Maynas

November 14, 2011

Hi All,

Hope this email finds you well. I wanted to write a quick update about this past week.

First of all, Lucy flew to Lima Sunday to be there for her appointment at the U.S. Embassy on Monday. She was asked to preach in the church in Zarate which is the church of the National Superintendent of Peru.

She got done preaching Sunday night and called me frantically saying that she forgot her passport. I was freaked to say the least. I found her passport and Gladys and I took a taxi to the airport but at 11 o’clock, everything was closed so we returned to the church.

The next morning, Pastor Leiter and I went to the airport again on his motorcycle and I got off on the wrong side and burnt my leg on the exhaust pipe. I ran inside the airport with Lucy’s passport where they told me I needed to go to another place outside the airport. We got it all signed in and paid for but they said it would not get there until noon and Lucy’s appointment was at 10.

She went to the Embassy and told them what was going on and they gave her until 2 p.m. or else she was going to have to make another appointment.

She arrived back at the embassy at 1:45 with her passport, went inside and Praise the Lord, they gave her a visa and she will be coming to the U.S. in January.

Lucy arrived back in Iquitos Tuesday and we decided to go to our church in Maynas Thursday. This is a new church for us, Lucy had been several times but I had not yet been there as the water had been low and the boats could not reach there.

We found a boat large enough to hang hammocks and took off at 9 a.m. Thursday. At 6:30 p.m. we arrived at an impasse, the water was still to low to cross in the larger boat, plus it had started to rain. We ended up sleeping in our hammocks in the boat, thankful that it had a roof. (Photo: Lucy and I helping a woman grind sugar cane)

The next morning we found a smaller boat that took us further up river. Before we got to the community, there was a waterfall. Lucy wanted us to get out and walk as she said it was really dangerous if the boat tipped. The motorist told her to go to the front of the boat and use the oar to guide us. He then used all the power in the motor and we made it up the waterfall. I was thinking that it was very much like our Christian lives—when we meet with difficulties, we need to put Jesus in the front of the boat to guide it and continue forward with all of our strength.

We finally got to Maynas. It is a small but pretty community. The people from the church welcomed us with open arms and killed one of the chickens that the church was raising to make us soup. We went from house to house getting to know the people and inviting them to the service that night.

That night about 20 adults showed up despite the rain. We had a beautiful service and then informed them of the upcoming year starting with the study for our pastors and leaders in Iquitos in February. In May we will be going there with the medical group from Indiana Wesleyan. (Photo: the church in Maynas)

There is a wonderful group of people in the church there. They work together and have a t.v. and dvd in the church to listen to praise songs. They have a keyboard organ, speakers, microphone and generator. They give their all to the church and had built this church themselves. It is in desperate need of being rebuilt—the boards are all rotting and with the rain, everyone had to keep changing positions to escape the leaky roof. They said they will go out and cut the wood and bring it to the community themselves. They just need the gas and oil to do it. Their desire is to put a metal roof instead of a thatched roof so it will last longer. I am hoping that this can be a project for one of the groups this next year.

(Photo:the church in Maynas)It was a beautiful time there in Maynas. The people were open, loving and giving. I hated to leave but was scheduled to preach Sunday night in Iquitos. We got into a small boat with no roof, full of wood, plantains and yucca at 8 o’clock in the morning. It had rained all night and the river was now very full and we had to be careful of all the logs rushing down river. It continued to rain off and on all the way to Iquitos. It was a grueling 10 and a half hour trip sitting in one place. We would have arrived a little earlier but there were some mechanical problems. Anyway, we arrived safe and sound at 7 pm in Iquitos. I arrived with a bit of bronchitis and stomach problems from the rain. I am doing better now though. (Photo:the inside of the church in Maynas prior to the service)

The trip was wonderful except the boat ride back being so arduous and last night I had many examples to share in the message.

Today we are going to pick up Lucy’s visa and meet with some Norwegian missionaries Lucy knew as a child. We are preparing for our children’s outreach that will be this Saturday and Lucy and I are planning a quick trip to Santa Ana and Tamshiyacu.

I can’t believe how fast time has gone. Lucy will be leaving for her home for Christmas in 2 weeks. If she doesn’t take that boat, there won’t be another boat going there until the 15^th of December. She would arrive the 19^th and only have a few days with her family.

