Monday
We go to a community called Los Jardines in the morning and in the afternoon to do VBS type stuff (pics from this can be found at nickjones.myphotoalbum.com under the Los Jardines album). This has been by far my most favorite part of this trip. I love those kids so very much and it will be very sad to leave them next Monday for the last time (on this trip at least). Please pray for these children and pray for someone to continue the songs and teaching the Bible to them after we leave. This past Monday we had over 30 kids, and we started with around 10.Tuesday
Our mornings vary on these days because we have never found a consitent ministry to do. Sometimes, the mornings may include digging trenches or moving bricks. We have been going to a community called Balconcita. We usually only have a few women, sometimes with their husbands, attend our weekly Bible study. But God is moving there as well. Please pray for Maria and her family and the others that are coming to the Bible study that God would continue to fuel the desire to study His Word and spread that Good News to others as they are filled with that precious "daily bread."
Our mornings vary on these days because we have never found a consitent ministry to do. Sometimes, the mornings may include digging trenches or moving bricks. We have been going to a community called Balconcita. We usually only have a few women, sometimes with their husbands, attend our weekly Bible study. But God is moving there as well. Please pray for Maria and her family and the others that are coming to the Bible study that God would continue to fuel the desire to study His Word and spread that Good News to others as they are filled with that precious "daily bread."Wednesday
In the mornings, things are very similar to Tuesdays. In the afternoon and evening, we have started a Bible study in the community of San Ignacio (see the San Ignacio album at nickjones.myphotoalbum.com). I have grown to love the people here very much as well. This Bible study is the first consistent ministry that we began doing here. Pretty much the whole community is one big family. We have prayed over people who are hurting or are sick. We have seen 5 or 6 come to begin to follow Christ. We also have had the great priviledge of repairing their temporary home so that it will last longer until they can afford to build a more permanent home. Every week when we show up, we are greeted by tons of smiling children constantly repeating our names (most of the time getting them mixed up). Then, we see the smiling faces of the adults as we arrive to teach the Bible to them. We only have two more meetings with them before we leave. However, praise the Lord for Carmen and Angelica (two women who attend Iglesia Emanuel, the church where I've been living)! They have accompanied us each week and will continue to go and teach the Bible there every week after we leave. They are incredible women of God who have a fiery passion for spreading God's Word. In the past few weeks, we have also begun to do the VBS stuff with these kids that we do with the kids in Los Jardines. Please pray for the children and adults in this community as they learn about God's love for them and His plan for their lives. Also, pray for Carmen and Angelica as they continue to go. Pray that they would be filled with the words from God and be a blessing to the lives of the people there. There are many kids there and I'm not sure who will continue to go there to teach and love on them....so please pray for that as well.Thursday/Friday
Every other week, Jason and I go into Lima for these days so our ministry has been limited. Usually there is some sort of manual labor type stuff for us to do around the church. We have also taken these days to work on the home of the family in San Ignacio. It has been an honor and a priviledge to see that place transformed during our short time here.Saturday
Our mornings are either spent riding the bus back to Chincha or working. We also have a Bible study and play games with the youth on Saturday afternoons. The last Saturday in March and all of them in April held what they call a compaña (or rally). We would go to a different community (Posuelo, Los Jardines, San Ignacio, Balconcita, and Pueblo Nuevo) for 5 weeks in a row. The rallies consisted of worship through song, testimonies, a drama, and a short message followed by an invitation. Jason, Dessy (the pastor's oldest son), and I did the drama each week (I will upload the video of the drama once I return to the States and have a faster internet connection). The past two Saturday mornings (and the one coming up) have held some cool, special events. 
Two weeks ago, we held the first ever "lock-in" at Iglesia Emanuel. We played games, had a scavenger hunt, and Jason shared the prodigal son story (the clues in the scavenger hunt went along with this Bible story). After we fed them dinner, we watched a movie and went to sleep. After a small breakfast in the morning, they all went home. We expected about 25 kids, but we had almost 40. It was really fun and I believe they enjoyed it and most importantly heard about God's love for them.
Two weeks ago, we held the first ever "lock-in" at Iglesia Emanuel. We played games, had a scavenger hunt, and Jason shared the prodigal son story (the clues in the scavenger hunt went along with this Bible story). After we fed them dinner, we watched a movie and went to sleep. After a small breakfast in the morning, they all went home. We expected about 25 kids, but we had almost 40. It was really fun and I believe they enjoyed it and most importantly heard about God's love for them. 
Last Saturday, we held a marble tournament with the kids in Los Jardines (and will hold another in Balconcita this Saturday). Before we started, we sang the songs we have been doing on Monday's and acted out the story of David and Goliath. There had to have been 50 or 60 kids there. Praise the Lord for the work He is doing in that beautiful place and in the lives of those beautiful people.Sunday
Sunday mornings are typically laundry time. Then, we just hang out and read or play cards or something until it is time to get the church ready for the service. Three Sundays ago was the first service held in the church since the earthquake hit over 8 months ago (August 15, 2007). Before that, we would meet outside under a temporary pavillion. I have to say that I do not miss carrying those big speakers each week. This past week was Mother's Day, of course. Even though I was not able to be with my mother (I love you, mom!), Jason and I made Mother's Day cards for our Peruvian mom. She thought they were funny and shared with everyone during church what we had done for her. At the end of the service, they brought us to the front to introduce Jason's friends (Jakob and Blake), but it allowed Jason and me to share our hearts with them a little bit. It hit me really hard that it was my next to last Sunday in Chincha (we will be sightseeing the last Sunday in Peru). I am going to miss this place and these people very much. Please keep Iglesia Emanuel and the Escalante family in your prayers as they seek to bring glory to our Father and make His name known in Chincha and the surrounding cities.
Sunday mornings are typically laundry time. Then, we just hang out and read or play cards or something until it is time to get the church ready for the service. Three Sundays ago was the first service held in the church since the earthquake hit over 8 months ago (August 15, 2007). Before that, we would meet outside under a temporary pavillion. I have to say that I do not miss carrying those big speakers each week. This past week was Mother's Day, of course. Even though I was not able to be with my mother (I love you, mom!), Jason and I made Mother's Day cards for our Peruvian mom. She thought they were funny and shared with everyone during church what we had done for her. At the end of the service, they brought us to the front to introduce Jason's friends (Jakob and Blake), but it allowed Jason and me to share our hearts with them a little bit. It hit me really hard that it was my next to last Sunday in Chincha (we will be sightseeing the last Sunday in Peru). I am going to miss this place and these people very much. Please keep Iglesia Emanuel and the Escalante family in your prayers as they seek to bring glory to our Father and make His name known in Chincha and the surrounding cities.
Jim Elliot told Elisabeth Elliot when they had to be apart for a time while they were dating, "Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." The past few months, my mind has dwelt many times in the past wondering why things have happened the way they have and also in the future wondering how my life will go. All of this is futile because the only thing that I can really do is live in the present alone. I must learn from my past, hope for the future, but LIVE in the present. I am in Peru right now. So that is where I am going "be."
