw the Southern Cross constellation for the first time. It only appears in May til the early part of June. I was excited as that is something I have always wanted to see.

Wednesday before we headed to Santa Ana, we were walking around town and there was a big commotion by one of the people’s yards. They said there was a snake so I thought I would send a picture of it. It is not venomous but bites and can be dangerous to dogs, chicken and children so they were going to have to get rid of it. It started coming after me when I was taking it’s picture. My mother, if she weren’t already with the Lord, would have passed out. (Photo: snake)

After that, Lucy and I went and waited for a boat to Santa Ana, there was a small boat headed there so we got in and had to sit on the sides to keep from tipping. (Photo: Lucy in the boat) We got to Santa Ana and got to bathe and wash our clothes in their beautiful oasis of a spring. That felt absolutely wonderful. We then had a service that night and celebrated the birthday of one of the women there, played some games then hung our mosquito nets in the church to go to sleep. I could not sleep because the bats kept hitting my mosquito net and I thought they were going to get inside. (Photo: one of the children at the church service)

Thursday we made the plans for the team that will be here on Saturday and then held a service that night. The church in Santa Ana is struggling as Pastor Hildebrando resigned and is trying to start a different church in his home. It is a small village where many of the people are related so this has impacted the church there but after the service, many were ready to continue on in the Lord’s work. Lucy and I want to try to get to each of the churches this year and do a week of discipleship. It will be difficult with all of the teams coming but it is really needed.

Despite all of the struggles, i.e. the continuing struggles of the churches, the bats, the countless mosquito and other bug bites, the mud, the rain, sleeping on the ground, bathing, washing clothes and drinking from the river, I have to say that I love the work here and wouldn’t trade it for the world. The people here mean so much to me that at times it is difficult to see all of the struggles but through prayer and leaning on the Lord, I know that one day this area will take hold and flourish. I keep remembering Gal. 6:9 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” I know that God has His hand on this work through it all and it is His work and not my own. I know it says “How beautiful are the feet of him who spreads good news” but my feet are not so beautiful here.

I hope you are all well. I am excited to have our first team arriving next Saturday and am busy making preparations. I will leave you with one last photo of a little boy in Santa Ana, Anibal, that will turn 5 on Sunday. God bless you all. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and please write.

In Christ

Kayleen

P.S. It took me 4 hours to load this...that is how fast my internet is..haha

Team Preparation

June 11, 2011

Hi All,

Just want to give you a quick update of this past week. Monday, Lucy and I headed to Tamshiyacu. The river is really high right now and has flooded many areas destroying their crops for this year. Please pray for the people that they have food and clean water. The other problem comes when the water begins to recede. Then there is usually an epidemic from poor sanitation conditions. Lucy and I had to get into a canoe to be taken to the boat that went to Tamshiyacu. It is a 5 hour boat ride on the slow boat so we just hung our hammocks and chilled til we got there.

When we got there, we took our things to the parsonage that the team built last year. It is so nice to have a place to arrive and not have to pay for the hospedaje or hotel. (Photo: Our mosquito net beds) That night we had a service and afterwards played games with the children. We had a lot of fun and it was so good to see the kids again. This church right now is without a Pastor but has been continuing on with a 17 year old girl who is faithful in teaching the children and an Aguaruna woman who does not know how to read but is faithful in prayer, opening the church at 6 a.m. each morning to have her time of prayer.

Harol, who is a student that we have sent to seminary in Chiclayo will be coming with his wife and daughter in January or February. He was to come last year but there were some difficulties and he couldn’t come til then. I spoke with he and his wife on the phone and they are very anxious to get here. Their baby will be born this month so they cannot travel til she is a bit older as the traveling conditions are not easy here. We look forward to them coming as the church in Tamshiyacu has many needs, especially the need for a consistent Pastor. (Photo: Some Children in Tamshiyacu)

Tuesday night we also had a service with an even larger attendance and quite a few adults. No one wanted to leave after the service so once again we played games then were all talking out on the sidewalk and I saw the Southern Cross constellation for the first time. It only appears in May til the early part of June. I was excited as that is something I have always wanted to see.

