Indiana Team

August 17, 2011

Hi All,

I cannot believe how fast time is flying here. Yesterday the team from Indiana Wesleyan left after having a very productive week. It was exhausting but amazing.

The team got here on Sunday morning and they rested a bit before having services that night in the church in Iquitos. Sue Ferguson, who had been a missionary for over 20 years in Peru and was on this team preached a much needed message that night on “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” It was an awesome message and really encouraged the church here in Iquitos.

The next morning we took off in a bus for Nauta and then a boat to Amazonas. We received a warm welcome there with the community coming out and helping us get our cargo up the hill. We got settled in and had a welcoming service that night.

On Tuesday we got on a boat and went about an hour and a half down river to a community called Fatima. Lucy and I were a bit nervous as due to all the teams we have had this year, we were not able to go and make all of the arrangements like we usually do. We have never entered this community before and didn’t really know if they would receive us or not. We got there and had to cross a line of logs through the mud to get to where a long trail started.

When we got there, to our surprise, the governor of the village was there as he was fixing his chainsaw. We spoke to him about what we proposed to do and he was happy to accept us and even had a bicycle with a trailer to carry all of our supplies. Our God is faithful to supply all of our needs. We had about a 45 minute walk to the village over some more logs but finally made it to the tiny village. I was very surprised at this village as most of the adults and children had never seen a Bible and did not know what one was. That was amazing to me as most of the villages that I have been to, even if they do not have a church, know what a Bible is and have at least seen one before. They invited us back as they want to learn more about the Gospel.

This was a very interesting team trying something that we have never done before. It was a medical team per say but did not offer medical attention but teaching. They taught on how to purify the drinking water, how to make soap, first aid, the Heimlich maneuver, how to make a natural Gatorade type drink for dehydration and did it in a very innovative way that held the audiences attention. It was very well done and I believe was very effective. They also brought along Dr. Rudy, a dentist from Iquitos that pulled teeth for those who needed it and we had a children’s evangelism program.

When we finished the program, we headed back to our base camp in Amazonas. It took about 2 hours to get back as we were against the current and so we got back in time to bathe, eat and have services again. One of the young men on the trip was very adventurous and went with one of the villagers that night to hunt. They killed two frogs and a monkey so we ate them for breakfast the next day before we headed out to Grau.

Grau is a very large village of about 1000 people. It is the village where the Maranon and Ucayali rivers meet to form the Amazon. Fortunately there had been a boat with a dentist come through 2 weeks before or we could have been very overwhelmed with patients. When we finished the program, the governor of the village allowed us to go up for free into the mirador which is a very high tower where you can see the rivers meet and where the Amazon River is born. It was pretty awesome.

We then headed back to Amazonas and played with the children until it was time to go to bed.

Thursday we headed to Payarote which was another village I had never been to. It was very hot that day and we ran out of water so after the program was finished, half of the people went back to Amazonas while the other half stayed and finished the dentistry.

The services at night were just precious. I love the church in Amazonas. It is the highest functioning of our churches and it really touches me to see the unity there and how much it has grown before my very eyes. At one time we had one man and about 6 women as regular attendees but now it is about 10 men and 30 women plus a lot of children. This church really encourages me to go on and to know the blood, sweat and tears spent here in the Amazon is not in vain.

Friday morning we set out for San Francisco which is the village right next to Amazonas where we once again did the teaching program and pulled teeth. We had been evangelizing this village before this but then had to stop due to some land disputes between the two villages. This has now been settled and we are now welcome to come there once again.

On Saturday we had our program in Amazonas and that night had a good bye service that was totally awesome. You could really sense the Spirit of the Lord there that night.

Sunday after some tearful goodbyes, we headed back to Iquitos where we got cleaned up, rested and got ready for services that night.

Monday we toured Iquitos and went shopping and then Tuesday, the team took off for Lima. It was very sad to see them go.

I am really exhausted and can’t seem to shake this bronchitis because I just have not had time to rest and get well between teams. We have 9 days before the next team comes so please pray that I can get some rest although I am not sure how I am going to do that as I have so much to do. We still have to buy the food for the next team and the supplies needed to build the church in Nuevo Esperanza. I also have to buy a dress for a Quincinera and write a research paper for a class I am taking and I have to preach here in Iquitos so please pray for my health. I miss you all very much. Please write to me. I would love to hear from you. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.

In Christ

Kayleen

Lima Youth

August 3, 2011

Hi All,

Hope this update finds you all doing well. I wanted to write and inform you of the last several weeks. As you know per my last update, the team from TX/LA left on July 18^th and on July 23^rd we had 11 people arrive from a youth group from Lima. This was very exciting for me as I keep praying for the more mature churches of Peru to adopt the younger churches here in the jungle.

The youth arrived Saturday night and Sunday morning we set out for Nauta in a bus, then Amazonas by boat. The community of Amazonas once again turned out to help us get our cargo up the hill and get us settled. Amazonas is one of my favorite communities as the church there is very united and willing to help. We didn’t bring the gas stove so cooked with wood which all of the church members went out to bring us each day as well as water.

