TRIP UPDATES
Peru
While in Peru (October 10-18), the mission team helped build a barn which will be used to raise livestock.
Pictured from left to right is our Peru Mission Team.
back row
Russ White, Jeff Korbini, John Kinateder, Mike Riebel
front row
Shawn Mox, Drew Gillespie, Jessica Helmuth, Mandy Owens
Peru, Update #8 When all of our defenses were torn down by exhaustion and the continual showing of true love we received from the kids at Casa Luz and each other, we were left with the raw emotions and true friendship with a group that quickly became family. We were also left with the realization that WE do not have the power necessary to attain any of our goals of barn building, changing the world or pulling people out of their situation. It is only through the grace and power of God that we are able to be a small part of the plan of God and to show love and hope to people in true need. This type of bond with a person (whether you speak the same language or not) is not something that can be manufactured but is built through a spiritual bond. The week in Ayacucho was an experience that brought eight acquaintances together and made family out of them. It took some of us who were ‘luke-warm’ regarding missions and made passionate mission warriors out of us. It transformed many of our thoughts of self-centeredness into compassion for people who rely on God every day, not relying on him as a simple place holder before dinner or bed, but for daily necessities. Some of us went into the mission trip believing we were going to make a difference, but the fact of the matter is that the orphans of Casa Luz and God made the real difference in the lives of the missionaries who were blessed with the opportunity. Peru, Update #7 Peru, Update #6 Now we’re home safe and sound; I wish we’d have another week in All week long I heard positive attitudes and encouragement on the farm, lifting one another when we thought we couldn’t lift anymore. God came through and gave us the strength to move on, and it was good. One of the best times on the farm that I experienced was Tuesday, because it wasn’t two groups of people working towards one goal, it was one group working towards one common goal. While working together with the Peruvians, we had walls come down and relationships being built that will forever be with us. It was a lot of hard work each day on the farm, but once you walked into the orphanage at night and you had children hanging on your neck, you didn’t really care how sore or how hard you worked that day because it was all for those children. As I read in my journal over and over again how sweet and loving the children were. Even the very first time we came to Casa Luz the children came running with open arms as though we had known them forever. I am so thankful that we could show God’s love to the children and they could show us the very same thing. It makes you stop and think about your own life and what you take for granted. The last night at Casa Luz was the hardest to leave because the relationships we had built with the children had grown even more. However, these relationships will be missed but not forgotten. One last thing that I have about the trip was our breathtaking view from the roof of our hotel. As I sat out on the roof on Wednesday night, I look out and everything is calm, but you hear a few sounds of dogs barking, horns honking and a few sirens. You look down over the city and see the orange street lights everywhere, but when you look up at the top of the hill there is a large cross, as pure white as you can imagine, shining down over the whole city. At night while walking to our hotel, we could look for the cross and know that “home” was straight down the street from there. That is how I think God wants us to live our lives as well; keep your eyes focused on Christ, and he will lead you home! Thank you so much for this experience, and I pray that we challenge ourselves daily to show God’s love to someone each day! Peru, Update #5 After 19 hours of travel, including layovers, GOD had cleared our minds of the things that daily clutter our minds, and we were better prepared to see the people of Ayacucho, Peru and their way of life. After very physical labor at 7000’ feet, we were truly relying on Him to give us continued strength for the days and nights ahead. But the work was just a device to get us down there. The real purpose in Ayacucho was for GOD to allow us to spend time sharing His love with the orphaned children in “Casa Luz.” When we entered the front gate the 1st time, we heard “Gringo’s” being yelled out the window, and all of the kids came rushing out like we were family. While we came bearing toys and candy to pass out, helping us fight thru the language barrier, what they were all really looking for was someone to pick them up and hug them. That was the most natural thing for all of us, and there were usually 2-3 kids around each of us continuously. The expressions of joy that greeted us on every visit made us forget the tragedies these kids had faced that led them to “Casa Luz,” and the difficulties that they still face on a daily basis. But, what the leaders of “Casa Luz” are trying to instill in the children is the fact that God’s love overcomes all of that, and that they do not have to be victims of their circumstances. Our team showed them that there are people and churches who really do love and care about them. We were able to give each child a new pair of shoes, and backpacks to those in school. They were able to give us the laughs only children can provide and