Wednesday before we headed to Santa Ana, we were walking around town and there was a big commotion by one of the people’s yards. They said there was a snake so I thought I would send a picture of it. It is not venomous but bites and can be dangerous to dogs, chicken and children so they were going to have to get rid of it. It started coming after me when I was taking it’s picture. My mother, if she weren’t already with the Lord, would have passed out. (Photo: snake)

After that, Lucy and I went and waited for a boat to Santa Ana, there was a small boat headed there so we got in and had to sit on the sides to keep from tipping. (Photo: Lucy in the boat) We got to Santa Ana and got to bathe and wash our clothes in their beautiful oasis of a spring. That felt absolutely wonderful. We then had a service that night and celebrated the birthday of one of the women there, played some games then hung our mosquito nets in the church to go to sleep. I could not sleep because the bats kept hitting my mosquito net and I thought they were going to get inside. (Photo: one of the children at the church service)

Thursday we made the plans for the team that will be here on Saturday and then held a service that night. The church in Santa Ana is struggling as Pastor Hildebrando resigned and is trying to start a different church in his home. It is a small village where many of the people are related so this has impacted the church there but after the service, many were ready to continue on in the Lord’s work. Lucy and I want to try to get to each of the churches this year and do a week of discipleship. It will be difficult with all of the teams coming but it is really needed.

Despite all of the struggles, i.e. the continuing struggles of the churches, the bats, the countless mosquito and other bug bites, the mud, the rain, sleeping on the ground, bathing, washing clothes and drinking from the river, I have to say that I love the work here and wouldn’t trade it for the world. The people here mean so much to me that at times it is difficult to see all of the struggles but through prayer and leaning on the Lord, I know that one day this area will take hold and flourish. I keep remembering Gal. 6:9 “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” I know that God has His hand on this work through it all and it is His work and not my own. I know it says “How beautiful are the feet of him who spreads good news” but my feet are not so beautiful here.

I hope you are all well. I am excited to have our first team arriving next Saturday and am busy making preparations. I will leave you with one last photo of a little boy in Santa Ana, Anibal, that will turn 5 on Sunday. God bless you all. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and please write.

In Christ

Kayleen

P.S. It took me 4 hours to load this...that is how fast my internet is..haha

First Month

June 4, 2011

Hi All,

I can’t believe I have already been here a month. Time has been flying and we have been really busy preparing for all the teams coming this year. This is such a blessing to have 7 teams coming. It is just difficult communicating with the jungle communities and takes a face to face visit to do the coordination due to limited phone service.

After we returned from Amazonas, I was very sick. I couldn’t go with Lucy and Pastor Juan to our new church in Maynas. I was so disappointed but I was having severe stomach problems and it is a nine hour boat ride with no bathroom. It actually turned out well since I did not get out of bed for the next 2 days. I finally ended up having to go to the doctor and get antibiotics but now am feeling much better. (Of course I didn’t lose any weight with all of this).

Fortunately Lucy had classes in the seminary the next week and I was able to get over the bug. We also had several women’s events to help pay the electric and water bill of the church. We sold cecina, which is dried pork and chicken with yucca and we made enough to pay the bills.

Sunday was also my birthday. Saturday night at the women’s meeting we had popcorn, crackers and soda. They sang happy birthday and I got the customary egg on my head. Sunday night after church, we had cake and soda and Pastor Leiter pushed my face into the cake. It was a lot of fun.

Tuesday morning we started to head out to San Juan de Sinchi Cuy but it was pouring and we ended up having to wait until Wednesday. We got out there and we played soccer with the kids (I ended up kicking more than just the ball). We then held a children’s service and then had to send them home to bathe before church.

Church service was awesome with more than 60 children and many youth and adults attending. We had a 2hour church service and the people still did not want to leave. We played games and told stories. This is a difficult community and there are many who do not want us there, but little by little God is winning over the hearts of the people.

We returned Thursday for church service in Iquitos. Yesterday we made more plans for the teams and practiced “Open the Eyes of my Heart” in English. It is starting to sound pretty good.

Sunday is the Presidential election here in Peru so we had to be back in Iquitos for them to vote. We in the house here, Pastor Leiter, Gladys, Lucy, Dayer and I are going to buy the ingredients to make a cake for election day. Mmmm.

Monday we will be headed out to Tamshiyacu and Santa Ana to finish the arrangements for the teams. When we return, I have to preach on the 15^th, then the team arrives on the 18^th so we will be very busy making the purchases. As I explained in another email, it is not quite the same as in the states as everything has to be purchased at different times and can only be as much as the moto carros can hold so we have to make many trips.

(Photo: Moto Carro)

I am very excited to see what God will do through these teams. Please pray for their health and that the hearts of the people be open to the Lord. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. Please write.

In Christ,

Kayleen