(Photo: the 10 and a half hour boat ride back)

I will be leaving Iquitos for Lima on the 6^th of December and have been asked to speak in various churches there. I then head to the states and arrive the 14^th of December. Please have Diet Dr. Pepper, chips and queso awaiting me—just kidding. I am leaving with sadness although excitement that Lucy will be coming in January. It is hard to leave all of the villages where I have grown to love so many people but at the same time, I am excited to see you all. God bless you all and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. See you soon.

In Christ,

Kayleen

Confraternidad 2011

October 30, 2011

Hi All

I hope this email finds you blessed and doing well. It seems like it has been a very long time since I have written you and you may have thought I had fallen off the face of the earth, but here I am, alive and well.

We had been so busy with the preparations for the confraternidad which is the reunion of all of the Wesleyan churches in the Amazon region. We get together in one of the villages and have a great time of fellowship and training. We visited almost all of our churches during these weeks prior to the confraternidad in order to invite the people and inform them of the details. (Photo: The speakers from Lima)

This was our 3^rd confraternidad and each one has been better than the previous. We were extremely blessed to have five wonderful women from Lima come as our guest speakers. These were not your ordinary run of the mill women. They included: the wife of the Peruvian National Superintendent, Teo; the district Director of Wesleyan Women, Marleni; the wife of Pastor Samuel, Jessica; a member of the Zarate church in Lima, Madeline; and the National Board Secretary, Pastor Lucy Narvaez. What a tremendous group of women and what an absolutely awesome time.

Thursday, 28 people from Yanashi, Nueva Esperanza, San Juan de Sinchi Cuy, Lima and Iquitos, left in a bus to Nauta. From Nauta we took a boat to Amazonas where we got set up, bathed and had the opening session. Each of the churches introduced themselves and sang a song or two. 30 people were headed to Amazonas in a boat from Santa Ana but never arrived due to problems with the boat motor. Despite their absence, we still had 70 adults, 20 teenagers and about 60 children who attended the studies.

(Photo: The women in prayer)

Friday and Saturday started out with a devotional at 6 a.m., then breakfast, and the first lecture which was from 9 to 10:30. At 11 we broke into groups where there were special studies for pastors and their leaders, another for the Sunday school teachers, another for the teenagers and children and another for those who were left over.

We then had lunch and a small break until 2pm where we started the classes again until 3:30. At 4 we had competitive soccer and volleyball between the communities until time to bathe, get ready for supper and the church service that evening.

Saturday evening we had a special closing service where we all ate together and gave testimonies regarding the confraternidad and we ended the conference Sunday morning with the baptism of 12 people.

We headed back to Iquitos, singing all the way on the bus. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and another dream come true for me. I had wanted the churches to get together like this for years so they would know that they were not alone in God’s work. Now the people have brothers and sisters in Christ in various parts of Peru. The Confraternidad in 2012 is scheduled for Santa Ana.

(Photo: Singing on the way to the Baptism)

Monday, the folks from Lima and the communities returned to their homes. It was sad to see them leave but I am so grateful for the time we had together.

This Sunday Lucy leaves for Lima to go to the U.S. embassy to find out if they will give her a visa to come to the U.S. for a visit. Please pray for favor for her appointment on Monday. I really want her to come and be able to see people that she got close to on various mission trips who have never returned and also just to have a great time.

Time is flying for me here. I was planning on staying until January to be able to go visit Lucy’s family for Christmas but could not get my flight changed without spending a fortune. This year is going to be difficult for them as her father passed away last Christmas but I know they are in God’s hands. I will be returning to the states Dec. 14^th. It is always difficult to come home during the holidays as there is so much culture shock but hopefully I am better prepared this time.

(Photo: Those waiting to be baptized)

We will be having a children’s outreach here in Iquitos the 12^th of November then I will be visiting the churches to tell them goodbye which is always difficult. I am still trying to get money together to have hot chocolate and panatones (a Peruvian Christmas tradition) for all of the churches. If you would like to help in this, please send your contribution to Alden Griesbach at Collin Creek Community Church 3701 West Spring Creek Parkway
Plano, TX 75023. Make sure to include a note that says this is for Peru Missions, Christmas. Thanks so much for all of your thoughts and prayers. I love and miss you but will see you soon.

In Christ,

Kayleen