From the beginning of our involvement with teamAREQUIPA we’ve been asked questions. I can understand that. For a group of college students to plan a long-term mission work in a foreign country surely raises a lot of questions among their family, friends, and supporters. As the time of our departure has gotten closer, the questions have been taking some interesting shifts. Early on we would hear information-gathering questions: Where is Peru? How long do you plan to be there? What type of mission work will you do? The questions I’m fielding now often have to do with how we can commit so much of our lives to this work, or how we can take our family out of the country for so long. Often times I’ve been told, “I couldn’t do that...moving to a foreign place and doing that work.”
A Weekend with Evertt Huffard
Before a game, teams usually have someone give a little pep talk, just to get their spirits up, to get them focused and energized and motivated. Then during time-outs or huddles, someone continues that sentiment to keep the players upbeat and on task. We have just had the privilege of having Dr. Evertt Huffard lead a missions weekend at Shiloh, which served a very similar purpose.
Partnership
It's hard to know what to say about two Churches of Christ partnering in a missions endeavor. Our fellowship has a lot of water under the bridge on that particular point. Yet, the thing that makes it hard to find the words is the very same thing that makes it such an exhilarating, beautiful thing. Perhaps "exhilarating" and "beautiful" are not the words that those involved in working out the practical details of partnership would choose, but they are the right words in my view.
Peruvian Dinner Night: A Taste of Arequipa
On the night of January 12, teamAREQUIPA hosted a "Taste of Arequipa" dinner to build awareness among the Shiloh team members. We could not have been more pleased with how the night turned out. And watch out Tullahoma, we hope to do something similar during our time with you. I don't want to ruin any surprises with the Tullahomians, so I will allow the pictures on the next page to explain just enough.