The group from Lima was ready to work and had children’s services, then a time to talk about sexual abuse with the children and a service that night.

The next morning we went in two’s to do door to door evangelizing which was a huge success. We also divided up into male and female groups to have a round table discussion. Many of the women of the community opened up and talked as I have never seen before. It was a time of healing some old wounds for many and that night’s service was packed with standing room only.

Wednesday morning we started the return trip to Iquitos and that afternoon went to the park to evangelize. One of the youth was in a Christian “beat box” group and knew how to flow. He has several cd’s out and is very talented. This of course drew a crowd and 3 people accepted Christ that day in the park which was awesome.

Thursday we headed out to San Juan de Sinchi Cuy where we had to walk an hour to the community. About a month ago I fell while walking to this community and hurt my arm. My arm had been hurting horribly for that month but while in Amazonas, a man looked at it and said it was out of its socket and popped it back in. Finally I am feeling some relief from that.

We arrive in San Juan and had a children’s service then played soccer against the entire community in which Lima lost every game. That night we held a service in the house and then went to bed.

The next day we did door to door evangelism which was more difficult in this community. There is more opposition here and in reality it is a somewhat tough ground. The people accepted us into their homes though and a large number of them came to the service that night.

Saturday we returned to Iquitos and had a service with the youth that night and then all of the youth went to the Boulevard and did their mimes ect with great success.

Sunday we had Sunday School in the morning and then a vegilia that night which is a service that lasts all night. I couldn’t believe how these kids kept going. I was so exhausted I could hardly stand up but they just kept at it.

Monday and Tuesday we had days of traveling around Iquitos visiting various places and last night we had some tearful good byes. Overall it was a tremendous success for all with the youth encouraging all of the churches.

Please pray for us here as we have another team arriving Sunday and I have a lot of work to do between now and then. I also have to go to immigration to ask for an extended stay. I am exhausted and keep getting bronchitis with not enough time to heal so please pray for my health. In between these teams we also have to get things ready for the construction team that is coming at the end of August. Don’t get me wrong. I love doing this. Just please pray for health and strength to keep moving forward. God is moving in big ways this year in the Amazon and it is an honor for me to be able to be here to see it. Thanks for all of your prayers and support.

In His Service

Kayleen

August 3, 2011

Hi All,

Hope this update finds you all doing well. I wanted to write and inform you of the last several weeks. As you know per my last update, the team from TX/LA left on July 18^th and on July 23^rd we had 11 people arrive from a youth group from Lima. This was very exciting for me as I keep praying for the more mature churches of Peru to adopt the younger churches here in the jungle.

The youth arrived Saturday night and Sunday morning we set out for Nauta in a bus, then Amazonas by boat. The community of Amazonas once again turned out to help us get our cargo up the hill and get us settled. Amazonas is one of my favorite communities as the church there is very united and willing to help. We didn’t bring the gas stove so cooked with wood which all of the church members went out to bring us each day as well as water.

The group from Lima was ready to work and had children’s services, then a time to talk about sexual abuse with the children and a service that night.

The next morning we went in two’s to do door to door evangelizing which was a huge success. We also divided up into male and female groups to have a round table discussion. Many of the women of the community opened up and talked as I have never seen before. It was a time of healing some old wounds for many and that night’s service was packed with standing room only.

Wednesday morning we started the return trip to Iquitos and that afternoon went to the park to evangelize. One of the youth was in a Christian “beat box” group and knew how to flow. He has several cd’s out and is very talented. This of course drew a crowd and 3 people accepted Christ that day in the park which was awesome.

Thursday we headed out to San Juan de Sinchi Cuy where we had to walk an hour to the community. About a month ago I fell while walking to this community and hurt my arm. My arm had been hurting horribly for that month but while in Amazonas, a man looked at it and said it was out of its socket and popped it back in. Finally I am feeling some relief from that.

We arrive in San Juan and had a children’s service then played soccer against the entire community in which Lima lost every game. That night we held a service in the house and then went to bed.

The next day we did door to door evangelism which was more difficult in this community. There is more opposition here and in reality it is a somewhat tough ground. The people accepted us into their homes though and a large number of them came to the service that night.

Saturday we returned to Iquitos and had a service with the youth that night and then all of the youth went to the Boulevard and did their mimes ect with great success.

Sunday we had Sunday School in the morning and then a vegilia that night which is a service that lasts all night. I couldn’t believe how these kids kept going. I was so exhausted I could hardly stand up but they just kept at it.

Monday and Tuesday we had days of traveling around Iquitos visiting various places and last night we had some tearful good byes. Overall it was a tremendous success for all with the youth encouraging all of the churches.

Please pray for us here as we have another team arriving Sunday and I have a lot of work to do between now and then. I also have to go to immigration to ask for an extended stay. I am exhausted and keep getting bronchitis with not enough time to heal so please pray for my health. In between these teams we also have to get things ready for the construction team that is coming at the end of August. Don’t get me wrong. I love doing this. Just please pray for health and strength to keep moving forward. God is moving in big ways this year in the Amazon and it is an honor for me to be able to be here to see it. Thanks for all of your prayers and support.

In His Service

Kayleen