Toilets on strike

We apologise for the lack of posts. Life doesn't always turn out like we planned and neither internet connections or the time to use them is available to temporary missionaries, "The harvest is ripe but the workers are few" so to speak. As stated we started off in San Ramon in the Junin Province. Simon and I managed to contract a stomach bug of some sort.

After consultation with the local doctor whose office looked like it had stepped out of the 60s we were given a course of drugs and an injection each. Simon was lucky enough to have it in the arm at the doctors office and was light headed after the experience. I on the other hand was back at the house in the lounge where Elda proceeded to tell me to roll over and drop my dacks. The rest of the Misionera crew were momentarily blinded by the white as she gave me an injection in the rear end. I wasn't complaining after a day as it seemed to sort things out and we were rolling again. "How's your stool?" was a valid question. Nonetheless neither of us really complained; Simon's shirts became a relaxed fit while my belt went to the next notch. Medicated diarrhoea is a great thing for losing weight quickly and easily.While the location of the nearest toilet was a key factor in any excursion from the house we managed to get up and operational after missing an overnight stay in one of the villages.

2 of the first 3 days were spent with the Chileans leading the programs in San Ramon we were isolated by road closure by miners in the area. We were greatly encouraged to see dramatic responses by children and when the program was rained out we still had the opportunity to minister to a woman and her daughter while we stood in a store front waiting for the rain to slow down.

Programs out of San Ramon typically were made around the Chilean crew entertaining the children with songs and stories while the adults were given a quick lesson in Ashaninca from the bible tapes. With the arrangements being made quickly for the San Ramon trip we were somewhat lacking in the planning department but were blessed with open arms of the villagers.

Reactions varied:

• One chief who while willing to accept a cassette was very wary of anyone corrupting his children's minds and we were not permitted to continue working in the area.
  
• One village there had been visitors to the village recently who were kidnapping children and there was at least one mother who would not let her child join in the kids program. At this same village we were expected to buy drinks for men constructing a small concrete bridge which forced us to walk the final 15minutes. It is hard to know what they thought of us.
• The other negative from the run was when handing out stickers and sweets in the final village of San Ramon. Children were snatching gifts from us and each other while the village chief looked on.

We have to say though the the rest of the experience was fantastic. It is surreal to see grass huts with concrete junction boxes out the front and power lines running everywhere. The many positives included gifts on the way out including baskets and a duck nicknamed Dominoes. (what's in the box with the air holes that look like dots, When it stuck it's head out of the box it was peaking duck, and after the box deteriorated we had to put it back together with duct tape).

Responses were fantastic:

• The highlight for many of us was one chief who knew it was more important to listen to the word of God than to attend to his paying tourist guests.
• Chiefs watching us work with the children and listening to the tapes and messages given.
• One village was comprised of only 7 huts had no men present and when the school children returned, only 1 boy around 13 was present. While we were not able to much for the long term health of the village we were able to give them the word of God, clothing and medicines. The old chieffess was a different person as she watched the children's program.
• The children were fantastic to work with, they were somewhat taken back by the gringos and Chileans in clown and lion suits but were so well behaved, were children allowed to grow as children. There were many hugs going around as we departed each village.
  

Because many of the men were out working in the fields it was often the case for villages to be solely attended by the women and children. We visited a school in a village that was only accessible via boat or flying fox from the main road. It seemed rude to be pulled up the final 30m by two women and a man none of whom were much over 150cm.

Where possible Medicine kits and clothes were distributed. It is sad to see but there were several instances of relocation of the villages by the government and mining companies. Fields were often grown on the sides of hills that would be impossible to work come the rain.

We returned to Lima somewhat sadly. Pastor Juan and his wife Karen (who had moved there from Ecuador) had been struggling in their service of the church. When the church cannot afford the salary pastors from the city are asking for and there are few evangelical churches in the area, the isolation and workload is overbearing.

It was also a sad moment in Lima in the next 2 days as our Chilean contingent of Danae, Levi and Anna needed to return home. Bonds built despite a lack of common language were to be broken by distance. We will however be meeting up with them during our assorted stop overs in Santiago on the way back. The internet is a marvellous thing and friendships will be maintained.