Equipo Comision Cajamarca

I arrived back in Trujillo on Sunday morning and I'll be here now for the rest of my time- only five weeks now which seems crazy! This past weekend I was part of a missionary team in Cajamarca. The youth from Lima and Trujillo arrived on Thursday morning and we began our packed schedule for the three days ahead. A lot of the time we spent preparing for the various activities that we had: children's afternoon, open air evangelising and a theatre performance. We all slept at the Church which meant each night we had great fun playing sports and each morning it was a race to the shower. Or maybe I should say it was a race to see if there was water. Most days the water ran out sometime in the morning and didn't come back on until the next day which made flushing the toilet, washing hands and brushing teeth kind of difficult.

Ready for our afternoon with the children 

Part of the band 

Despite this lack of water I had an amazing time with all the young people- watching them give their lives so completely to God and hearing all the dreams for the future. I was so blessed to join in with this group of youth who want to serve God in everything they do.

The band at our open air evangelism

Drama 

On the Saturday morning we all piled into a huge bus which took us to a small village higher up in the mountains called Cumbimayo where we spent a few hours walking. It was an hour away along a dirt track which wound steeply through the hills, making me pray that we had a skilled driver. When we arrived I felt I'd been magically transported back to the countryside Scotland. It was beautiful here with huge rocks and green, green grass everywhere. Half way through our hike we had our last bible study finishing the story of David. It was so nice sitting with the mountains all around, soaking in the truths of God's word.

Cumbimayo

Shoop 

Stunning countryside

On our way down 

Ahhhh

All in the all the weekend was filled with blessings. I pray that people's lives were changed this Easter, that God's light was shone in dark places and that more glory was given to our Lord, our Creator and our Father.

Markets, baths and food – 27th March

I did not come prepared for the cold of Cajamarca. For most of the first week I spent my days shivering and wishing I had more clothes. I think this was because I was so used to the heat in Pucallpa that suffocated me with every step that when I got off the bus and there was no heat, my body was in shock. You’ll be glad to know that I am now fine and can wear a t-shirt out without freezing. I do however still sleep with a hoodie and five blankets. (I make it sound like it’s the arctic, it’s really not.)

La Collpa

Standing at the top of a bell tower

The lifestyle here is very different to what I’m used to but God’s been using these new experiences to shape me in new ways and allowing me to see how another part of the world lives. I’ve loved seeing the people in their traditional dress and walking through the markets, joining in with the daily routines of so many.

Trying to find honey

Traditional dress

Family

My last week and a half has been packed with different activities and new foods.. cramming onto packed combis, (one even had a pig on it as well) buying souvenirs, listening into classes at Church, playing volleyball, watching movies with the youth, buying chickens, eating chickens, visiting the hotsprings and finally on Monday I tried what Peru is famous for: guinea pig! And I know this sounds bad but it was actually really good.

Banos del Inka

Taking a bath with water from the hot springs

Banos del Inka

On Saturday I also managed to visit Elmer’s (a guy from my church back home who is from Cajamarca) family which was really nice. They were so lovely and I’m going back for a meal on Friday which I’m looking forward to.

Before

After

Tomorrow twenty young people are coming from Trujillo and Lima to do a missions team here with the Church. I’m going to join in with them too so tonight is my last night with the family and then I’ll move into the Church for the next three days with the others. I’m excited to see what God’s going to do during this time and for all the events we’re going to hold.

Playing volley ball

Cajamarca is a beautiful place with people who have welcomed me so well and made me feel at home. Again I think I’m going to find it hard to leave. 

Cajamarca

La Sierra - Cajamarca

Right now I’m in Cajamarca, a city in the mountains - 2750m - about 6 hours away from Trujillo by bus. I’ve been here a week now staying with a missionary family and joining in with their daily activities. Already I’ve had so many new experiences and tried more new food here than in the whole of my time in Peru so far I think.

The view over Cajamarca

One of my favourite things that I did this past week was going with two guys from the Church to a small village an hour away called San Juan. We crammed onto a full micro (combi) at 2.30pm and set off for the windy journey through the mountains. The landscape was so beautiful but sadly I didn’t take hardly any photos because there were so many people in the van. 

One of my only photos 

We arrived just after half three and spent our afternoon visiting some ladies in the village and working with the kids. I can’t describe how much love these two guys have for Jesus, it was such a privilege to watch them share this love with the people around them. There’s no Church in the village so when Hugo and Paul go every Friday afternoon it could be one of the only times the people hear about Jesus. They visit people who are interested in the Bible and just generally stop by to see how they’re doing. 

Walking down into the village

As we walked through the village the children came running. We played games with them and did a Bible story. We then headed back up to one of the ladys’ houses to have ‘Cena del Senor’ (communion), a time of worship and one of the guys gave small talk. Three ladies came and there was the three of us so in total we were six.

