Unexpected Gifts
In 5+ years in Peru, we have never lacked anything. You have supported us, prayed for us, sent us birthday cards and Christmas treats. You have visited us or sent a representative group to bless us. CUDA, our non-profit, has grown and some of you support that kingdom work there with monthly or end-of-year donations. When it looked like CUDA might not make budget in 2019 and I asked for help at the end of a long newsletter, we had $8,000 by the end of the week. God has been faithful. Your Epaphroditus-style generosity and sacrifice is beautiful and glorifies God. Every so often we get an email that leads to an unsolicited gift.
When a group of soccer-playing dudes throws a baby shower
On any given week, it’s likely that there will be a baby shower listed in the Sunday announcement sheet for your churches in the US. A quick search of my gmail and all I saw was a whole bunch of emails from Central and Cedar Lane. Peruvians also have baby showers, but here baby showers are both men and women, with ample food and drink (usually alcoholic beverages), and a clown who is hired as the emcee of the party, to direct the drinking games, and to make sure everyone has a good time. It’s a far cry from a Sunday afternoon gathering for tea and crumpets and chocolate fountains and sweet gift opening in the US.
Orphanage Cookout
Over the past several years we, as a church, have had the goal to serve others. There have been several newsletter article references to our work and relationships with Pastor José Ingalls and the children in the orphanages that he runs (Paty's article "Being A Church of Servants", Sarah's article "Casa Verde" and Greg's article "McKinzie Reflections on CUDA 2016"). This August we started to visit the kids once a week and help them with their homework. I go with Paty every Thursday to the girls’ orphanage and Jeremy goes either by himself or with others to the boys’ orphanage. This has been a fun opportunity to strengthen our relationships with the children and the "tias" or caretakers.