motivation to continue working hard at the work site, helping to provide a future source of food and income to sustain the orphanage into the future. Sitting at my computer now, 3700 miles away from Ayacucho, I still have moments when a memory from the trip comes to mind, making me smile. My bond with Jeff, Drew, Russ, Jessica, Mandy, Shaun, John, and Hector (our translator) comes from the fact that they have the same memories. If you have ever considered serving in the Mission field, it is time to get off the couch and serve. If you have never considered yourself capable or “spiritually prepared,” you are underestimating the power of GOD to provide. If you commit to go where GOD leads you, you will have an adventure of a lifetime and leave with a bond with your team that connects your souls. God is Faithful! Peru, Update #4 We have been in Ayacucho for 5 days now; it has been an amazing journey thus far, and we all look forward to the remaining days. It has been eye opening from both a cultural and spiritual standpoint. We finished our work at the farm today, and everyone has very mixed emotions. On one hand, we are somewhat relieved that the physical work is completed, yet saddened at the same time that we will not get to continue our relationship with our fellow Peruvian workers. Today at the farm was very special; we seemed over the last couple days to break through the language barrier and reach a bond and friendship with some of the local helpers that we will take with us forever. A man named Lauro (Master Brick Maker – as I like to call him) opened up over the last several days and had a huge impact on me and the team as a whole. He mentioned that he was very happy that we were here and that we have helped him to see and feel God’s word. That was the most impacting part of the trip for me thus far. It is a true example of God’s amazing abilities that in a matter of a couple days, relationships can be built no matter what the circumstances. Many of us have a 5 words or less Spanish vocabulary, however, have communicated in ways that we never thought possible. I seemed to leverage charades much more than Spanish due to my limited vocabulary. This of course led to a few laughs and most likely some locals thinking I am loco. The work we completed was grueling and took a toll on each and every one of us. We leveraged prayer and scripture to provide additional motivation to complete our daily tasks. It is amazing what you can accomplish when your heart is in the right place and when you reach for strength through Christ. I hope to carry this life lesson with me beyond this trip I love you, God, and pray that you continue to do great things in me, the others on this trip, Peru, Update #3 Turn the tv on and you see futbol (soccer) . . . Look to skies and you see mountains all around . . . Listen to the locals conversating and you hear a beautiful language . . . Ask for a beverage and get Inca Cola . . . Walk thru the streets and hear horns beeping at intersections rather than stop lights . . . Walk into Casa Luz and be swarmed by children who want to be held. Travel to Progress . . . our efforts are beginning to show some progress. As a team and individually there have been so many moments of inspiration. We have shared with one another these very meaningful insights and revelations. We have been physically beaten down by extremely hard work and brought back to the bare necessities of life for God to speak to each of us in different ways. I wish that I had a tape recorder to be able to replay over and over all that has been shared amongst our team. We have spent our days at the farm digging, wheelbarrelling, carrying heavy adobe bricks, mixing adobe mud by walking around in it and much more. As we began to see some progress and understand what the final “product” will look like . . . It helped. It helped to keep going when I saw progress. It helped to see the dirt and water be formed into very durable adobe bricks. It helped to see the adobe bricks stacked to form walls. It helped when I began to understand the process that it takes to complete the project and have the finished “product.” Part of me wishes that the finished “product” would magically appear and that we wouldn’t have to go thru this grueling, painful process of taking the materials and turning them into what they are meant to be . . . BUT . . . Then reality hits and I realize that the finished product is not going to appear magically. The process has to take place . . . We have to show up each day and “mix mud.” AND it’s okay that the process takes time because then we will get closer to the final product. Sound a little bit like life? I think that is how God views it . . . He understands that it is a process for us to become the final product, and He’s okay with that . . . He’s not okay with us not showing up to “mix mud.” Progress . . . Lord, give me the strength to keep showing up to mix mud so that I can make progress towards being who you want me to be. Peru, Update #2 We´ve been on the ground in Ayacucho 3 days now. I´ve experienced so many emotions and physical extremes. I had no idea of the beauty that God laid out here in Peru. The most overwhelming moment for me so far was hours after we landed. We went to a church service in Ayacucho, and afterwards so many children from Casa Luz ran up and hugged our legs and asked us to hold them. Going to Casa Luz was also beyond words. Seeing so many kids in such tight quarters was hard to comprehend. And despite the conditions, I have seen so many smiles. It is so clear that Mariella