In the main square

Teaching the children

By the time we left the house it was almost eight and all official ways of transport back to Cajamarca had stopped for the night so we had to try and hitch a ride home. I found it really funny watching Hugo and Paul try and do this because not one car stopped. They then told me that if it gets passed half nine we would have to go and knock on someone’s door and ask to stay the night- and they weren’t joking because they’ve had to do this before. We ended up walking to a restaurant down the road where bus and truck drivers stop for dinner and the boys managed to sweet talk one of the drivers into letting us have a ride back in his huge chicken truck. Again they didn’t let the journey pass without sharing their love for Jesus and how we can have a relationship with him.

Hugo and Paul trying to hitch a ride

They have encouraged me and challenged me to have more faith and I am so thankful that God has given me these experiences.

“And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

  

Lima- The capital of Peru

This was an added bonus that I didn’t think I would have. The family that I stayed with in Pucallpa has an apartment in a beautiful area of Lima called Miraflores and they said I could spend the weekend there with them before I left to go back to Trujillo. I arrived late on the Friday night so we just had time to eat and then go to bed before our busy day tomorrow.

Miraflores

I woke up to the cheery voices of Abbie and Elijah singing a club song (that was then stuck in our heads the rest of the day) and then they took me out to show me the parks and the beach nearby. We walked about two minutes and we were on the cliff promenade that over looked the surfers and crashing waves. It was only 8.30am but the world was alive. Dogs and their owners passed us by along with many runners and early morning walkers. There were aerobic classes, dog classes and individuals exercising in the various parks along the cliff side, while others worked out on the exercise machines that were sporadically planted at different bends in the walk. It was completely different to the Lima that I was expecting. 

Abbie and Elijah on our walk along the coast

Count the number of surfers

   We got Maracuya smoothies after and then headed away from the beach into the center where we browsed through the Inka Market. I loved seeing all the different souvenirs but had to stop myself from spending all my money.

Smoooothies (Abbie feeling in cold)

Inka Market

We stopped for a delicious lunch at their favourite restaurant and then got a taxi to some famous water fountains. This was loads of fun, running through the water and trying to count the amount of parrots we could see. The day was nearly over, but it didn’t end until I saw the circle of fire in the air that was the sun setting, with parachutes blowing in the foreground from paraglyders having come into land.

Our amazing lunch

Water fountains

.. and again

And me with the fountains

Running through the fountains.. can you find us?

The paraglyders waiting to run off the cliff

My weekend had been amazing and I really appreciated how much kindness Cristina and her kids had shown me. I said another goodbye and then got a taxi across Lima to the airport for my 9.15pm flight. I had one more week in Trujillo before I left again to go to Cajamarca in the mountains.

Cristina, Abbie and Elijah :)

Saying goodbye to the place that captured my heart

Excitement and anticipation was what filled the air during my last week in Pucallpa. Gerzon and Karina along with the rest of the team had been working hard towards Thursday afternoon for about the last three weeks now. It was the afternoon where we would give out Christmas shoeboxes to 180 children- Operation Christmas Child. Precise planning and preparation had gone into this event so that it would run smoothly.. invitations had been given out (only club kids were allowed due to the restriction of boxes), choreography for the songs had been learnt, a mime had been practiced and each of us had our own role to play so the afternoon would run as planned.

Learning the song choreography

All the children waiting for the afternoon to start

The Team

The kids started arriving at 2.30pm handing their invitations over at the gate so that we could start on time at 3.30pm. The invitations only specified that the afternoon was going to be exciting and different so as the kids came in, it was a guessing game of what was to come. The giving of the shoeboxes was the last thing of the afternoon and I’m not sure who was more excited- the team because we knew what was about to happen or the children because it was time for their big surprise. Every child was given a shoebox and then on the count of uno, dos, tres they were ripped open. Excitement, joy and cries of mira (look) filled the room. I can’t explain what it was like to be on the end of watching children receive these boxes but I know that now when I hear of shoebox appeals at home I will view them in a completely different way.

Discussing their new toys

So excited about their gifts - MIRA

Patty with her new present

Me with some of the other leaders

Friday came too quickly. Cristina and the kids (the family I was staying with) left on the early morning flight to Lima for spring break and I was joining them later on that night to spend Saturday with them in Lima before heading back to Trujillo. I spent the morning packing the final things into my case and memorising the breathtaking view that was just outside my window. I helped serve the kids lunch and then it was time for my goodbye. The children surrounded me, clinging onto any part they could reach and nearly knocking me off my feet every few seconds. We took a big group photo and then individually each of them gave me a hug. I was supposed to leave for the airport at 2.15pm (flight at 3.30pm, airport 20 minutes away) but this was when the hug giving started. They said thank you for coming and then in their best accents shouted bye as I ran back to the house to get my stuff. This was the hardest part, turning my back and running, knowing that I might not see them again. (I hope this isn’t true).

Foto, foto

Group picture :)

Saying my last goodbyes

Giving out Scottish tablet

I didn't want to let go

Pucallpa has taught me to believe in a bigger God, to be willing to serve Him with joy in every way that He asks and to be grateful for everything that is my life.