and the other helpers share Jesus´ love with the children. And the kids love each other. We have worked 2 days in the fields in intense sunshine. Heavy, heavy work. We drink 1 to 2 gallons per day. Everyone is hurting physically. But if you could watch us working, you´d smile. Laughter bounces across the worksite. There is a donkey in the field, which makes for some hilarious visuals and audio. Today he took off in a cloud of dust toward the river and had to be retrieved - after we all stopped laughing. And the team is so supportive of each other. When I feel like I can´t move another brick, someone else will say the name of one of the children, and it helps me move another few wheelbarrows. I have been amazed, inspired, and encouraged, by what I´ve seen these brothers and sisters do in Christ´s name. This I´ll bring back with me, and I´ll never forget it. Finally, we went to Casa Luz tonight to entertain the children and play games and give gifts (clothing, toys, bedsheets). You´ll hear more about this visit, because we had so much fun. Magic, juggling, games, songs, stupid-human-tricks. The best part was seeing the men and women that came down with me immediately jump in, tear down all the walls, and laugh until our cheeks were sore and there were tears in our eyes. Thank you for your prayers. In Christ, John Kinateder Peru, Update #1
Russ White
Going on a mission trip is an experience that many people go into with the intention of helping ‘change the world.’ Myself included, I planned on showing God’s love to the orphans, aiding in the construction of a barn and spending time with the local people trying to give them a ‘leg up’ on their current situation. All these intentions quickly turned around as I was quick to realize that though we were there for all these reasons, there is even a stronger sense of God’s Power working IN all of us, showing US the love of the orphans and the faith they have for God Almighty.
Mandy Owens
First thing Monday morning I got a text from work asking me to come in even though I was still on vacation. My first thoughts were . . . can I go back to Peru now!!
As the group walked with anticipation, we rounded a corner to see a big group of kids waiting. It was just like our experience had been the first day we arrived at Casa Luz . . .when we had seen the kids and they had run to us wanting hugs, kisses, and to be held. A smile crossed my face as I remembered the kids and took a look at the kids in front of us. As they came running toward us and into their fathers' arms, I was blessed to see the brothers in Christ I had spent the week with being reunited with their kids. What an awesome feeling to be home!!
Time with the kids of Casa Luz was amazing. They showed so much love!! The connection we were able to make with them in just a few short days was so precious. It makes me wonder about the kids and people in my life. Friends, coworkers, teammates, brothers and sisters in Christ, family? I'm starting to think I could receive that love from people in my life here, but I'm too busy worrying about the next thing on my list of things to get done to stop and see the love all around me. Lord, help me to see opportunities to show love and see love in the people I come in contact with.
As I look back through pictures, I see the mountains in the background. It was such an inspiration to see the beauty of God's handiwork. It makes me think about my life and the peaks and valleys I've had throughout. In a setting like Peru where the extras in life are taken out of the picture, it was easier for me to see the Lord and feel his presence. It was a definite peak in my life. As much as I wish I could stay on that peak forever, I know that I need to keep walking in the path that Christ has for me. That path I believe will have many more peaks, but he will also lead me through some valleys. As I continued taking just one more step after one more step with the adobe blocks in my arms, I looked at those mountains and felt God's presence. I recited Jeremiah 29:11 ("For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.") to feel his strength and help me keep going! I know that with each challenge God sets before me in my life he will also give me the strength and guidence to get through it.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers while we were traveling! Continue to pray for the special ways in which God is using the people and children of Casa Luz to change lives!
Jessica Helmuth
Mike Riebel
It always amazes me how GOD can do so much in a short period of time. Just over 4 weeks ago, 8 people gathered at the church for a meeting about the trip to Peru. A few of us had met before, and some were good friends. But we were a team in name only. Now, as I write this letter, I have a shared bond with seven brothers and sisters that only we can truly understand. That connection was formed by serving GOD at the same time, with the same purpose, and watching HIM work in and thru us during this time.
Shawn Mox
Jeff Korbini
John Kinateder
Drew Gillespie
After almost 20 hours of flying and layovers, the team arrived in Ayacucho, Peru early Sunday morning. We traveled around the city and went to a local church service this morning. Wow! The Peruvians like their worship loud. Later in the afternoon, we got our first visit to Casa Luz, the orphanage that we are here to serve. What an amazing moment to walk in the gate and have 40 kids come running into our arms. They would not let go of us as we toured their home and heard some heartbreaking stories of how they ended up there.
Tomorrow morning (Monday) at 5:30 am, we will begin work on the new farm that will help supply the orphanage with food and income. The foundation of the barn has to be built with stones that we dig from the property. They are held together with a cement/mud that we will also make from the ground. Pray for our backs and our bodies to hold up for the week.
More importantly, we invite you to join us in praying for the kids of Casa Luz. While we may work hard for one week and hurt physically, the real reason we are here is the 40 kids in that orphanage who are without their parents. They are amazingly loved and cared for in Casa Luz, but that still does not replace (a good) mom or dad.
These are the moments in life that God allows us to realize how blessed we are to live where we do and have what we have! Have you forgotten how blessed your are today?
El Salvador
Robert S. Pema, D.O., F.A.O.C.O.
I know God had a purpose for me and this mission. I really believed it was to perform surgery on patients that needed it but didn't have access in El Salvador. So I go down there to find my plans had changed. I was disappointed to find out that I wasn't going to perform as many surgeries as I first anticipated. After we left the hospital, I sat down at a computer and started e-mailing people, fighting hard not to be depressed. It was hard, but after praying to God to guide me, I was able to surrender MY plan and let HIM lead me on HIS plan. I realized that the two may not have coincided, but that I was there for a purpose -- His purpose. And this time it wasn't for surgery -- maybe it was to see patients in the clinics and help in that fashion (we saw almost 400 patients total!). Maybe next time will be for surgery. All I can do is follow the Holy Spirit and serve others best as I know how.
One of the greatest blessings of the trip was reaching out to an impoverished community that had not had medical care before. Some of the children in this community had never even seen a physician before, and we were able to minister to almost 200 patients, both medically and spiritually. The donations of vitamins and medications were appreciated beyond belief, and the gratitude of the people of the community was overwhelming.
This trip was also a great lesson in flexibility. I don't know whether it is just me, or being in medicine has made me this way, but I'm very inflexible. I like things the way I like them -- whether it's in my office or the operating room. I like my comfy, down pillow, my comfortable mattress, the room temperature to be about 65 degrees -- you get the picture. So we get to the house in El Salvador. It's 90 degrees outside, and about 95 in the bedrooms. The bedrooms are dorm style, with old cots for beds. In the bathrooms, the faucets have one setting -- on. No H or C. Just "on." I can live with that for 10 days. No big deal. On top of this, my original vision for the mission was changed. And in reality, the mission turned out more glorious than I could have imagined. I really do believe that not only did God have a different mission in mind for me, but He also wanted to teach me to become more flexible in my life. To not stress if there are too many patients booked in the afternoon, or the stack of chart phone calls is growing. Not to get annoyed if the hot water runs out during my shower, or if my windows need cleaned. At least I have windows!
Debbie Shaw
Well, we found out who has tremendous fears of bats, giant cockroaches, and we were also visited with our resident gecko, repeatedly. We found what it was like for 21 people (16 from our team & 5 Germans) to share one restroom, when one of the German gals decided that she wanted to paint the second restroom. We had to get used to throwing our toilet paper in the trash instead of flushing it down (no matter #1 or #2), cause their septic system can't handle toilet tissue. IT WAS SO WONDERFUL WHEN I COULD ACTUALLY FLUSH MY TOILET TISSUE AGAIN! (Something we take for granted!) We spent little time in the shower, as they were all cold showers. Saved a lot of time in adjusting the water temps though! Just jump in and try not to scream out loud. We were thankful for the water purification system in our "home," so the parasitic worms were filtered out before we poured water into our water bottles. (Another thing we take for granted!)
I will tell you that I took 600 pictures and most of them were of the children. They were precious! The people really touched me. I thought God had called me there because I have years of medical experience and hopefully we would be able to use my experience in some way to help these people. But I will tell you that my skills of hugging and kissing were much more needed. Several of us were able to play with the kids. They craved attention! They loved to have their pictures taken and would run to view the screen after you photographed them. When we would have to leave an area, or they would have to leave, they would run to hug and kiss you. It didn't matter that we spoke two different languages. We communicated very well. We laughed a lot. I guess God was our translator.
We had a plan for this mission trip, but God had another one. We had planned to do surgeries, but instead we held clinics in several communities and were able to get medications and vitamins to people who might not have otherwise had them. The kids would hang onto their vitamins as if they were prized possessions. Our new friend, Christian, actually was so proud of his vitamins that he asked me to take a picture of him with his vitamins. He touched my heart. He was precious, and to top it all off, he was wearing an Ohio State Buckeyes shirt. Bonus points!!! ;-)
I would really love to thank the church for their contributions of Ibuprofen and vitamins. I wish I could carry a hug back from all of the kids and the mothers who benefited from your contributions! (If you want me to give you a hug, I will gladly give you one.) Their appreciation was so evident and their expressions of gratefulness touched you deeply. One mother, specifically, sticks in my head and heart. Her "home" was caving in. The roof and walls were falling in. On the day that we went to take measurements of the home, so repairs could be made in the near future, she told us that she is a Christian and she believed that God would take care of her and her family. Who would have known that God decided to send a team from Ohio to make her repairs? Don't ever doubt the power of prayer and the power of God. And realize that God has a huge plan, which might not be the same as ours. Let God take the wheel. He's an excellent driver!
Cecil Dotson
El Salvador 2009. After first discussing this trip with Rob, this seemed exactly what my wife and I had been talking about for a couple of years now. A trip where both of our talents could be put to use in the same area (medical and construction). Shortly before departing on our trip, some of the medical volunteers had backed out, and it appeared that all of us going would be needed in the hospital helping the surgical team. I could feel the enemy taunting me, causing me to feel like there wasn't much point in me going. I mean how much help could I really be in a hospital. I didn't let it get me down for too long and knew that God had a plan for me there. He called me to go and serve, and that is what I needed to do in any way possible. Daniel, the mission leader in San Salvador, then sent word that he was happy to have construction workers coming and there was plenty to do. At last, all of my worries were relieved; I felt like I would be extremely productive on the trip now. Not only did I get to work on several construction projects but the most fulfilling times of the trip were working with the people in the medical clinics. God's irony always trumps!
The best part of the trip for me was the day we all went on a new medical brigade. A medical brigade for the mission is when they go into a community and provide medical care, but more importantly, they take a few minutes and tell the people about Jesus. This was the first time the mission had gone into this particular community. During the chaos of the day, several different stations would become overwhelmed with patients and people would have to adjust and move around ( whether it be the pharmacy or pediatrics etc..) and things were constantly changing. They had a pastor and another spiritual leader telling the people about Christ and passing out the story of Jesus booklets that we brought. At one point, both leaders were praying and comforting a family whose father had just been murdered. There was a large number of people waiting for their devotional before they could leave. I then asked Daniel (the mission leader) if he would fill in to help keep things flowing. He told me that he would translate for me and that I could talk to the people. I was so blessed to be able to share with the people in that community why we were all there and that it was the love of Christ that had sent us. I told them that we were all God's children no matter what country we were born in, and that no amount of money that we could send could convey that message, so we had to come and tell them in person.
Overall, what impressed me the most about this trip was the foundation that had been layed that made it possible for us to go. God has huge plans for this mission, and I was glad to be a small part of it. San Salvador is a unique city, and like others, there is good and evil. Unfortunately, there seems to be a greater amount of evil than good. On almost all of the major streets in the community we were staying in, there were at least three funeral homes on each street, all open twenty four hours. To live in a place where there is even a need for that is depressing to say the least. Despite all of the danger in the city, Daniel and his devoted team have paved the way and God has opened hearts to minister to the people without fear. Had it not been for all of their hard work and dedication to the Lord's work and the furthering of his kingdom, we would not have had the opportunity to go on the trip. I support this mission one hundred percent and would encourage everyone to do the same. I have never said that about an organization before only because I have never seen one that I feel like God is in control and his Will Be Done every step of the way.
There are a few moments that stood out on this Mission trip to
We were fixing 3 walls and one roof in one of the shacks. The construction men in the group said it would take us longer to complete than the time we had planned on staying. With everyone working together we finished it. The people at that home gave us food, cooked us a meal and made sure we had plenty of water. They had so little and gave so much. When we were leaving, the mother of the house was so grateful for our help. She had tears in her eyes while she was trying to say her prayers were answered by God.